ã€ŠOath of the Survivorã€‹


 Chapter 1

    ¡°Say what you want. I don¡¯t like it.¡± The old man huffed, crossing his arms. Kyle smiled to himself at his grandfather¡¯s gruff tone. He had always been a strong critic of the Central Authority¡¯s methods, and it was no surprise to hear this kind of response.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a couple of great options, and I know they¡¯ll pay me well for the right selection. Rowan, in surgery, got a fifteen percent pay bump and an extra week of vacation this past Tuesday when they finished their analysis for him. I¡¯m at least as talented as he is, and with some extra vacation time, we could go on another trip or two before¡­¡± Kyle tapered off, still adjusting to the reality that his grandfather only had two, maybe three years left.

    Picking up on his grandson¡¯s discomfort, Clark gently placed his hand on Kyle¡¯s shoulder and met his eyes.

    ¡°Before I die. Kyle, I came to terms with death well over a century ago. I¡¯ve fought for my life alongside the Originators more times than I can count. I have seen and done things I never could have imagined as a young man. And while an extra trip together would be an incredible blessing, the most important thing to me is that you have a secure and established future. Selling your skills for some extra benefits from a pencil pusher who¡¯s never had to accomplish anything with their life is just¡­ wrong.¡±

    Some heat had returned to Clark¡¯s voice, and Kyle knew it was time to shift the subject. If there¡¯s one thing Clark could do, it was vent about the government. Kyle looked into his grandfather¡¯s deep green eyes and smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Now enough dawdling; let¡¯s get on with your checkup. C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    The Central Health Automated Diagnostic Drone referred to as C.H.A.D.D., floated over from the corner of the room.

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Pull up the chart from the December thirteenth visit. I want to refamiliarize myself before we jump in. C.H.A.D.D. hummed briefly before projecting a holographic model of Clark, notes appearing along the sides. Kyle had expected it, but even so, the brilliance of the projection made him shield his eyes.

    [CLARK MAYHEW. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SIX YEARS OLD. HUMAN, D GRADE. HIGH PROFICIENCY MANA PROJECTION. SEVERE SCARRING SURROUNDING LUNGS AND LIVER, HEART FUNCTION DETERIORATING. MISSING LEFT KIDNEY AND PORTION OF LARGE INTESTINE DUE TO INJURY DURING INTEGRATION. SCARRING ALONG THE SPINAL COLUMN¡­.]

    C.H.A.D.D. went on like this for some time as Kyle refamiliarized himself with his grandfather¡¯s endless list of injuries. He looked at the model of Clark, the scars crossing his body the reminder of the price his generation paid for the peace they now enjoy. Clark was the last remaining D Grade human on Earth and the sheer amount of mana the projection illustrated was staggering. Clark¡¯s body looked like that of a worn old man, but even these simple diagnostic scans showed that he was anything but.

    Even so, the cost of the power had been surviving a perpetual warzone. As he looked at his leathery skin and myriad scars, Kyle came back to the same conclusion: peace and weakness were significantly better alternatives to strife and power.

    Satisfied with his review, he turned to the small floating drone. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., please run a full diagnostic.¡± The drone floated past Clark¡¯s bushy white beard to rest even with the top of his head and slowly floated around him, the panels lighting up as they absorbed ambient mana to replace the energy used to move and diagnose. The drone finished its tour around Clark¡¯s body and highlighted three points in his torso.

    [DIAGNOSIS COMPLETE. SMALL TEARS OPENED UP NEAR AORTA AND LEFT VENTRICLE. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE NOTED NEAR LIVER.] While Kyle knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to fix all the accumulated damage his grandfather had taken over the years, this news at least put a smile on his face. These injuries were minor, and in challenging locations, but as a newly minted level 20 Healer, he knew this was well within his scope.

    Kyle closed his eyes and entered a brief meditative state, looking inwards towards his core. He reviewed the sight he saw earlier and the three new skills available: REGENERATION, BIOWEB, and MICROSUTURE. He had focused a lot on precise internal medicine over the last couple of years, and it had paid off with two skills at level 20 that would let him further specialize. He considered taking MICROSUTURE right then to reinforce the precise healing he would administer but decided to wait. While he thought that would be the preferred route, he¡¯d still leave it to his supervisors.

    Instead, Kyle allowed his mana to flow into his hand as he gently placed it on his grandfather¡¯s chest, then manipulated it as it flowed out from him in a small regenerative wave. Slowly C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors indicated the tears had been repaired, at least for now. Satisfied that he¡¯d at least done what he could, he looked up from the drone¡¯s display to see Clark looking out the window with wide eyes. He turned quickly towards Kyle and wrapped his arms around him as the ground shook and the world went black.

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    ~~~

    Earlier, Clark looked on with pride as his grandson went to work analyzing the image projected by the little drone. All day he¡¯d felt a strange sense of unease, and seeing his grandson in his element greatly calmed him. He could have received medical care anywhere in the world, but he still chose this small western frontier town to visit Kyle.

    The medical services available at Kyle¡¯s clinic weren¡¯t as robust as the larger cities, but it also gave him an excuse to get out and spend some time in the wilderness. He missed the days of being able to take Kyle with him on a whim, but seeing the young man engage with his patients and the excitement in his eyes when he talked about his work made it more than worth it.

    That soured a bit when he thought again about Kyle discussing his next skill choices. He was still frustrated by the Central Authority¡¯s control over these young minds ¨C the Originators wanted peace for their loved ones, but Clark couldn¡¯t help but think that they¡¯d disagree with the methods currently in place as much as he did. After all, they left the planet to pursue their paths, despite the dangers and conflicts they¡¯d encounter.

    He was the only D Grade who decided to stay, and despite his misgivings, he couldn¡¯t help but admit that he had also enjoyed peace. He watched his children grow old, watched their children blossom into fine young adults, and had the opportunity to experience nature alongside them without the threat of a life-or-death struggle. He looked out the window as Kyle began his healing administrations, feeling his grandson manipulate the threads of healing mana through his torso.

    The mountains in the east were easy to see beyond the small city, despite the growth Newton had experienced over the last several years. It served as a meaningful reminder of what had been accomplished despite the odds, that the resilience and adaptability of humanity is something not to be underestimated.

    Suddenly, a glimmer in the sky above the mountains caught his eye. He saw what looked like small, shimmering comets appearing above the city, then a series of blasts lighting up the horizon. The cloud of dust from the explosions rapidly approached the city, already beginning to cover the outskirts before his instincts kicked in.

    He projected his mana around the room and activated PROUD BULWARK to provide an outer barrier of defense. He then grabbed Kyle and activated IRONSKIN to bolster his resilience and put himself between Kyle and what would soon be a collapsing building. Lastly, he manipulated the projected mana with CLOUDFORM to soften the area around them as much as possible. The wave of destruction hit the building, and everything devolved into chaos as they fell into the rubble.

    ~~~

    Kyle woke up with his body screaming in pain, feeling like he had just been hit by a bus. He couldn¡¯t remember what had happened, but as he looked around, pieces started to crystalize in his mind. He had been with his grandfather for a routine appointment when¡­ when¡­ Kyle stopped. He saw a small circle around his position that was relatively undamaged, but around him was absolute devastation.

    They had been on the third floor of the clinic, and he could see what remained of the seventh floor strewn about just a stone¡¯s throw away. Kyle whipped his head around as he realized that something had gone wrong, only to instantly regret that decision as a sharp pain stabbed through the back of his head. Almost instinctively, he muttered to himself.

    ¡°Damage to the skull, possible concussion? What other injuries could¡­¡± A rustling nearby broke his chain of thought as a question chimed out from under some nearby rubble.

    [ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE DR. MAYHEW. ERROR. UNIT HOUSING BLOCKAGE. TROUBLESHOOTING¡­ ERROR. DISCONNECTED FROM WALL HOUSING. DIAGNOSING¡­ ERROR. UNIT HOUSING BLOCKAGE¡­]

    Kyle limped towards the sound as a large piece of rubble shifted, then saw Clark moving it with his one remaining arm. Kyle went pale as he saw his grandfather. He had a long gash across his forehead that bled freely and appeared to be missing an eye. His beard was matted with blood, and his torso was covered in cuts and bruises.

    Kyle got to his side as quickly as he could, his body moving on its own. It couldn¡¯t be. They were supposed to have years yet. He had so many more things he wanted to learn from Clark. So many more places to go and memories to be made. But as he poured healing energy into his grandfather, he knew it was too late. This kind of healing was just too far beyond Kyle¡¯s ability to fix. Clark looked up at him and smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay. The barrier held up against most of¡­ whatever this is. But I had to throw you out of the way of the last falling pieces.¡± Clark seemed about to say more before a wet cough interrupted him.

    ¡°Save your energy; I¡¯ll get us help. Just don¡¯t move, don¡¯t talk. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Kyle was talking faster and faster as he grew increasingly frantic, his words broken by sobs. Surely there was something, anything he could do.

    Maybe if he ¨C a scarred, leathery hand tousled Kyle¡¯s hair.

    ¡°We both know it¡¯s my time. Kyle, I want you to know that I¡¯m so, so proud of you. Seeing you grow up has been one of the great joys of this old man¡¯s life. Know how much I love¡­¡±

    Another coughing fit interrupted him briefly, but Clark continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen. But whatever it is, the world will need bright young people like you to make sense of it. The life of an old codger past his prime for a young doctor seems like a good trade to me.¡±

    Kyle was holding his grandfather tight, tears streaming down his face.

    ¡°I know this isn¡¯t fair of me to ask, and I hoped you¡¯d never have to live this kind of life. Kyle, whatever is out there, whatever¡¯s going on¡­ survive.¡±

    With that, the hand dropped from Kyle¡¯s head, lifeless. Clark Mayhew, the most powerful man on the planet, was gone.

 Chapter 2

    Kyle knelt for an eternity, his grandfather¡¯s body cradled in his arms. It all felt so¡­ surreal. The old man was as tough as they came, and Kyle wasn¡¯t prepared for the wave of emotions that assaulted him. To lose a patient was rare, and while there was no healing for the ravages of time, he couldn¡¯t help but think if anybody could have made it through, it would have been his grandfather. The silence was eerie, punctuated only by the occasional rubble cracking and falling. As he knelt, a battered drone floated up and around him.

    [PATIENT CLARK MAYHEW ¨C DECEASED. TIME OF DEATH - 10:17AM, OCTOBER 9TH, 2252. CAUSE OF DEATH ¨C BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA, BLOOD LOSS, HEART FAILURE, MANA OVERLOAD. UPLOADING TO CENTRAL HEALTH RECORDS. ERROR, NETWORK CONNECTION LOST. RESUBMITTING¡­ ERROR, NETWORK CONNECTION LOST. RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS¡­ NETWORK CONNECTIVITY ERROR IDENTIFIED. MOST RECENT NETWORK CONNECTION WAS INTERRUPTED AT 10:14AM. DR. MAYHEW ADVISE, ATTEMPT RECONNECTION?]

    As odd as it was, this mundane network connectivity message snapped Kyle out of his stupor. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what was the time of the network connectivity drop?¡±

    [10:14AM] The drone responded.

    ¡°What time did¡­ this happen?¡± He knew it was a dumb question, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to phrase it in a way the drone would process. Surprisingly the drone had a quick answer.

    [CATACLYSMIC EVENT IDENTIFIED AT 10:12AM. DISRUPTION OF MANA NETWORK ENSUED, RECONNECTED AT 10:13AM.

    CONNECTION LOST AT 10:14, YET TO BE REESTABLISHED.]

    Kyle paused momentarily to consider the implications, but it made sense.

    Just because this area was in ruins, that didn¡¯t mean the entire planet was destroyed. Kyle surveyed the rubble around him and once again took in the scene of destruction.

    Buildings had been blown off their foundations, the ground littered with debris spreading west from what he assumed was the center of the explosions. The developing city skyline was gone, and the mountains that had dominated the horizon had been broken and changed. The sky was darkened by dust particles in the air, and the mana his body passively drew in felt¡­ different somehow.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you have any captures or messages from the last moments of connection?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. EMERGENCY NOTICES FROM CENTRAL HEALTH BRANCHES TO THE WEST APPEARED TO BE MID-TRANSMISSION BY THE TIME THE MANA NETWORK HERE WAS DISRUPTED.]

    That would track with Kyle¡¯s observations. The farther east he looked, the more significant the destruction.

    While he was still getting his bearings, it was clear that going that direction would be unwise.

    [DR. MAYHEW ADVISE, ATTEMPT RECONNECTION TO UPLOAD DEATH NOTICE?] Again, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s question brought Kyle back to reality. His grandfather¡¯s body was still nearby, and he was alone.

    Clark¡¯s last words repeated in his head, and he made a decision.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., attempt a reconnection and upload every 10 minutes. Note any connections that come through and try to send an emergency signal before uploading the death notice.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO MEDICAL EMERGENCY. THE PATIENT HAS DIED¡­] the drone began, but Kyle snapped back.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., this is an exceptional circumstance. This isn¡¯t an operating room emergency or call light. Please broadcast as soon as you can connect.¡±

    [UNDERSTOOD DR. MAYHEW.]

    Several hours later, Kyle stood before a pile of rubble and stone. He wished he could do more, but this was the best burial he could give. Kyle ached all over but knew he wouldn¡¯t have been able to do what came next if he didn¡¯t at least do this. Teardrops hit the ground, and he felt a deep hurt in his chest.

    A lifetime of smiles, laughter, and care ran through his mind as he looked at the makeshift cairn. Thank you for everything. It was all he could muster before turning and walking away. C.H.A.D.D. followed him, and finally, Kyle composed himself enough to ask:

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I know the main network is down; can you detect any active devices using a local connection?¡± C.H.A.D.D. hovered in the air before responding.

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. CAFETERIA WALK-IN AND OVERFLOW MEDICAL SUPPLY PROGRAMS STILL FUNCTIONAL.]

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    On one side, Kyle couldn¡¯t believe his luck that both units were operational. On the other, it meant that the rest of the clinic¡¯s myriad programs were now non-functional, likely entirely destroyed by the blast. Kyle made his way to where C.H.A.D.D. indicated the programs were broadcasting. On the way, he tried to ignore the bodies of fallen colleagues and patients. He knew it was a miracle that he survived the blast, thanks to the D Grade shield surrounding him.

    Seeing those who didn¡¯t share that protection¡­ wasn¡¯t pretty. Kyle made it to a twisted heap of metal and concrete that C.H.A.D.D. indicated was the entrance to the walk-in storage for the cafeteria and began looking around for a way in. Unable to see much and afraid of accidentally collapsing what was there, Kyle had an idea.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you scan and provide a diagnostic of the area in front of us?¡± C.H.A.D.D. paused for a moment to process the request before responding.

    [THAT IS POSSIBLE. PROCESSING¡­]

    Moments later, C.H.A.D.D. projected a scan of the rubble. From there, it was a matter of effort to move the pieces that he could, and before long, he could get to the storage area door.

    He flashed his credentials, and the door slid open about halfway before jamming, leaving just enough space for Kyle to get in. It was a utilitarian room with no decoration, with a significant portion collapsed.

    Fortunately for Kyle, he spotted a few shelves still standing and intact, mostly packed with loaves of bread, prepacked crisps, and various breakfast bars.

    He began collecting what he could, leaving most of the bread that would spoil in favor of the sealed, packaged food. As the pile outside the rubble grew, Kyle realized quickly he would need something to carry the food. Looking around the room, he saw some towels and aprons in one of the corners and grabbed them.

    As he did so, he looked down at his scrubs, still covered in his grandfather¡¯s blood. He shuddered involuntarily before looking away, turning his attention to the towels.

    He tied several at the corners to make rough cloth bags, put what he could inside, and tied them off.

    It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it would do.

    The medical supplies were housed on the opposite side of the building, and unsurprisingly there was debris to navigate through the door. The process repeated, with C.HA.D.D. scanning and Kyle moving objects where he could to clear a path. They weren¡¯t as fortunate with this room. When Kyle scanned his credentials, the door barely opened far enough for Kyle to get through, with most of the room completely collapsed.

    Instead of having access to a wide variety of medical supplies, Kyle could only grab a small first-aid kit just inside the door, as well as two sets of fresh scrubs, one of which he quickly put on. It wasn¡¯t everything he had planned on, but it was something. Kyle hoped that as he moved farther away from the center of the destruction, he¡¯d find others who survived.

    Looking at his bundles of food and small first aid kit, he felt a pit of despair growing in his stomach. He had often gone camping with his grandfather, even investing some of his attribute points into Endurance and Vitality to keep up a little better. However, this was still far beyond anything he¡¯d thought about. He closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath. He had to treat this clinically, just like he would treat a patient brought into the emergency room. Step one of emergency triage ¨C gather information as thoroughly and quickly as possible.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., have you had any success reconnecting to the network?¡±

    [NO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Can you tell in what direction the most recent uploads came from before the connection dropped?¡±

    [MOST RECENT UPLOADS FROM CENTRAL HEALTH CORWYN, NIERBURG, PROST.] That confirmed a lot of what Kyle expected; all of those hospitals were west.

    Unfortunately, it also confirmed his fear ¨C while these cities were west, they were hundreds of kilometers away.

    Whatever had happened knocked out a lot more than he¡¯d thought.

    Stay focused. Next question: ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you have any saved map overlays or other data?¡±

    [DATA FOR AMBULATORY TRANSPORT IS ON FILE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL AN AMBULANCE?]

    ¡°No, C.H.A.D.D., please don¡¯t call for an ambulance.¡±

    [EXCELLENT, UNABLE TO CALL AMBULANCE WITHOUT MANA NETWORK CONNECTION.]

    ¡°Then why did you offer?¡± Kyle sighed with exasperation. ¡°Can you project ambulance routes between here and Central Health Nierburg?¡±

    [WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL AN AMBULANCE? AMBULATORY TRANSPORT DATA CANNOT BE ACCESSED WITHOUT AN EMERGENCY REQUIRING AN AMBULANCE.]

    Kyle was about to throw the drone into a wall.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I am the ambulance! The network just isn¡¯t working. Please just project the route.¡±

    This appeared to satisfy the little drone, which used its projection to show the routes an ambulance would take from their current position to the hospital in Nierburg. Kyle understood this would be less reliable the farther they went, but it at least pointed them in the right direction.

    Step two of emergency triage ¨C analyze the information you have and make a decision. Kyle, unfortunately, knew precious little. Something had destroyed the hospital and most of Newton. Whatever it is disrupted the ambient mana connections that flowed between cities. Kyle was the only survivor in this area that he had seen. He had maybe two weeks of food and some fundamental medical supplies. Hiking to the nearest cities would take weeks at least, and there was no guarantee that they fared any better than Newton had.

    Still, with this information, the decision was clear: head away from the center of the blast. No matter what happened, Kyle¡¯s odds of finding other survivors increased if he got away from this area.

    Kyle took a deep breath and affirmed his decision ¨C if he was going to survive, he would have to leave. His whole body ached. His mind was still numb. Yet he dragged himself to his feet and started moving. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you able to leave the hospital grounds?¡± The little drone floated silently for a moment before replying.

    [NO ANCHORING PROGRAM DETECTED; GPS OFFLINE. THIS UNIT IS CURRENTLY UNRESTRICTED.]

    Kyle breathed a sigh of relief; at least this resource was still available.

    ¡°Please come with me, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    The drone floated alongside as they departed, leaving the ruins of their home behind them.

 Chapter 3

    Kyle hadn¡¯t made it very far before he realized something was wrong ¨C very wrong.

    As an E Grade human, his body was as strong as a top-tier athlete¡¯s, even with his class specializing in mana manipulation. He had attributed his exhaustion and pain to be a lingering effect from surviving the blast and the grief at losing his grandfather. Still, just a couple hours later, he felt his body¡¯s condition continuing to deteriorate. He should have been able to maintain a walking pace like this for the bulk of the day with no adverse effects, so this was deeply concerning.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you run a diagnostic on me? Something is¡­ wrong.¡±

    [CERTAINLY DR. MAYHEW. CENTRAL HEALTH POLICY IS TO REMIND YOU THAT ANY PRESCRIPTIONS MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY A THIRD-PARTY PHYSICIAN, HEALER, OR ALCHEMIST. THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS MAY BE SHARED WITH CENTRAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND THE CENTRAL AUTHORITY IF ILLICIT SUBSTANCES ARE DETECTED¡­]

    C.H.A.D.D. chattered on for another minute, sharing all the disclaimers and possible repercussions of physicians using their diagnoses to access potent pharmaceuticals. Eventually, the drone finished and began scanning Kyle. Moments later, with a hum, C.H.A.D.D. projected an image of Kyle¡¯s body.

    Average height, fit, with short brown hair, Kyle was what most would consider average looking. He had olive skin and sharp features. It wasn¡¯t his appearance that gave him pause, though; it was the mapping of his mana pathways.

    What would typically reflect a steady flow of mana circulating throughout his body instead showed chaotic torrents that ebbed and flowed in random sequence, causing minor but consistent damage to his body. This slow wear and tear throughout his system was draining him, and he recognized quickly that, in this condition, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it more than a few days.

    He used his HEAL ability on himself, but it was far from an effective solution. The skill worked by manipulating his mana to encourage regenerative effects within an area of the body. While it was effective at what it did and could be used effectively against localized trauma, it was simply too costly to be used simultaneously across the entire body.

    Not seeing another option, Kyle sat on the ground, crossed his legs, and entered meditation.

    In his mind¡¯s eye, he saw a void with an outline of his shape in the center.

    Within the shape, he saw a small network of bright spots where his navel would be, all encompassed in a larger circle.

    From there, seven ¡°arms¡± branched out, spinning in a lazy circle. Perpetually moving, these arms were a representation of the seven fundamental attributes. Vitality, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Willpower, and Perception.

    This was the center of his mana cultivation, and as he focused on it, the motes of light became clearer.

    On the circle¡¯s interior, he focused on the bright spot in the center, and words entered his mind.

    KYLE MAYHEW. HUMAN, HEALER. LEVEL 20

    From the major central point, he saw a well-defined pattern emerging off to one side, which he knew represented his HEAL skill.

    Just beyond that, he saw three indistinct grey orbs. There were the skills he was so proud of unlocking just the day before. However, given his circumstances, the countless hours he¡¯d spent studying to gain these choices were wasted. Sighing, he dismissed MICROSUTURE and BIOWEB.

    These skills would have assured a substantial raise and a position in a much more specialized part of the medical field, but if he was going to survive, he would need to keep his body in one piece. It wasn¡¯t an exciting skill, nor a skill he had even considered given his other options, but now Kyle saw that it was the perfect skill to help him handle the constant damage to his body. Feeling modestly comforted, Kyle focused on the third orb and willed the surrounding motes of mana to infuse it. REGENERATION was learned, and Kyle instantly activated his skill. Even though he was in his center, he felt a gentle soothing across his body as mana was converted to rejuvenating energy.

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    The mana cost was relatively low, even sustained, but the healing would more than compensate for the damage caused by the chaotic mana in the air.

    It would be much less effective in treating acute injuries, but it was the perfect solution to counteract the slow, deteriorating effects of the unregulated mana. Satisfied that his body¡¯s condition would improve, Kyle shifted his focus to the arms swirling around his center, representing the seven attributes bolstered by his cultivation. While he observed their perpetual rotation, he received an impression of his current progress:

    VITALITY: 29

    ENDURANCE: 29

    STRENGTH: 23

    DEXTERITY: 25

    WILLPOWER: 55

    INTELLIGENCE: 75

    PERCEPTION: 60

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 4

    Kyle paused to reflect on his current progress. Humans grew well-rounded, but the Healer class focused on the mental attributes to the exclusion of the physical. His high Intelligence let him manipulate mana with fine control, while his Willpower allowed him to move quantities. Over the last couple of years, he had invested virtually all of his free attribute points into Perception to assist with his goal of precise internal medicine. Still, at this juncture, none of those attributes seemed like they¡¯d give him much of an advantage in the here and now.

    He thought about Strength and Dexterity but quickly dismissed them.

    They would help him move heavier objects and his body more nimbly, but that was hardly a primary concern at this point. He settled on splitting his 4 remaining free attributes between Vitality and Endurance.

    Improving his vital energy would help his natural recovery and take some strain off the REGENERATION skill, while the investment in Endurance would improve his overall toughness. He had few enough points in each that two points invested would still be a meaningful difference, and Kyle felt confident that once he was past his current trials, his primary attributes as a Healer wouldn¡¯t be in danger of lagging behind. He watched the remaining motes of light flow into two of the rotating arms and then slowly drew himself out of meditation.

    Kyle opened his eyes and nearly jumped out of his skin as he saw C.H.A.D.D. hovering barely an inch away from his face.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU ASKED TO BE KEPT INFORMED IF A NETWORK CONNECTION WAS ESTABLISHED?] Excitement quickly replaced surprise.

    ¡°Yes, did you find a connection? With which branch? What do the recent reports say?¡±

    [UNKNOWN. AT THIS TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN NO NETWORK CONNECTIONS ESTABLISHED. THIS UNIT WAS SIMPLY CONFIRMING STANDING INSTRUCTION.]

    Kyle blinked, disappointed and more than a little confused.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how are your systems holding up?¡±

    Kyle realized as he asked that these drones run on ambient mana, and that C.H.A.D.D. was likely taking internal damage similar to him.

    C.H.A.D.D. floated silently for a long minute before responding.

    [DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE. PROCESSING POWER AT EIGHTY-SIX PERCENT. DATABASE ACCESS FUNCTIONAL. CORE FUNCTION AT NINETY-THREE PERCENT. MOBILITY FUNCTION AT SEVENTY-EIGHT PERCENT.]

    Kyle was at least encouraged that the drone was operational for now, but did give it one more request.

    ¡°C.HA.D.D., run a diagnostic on yourself every 24 hours and give me a report of your core functions and the previous log. I want to be kept informed of your condition.¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    Victor DeRosa was having a bad day. He sighed as he looked at the sandwiches on his plate, the tiny edges of crust left on the bread. As if it wasn¡¯t bad enough that the blasted world was ending, his assistant STILL couldn¡¯t manage to give a crustless sandwich. With resignation, Victor took a small knife and cleaned up the cuts.

    Two perfect triangles of bread with a creamy nut spread and fruit preserves. Victor took a bite, grimacing at the ratio. No, this assistant simply wouldn¡¯t do.

    It was unfortunate he had to fire the last one two months back ¨C but embezzlement couldn¡¯t be tolerated, even if the sandwiches were simply divine. He finished his meal and settled into his chair as he thought about the next steps.

    The capital in Cathwick was gone, and communication had yet to be established with any other large cities. He had a team of mages that had erected a barrier to keep the harmful mana out, but at the current rate, it would be months before the mana network could be reestablished and running in a meaningful way.

    As the third in command of the Central Authority, he had prepared to eventually have to run the show ¨C he just hadn¡¯t anticipated an event like this.

    Still, there was room to improve efficiency, and he knew he¡¯d be up to the task ¨C saving the world one small step at a time. He looked in the mirror and spotted some crumbs in his otherwise perfectly trimmed beard, a streak of silver in the long dark hair. Victor quickly brushed them away and into the trash, looking out at his city. Nierburg survived better than he or anybody expected. And he would ensure that out of the ashes of this tragedy, a new and better Central Authority would rise.

 Chapter 4

    Kyle wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he crested the ruins of a fallen building. He and C.H.A.D.D. had been travelling for a couple of days, and were now near the far edge of Newton. While they were still a long way from getting to Nierburg, he felt that they were making good time. Unfortunately, their travels had been incredibly quiet, finding no additional survivors as they went. There were¡­ a lot of bodies. People were strewn across the streets, animals both in the cities and along the road having fared no better. They hadn¡¯t tried to sift through rubble to further explore, but C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners didn¡¯t pick up any signs of life.

    Kyle had seen enough death in their short time travelling that he was in no hurry to find more beneath the stones. The only stops they made regularly were in small convenience stores, picking up clean water where they could and replenishing the stores of food before they left the city limits. They got particularly lucky in one such store, coming across a dented but otherwise unopened can of lighter fluid and a book of matches. These were rare, as most kitchens had mana-powered cooking ranges, but being on the frontier there were enough people living in Newton that still liked to camp in the old world way.

    Kyle looked out over the horizon; the mountain range he¡¯d grown so accustomed to seeing was now barely visible at the edge of his vision. He remembered time spent outdoors with his grandfather and watching the crazy old man scale sheer cliff faces like they were nothing, dreaming of one day being able to catch up. It felt so¡­ recent. So real. Memories from well over a decade ago causing pangs of longing and grief for what he had lost. His parents lived east, hundreds of kilometers away from the city he and Clark had called home these last seven years. He hoped his parents might have made it despite the odds, but he had seen enough destruction even this far away from the blast to know that hope was likely misplaced. For a brief moment grief threatened to overwhelm him, but his grandfather¡¯s final exhortation and his training took over. He knew he¡¯d have time to grieve when he got to safety, but for now he needed to stay focused. Kyle closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and took inventory of his situation.

    Step one, gather information. Kyle evaluated his supplies, and while he had plenty of food for a while, he knew it wouldn¡¯t make the whole trip. Water, on the other hand, was much scarcer. Frankly, this was going to be his biggest challenge, and he wondered idly if REGENERATION and HEAL would be enough to help deal with the effects of drinking unpurified water. He filed that away as a top priority as he continued thinking about his circumstances. Physically, Kyle was doing much better than expected. His REGENERATION ability had all but negated the impact of the chaotic mana on his body, and as an unexpected benefit he had gained levels rapidly as he used his new ability to heal in a way that he hadn¡¯t before.

    Just this morning he had crossed to level 23, and he felt confident that even if his pace of levelling slowed he¡¯d still be likely to grow to level 30 or beyond. With another skill likely to appear at level 40, Kyle felt confident that he¡¯d still be able to gain a skill that would secure him a better position as humanity rebuilt. Idly, the thought crossed his mind that if he hit level 40 he¡¯d be one of the premier healers throughout the entirety of the Central Health organization, a realization that brought him back to focus. Kyle had grown more in the past week of surviving this wasteland than many healers grew in five years.

    It was rare for anybody to progress their profession past level 30 anymore, and yet Kyle was rapidly approaching the bottleneck that would stop most people. He thought about his grandfather, the last remaining D Grade human on the planet. The stories he¡¯d heard, the scars of the tribulations that he carried with him even into his old age. Clark didn¡¯t live an easy life, but the fruits of struggle and tribulation were plain to see. The easy, comfortable life that Kyle and so many others had been living wasn¡¯t a path to level progression. If he made it out, Kyle resolved he''d write a paper on mana system theory with this as evidence. The Central Authority always made it a point that they understood and prescribed the path to highly efficient mana cultivation, but given that he¡¯d leveled more in a scant few days than he had in the previous six months, there was no doubt in his mind that they were overstating the effectiveness of their methods.

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    He snapped back to focus when he heard a rustling sound nearby. His first thought was that C.H.A.D.D. had floated off somewhere, but he saw the drone floating lazily by his side. He looked for the source of the rustling sound, but wasn¡¯t able to pinpoint it.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you scan the area? I hear something, maybe it¡¯s a survivor!¡± Without waiting for the reply, Kyle called out. ¡°Hello! If anybody¡¯s trapped here don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do my best to help you! Help me find you!¡±

    Kyle heard the rustling sound intensify, and suddenly from behind a some broken rocks a beetle the size of a large dog charged forward and knocked him off his feet.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Kyle screamed in surprise, barely managing to toss the beetle off his body and regaining his feet before it charged him again, mandibles chattering.

    [DIAGNOSIS COMPLETE. IT IS A LARGE BUG DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle turned to look at the drone, bewildered. ¡°That¡¯s not a helpful diagnosis at¡­ AAAAHHH!¡±

    Kyle was cut short as the beetle took advantage of the distraction, fluttering towards him and latching onto Kyle¡¯s arm with its powerful jaws. Blood flowed freely from Kyle¡¯s arm, and he immediately began to panic. On the list of things he¡¯d expected to have to handle, Doberman-sized beetles out for blood hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind. He was in pain, still taken by surprise, and felt way out of his element. The beetle released his arm, and Kyle fell backwards. The beetle scurried towards him again, its shiny black shell gleaming in the light as it made for his face, mandibles open. Kyle barely managed to interpose his wounded arm again, taking a second set of deep cuts.

    I could die here. Kyle thought to himself. I could really die here. That cold realization struck him, and in a moment his internal turmoil turned into an eerie calm as chills broke out across his body. No. Kyle focused on the beetle, its legs ineffectually clawing at his chest, trying to get a better grip to keep biting. I am not going to get eaten by a damn bug. The beetle flapped its wings in an attempt to push towards Kyle¡¯s face. I did not make it this far to DIE TO A TWICE-DAMNED BUG!!!!

    Kyle felt adrenaline course through his body as a snarl escaped his lips. He had fought so hard, buried so much, worked tirelessly to stay clinical and rational since his grandfather died. He leaned forward, the creature¡¯s mandibles digging deeper into his left arm. With his right he reached across to the beetle¡¯s back and ripped off one of its gossamer wings. The insect reeled backward in surprise at the movement, releasing its grip on Kyle¡¯s arm. The snarl grew into a roar as Kyle grabbed the beetle¡¯s head, turned, and smashed it into the side of what used to be an apartment building. His rage growing, Kyle smashed the beetle against the same block of concrete again and again, ichor running down his arms and mixing with his blood. Kyle dropped the beetle, exhausted. It lay motionless on the ground, and Kyle slumped down next to it, weeping bitterly. His family was dead. His coworkers were dead. His life, his apartment, everything he¡¯d worked for meant nothing in the face of this new reality. The pain of his losses, the staggering weight of his solitude collapsed on him with all the force of a falling star.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL SEVERE LACERATIONS ON YOUR LEFT ARM, AND FURTHER DAMAGE ACROSS YOUR CHEST. LACERATIONS ARE RUNNING FROM YOUR RIGHT CLAVICLE TO YOUR FLOATING RIBS. HEALING ADVISED WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN MINUTES TO PREVENT PERMANENT DAMAGE].

    Kyle, still sobbing, was stirred as he heard the message from his little drone. That was something he had trained for day in and day out ¨C listen to the diagnostic and take action. He wasn¡¯t okay, he knew he was a long way from it. The psychological trauma of what he¡¯d been through wasn¡¯t something you could just use mana to heal way. But enough of the grief had passed that he was able to slip into the old routine. He looked at his mangled forearm and used HEAL to begin treatment. Surprisingly, the wounds were somehow¡­ resisting his ministrations. He doubled down his focus and felt a foreign energy present within the wounds. It wasn¡¯t a toxin or bacteria, but it was as if the chaotic energy in the air had somehow entered the wound through the beetle¡¯s bites. Still, Kyle¡¯s focus on Intelligence and Willpower prevailed. It took much longer than anticipated, but within the hour Kyle¡¯s body was back near top form. For the first time since the battle, Kyle looked at the beetle. Its head had been crushed against the wall, but the body itself seemed relatively intact, with the exception of the wing he¡¯d ripped off. Looking at its powerful legs and robust body, he had a thought.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you tell if this thing is poisonous?¡±

 Chapter 5

    Poisonous? Fortunately, no. Tasty? A resounding ¡°no.¡± Kyle looked at the meat he had harvested from the beetle and grimaced. C.H.A.D.D. had confirmed that the meat wasn¡¯t poisonous, and was actually fairly nutritionally dense. This was a beetle that had somehow mutated due to the exposure to the foreign energy, and had ascended into the early E Grade. The meat was free of contaminants and toxins and was quite high in protein, a resource Kyle knew he would need plenty of in the days ahead.

    He was running low on the energy bars he had looted over a week ago, and while the crisps were a good source of calories, the lack of protein in his diet would cause his body to start eating away at his muscles as he continued his journey. It wouldn¡¯t be immediate, but without replenishing it would be inevitable. Kyle looked at the small scalpel in his hand, retrieved from the first aid kit. The last thing he thought he would use it for was as a replacement chef¡¯s knife, but he was glad the first aid kit included it. He looked over his admittedly amateurish butchering of the beetle, four remaining upper segments of leg and a few smaller pieces of the thorax which he wrapped in the remaining wing of the beetle and put in his sack. All in all, about six pounds of meat, this would get him through for a while. Even if the flavor was terrible, food was food. Kyle felt satisfied that he was able to make use of the beetle, but knew he would need to find some solutions to cook and store the meat.

    Thinking back to his time camping with his grandfather, he set his supplies aside and began to collect broken pieces of wood to start a fire to cook with. As the light faded, he found a sheltered place in what had been the corner of a building ¨C this portion of the rust-colored brick the only part still standing. It took some time, but he was able to get the fire started before night fell, skewered beetle meat roasting over the flame. He brought over the rest of his supplies as the meat cooked, the only sound the crackling of the fire.

    Unfortunately his suspicions were correct, the flavor of the meat was awful, tasting like springy wet cardboard. He grimaced as he continued to eat, resolving that as soon as he made it back to civilization the first thing he would eat would be a hamburger. As the fire began to settle, he laid out the remaining strips of the meat to slowly cook over the smoke, idly hoping that smoked bug jerky would taste better than flame-roasted. Yeah, if only I could be so lucky, he thought. C.H.A.D.D. had settled in near his side, and Kyle leaned back in the corner, watching the stars in the sky as the fire crackled. Before he noticed it happened, he drifted off to sleep.

    ~~~

    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Clark asked him. The first time his grandfather had taken him up into the mountains to camp he had been absolutely blown away by the beauty of the night sky. With mana-supplied light the cities were always aglow and abuzz with activity, with only the brightest of stars visible to the naked eye. The vastness of the night sky was breathtaking to Kyle, having spent virtually his entire life to this point in the comforts of the city. His parents were so happy that he was born with the ability to cultivate mana, as neither of them were. As a result, they had invested heavily into his development, leading to Kyle being shuttled from school to school, getting the best training his family could afford. This left precious little time for frivolities like camping, so when his grandfather had asked his parents if Kyle could go with him for the weekend, he begged until they finally relented and let him go. His grandfather¡¯s question snapped him out of his gaping stare, and he met Clark¡¯s eyes, knowing his own were full of wonder.

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Was it like this before?¡± Clark smiled and stroked his beard.

    ¡°Yes and no. We couldn¡¯t see them as well, but it was a lot easier to get out and enjoy it.¡±

    Of course, that went without saying. Wild beasts were a real and present danger in the wilderness if you went outside of defined safe zones without an armed security team. Or, well, without a bona fide D Grade looking out for you. Say what you will about their intelligence, but many of these creatures could identify trouble pretty quickly and knew to stay out of the way.

    ¡°Did you used to go see the stars a lot?¡±

    Kyle had always been curious about his grandfather¡¯s experiences before their world had awakened to mana. It had only been about one hundred and fifty years, but so much of what the world used to be like had been lost.

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    The wrinkles around Clark¡¯s eyes deepened as he smiled.

    ¡°Not as often as I¡¯d have liked back then, work kept me busy and the weekends I had free I¡¯d typically be working on some project or another. But I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve had a chance to make up for lost time, and even happier that you¡¯re able to join. Oh! I almost forgot¡­¡±

    Clark trailed off as he unslung his backpack, rummaging inside. He took out a small package of marshmallows and a small fire-attuned mana crystal, followed quickly by a bag of crackers and a couple of chocolate bars.

    ¡°It¡¯s not camping if you don¡¯t get an opportunity to treat yourself after all!¡±

    They spent the next couple of hours roasting marshmallows and eating s¡¯mores, with Kyle telling Clark about his recent acceptance to a medical program and the decision to take the HEALER class. His grandfather smiled along and listened, until Kyle had finished and the two settled into a contented silence. This was broken when Kyle asked the question that had been on his mind for years, but that he¡¯d never had a great opportunity to ask.

    ¡°What was it like when mana started entering the world? I¡¯ve read the histories, and nobody ever really talks about the time between when the world awakened and when the Originators established the Central Authority. It¡¯s just a big blank¡­ spot.¡±

    Clark sighed. His grandson had always been a sharp one, and even if the questions weren¡¯t exactly the right ones, he¡¯d picked up on an important one nonetheless. Besides, that¡¯s part of the reason he wanted to come up here together, to get a chance to honestly talk and share some thoughts from an old codger with a lot of regrets.

    ¡°Frankly, it was hell. Just like now, not everybody was able to absorb and cultivate mana. There¡¯s a lot of talk about how it was man versus nature, and to a degree that¡¯s true. But it was also man versus his fellow man more often than not.¡±

    Clark trailed off, looking his grandson squarely in the eyes.

    ¡°A lot of people died in those first few years, Kyle. If the estimates were correct, close to seventy-five percent of humanity didn''t make it. Powerful awakened beasts were a part of it, but more than anything else it was bands of everyday people ruled over by warlords fighting against one another. The only way to make it was to be part of a stronger group, and eventually it was clear the Originators were the strongest group around. This peace we¡¯ve enjoyed for the last hundred and fifty years was built on the back of three decades of death. Sorry, I know that¡¯s probably a lot more than you were hoping for. But it¡¯s important that you know.¡±

    Kyle sat quietly, taking it in. That added a lot of color ¨C with only about half of all people able to use mana and achieve E Grade, he was always curious about how groups made it through without the Central Authority providing resources and support. It made a lot of sense that it was harder than the histories would share. He had a million more questions he wanted to ask, but instead he plopped backwards and looked back up at the stars.

    ¡°Thanks for sharing, Grandpa. For now, I¡¯m just glad for what we have, and for the stars.¡±

    ~~~

    Kyle woke up to the sun cresting over the horizon, the memory of his first night camping with his grandfather still fresh in his mind. He stretched as he stood, looking at the smoldering embers of his fire from the night before and the strips of meat that had been cooking over them. Kyle decided to take a quick bite of the jerky as he packed the rest of his supplies, and as he feared it tasted about the same as the roasted meat. Still, it was better than nothing.

    Calling C.H.A.D.D. over, he started the day¡¯s journey west. In many ways he felt more connected with Clark than before, trying to make sense of a world that defied it. Nothing was the same for him now, but just like his grandpa did, Kyle knew that the best way to honor his family¡¯s legacy would be to adapt and make it through. He still hurt, he knew that the grieving wasn¡¯t done. It wouldn¡¯t be for a long time. But despite it, Kyle knew that he had what it took to keep going. One step at a time, he would walk a path of survival.

    As he crested a hill Kyle saw that he was coming up on the edge of the city, and looked out at a devastated forest in the distance. Many of the trees were blown over or damaged, but a surprising number still stood. He knew it would be best to stick to established roads, and was looking to see where they entered the woods when his foot caught on something. His stomach lurched as he fell unceremoniously down a pile of rubble, mortar and concrete falling along behind him.

    After much grumbling and a quick HEAL later, Kyle saw the culprit that led to his fall: a two meter long piece of mana-reinforced rebar. Kyle was about to walk past it when he stopped and looked back at it for a closer inspection. It wasn¡¯t perfectly straight and had certainly seen better days, but it looked to be a piece that was used in building construction. He lifted it with minor difficulty, and thought back to his fight with the beetle. If he had been able to smack it from a distance that would have gone a long way towards keeping him uninjured, and he decided to take it along. Wrapping the bundle of food supplies around one end of his makeshift staff, he hefted it over his right shoulder and continued walking towards the woods.

 Chapter 87

    ¡°The world is going to¡­ what?¡± Kyle was shocked as he processed what Chester said.

    ¡°Your planet will die, as will all life remaining on it. Riftwyrm attacks are no laughing matter, and I¡¯m afraid this was a particularly nasty case. Frankly, I was surprised when our scans indicated that there were still so many survivors.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a minute.¡± Kyle interrupted, a question burning in his mind. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®attack?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Exactly what I said, your planet was attacked, though for all intents and purposes you could consider it to be a natural disaster. Riftwyrms are monsters at the A Grade, and are exceedingly rare. I have no idea why one would appear in a remote sector like this.¡±

    Kyle grew cold, fighting to keep his expression neutral. Is that what the presence is? An A Grade monster? It didn¡¯t explain everything, but several pieces did fall into place. One thing was for sure; the next time he found himself absorbing a crimson orb, he¡¯d have some questions he was going to get answers to. For now though, he didn¡¯t want to let on any more than was necessary. While he believed that the others didn¡¯t want to fight, he wasn¡¯t going to risk making them think he was somehow related to the creature.

    Fortunately, Garth didn¡¯t share his compunction.

    ¡°How common are these attacks? And beyond that, why is a mining company delivering the message?¡±

    There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Chester seemed lost in thought, broken by an annoyed Skippy.

    ¡°Corthian Mining showed up because there¡¯s usually some really good stuff that gets left in the wake of these kind of attacks. Mana interacting with your world and all that. So the Collective gives companies free reign to snatch up all the goodies so long as they do a halfway decent job getting people off world.¡± The grey-skinned alien¡¯s voice was distinctly male to Kyle¡¯s ear, though it had a strange buzzing quality to it. Chester was glaring daggers at the smaller creature, who seemed not to care as it grinned devilishly. The human must have felt that it was necessary to add some context, and he quickly shared more of his thoughts.

    ¡°That¡¯s only a piece of the equation, though not wholly incorrect. It¡¯s true that we get first access to any natural treasures that could be left in the wake of the attack, but that¡¯s just to offset the costs of rescue. As you can imagine, it takes a significant number of resources to make an effort like this work.¡±

    Garth frowned for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°What kind of natural treasures? Are we to believe you¡¯re going to strip mine our planet?¡±

    Chester sighed.

    ¡°In some ways, yes. There will be extraction of various ores and metals that have been influenced by the mana. We will be searching for other, unique treasures. It¡¯s unpredictable exactly how this energy will react, though it is almost assured we will find several items of considerable value.¡±

    Kyle nodded at that information. To an extent, it made a lot of sense. He honestly would have been more wary if they claimed to be offering rescue for nothing. No such thing as a free lunch, after all. Suddenly, the massive pig-like creature ¨C Duroc ¨C began to approach Kyle. He immediately activated HASTE and raised his baton, and he could feel the mana gathering behind him, no doubt Garth preparing a skill as well. Duroc seemed largely unbothered as it approached, beady black eyes looking down at the Healer. Its voice came out in a high-pitched whine. ¡°I can smell it on you. You have food and I¡¯m hungry. Can I have some?¡±

    Kyle was dumbstruck by the question, and he could tell Garth felt the same. It held his eyes with its own, blinking quickly.

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a great response, but it was the only thing Kyle could think to say.

    A sudden snorting sound grabbed all their attention, and to Kyle¡¯s surprise it was Chester Drake trying ¨C and failing ¨C to hold back riotous laughter.

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    After composing himself, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we head to the shuttle. There¡¯s food there, Duroc. And Mr. Mayhew, I think you can agree that if we wanted to crush you we could. Skippy on his own would be more than enough to handle you, your friend, and all the people in this settlement. We truly do want to talk and cooperate.¡±

    That was logic Kyle couldn¡¯t argue with. Still, there was no need to take unnecessary risks. ¡°Garth, can you get the survivors here organized and ready to move? I¡¯ll do my best to work out a plan.¡±

    The grizzled soldier looked like he wanted to argue about splitting up. However, he must have understood the implication of Kyle¡¯s words ¨C stay back and if anything goes sour try to share what happened. Wordlessly, Garth nodded. Satisfied that his friend would do his part, he turned back to Chester, Skippy, and Duroc.

    ¡°One thing, Chester, it¡¯s Dr. Mayhew. Not Mr.¡±

    Surprisingly sharp eyes met his, and Kyle met them with equal intensity.

    ¡°Due respect, Mr. Mayhew, but you are not certified by the Collective, you do not have a meaningful understanding of medical best practices for the various species of the universe, and you are standing before us as more of a Warrior than a Healer. While that may pass for a Doctor in this backwater, our standards are much higher. Now come, we have work to do.¡±

    Chester turned on his heel, and the three D Grades made their way towards their vessel. They had landed on the planet via shuttle, with their main ship still in orbit. The shuttle was boxy, nearly fifty meters long with dozens of individual pods lining the outer hull. It almost looked like a massive shipping container, if it weren¡¯t for the glowing formation of runes drawing mana and keeping it afloat. It was similar to the now-damaged set on C.H.A.D.D. that allowed it to move, albeit on a massive scale. Using Auric Perception, Kyle could pick up hints of similar formations. winding across the entire surface of the shuttle, with the exception of the pods.

    Quietly, Kyle whispered, ¡°C.H.A.D.D., see if you can get a good scan of those runes. I¡¯d be interested to get a closer look when we get some time.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR MAYHEW. TURN SLOWLY.]

    If the others noticed the exchange, or Kyle¡¯s slow twirl, they didn¡¯t show it. One by one, they approached a small terminal set next to a heavy metal door. Skippy and Duroc went first, each placing their hand on the access panel before entering. Chester turned to Kyle.

    ¡°This reacts to your mana signature, nothing more. I¡¯m going to give you guest credentials viable for one entry, and if we can find a way to work together we¡¯ll iron out the other details.¡± Without waiting for a response, he fiddled with something on the terminal, then gestured for Kyle to come up and rest his palm on it. Kyle paused for only a moment, before going along with it. He was already so far beyond anything he¡¯d planned for, he might as well see it through. If they wanted him dead there wasn¡¯t much he could do, so he might as well see the inside of a bona fide spaceship while he had the chance.

    Walking inside, Kyle¡¯s eyes were drawn to the thick metal walls. The interior was austere, and felt clearly utilitarian in nature. That was within his expectations, until they turned a corner to find a quaint carved wooden table. A person wearing the same type of suit as Chester brought trays of warm food, something very similar to a fluffy pancake with vegetables mixed in. The three others sat and tucked in with gusto, Duroc devouring his first pancake at a level worthy of his porcine appearance.

    ¡°Is there anything bothering you, Mr. Mayhew?¡±

    Chester Drake¡¯s polite question in combination with his raised eyebrow made Kyle well aware that he¡¯d just been staring at them all as they devoured the steaming piles of food, and he quickly snapped his gaze to meet the other man¡¯s.

    ¡°Yes, thank you. Before anything else¡­ you¡¯re human, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Quite. Humans are far more common out in the wider universe than you may expect, Mr. Mayhew. By sheer volume, we make up nearly seventy percent of the sapient life that we¡¯re aware of. Some of us have even risen to relative prominence, all things considered. And rest assured, all the food and drink provided is edible. Please, eat.¡±

    ¡°So none of the other humans are from Earth?¡±

    ¡°I assume you mean this planet. None that I¡¯ve encountered ¨C the oldest records of humanity are from several worlds near the center of Collective space. There are many theories about why that is, though its still largely a mystery.¡±

    ¡°How many other species are there?¡±

    ¡°Countless. Though the Collective ¨C the primary governing body ¨C is made up of five sitting species. Now, the rest of the history lesson can wait for another time. Please, eat.¡±

    Some of this information Kyle was aware of. The Originators had discovered other enlightened life, and gone off-planet to make their way in the broader universe. Still, having a group of aliens show up out of nowhere was something he¡¯d never prepared for. Kyle didn¡¯t know what he expected alien contact would look like, but being served a warm meal and drink suspiciously like coffee wasn¡¯t anywhere on the list. Still, he was hungry. Watching Duroc and Skippy both digging in helped to ease his drifting mind a bit, and he took the fluffy pancake into his hands.

    Taking a bite, Kyle had to fight back an audible groan of satisfaction. The texture was firm but springy, with a delightful crunch each time he bit into the strange vegetables. It was leaps and bounds better than anything he¡¯d eaten since the cataclysm occurred. The group ate in amicable silence, with Duroc having eaten four of the pancakes before Kyle could finish his. Finally, the table clear, Chester spoke. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve had a chance to eat, let¡¯s discuss the matters at hand.¡±

 Chapter 88

    Seamlessly, Chester continued.

    ¡°As Skippy mentioned before, this is a capital-intensive process. Our primary ship is in orbit, and our crew will begin to work on identifying areas worth further exploration and extraction. They will also be confirming initial estimates on the timeline until your planet¡¯s core is no longer stable. This will take several days. By that time, my hope is that we can establish a better picture of how many survivors we have, and secure cooperation from local leaders. From there, I will begin coordinating with headquarters and personnel transports will be sent this way to begin loading up your people. With luck, we¡¯ll get the majority off-world.¡±

    Kyle was a little taken aback by the cold, analytical approach. Earth was experiencing an extinction event unlike anything before, and Chester was talking as though he was giving directions to get to a grocery store. Kyle¡¯s surprise at the tone turned to suspicion. As a doctor, he had broken bad news more than once. Bedside manner was important, trained from the early days of medical school and hammered home during residency. In his career, he had only met two types of doctors who struggled: the ones who didn¡¯t care and the ones who were too burned out by what they¡¯d seen. To deliver the message the way he did, Kyle felt confident that Chester was one of the two. So, against his better judgment, he asked the man.

    ¡°Mr. Drake, you¡¯re awfully calm about the destruction of everything I know. Is it because you can¡¯t be bothered to care, or because you¡¯ve seen it too many times?¡±

    There was a little more heat in his voice than he intended, but he resolved himself as he met the other man¡¯s grey eyes, refusing to be the first to look away.

    Chester sighed.

    ¡°Truthfully, I don¡¯t care. I would have much rather stayed home, or taken on a more interesting project, and this type of frontier work is well below my pay grade. However, we had some¡­ unique circumstances with this expedition, and I was asked to lead it personally to ensure the greatest possibility for success. And I have no intention of disappointing on that front. Now, if you¡¯re done questioning my motivations, can we continue?¡±

    The man¡¯s tone didn¡¯t change, his expression didn¡¯t shift. There was no hint of subterfuge, at least not that Kyle could pick up. Still not quite satisfied, Kyle played a card he¡¯d been holding.

    ¡°Hey Duroc, what do you think about Chester? Do you trust him?¡± The porcine alien had been incredibly direct thus far, and Kyle had the feeling that while Chester may technically be in charge, Duroc and Skippy fell outside his authority.

    Without hesitating, Duroc squealed his answer.

    ¡°He¡¯s not bad. One of the best foremen Corthian Mining has. Benjamin said ¨C¡° Duroc was cut off by Skippy punching him in the arm, making a sound like a thunderclap.

    The strike would have sent most people flying, though it just made the large creature¡¯s arm wiggle a bit. Duroc seemed to get the hint.

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s right, I¡¯m not supposed to talk about Benja ¨C¡° SMACK! Another punch to the arm, and Duroc kept his mouth shut.

    An awkward silence followed, before Chester let out a sigh as he rubbed his forehead with his left hand. ¡°I¡¯d prefer if we pretended that didn¡¯t happen.¡± Kyle was more curious than ever, though he had no intentions of prying while sitting in the heart of their own ship.

    ¡°Consider the matter dropped. As far as your objective is concerned, if you¡¯re telling the truth I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much point in me arguing with you. Folks aren¡¯t exactly lining up to save us, and you all seem like a decent bunch. Prove to me you¡¯re telling the truth and you¡¯ll have my full support.¡±

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    For whatever little it¡¯s worth he thought, keeping that last bit to himself.

    ¡°We can certainly do that. If you¡¯ll all excuse me, I¡¯ll go get the scans of the planet. The results are conclusive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called Earth, Chester. Our planet is called Earth.¡±

    Looking a little surprised, Chester nodded.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get the scans of Earth.¡±

    With that, Chester stood and left the three of them sitting at the out-of-place wooden table. As soon as the man was out of sight, Skippy stood up with a big grin and crossed arms.

    ¡°Your shield was pretty good. What is it? How does it work? Was it an upgraded skill or a new offering? What is your class, by the way?¡±

    Kyle was a little taken aback by the directness of the small grey alien, though being badgered to share information with people who didn¡¯t need to know was a situation he¡¯d dealt with every day in the clinic.

    ¡°Those are a lot of personal questions, Skippy. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not going to share any of that with you until I get to know you better.¡±

    In his experience, handling these situations with professional bluntness was the best way to go. It worked on nervous parents, upset spouses, concerned children. It did not, however, work on curious grey fighters.

    ¡°Fine. My name is Skierepallix. I was born in an impoverished mining world. Now I¡¯m here.¡±

    His grin slowly faded as the silence wore on, with both he and Kyle staring at one another. His foot began to tap on the ground, faster and faster until he uncrossed his arms with an exasperated noise.

    ¡°You know me better now! So get talking! I want to know how your shield works. If you don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m just gonna punch you and make you use it until I figure it out.¡±

    That startled Kyle, and he immediately jumped to his feet and took his stance. Skippy¡¯s smile returned as he gathered mana into his fist, before he was unceremoniously slammed to the ground by a massive unseen force. The metal flooring below Skippy began to creak and moan as Duroc casually walked over and grabbed the smaller alien. Somehow, the squealing voice conveyed incredible severity.

    ¡°If you break his table he¡¯s going to take it out of our pay. Worse, we might not get to eat dinner here anymore. Cut it out. Now.¡±

    It was only when he focused his Auric Perception on Duroc that Kyle realized what was happening, and it sent a chill of fear down his spine. The pig-like creature had used mana to greatly magnify gravity in the area around Skippy, showcasing not only an impressive amount of mana, but incredibly precise control. And seeing how Duroc took Skippy¡¯s hits earlier¡­ yeah, there¡¯s no way I could win. Kyle had the distinct impression that the porcine alien was likely the single most powerful individual that he¡¯d ever met, and that was without having a great understanding of most of Duroc¡¯s abilities.

    Their antics over the last few hours had nearly made him forget the stark reality that these two were likely even stronger than his grandfather had been before he died. Still, that gave Kyle an idea. He was mulling through it while he watched Duroc and Skippy argue, when Chester returned. He carried with him a small metallic disk the size of his hand, inlaid with a variety of different runes. He looked at Skippy, still being held aloft by the casually standing Duroc, and Kyle recognized the look of exhaustion and resignation in the other human¡¯s expression. Been there, Kyle thought. Without even addressing the aliens, Chester placed the disk on the table.

    The runes began to whir, and a moment later an image of Earth was projected in three dimensions over the table. Chester fiddled with some of the runes, and the image shifted to show energy that was quite familiar to Kyle pulsing across the planet.

    ¡°This is a scan of the mana of your planet that we ran after approaching. We are here.¡±

    He gestured to a spot on the map that Kyle recognized as Duilleag, and saw a faint haze of red-tinged mana swirling over the area. Chester turned the globe around, and Kyle¡¯s breath caught as he saw the intensity of the chaotic energy grow in magnitude as it approached the epicenter of the blast, an area deep in the Indian Ocean.

    Deep crimson mana swirled around the area, and as he watched the image, he saw the problem. Without thinking, he spoke.

    ¡°The planet is leaking mana from its core.¡±

    ¡°Quite right. The Riftwyrm managed to pierce to the center of your world in its attack, and the energies are now leaking out. Furthermore, the effect is amplifying. It¡¯s slow for now, but within five years your planet will destabilize to the point that it simply crumbles apart. That leaves you all with fairly limited time to organize for an evacuation, as it will take at least a year for our transports to begin arriving. Are you satisfied with the urgency of the task?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    Kyle replied, the rest of his idea snapping into place.

    ¡°I can help get a meeting with the right people to organize all of this.¡±

    He stopped, looking at Duroc and Skippy.

    ¡°Though I¡¯ll need your help.¡±

 Chapter 89

    Skippy laughed after hearing Kyle¡¯s plan, while Duroc and Chester just stared at him, trying to measure if he was serious or not. Finally, the pig-like alien broke the silence, tilting his head as he spoke.

    ¡°Your world is seriously messed up; do you know that? I mean my planet has its issues, but this is a different kind of strange. You¡¯re really telling me that one person is calling the shots for all of you?¡±

    Kyle could only smile as he looked at the group.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a little odd. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll need all of you to come along and make a show of force. Trust me, it¡¯ll go a lot smoother this way. To confirm, you are the only three D Grades in the expedition? If there¡¯s any more of you it would be a help.¡±

    Chester shook his head.

    ¡°We¡¯re the only three who will be of help. We have a D Grade engineer and our expedition¡¯s head physician on the flagship, which is where they will stay.¡±

    The man¡¯s crossed arms and stiff posture made it clear there was no budging on the matter. That was alright with Kyle ¨C just one or two of them would have likely made his plan work, much less having all three.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem at all, Chester, I really appreciate the help. Let¡¯s loop in with Garth, and we can go from there.¡±

    Skippy stopped laughing, looking directly at Kyle.

    ¡°Why do you want to bring him at all? He¡¯s only E Grade, and not terribly powerful at that. He¡¯d just get in the way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how it is where you¡¯re from, but D Grades don¡¯t exactly grow on trees around here. Hell, I¡¯m the first one that I¡¯m aware of to evolve in over a century. And outside of being one of the best fighters here, he¡¯s also somebody that both I and the people in the capital trust. Without that, we might as well not go at all.¡±

    Kyle was deadly serious about the last point. As he considered how to inform the survivors about the death of the planet, he kept coming back to one thing. DeRosa would never allow a deviant like him to get a platform to speak. If he was let in at all, he¡¯d be undermined and discredited at every turn. He hadn¡¯t done himself any favors by keeping himself so distant from the people he saved, and he knew he just wasn¡¯t a match for the Councilman in terms of playing politics. Instead, he would have to rely on what he could do, trusting Garth would play along.

    ~~~

    ¡°This is never going to work.¡±

    Garth¡¯s voice was flat, as was the look in his eyes.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t that bad, is it?¡± Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. were waiting with Garth outside the ship while Chester made arrangements for them to board. The foreman wanted to get express permission to allow them more than one-time guest access, which Kyle could appreciate. If there was one thing he was well-acquainted with, it was bureaucracy. Even though he wasn¡¯t asking them to take any undue risks, there were some things just worth running up the chain.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty bad, Kyle. You don¡¯t know DeRosa like I do. He won¡¯t respond well to a show of force.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t respond well to anything, Garth. You know that he won¡¯t listen to us if we show up hat in hand. He¡¯ll see it as an attempt to take his power and rally the people around him. You told me how bad it got after the other coup attempt. This could go even worse.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. You. Don¡¯t. Know. Him. This is a dangerous gamble. People aren¡¯t going to trust you after you pull a stunt like this, Kyle. Hell, half the folks you brought to Nierburg were almost as scared of you as they were of being out in the wild.¡±

    Kyle sighed. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not asking them to trust me. I¡¯m asking them to trust you.¡±

    Garth looked to be about to respond, but they were interrupted as the main door to the shuttle opened. Chester walked out, no longer wearing the space suit he seemed to be wearing before. Instead, he was wearing rich brown robes with gold inlays, mana visibly shimmering around him. The sleeves of the robe were long, his hands covered by them. His eyes glowed faintly with energy, though Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d have been able to spot it without Auric Perception.

    ¡°Gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Given the circumstances on your planet, headquarters has deemed it allowable to follow your proposed course of action. I will make one thing clear ¨C if this in any way puts my crew or the other parts of the expedition at risk, we will leave. Furthermore, should you be attempting to lure us into a trap, we will respond with extreme force. In addition, our flagship has been instructed not to request evacuation until the shuttle¡¯s safe return.¡±

    ¡°Chester, I hope you don¡¯t think that we¡¯d ¨C¡°

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re attempting a betrayal. However, as the foreman of this expedition it would be irresponsible of me not to have contingencies, and to make sure you understood the consequences of the actions. Now come, I¡¯ll be granting you both guest access to the shuttle for the next twenty-four hours.¡±

    ~~~

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    Porter Rathman struggled to keep the smile off his face. They had received news just the other day that Garth Boltsbury and Terrance Banehaus had been presumed killed in action. Supposedly, Terrance had been killed in a surprise attack by the encampment they¡¯d visited, and Garth sacrificed his life to give his team and freed slaves room to escape. If Councilman DeRosa was upset, he didn¡¯t show it, and even better, he appointed Porter to his old position guarding the gate. Ever since the fiasco at the gate all those months ago, he¡¯d been walking in Boltsbury¡¯s shadow. Now, he was back on top.

    His first order of business had been to put Garth¡¯s team on leave. No need to remind himself of the man, though eventually he¡¯d have to talk with them at length, even if it was to disband them. He was considering what excuses would be best to have them removed, when he noticed a hum on the wind. Frowning, he turned his attention to the forest. The sound was growing louder by the moment, and his eyes widened as he saw its source. It wasn¡¯t coming from the woods, but from far above them. A metallic craft reminiscent of a shipping container was descending rapidly, brightly lit runes all across its surface drawing in ambient mana to slow it as it touched down on the ground a kilometer away.

    A door opened, and he could see four figures stepping out. The largest was a massive pig-like creature with a huge tower shield and wearing full plate armor. Beside it was a small, scrawny grey creature without a hair on its head. The third was a man in resplendent brown and gold robes, and the fourth was clad in reflective black armor, carrying a large bundle on its back. The Ranger on his squad, Rodney, stood next to hm, slack jawed. The two other Mages on his team were shuffling nervously, not having enough Perception to quite see what was going on. Rathman was the first to recover, and he turned to the Ice Mage beside him.

    ¡°Mobilize the reserves and alert the Councilman. Rodney, stop staring and start shooting! They clearly aren¡¯t here to talk you idiot!¡±

    The group sprang into action, with Rodney sighting down his rifle.

    ¡°Start with the mage.¡±

    Rodney obliged, taking aim at the human in the brown robes. They were typically the easiest to pin down, and with the practiced ease of a professional, he sighted and pulled the trigger. After their embarrassment at the hands of the Healer, Rathman had sprung for higher power munitions. It was expensive and kicked like a horse, but it was worth it.

    The new weapon was based on old-world antimaterial rifles, with enough power to easily punch through thick armor. There was a loud crack as the weapon fired, and Rathman expected the man¡¯s head to explode. A frown began to deepen as he watched them. They reacted to the shot, though it didn¡¯t have the intended effect. The man in the robes was untouched. Rodney¡¯s frown turned into fear as he finally comprehended what happened. A small scratch marred the thick tower shield, the only sign that Rodney had even fired. Somehow, the large pig-like creature had drawn the shot off course, and it had struck harmlessly against the massive shield.

    ¡°Do it again! Take them down! Shoot dammit!¡±

    Porter¡¯s eyes were wide with panic at this point, and he looked at the Ranger from his team. Rodney re-sighted and fired again, then a third time, then a fourth. Each shot was directed away just like the first, harmlessly striking the large creature¡¯s shield and leaving small scuff marks against its surface. Rathman swore as he opened the large crate, his secret weapon. He¡¯d managed to secure what had once been a vehicle-mounted gun that fired high-explosive incendiary rounds. He had saved it for an emergency, and this qualified. He handed the weapon to Rodney.

    ¡°Use it. Kill them.¡±

    Rodney just nodded as he prepared his weapon.

    The group of four individuals continued their casual pace towards the gates of Nierburg. Porter was sweating now, not entirely sure what to do. They¡¯d already opened fire, so a peaceful resolution was unlikely. Where are the damn reinforcements?  As if on cue, nearly a dozen armed Rangers ran up to his position on the roof. One man stepped forward.

    ¡°Your orders, sir?¡±

    ¡°Shoot them and take them down. They are a threat to the city.¡±

    The man looked out at the approaching figures and frowned. ¡°There are only four of them, sir. Are you ¨C ¡°

    ¡°I SAID SHOOT THEM. DO IT NOW.¡±

    With that, the reinforcements took their positions on the wall. Below, a group of various melee fighters were getting into formation, preparing to meet the hostiles. This will work out, it¡¯ll be fine. Just as he was calming himself down to the chattering sound of gunfire, his eyes widened in shock as he saw all the bullets get drawn once again to the shield. It defied logic. The Rangers all seemed as confused as he was, and the gunfire seemed to stop altogether as they checked their weapons or just looked out at the field.

    *THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP*

    Rathman watched as Rodney began to fire the high-explosive rounds, and smiled internally. Sure enough, the rounds were drawn to the shield, where they exploded. Multiple rounds struck, before a shimmering dome of energy formed around the group. The rounds kept firing into it, and he turned to the other gunmen standing around.

    ¡°Concentrate fire!¡±

    Rifles chattered around him as they snapped out of their stupor, and Rathman watched. Clouds of smoke were being kicked up due to the explosive rounds, obscuring the position.

    The loud thumps of the formerly mounted gun stopped as it ran out of ammunition, followed shortly by the other soldiers stopping fire as well. Through the cloud, Porter¡¯s stomach fell as he saw the barrier still standing. He looked up towards the shuttle to see if there was something, anything they could do. His blood went cold when he saw the figure standing in the open door. You were supposed to be dead. He saw Garth standing calmly in the doorway, looking at the figures covered by the barrier. Somehow Boltsbury had managed to return and ruin everything again. Something in him snapped, and he vaulted off the roof towards the group. If he could run past them, he could at least take out the man who ruined his life.

    The black-armored individual charged to meet him as the barrier fell, and it only now crossed his mind he was between the group and his men. It was too late to do anything other than commit, so he raised his hand and activated STATIC BOLT. The pulse of electricity arced towards the figure in black, who took it head on like nothing happened. He used the skill twice more in quick succession with the same result. Panicking, he used his other skill. Lightning coursed through his veins as he screamed, before exploding out from him in every direction.

    THUNDERING ECHO was an odd skill, indiscriminately blasting lightning in an area around him. Reynolds had approved the skill, though he had hoped he¡¯d be able to control it much better than he could. He looked on with dismay as the man avoided the arcing blasts before striking him in the back of the head with a thick baton. Before he lost consciousness, Porter heard a robotic voice come from the bundle on the man¡¯s back.

    [YOU DIDN¡¯T HIT HIM TOO HARD, DR. MAYHEW. WELL DONE HOLDING BACK.]

    If he hadn¡¯t passed out right afterwards, he would have screamed.

 Chapter 90

    It was disconcerting to think about just how much had changed in such a short time. He had been genuinely surprised by the explosive rounds that had been fired at their group, but his STORM SHELTER easily blocked the concentrated fire. Even now, rifle fire struck his armor and barely left a scratch. The man from the gate before hit him square on with lightning attacks, and they didn¡¯t even register to him as real damage. It was a little disappointing, as he¡¯d hoped to give his ADAPTIVE REGENERATION an opportunity to heal from electric shocks. Unfortunately, between the quality of his armor and his Enhanced Carapace, attacks at that level weren¡¯t even worth noting anymore. No denying you¡¯re a monster now.  With a sigh, Kyle activated HASTE. He wasn¡¯t going to enjoy this.

    Speeding ahead, Kyle closed the distance to the wall in just a few seconds. The Mages atop the battlements seemed surprised at the speed, not having yet been able to finish casting their skills. With Auric Perception, Kyle could tell that there was a variety of different mana being channeled above. Wind, lightning, ice, and whole lot of fire. What was it with the Central Authority and making people choose fire?

    A group of nervous soldiers leveled weapons at him, keen on keeping him in range for the attack from the Mages. Kyle, of course, had no intention of letting that happen. He continued charging forward, slapping the head of a spear aside with his baton as he closed in. The soldiers clearly didn¡¯t expect this response, and he felt the mana around him swirl as they, too activated their skills. Kyle spun and struck four of the soldiers, knocking them aside as he broke through their line and ran up the stairs. He heard a loud explosion as the combined skills of the mages crashed down.

    Jumping over the last step and landing on the roof, he saw panic and fear on all the eyes around him.

    ¡°Alright everybody, it¡¯s time to surrender. Put the weapons down, stop channeling skills, and we can end ¨C¡° Kyle was interrupted by four separate gunshots striking his chest, and he sighed.

    They didn¡¯t do any damage, but it wasn¡¯t something he was willing to overlook. More gunfire erupted, and Kyle activated HASTE as he got to work.

    Roughly ten seconds later, Kyle had thrown all the offending gunmen off the roof. While it wasn¡¯t a short drop, it also wasn¡¯t high enough to prove fatal to the folks who were tossed off.

    ¡°Now, like I was saying, if you just put your weapons down and stop using skills, we can end it ¨C¡°

    BOOM! The wall shook, and Kyle looked over to see a large hole had been blown into it. Duroc and the others had made it to the wall, and based on the mana Kyle could feel swirling around the pig-like alien¡¯s shield he was fairly confident that Duroc was responsible for the breach. Before he could get a word out, Skippy ran to another section and held his arm back. Not to be outdone in destructive power, he slammed his palm into the other section of wall, pulverizing the material and causing an entire section nearly twenty meters wide to collapse. If they weren¡¯t scared before, the defenders certainly were now. In the span of minutes, Nierburg¡¯s defenses had been breached by four people.

    The terrified survivors on the battlements with Kyle had all frozen, and he turned to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to try to say the line again because something is almost guaranteed to go wrong. So how about we skip to the part where you put your weapons down and we all go down the stairs nice and slow.¡±

    One man seemed about to argue, but before he could say anything C.H.A.D.D. chipped in.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH TWO HUMAN MALES ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO CONDENSE SKILLS BEHIND THEIR BACKS.]

    Kyle nodded, having detected the flow of mana with Auric Perception.

    ¡°Thank you C.H.A.D.D. I really don¡¯t want to do this again, knock it off and walk down the damn stairs.¡±

    Pale and having been discovered, the men both dispersed their skills and did exactly that. Several short minutes later, the fighters were gathered at the gap in the wall.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Skippy had a broad smile on his face as he looked at his handiwork.

    ¡°That means I win.¡±

    Duroc, for his part, didn¡¯t seem to care.

    ¡°Looks like you did. So¡­ what now? Didn¡¯t you say the boss was gonna show up? He better come soon, it¡¯s almost time for lunch.¡±

    It was around this time that Garth showed up, carrying an unconscious Porter over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Kyle nodded in greeting as Garth deposited the man on the ground with a thump. ¡°C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [STILL IN STABLE CONDITION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    A knot in his stomach slowly released as he breathed a little easier. There were a good number of injuries, but nobody had died. In Kyle¡¯s view, that was a win. All that was left was to see if DeRosa would show up. They waited five minutes, then ten. Kyle was considering if they should try to enter the city, then he felt it. An enormous pillar of mana seemed to explode upward from the center of Nierburg, ascending like a tornado. Clouds of dust and debris were caught up in the cyclone as it slowly moved in their direction.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    Kyle figured it was some sort of weapon, and it was impressive. The sheer amount of mana moving was well beyond anything he¡¯d seen the Central Authority deploy before. Garth snorted before responding.

    ¡°That¡¯s Victor DeRosa. And I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be happy to see you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s DeRosa?¡±

    By now, the others had stopped their conversation to listen. Garth continued.

    ¡°He has a variant Mage class, and he¡¯s strong. Probably around Valentine¡¯s level, but focused almost entirely on mana and casting. Definitely not D-Grade though, at least when I left.¡±

    Kyle nodded, thinking that made sense. Even if the display was powerful, that didn¡¯t mean his combat ability would be higher than Kyle¡¯s, much less the other D Grades. They didn¡¯t seem to be too worried, though Chester did have a thoughtful look in his eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    Kyle asked, wanting to address any issues before the Central Authority¡¯s leader arrived.

    ¡°You mentioned another individual around this level of power just now, which was nowhere in our briefing. It won¡¯t change anything here, we can handle quite a few at this level, but I would be curious to know why you didn¡¯t think it pertinent to mention.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t affiliated with Nierburg, and Kyle took him down already.¡±

    Garth¡¯s answer was simple and blunt.

    ¡°You mentioned he was different from this Councilman, mostly focused on physical attributes I take it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s the issue?¡±

    ¡°None whatsoever. Variant classes are just incredibly rare for E Grades, and to have two so close, yet pursuing opposite paths is even more so. When we have time, I¡¯ll share some stories of the twin legends of the Alabaster Court.¡±

    Kyle barely caught the last words as he saw two figures approaching. One was a gigantic older man wearing ornate golden armor and holding a large halberd. He was clean-shaven, with a large scar across his face visible even at this distance. The other man wore a deep red robe, and looked to be about the same age. His dark hair was perfectly slicked back, though there were streaks of silver in it. He had a prominent widow¡¯s peak and a beard that came to a sharp ¡°V.¡± What struck Kyle the most was the man¡¯s eyes. This wasn¡¯t the look of somebody who was cowed by a show of force. They weren¡¯t the eyes of a defeated or nervous man. No, this was the gaze of a man who held all the cards. We¡¯ll see how long you think that, DeRosa. As the men approached, the Councilman released his skill, allowing the mana around him to disperse. He didn¡¯t seem concerned that there were two aliens in the group, instead fixing his gaze directly on Garth.

    ¡°Boltsbury, I take it you¡¯ve come for my head?¡±

    The words weren¡¯t what anybody expected, and Garth took a moment before responding.

    ¡°That depends on you, Councilman.¡±

    He gestured to Chester, Duroc, and Skippy.

    ¡°They have a message for you, and your response will determine a lot. Sir.¡± He tossed the last word in with the hope that it would buy at least a little goodwill, though Garth wasn¡¯t optimistic.

    DeRosa seemed thoughtful for a moment, before turning his gaze to Kyle.

    ¡°I suppose that makes you Kyle Mayhew. I should have expected you were involved in this somehow. Give me the message.¡±

    Chester stepped forward, causing Reynolds to tighten his grip on the halberd.

    ¡°My name is Chester Drake, a representative of Corthian Mining. The event that resulted in the condition of your world has done more damage than you likely appreciate. Your planet is dying, and if we do not begin work on an evacuation plan, all your citizens will die.¡±

    DeRosa stood still as a statue, the thoughtful look returning. Finally, he spoke.

    ¡°I see. You mistrust me, which I can appreciate given your circumstances. I would explain why I did what I did, but it wouldn¡¯t change your mind and would only waste precious time. Whether you believe me or not, I do not want to see unnecessary deaths. I will assist how I can. Otherwise, if you determine me to be irredeemable, I¡¯d ask that you get it over with quickly. I¡¯m certainly no match against multiple D Grades, there¡¯s no purpose in trying.¡±

    With that, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. This¡­ was not how Kyle thought the plan would go. Uncertain of what to do next, he turned to Garth. Kyle knew Chester, Duroc, and Skippy would follow his lead, just as he knew that he didn¡¯t have enough information to judge that. Garth met his eyes, and drew in a slow breath before speaking.

    ¡°If we want this to work, we¡¯ll need him.¡±

 Chapter 91

    Kyle took a minute to process Garth¡¯s words. Ultimately, he decided to listen to his companion. With a nod to the Corthian Mining team, Kyle spoke.

    ¡°I trust your judgment.¡±

    Turning to DeRosa, he continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust yours. I sincerely hope you prove me wrong.¡±

    If his words bothered Victor, it didn¡¯t show. In a voice that might as well have been talking about swallow migratory patterns, he spoke.

    ¡°I assume one of you will be assuming control of the Central Authority, who will it be? We, of course, have had plans for succession, so the transition should be relatively seamless.¡±

    Reynolds shifted uncomfortably as DeRosa spoke, clearly not liking the developments. He seemed about to say something, but stopped. Kyle frowned as he picked up this interaction out of the corner of his eye, and focusing on his Auric Perception he picked up a faint tendril of mana reaching out from DeRosa to the armored man. It faded almost as quickly as it appeared, though it still put Kyle on edge. It was a level of mana control well beyond what Kyle had seen before, even eclipsing his own by a decent margin. It served as a reminder that he was dealing with a dangerous element, and he took a steadying breath before continuing.

    ¡°Garth will be stepping into your role and overseeing the preparations. Will the two of you be able to work with that?¡±

    This time, Kyle paid close attention to see if any more tendrils of energy were being cast out by the man. None were, as both men responded almost at once.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    DeRosa then turned to Chester.

    ¡°I assume you¡¯re the person in charge of the logistics of the evacuation. If you and Mr. Boltsbury would be so kind to accompany me to my office, we can discuss the logistics and organize next steps. Oh, and if you¡¯d be so kind as to start clearing the rubble of our wall, we¡¯ll need to get that repaired.¡±

    Chester nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the wall on my way out.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply from Garth, DeRosa turned and began walking back down the street. The brown-robed man didn¡¯t hesitate as he followed, though Kyle could feel the mana in the air condensing towards him. Garth fell into step beside him as they walked, and Kyle felt confident that even if DeRosa did try to do something stupid that Chester would easily put him in his place.

    ¡°I guess our part is done then. Let¡¯s head back to the shuttle.¡±

    Skippy and Duroc nodded as they moved, but just as Kyle was following, he was stopped by an all-too familiar voice.

    ¡°Is that you Uncle Kyle?¡± He froze as he saw the now much-larger Amalia stepping out from the small crowd of unawakened who had gathered. Frank wasn¡¯t far behind, catching up and grabbing the girl. ¡°Please, sir, pay her no mind ¨C¡° the man was clearly nervous, worried that his granddaughter had approached these dangerous strangers out of nowhere. Fortunately, C.H.A.D.D. was ready to come to the rescue.

    [AMALIA, DR. MAYHEW ISN¡¯T YOUR UNCLE. FAMILY HISTORIES ARE INCOMPLETE, THOUGH IT IS SAFE TO SAY BASED ON EXISTING RECORDS AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT THE CHANCES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.]

    Frank¡¯s nervous expression was replaced momentarily by confusion, then finally recognition.

    ¡°It really is you. We heard you¡¯d been killed, what a blessing.¡±

    The crowd was beginning to murmur, and Kyle was beginning to grow uncomfortable.

    ¡°Yeah Frank, it¡¯s me. I don¡¯t want to cause a fuss. It was good to see you both.¡±

    ¡°Really, Kyle?¡±

    The old man raised an eyebrow as he looked at the massive hole in the wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little late for that. Please join us for dinner. Arianna was wrapping up some coursework in the city, she¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    Kyle wanted to find an excuse to leave, but at this point Duroc and Skippy were both well outside the ruined wall, and he saw a number of familiar faces in the crowd wanting to get a closer look. With a sigh, he relented.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Several hours and multiple bowls of spicy stew later, Kyle finally admitted to himself that he was glad he chose to stay. Frank and his granddaughters, like the majority of the unawakened refugees, were housed in districts closest to the walls. This meant that the vast majority of the people living out here had been either directly or indirectly rescued by Kyle. He was shocked to hear the rumors that had spread about him, everything from a bona fide folk hero to being a bogeyman lurking in the dark. For its part, C.H.A.D.D. would correct inaccuracies and ensured the group knew exactly how often Kyle messed up.

    This was met with riotous laughter by the large group that gathered around the fire, and Kyle felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the flames or the incredibly spicy stew. Seeing the laughing, smiling faces made the struggles he¡¯d been through mean something. One thing was nagging at the back of his head, though, and he posed the question to the group around him.

    ¡°What has it been like since you all got here? Have you been treated well?¡±

    A chuckle broke the silence, then Frank spoke.

    ¡°Kyle, we have shelter. We have food. The children have places to play and opportunities to learn. It might not be exactly like it was before, but it¡¯s a paradise compared to what was waiting for us outside the walls. We have you to thank for getting us here.¡±

    Kyle saw nods of confirmation and smiles on the faces of the other survivors in the group, and the warm feeling returned. Before he had a chance to say much else, he spotted Garth and Chester approaching. Garth waved him over, and Kyle excused himself from the group.

    ¡°How¡¯d everything go with DeRosa?¡±

    Garth looked worried.

    ¡°Almost too good. The man has another angle here, but at least it feels like he¡¯s taking the threat seriously.¡±

    Chester nodded his agreement.

    ¡°There¡¯s certainly more to discuss, though I¡¯d prefer to wait until we¡¯re back on the shuttle. Will you be joining us, or staying here?¡±

    Kyle looked at the group of survivors. While part of him really wanted to stay, he also understood that there were still important logistics to get ironed out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join you. Give me a minute to say my goodbyes.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem at all. I¡¯ll get to work fixing this wall.¡±

    Kyle walked back over to where the survivors still stood around the fire in the fading light.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take off, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all doing so well. There¡¯s a lot of change likely going to happen, I¡¯d ask that as you can, please support Garth through it.¡±

    He hooked a thumb of his shoulder as he said the last part, gesturing to the grizzled soldier watching Chester with interest. Kyle had been about to say more, when the earth started trembling. Out of the ground, a thick wall of stone began to rise. Rubble from the old wall was pushed away as Chester continued his work, sweat beading his brow with the effort.

    The new wall began to expand until its edges touched each side where the old one had been. With swift movements of his hands, a tunnel opened to the outside and stone steps began to jut out from the wall into Nierburg, allowing access to the top. Everybody stood in silence for a moment at the display of power. While DeRosa¡¯s cyclone of mana earlier was impressive, this was an entirely different level of both raw might and finesse. Satisfied with his work, Chester turned to Kyle and Garth.

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    The men left the city and made their way back to the shuttle, chatting idly as they walked. Once on board, Chester¡¯s tone got more serious as he handed Garth a small pendant.

    ¡°Mr. Boltsbury, I hope you recognize the risk you¡¯re taking here. We will know if you get seriously injured or killed, but this is simply a deterrent, not a protection. That man is dangerous.¡±

    Garth nodded.

    ¡°I understood that going in. I can¡¯t exactly back out now though, can I? I don¡¯t think DeRosa will try to have me killed, at least outright. The position of Councilman doesn¡¯t mean anything after the world ends, and I¡¯m honestly more worried about what will happen after our evacuation.¡±

    ¡°I can appreciate that. Mr. Mayhew, Mr. Boltsbury has brought up an important topic, and there is a component I¡¯d like to discuss with you. Would you care to walk with me for a moment?¡±

    Kyle nodded, not entirely sure what the man was going to say. Garth was speaking with a member of the triage team as they got to work attuning the pendant, while Kyle and Chester walked towards the exit of the shuttle. As they stepped out into the cool night air, Chester spoke.

    ¡°I mentioned to you before that finding a variety of natural treasures and other resources is the secondary objective of our expedition. That¡¯s what will offset the costs and make it worth our investment. What I¡¯m not sure you understand is the scope of the project ahead of us.¡±

    He paused for a moment.

    ¡°Being blunt, far more people survived than we anticipated. Specifically, a particularly high number of unawakened. While it won¡¯t change our commitment, I think you should know that your people won¡¯t all be given luxurious accommodations. As a whole, your people simply won¡¯t be able to contribute enough to rise above the baseline costs of evacuation.¡±

    Kyle stopped, beginning to grow cold. ¡°What are you saying, Chester?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that unless something happens to dramatically change this current reality, many of the luxuries your people enjoy, even now, will be a thing of the past. After seeing a small display of your abilities twice now, however, I think you may be able to have a hand in changing that. There are several areas we¡¯ve identified that appear to contain high-rarity treasures. I deemed these to be too risky for the bulk of the expedition. However, if you were able to join a small squad in those areas, I think the calculus would shift. You have unique talents that would be a real asset in the field. As compensation, Corthian Mining would be willing to allocate a portion of the funds from any of these rarer treasures toward securing a better foundation for your people. With a much smaller portion going directly to you as a commission, of course.¡±

    The night air was silent as Kyle processed everything he¡¯d been told. He wanted to ask questions, to protest the unfairness. He also knew that would be futile. This was the way of the world, and Chester had just offered him a way to do more. What¡¯s more, it was a chance for him to explore a planet ¨C his planet ¨C that he¡¯d seen so little of. He thought about the faces of the people he¡¯d shared a meal with, and came to a decision.

    ¡°When do we leave?¡±

 Chapter 92

    Kyle stared in wonder as the shuttle escaped Earth¡¯s atmosphere. The sight of the massive blue and green orb was breathtaking. Awe warred with a sense of loss as he struggled to accept another truth ¨C his home was truly going to die. He considered his parents, and how he¡¯d never really wrestled with the reality that they were gone. Losing Earth was another side of that. A morbid part of him was even curious what the death of a planet looked like, but he suppressed it. For now, he would simply be in wonder. C.H.A.D.D. was particularly helpful in this regard.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE ARE. MAPPING FUNCTIONALITIES ARE NO LONGER ACCURATE.]

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, C.H.A.D.D. We¡¯re in space, I don¡¯t think you need to try to map it.¡±

    [WHAT IF WE GET LOST IN SPACE, DR. MAYHEW? YOU WOULD WANT ME TO HAVE A MAP.]

    ¡°Then you can remind me of that when the time comes.¡±

    They were en route to the flagship of the Corthian Mining group, where they would board a different shuttle and depart for a different part of the world. Chester had shown him a map, and it looked like they would be heading into wilderness that was untamed even prior to the cataclysm. Lush jungles and wild beasts ruled what had formerly been known as the Amazon, and from what the scanners showed there was an unusually dense cluster of different mana readings that made them very optimistic.

    As he thought about joining the group, a smile tugged at the edges of his mouth. His motivations were broadly altruistic ¨C he did genuinely want to help secure a better future for the soon-to-be refugees under his care. This was something he felt he¡¯d be uniquely able to do, and that felt good.

    Still, at the core of his being, there was a part of him that relished the opportunity to go explore a wilderness he¡¯d never experienced. There was just something that felt right about heading out into the unknown. The danger brought excitement, and he thought about his grandfather. Kyle¡¯s favorite stories that Clark used to tell him were about the amazing sights that he¡¯d seen as he traveled with the Originators. Whether he wanted to or not, he¡¯d shouldered a lot of Clark¡¯s legacy as he dealt with Liberation and the Central Authority. This was an opportunity for him to follow in his grandfather¡¯s footsteps in a different way, and he was honestly looking forward to it.

    The shuttle shook as it landed on the flagship, and soon there was a bustle of activity. Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as the shuttle doors opened and he was able to see the hangar bay of the ship. Dozens of similar vessels were docked in a neat row, with hundreds upon hundreds of different beings moving about. The vast majority were humans like Chester, but sprinkled throughout were other grey-skinned aliens like Skippy. There were also quite a few smaller green humanoids hustling about. They were each about a meter and a half tall, with long green ears framing oversized heads. However, there were none like Duroc, and he grew increasingly curious about the large pig-like creature.

    ¡°Follow me, Mr. Mayhew.¡±

    Chester¡¯s voice snapped Kyle out of his distraction. Adjusting the C.H.A.D.D.pack, he fell into step behind the foreman.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask that you not wander around, unfortunately our physician is currently occupied with a project, and won¡¯t be available to meet you before you depart. You¡¯ll get an appointment upon safe return. In the meantime, you¡¯ll be boarding the shuttle with this insignia, fifteen shuttles down. Captain Rochelle will be expecting you, hand her this paper. It contains your credentials and suggestions to integrate you into her squad.¡±

    With that, he handed Kyle a slim metallic card that shimmered at his touch, draining a small amount of Kyle¡¯s mana. Now that they were in the middle of the hustle and bustle, he was becoming overwhelmed. Encountering a couple aliens was one thing, walking through a crowded hangar with dozens of them was something else entirely. He wanted to ask more questions, but before he could a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

    ¡°What a coincidence, we¡¯re going on Captain Rochelle¡¯s shuttle too!¡±

    Duroc squealed, dramatically overselling the ¡°coincidence.¡± Chester had started walking off towards the hangar¡¯s exit, before turning back with an exasperated look on his face.

    ¡°You were not assigned to that shuttle, none of you were. Please tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t happy with the last stop so he wants to go on this one. We¡¯ll be with him, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Duroc was completely nonchalant about the whole exchange, though it left Kyle more confused than ever. That confusion only magnified as he saw a couple crew members from the shuttle he¡¯d exited carrying the nice wooden table in the direction Chester had originally pointed.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s above my pay grade, but who is ¡®he?¡¯¡±

    Kyle had to ask, his curiosity demanding satisfaction.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Mayhew. It is above your pay grade.¡±

    Chester¡¯s tone moved from exasperation to anger.

    ¡°Duroc, if anything happens it¡¯s on your head. I don¡¯t condone the decision.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The pig-like alien just nodded in response before following the table. Chester rubbed his temples with his hand as he also walked away in the opposite direction. Kyle looked between the two for a moment as he was left alone in the hustle and bustle. Before he turned to follow Duroc, he whispered to his drone companion.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., grab as many scans as you can. I want to study their anatomy; this could be fascinating.¡±

    The drone responded, quiet and conspiratorial.

    [I CAN DO THAT, DR. MAYHEW. BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO SPIN AROUND.]

    ~~~

    Less than an hour later, Kyle was holding onto his seat as the shuttle was re-entering the Earth¡¯s atmosphere. Captain Rochelle had taken his credentials, then told him ¡°to sit down and stay the hell out of the way.¡± She was young, likely only a few years older than Kyle. Her eyes were a slate grey, and her hair was pulled back in a tight braid that ended just below her neck. She carried two thick daggers on her hip, and it looked like she knew how to use them. Right now, it looked like she wanted to use them on Kyle.

    She was grumbling about him in the same breath as she complained about Duroc and Skippy, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling that this wasn¡¯t entirely his fault. Whatever those two have been up to, they¡¯re giving everybody else headaches. This shuttle was a virtually identical model to the one he¡¯d ridden before, and he gazed out the window, which he learned was the thick metal made transparent by some mana-powered technology. It took an image from what was outside the shuttle, and presented the image on the inside.

    His mind refocused back on the planet as the shuttle descended. Kyle¡¯s breath caught as he saw the lush green forest, a sea of vibrant green that almost looked like an ocean as it gently swayed back and forth in the wind. The shuttle slowed, and with a powerful blast of mana leveled trees in the surrounding area, creating a flat surface on which to land.

    The expedition immediately got to work, with teams of three rushing out with different handheld instruments that Kyle could only assume were to help detect the signature of different treasures. He had learned that all the members of the crew were awakened, though the majority were fairly low-leveled. The security forces were closer to the middle of E Grade, which was impressive. While they might not individually be a match for Garth, they would still easily rank among the elite among the survivors.

    With a handful of security personnel escorting the scientists, Kyle assumed that things would stay well in hand. That lasted all of five minutes before the first screams of panic erupted. A loud explosion rang out, and Kyle rushed towards the source. A man with lightning crackling across his body faced down a dozen ants as large as the first one he¡¯d encountered nearly a year ago while two people in exploration suits stood cowering behind him. These ants had pale heads and long, curved pincers. They also seemed to be moving with a high degree of coordination, moving to surround the group. Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate. Activating HASTE, he sprinted to the group and activated STORM SHELTER just in time to prevent one of the scientists from being skewered.

    The Lightning Mage nodded in thanks as the ants furiously attempted to bite the barrier. Kyle had a pretty good idea of the man¡¯s destructive power as he saw the scorched remains of a large ant body a short distance away.

    ¡°Do you have anything that can hit all of them at once?¡±

    The man shook his head.

    ¡°Unfortunately no. Swarms of creatures like this are a bad match for me.¡±

    ¡°No worries, I figured I¡¯d ask. An opening is going to appear in a minute. When it does, run like hell.¡± The man looked confused, until a grey blur appeared, smashing two of the ants into paste against the incredibly resilient shield.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    Kyle hoisted both of the scientists over his shoulders as he deactivated STORM SHELTER and sprinted for the entrance to the shuttle, where a defense was being established. Skippy was easily weaving through the ants that had surrounded Kyle¡¯s group, sending them flying with precise, powerful blows. Duroc was at the center of the defense, and he nodded to Kyle as he dropped off the scientists he¡¯d been carrying. ¡°How many other groups are unaccounted for?¡±

    A hard, yet feminine voice answered.

    ¡°Just one. They were the first group to leave, they should be less than a kilometer south.¡±

    Kyle nodded to Captain Rochelle as he took off in the direction she¡¯d indicated, covering the distance in moments. He spotted the group, and a lot of blood as the security officer desperately tried to fend off three large ants with a spear held in his right hand. His left arm was hanging limply by his side, blood flowing freely from a large puncture wound in his shoulder. One of the scientists also appeared to be bleeding from an injury to their stomach, while the other was applying pressure to the wound. As one of the ants began to make a move towards the spearman, Kyle charged in to meet it.

    ¡°Get down!¡± The soldier listened, and Kyle struck the creature squarely on the head with his baton, channeling his full momentum into the blow.

    He heard an audible crack of chitin, but wasn¡¯t done yet. While Kyle¡¯s Strength was still far too low to throw a creature this size around, he could still knock them off balance. Grabbing a leg of the stunned ant, he pulled and managed to roll the creature. The other two insects had closed on him, and he dropped his baton as he reached out a palm towards each of them. He¡¯d theorized this technique early on, and with the major boost in attributes courtesy of his transition to D Grade he thought it would be possible. Channeling RESONANCE in each hand, he met each of the ants. Their mandibles scratched ineffectually against his armor, and with a surge of mana and will, each of his assailants fell lifeless to the ground.

    Turning to the group he¡¯d rescued, he started with the injured scientist.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what are we working with?¡±

    [LARGE PUNCTURE WOUND IN THE STOMACH, PERFORATED THE LARGE INTESTINE.]

    ¡°Thank you. Give me an overlay as I get to work.¡±

    With that, Kyle laid his hands on the whimpering man and got to work. After stabilizing him, he then turned to the spearman. The injuries were serious, but caught early. Just minutes later, they made their way back to the shuttle, where the last vestiges of the battle had ended. Dozens of ant corpses littered the ground, and he saw the formerly injured scientist shudder at the sight as they entered the shuttle doors. Kyle was about to follow, when he was stopped by a bloodstained Captain Rochelle.

    ¡°Good work out there today.¡±

    Not her blood, Kyle noted, seeing it was the dark ichor of the ants. She looked like she wanted to say more, but decided against it as she turned back to oversee the cleanup happening in the open space near the shuttle.

    ¡°Rest up, we¡¯ll reevaluate our survey plan and you¡¯re going to be a big part of it.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Once the ants were dispatched, the members of the expedition gathered outside the shuttle. Captain Rochelle was standing on a small platform as she looked out over the group, which Kyle now saw consisted of fifteen squads of three. Each contained two scientists with more or less the same equipment, and one member of the security team. Absent from the groups were Duroc and Skippy, which made Kyle frown. They helped clear things out before, why wouldn¡¯t they assist with the expedition? Before he could continue his thought, Rochelle spoke.

    ¡°For many of us, myself included, this is the first expedition to a world dealing with the aftermath of a Riftwyrm attack. Things are always unpredictable, which you all experienced firsthand. That means that we need to be adaptable in our approach to secure what resources we can and ensure we all get home safe. In this case, management is in agreement that covering less ground with more power is preferable to our usual arrangement.¡±

    She continued.

    ¡°Your squads will each combine with two others, giving us five expeditionary forces with nine members in total. Additional security personnel normally assigned to the shuttle will be forming mobile support, and you will all be outfitted with communications equipment to call for backup as necessary. Readings show that this jungle is dense with resources, if and when you find something, simply place a marker and move on. Staying in one place for too long could get dangerous. Now, go to the quartermaster and get your new team assignments and equipment. You depart in an hour.¡±

    With that, the expedition members made their way towards the shuttle, with many soft murmurs about the danger ahead. Captain Rochelle parted the wave of expedition members, making her way straight to Kyle, stopping a meter or so away.

    ¡°Mayhew, walk with me. Your role here is going to be a little different.¡±

    ¡°I assume that means C.H.A.D.D. and I will be part of the mobile support unit?¡±

    Rochelle smiled wryly as she responded.

    ¡°Close, but not exactly. I¡¯m going to have you act as a second mobile support. I saw how quickly you can move, and how strong that shield skill of yours is. If any of our teams get into hot water, I¡¯m asking you to be the first responder and hold the line until the rest of the mobile support can provide backup. It¡¯s a dangerous role, which is why I¡¯ve approved you for double merit for the entirety of this expedition, as well as opportunities for bonus compensation beyond that.¡±

    Chester had briefly explained that his work for Corthian Mining would produce merit, which directly benefitted Earth¡¯s refugees, as well as personal compensation. He was warned not to expect too much for personal compensation, so having an opportunity this early to earn something was a major bonus.

    ¡°Thank you for the opportunity, Captain. Is there any particular reason you¡¯ve decided to bump the compensation so generously?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s pretty damn clear that this place is literally crawling with monsters, and you¡¯re probably going to get eaten by them.¡±

    She snapped. Kyle wasn¡¯t quite sure what to say. After a moment passed, she sighed and seemed to deflate a bit.

    ¡°What do you know about Riftwyrms?¡±

    ¡°I never heard of them before Chester mentioned them, so not much other than the name and that they¡¯re incredibly powerful.¡±

    She nodded at his response.

    ¡°They¡¯re not common by any means, though we do have records and data from attacks over the years. Riftwyrms come in a lot of shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common. Whenever they attack, their mana lingers. It infuses natural materials and creates rare treasures and resources, which is why anybody ever bothers coming to a place that¡¯s been attacked. In addition, though, their mana will typically resonate with some creatures on the planet. Records exist of mutated mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, you name it. This is the first record Corthian Mining has seen of mutated arthropods.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Kyle felt stunned at the revelation. A few pieces started to fit together in his head, as Rochelle continued.

    ¡°In ordinary circumstances, this would cause us to pull the plug. The sheer number of different arthropods on any planet would make them an absolute terror if they started mutating. There are planets infested with hives of powerful insects, all of them cordoned off by the Collective as danger zones. There are only three reasons we chose to continue. First, your world was rated a low E-Tier. It¡¯s weak, even by frontier standards. That should have lowered the risk. Second, you were attacked recently. Less time since the attack means less opportunities for the local creatures to mutate into something really dangerous. Finally, we have invested incredible amounts of capital to get this bid already, and to not at least try to mine would be a major financial hit.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s heart was pounding in his chest as he took in the information, and he thanked his lucky stars that C.H.A.D.D. had the restraint to stay quiet. He responded, talking faster than he¡¯d expected.

    ¡°And what, exactly, is paying me more going to change? If you think I can do anything about this state of affairs, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll disappoint you. I¡¯m just a Healer.¡±

    Rochelle smirked at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re more than ¡®just a Healer¡¯ and you know it. You¡¯re a D Grade with strong mobility and support capabilities. You¡¯re also the only D Grade that I can deploy, which makes you valuable. It also means that the more dangerous things get, the more we¡¯ll have to count on you to bail us out. Consider it an insurance premium on our end.¡±

    Kyle blinked. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m the only D Grade? Duroc and Skippy are both here, and as far as I can tell they¡¯d both be a lot more useful than I am.¡±

    Rochelle¡¯s smirk faded to a frown as her left hand rubbed her forehead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started on that garbage, it¡¯ll ruin my mood. Come with me, I¡¯m going to get you a nav bracelet. It¡¯ll be on its own frequency, and when the other squads run into trouble it¡¯ll ping you and guide you to their location. You can also use it to drop signals to the flagship, on the off chance you have to leave any valuable resources behind. We can always come back for them later.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a little disingenuous, don¡¯t you think? You all care a hell of a lot more about the resources than the miners.¡± He said, raising an eyebrow.

    She flashed a grin, a glint in her grey eyes before turning and walking back to the ship.

    ¡°Welcome to Corthian Mining, Mayhew.¡±

    ~~~

    The next several days ran smoothly, with Kyle primarily spending his time treating the mild injuries that the expedition members brought back. While the vast majority of the people in the field were human, Kyle was able to take time to study the scans C.H.A.D.D. had taken aboard the flagship. The drone compiled scans of the grey-skinned aliens ¨C the Skrell ¨C because of their time with Skippy.

    Skrell anatomy was interesting, with a series of pressurized sacs inside their body to assist in movement as opposed to the more heavily muscled human body. Kyle learned that their species was close to Earth ¨C on a galactic scale, that is ¨C and he thought it was likely Skrell contact that spurred controversy in the old world about aliens.

    Even more interesting were the small green creatures, whose species translated as ¡°Goblins.¡± Apparently, their civilization, or at least a close offshoot, had arrived on Earth a long, long time ago. The diminutive beings were physically quite frail, with weak bones and musculature. They made up for this shortcoming with incredibly developed minds, with every spare calorie going to power their brains. Their digestive system was, in his opinion, their most unique trait. Their stomachs contained nearly a dozen chambers, each with its own unique enzymes. Kyle suspected they could break down almost anything and get at least some nourishment from it, which was something he definitely wanted to research further when he was back on board the shuttle.

    Fortunately, he was only needed to hold the frontline twice during this time. Once was against another group of the ants. The other time was against a large, heavily armored green creature that looked like a mix between a grasshopper and a tank, covered in large spikes from head to toe. The first group was handled easily enough when the mobile unit arrived, but the spiky grasshopper was far more durable than anybody expected. It was finally taken out when Kyle stepped in to put it down with RESONANCE, much to the relief of the group.

    Other than that, Kyle spent a good portion of his time healing the minor injuries that the expedition members accumulated during their outings. Large cases of materials were being dragged back, ranging from ores to plants. Everything was going well, until the fifth day. Kyle just finished treating a particularly deep laceration on a patient¡¯s arm when he paused and looked up, the people around him doing the same. A faint tremor could be felt, even through the ship, and soon the moment of stillness was replaced by people running around frantically. Kyle hoisted the C.H.A.D.D.pack and ran outside to see Rochelle barking orders. He ran to her.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    She looked at him with a grim expression.

    ¡°We have trouble.¡±

 Chapter 94

    Victor DeRosa was having a bad day. He took the loss of his position in stride ¨C after all, what good was a council if the world was going to end? He took the Mayhew brat¡¯s ascension to D Grade with grace ¨C how much more powerful would Victor be, after all, once he accomplished the same? What could not be tolerated, however, was the utter incompetence of his assistant James. The buffoon tripped while walking past Victor¡¯s desk and holding a cup of hot tea, spilling all over himself and Victor¡¯s documents. At least two hours of work was ruined, and to top it all off James asked for a break to visit Central Health, instead of immediately offering to fix the mess he made.

    Jaw clenched; Victor got back to the paperwork. While he¡¯d have preferred to go speak with Reynolds and his guest, he needed to get the population calculations together along with the formal aid requests. The Collective - the group that sold the rescue bid to Corthian Mining ¨C had very strict protocols in place when it came to taking mundane items off-world. Even things with major cultural significance would be left behind unless they received specific approvals.

    Victor understood, of course. In fact, he was impressed that they identified these headwinds and had already established solutions. After syncing his mana to a Translation Node, Victor requested all the details that Mr. Drake could provide on the policies and procedures of the evacuation. While Boltsbury might be the new leader in title, they both knew that Victor¡¯s administrative prowess would be a necessity to make the evacuation run smoothly.

    To that end, Garth had been more than willing to let Victor iron out the preliminary details, which gave him time to act. He had several important items he needed to get off-world, and the first step would be to bury the approvals in the dozens of other forms. In the unlikely event that Garth even looked at the paperwork, he had also prepared enough meaningless approvals to keep him from stumbling across Victor¡¯s true designs.

    Completing the paperwork over an hour later, he prepared it to be shipped up to the Corthian Mining flagship. Satisfied that everything was appropriately in motion, he made his way to the private residence he¡¯d established after the revelation that Valentine was alive. Greeting the security personnel at the gate to the estate, he made his way inside the large double doors and into the basement, where Reynolds waited. Not sparing the man a glance as he set his things down, he spoke.

    ¡°How is our guest recovering?¡±

    ¡°Poorly, sir. He¡¯s lucid, but his injuries are still severe. While I don¡¯t think he¡¯s in life threatening danger, I am not confident in a full recovery without intervention by a more qualified Healer.¡±

    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t need him recovered. I just need him alive.¡±

    With that, DeRosa activated MANA WHORL and spread tendrils throughout the room. Each came into contact with a small, intricately designed magic circle that hummed to life as he infused them with energy. A larger sigil on the floor was illuminated, and the trapdoor was opened. DeRosa and Reynolds calmly stepped through, descending the stairs into the darkness beyond.

    Beneath the basement, Victor had commissioned a bunker. It wasn¡¯t questioned, as the population was convinced there was an attempt on his life. Who wouldn¡¯t want to have a little more security? After having it installed, DeRosa and Reynolds got to work on putting in modifications. Lights came on as they entered the room, revealing a cell with a single prisoner. Victor was glad he¡¯d prepared as much as he did, not having expected Gregory Valentine himself to appear.

    Far less would have been required to contain weaker enemies, but Victor wasn¡¯t a man who did things in half measures. As was tradition, he examined each of the three layers of containment for tampering before anything else.

    The cell itself was made of thick mana-infused steel by some of Nierburg¡¯s best craftsmen. Even further, it had been enchanted with the ability to slowly self-repair by drawing in uninfused metals that were in contact with the cell. Over time, it would lose some of its potency if it was consistently damaged, though Victor would have advanced notice depending on how much mundane metal was absorbed. He currently had enough surplus metal stacked on top of and below the cage to rebuild it twice over, and he examined the amount of remaining metal as a gauge to check on damage. Today, as every day before, there was no change. Valentine simply wasn¡¯t in good enough condition to damage it.

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    Next, he checked the Isolation Array he¡¯d established. This was a new creation, using a standard Guard Array as a foundation. Victor had repurposed it to not only shield away harmful mana, but to entirely remove atmospheric mana from a target area, absorbing it all to fuel the machine¡¯s function. In theory, it should be able to sustain itself forever. Victor didn¡¯t believe it would, but he was confident it would last a long, long time. By preventing atmospheric mana from getting close, Valentine wouldn¡¯t be able to recover his reserves. The original intent was that any trapped awakened would use their skills to break the cage, only to find it self-repairing while their own reserves didn¡¯t replenish. In Valentine¡¯s weakened state it wasn¡¯t a necessity, though it did have the unexpected benefit of slowing his recovery.

    The third and final layer was more of a magical tripwire, set outside the zone of the Isolation Array. It was tied to several canisters that contained anesthetic gas mixed with a mild neurotoxin. If it was broken from the inside, the canisters would release and Victor would get an alert of a breach. With the sub-basement sealed, the dosage would be difficult to monitor and it would likely prove fatal to anybody who was able to break out.

    At least, it would have been before the emergence of new D Grades. That was one possibility Victor hadn¡¯t planned for, and it troubled him greatly. For now, it was outside of his control. Satisfied each layer of containment was functional, he sat in the large armchair situated at the other end of the room and focused on the man in the cage. Gregory Valentine was in rough shape. In their previous interrogations, Victor had learned that Kyle Mayhew was responsible for his condition, something he didn¡¯t doubt after seeing him breaking through Nierburg¡¯s defenses.

    Valentine was slumped against a wall of the cage, taking in labored breaths. He could see the hatred in his captive¡¯s eyes, and met them with a calm smile. Reynolds took his usual position at the foot of the stairwell, ready to intervene if somehow Valentine escaped. Caution is rewarded, after all. DeRosa clasped his hands as he met the prisoner¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Just kill me and get it over with, Victor. My organization is gone. You¡¯ve won. I don¡¯t want to stare at your twice-damned face anymore. Get it over with.¡±

    There was still venom in Valentine¡¯s voice, though far less than before. The first several meetings had been full of expletives and hatred. Now, it was clear that Gregory Valentine had truly appreciated the situation he was in. There was nothing left for him other than death, and they both knew it. The only variable was the timing and the method.

    ¡°Your organization was never a major threat, Gregory. Mayhew, on the other hand, is. So, let¡¯s take it from the beginning. What happened in your fight against him?¡±

    They went back and forth for hours, with Valentine offering nothing he hadn¡¯t before. There were pieces to the story that Victor just couldn¡¯t wrap his head around. Why would a D Grade trouble themselves against a weak Fire Mage? Why include Boltsbury in the attack at all? Kyle could have easily dispatched this Carlyle and then turned his attention to Valentine. There was more here, he was sure of it. Still, he wouldn¡¯t get anything more of value tonight. Standing, he saw the look of hopelessness on the other man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Just kill me, Victor.¡±

    ¡°Not yet, Gregory.¡±

    With that, tendrils of mana reached into the cage and wrapped around Valentine¡¯s body. The Isolation Array ate away at them, but Victor was more than powerful enough to hold them together for a time. Valentine struggled against them, but Victor opened his mouth, as he had every day before. He first emptied a pouch of a nutritional gel into Valentine¡¯s mouth, followed by water mixed with a rejuvenating powder made by Nierburg¡¯s Alchemists. It wasn¡¯t nearly as effective as a mana-based healing treatment, but given time it would continue to patch injuries. Or, in Gregory¡¯s case, keep his injuries from getting worse. The man put up a token resistance, even though he was too weak to prevent it. After his prisoner was fed, DeRosa and Reynolds left the room.

    Once the trap door was closed, Reynolds turned to Victor.

    ¡°Sir, his story hasn¡¯t changed at all. Forgive my boldness, sir, but why are we keeping him alive? Isn¡¯t he more of a risk than an asset?¡±

    ¡°If it was just the story I was after, yes. After reviewing the documents provided by Corthian Mining, however, I¡¯m confident there will be other uses for the man.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Reynolds said nothing else, and they left the basement. I have plans for you indeed, Victor thought, the shadow of a smile tugging on the side of his mouth.

 Chapter 95

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to be more specific.¡± Kyle said, an edge of annoyance in his voice. ¡°Is it an earthquake?¡±

    Rochelle snapped orders at a couple of nearby crew members before responding.

    ¡°We¡¯re not entirely sure, Mayhew. The tremors started, and sensors aren¡¯t picking up traditional seismic activity. We¡¯re picking up thousands of mana signatures moving right now, heading this way. At the rate they¡¯re covering ground they¡¯ll get to the shuttle before most of our squads are able to return.¡±

    Kyle nodded grimly, thinking fast. He had an idea, but there was no guarantee it would work. He tapped his nav bracelet as he made his way towards the shuttle doors.

    ¡°I might be able to buy us some time. Get your people back to the shuttle and get off the ground.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything too stupid, Mayew.¡±

    Because of the worry in her voice, he flashed her a smile before he left.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do my best. C.H.A.D.D. is going to do the heavy lifting, after all.¡±

    [I WOULD PREFER TO STAY ON THE SHUTTLE, IF THAT IS AN OPTION.] The drone protested.

    If anybody heard, it was too late. Kyle was already dashing out into the humid heat, rushing in the direction showing on his nav bracelet.

    [WOULD YOU CARE TO INFORM ME OF YOUR PLAN, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I think you¡¯re going to like it. Can you still do the whole bug pheromone thing?¡±

    [I BELIEVE I CAN MAKE A REASONABLE FASCIMILE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we need. Hold off until we get a better sense of what we¡¯re looking at.¡±

    As they ran, they passed two squads heading back to the shuttle. A third was still between them and the unknown assailants, but before they could finish closing the distance the squad¡¯s communicators flashed that they were under attack, followed shortly by a notification that the squad were presumed deceased. Dying in the middle of a jungle on another planet, for no other reason than to make the company rich. It didn¡¯t sit well with him. Making an internal commitment to come back to try and gather the remains, he finally got close enough to see what was going on. It was a swarm consisting of tens of thousands of giant, mutated ants. Beneath them, it looked like millions of smaller ants had joined the frenzy.

    Looking at the swarm, Kyle was absolutely confident that if it reached the shuttle everybody inside would die. Even with the three D Grades on board, there were simply too many ants to take them all out before getting worn down. He shuddered as he thought about the ants swarming over the mining team, and resolved himself for what was coming up next.

    ¡°Do it now, C.H.A.D.D.¡± The drone obliged, and Kyle could detect the same presence he had when C.H.A.D.D. had squished the weevil. He stood before the swarm as the synthetic pheromones began to saturate the air around him, only beginning to run away when the creatures were within about fifteen meters. Like the first ant he¡¯d fought a lifetime ago, these were not intelligent creatures. They were driven by instinct, and were easily drawn in by the trail left by the small drone.

    Kyle lifted his nav bracelet to his mouth and spoke. ¡°Rochelle! It worked, at least for now. Get the squads and get off the ground!¡±

    He heard a clear reply as he ran, the voice of the captain still carrying a tinge of worry. ¡°How will we get to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure that out later, focus on your end first. I¡¯m confident in staying alive here for quite a while, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

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    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll figure it out later? What the hell did you do?¡±

    [CAPTAIN ROCHELLE, I DO BELIEVE I¡¯M RESPONSIBLE FOR ADDRESSING YOUR QUERY FROM EARLIER. I DID NOT IN FACT PREVENT DR. MAYHEW FROM DOING SOMETHING STUPID.]

    Rochelle¡¯s voice no longer sounded worried, now it was just angry.

    ¡°Nobody has answered my question. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?¡±

    ¡°Sorry captain, no time to talk. Lots of ants on my tail here. You¡¯re welcome for buying time!¡±

    With that, Kyle disabled the communication features. While the extraction aspect would be tricky, he honestly wasn¡¯t too worried about surviving otherwise. Even though there was no way he could deal with the ants in straight up combat, he felt absolute confidence in his ability to run away. Without HASTE active, he was outpacing the swarm to the degree that he actually had to slow down to ensure he kept their interest. Furthermore, the creatures seemed fairly distractable. He came across a variety of other awakened insects that seemed relatively powerful, and each was overwhelmed and buried under the sheer volume of ants.

    He continued his pied-piper act for nearly an hour, until he got a notice on his nav bracelet. He enabled the communication functions, and Captain Rochelle¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°About damn time! Our last surviving squad made it on board, we¡¯re going to take off soon. We¡¯ll get a smaller vessel out, but it¡¯s going to take some times. I¡¯d expect it to be at least two hours. Can you hold out that long?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a problem at all.¡± With that, the communication cut off. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., go ahead and stop using the pheromones.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    One of the interesting things they¡¯d discovered while practicing with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s ability was that the pheromones produced by the drone didn¡¯t cling like those that were chemically produced. Instead, when C.H.A.D.D. stopped focusing mana into the skill, they dissipated into the air shortly after. Kyle felt the presence of the pheromones fade, and activated HASTE. Looking back at a very confused wave of ants, Kyle sped off deeper into the forest. Without a clear direction and so far away from their nest, the ants began to scatter, ripping into any vegetation or creatures unlucky enough to be in their path.

    Kyle continued to run deeper and deeper into the jungle, until the sounds of chittering mandibles and the tremor under his feet had faded. He was much farther in than the expedition had mapped, and the dense canopy made everything around him feel darker, gently covered in shadow. Kyle considered his possible courses of action. He was in a small space in the midst of the undergrowth, large trees and ferns all around him. He could feasibly stay here and wait for extraction, which was likely the smartest decision. Conversely, he could choose to explore and see what else the jungle had in store. Riskier, certainly, but alongside the risk was opportunity.

    He considered both choices, and eventually went with his gut. If there was one thing that he was good at, it was survival. It was the name of his class, after all! Kyle was confident in his ability to at least escape from, if not defeat all the different creatures they¡¯d come across in their time surveying the area.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., we¡¯re going to do a little treasure hunting while we wait. Are you able to run a scan of the area?¡±

    [SCANNING NOW, DR. MAYHEW.]

    As the drone did, Kyle began to focus on his Auric Perception. He was interrupted a moment later by C.H.A.D.D.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU REALLY NEED TO SPIN. I¡¯VE TOLD YOU THIS SEVERAL TIMES.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m not going to turn little circles in the middle of the jungle.¡±

    [THEN YOU WILL GET POOR QUALITY SCANS.]

    ¡°It¡¯s just ridiculous.¡±

    [NOBODY IS HERE TO WATCH YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°How bad can it be if I don¡¯t? It worked fine before, right?¡±

    [YOU WEREN¡¯T A D GRADE BEFORE. THE MANA IN YOUR BODY IS QUITE OVERWHELMING.]

    And so it was that Kyle found himself slowly twirling on the soft ground, listening to the rustle of leaves while his drone scanned and he used his Auric Perception. The air around him was thick and heavy, so humid it almost felt like he was in a sauna. That was when he noticed an oddity. Usually he¡¯d be sweating and feeling uncomfortable in this environment, but now his body hadn¡¯t been sweating at all. In fact, now that he thought about it, the last time he¡¯d been sweating was back in E Grade while working on RESONANCE. He considered it if was potentially related to the shift in grade, though he distinctly remembered seeing Chester sweat as he constructed the earthworks. That left him with the answer that made the most sense ¨C his racial evolution. He focused his Auric Perception more closely on his skin, feeling the mana flowing across it. Do I even have sweat glands anymore?

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?]

    That snapped him out of it.

    ¡°Of course I am, C.H.A.D.D. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    [I HAD A REPORT READY THREE MINUTES AGO, AND I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.]

    ¡°I was distracted.¡±

    [I¡¯M SURE YOU WERE, DR. MAYHEW. SCANS DETECTED SOME INTERESTING MANA SIGNATURES TOWARDS THE END OF SCANNER RANGE, CREATING AN OVERLAY NOW.]

    With that, the drone projected small orbs of light leading deeper into the jungle.

 Chapter 96

    Kyle had to admit, it was incredibly convenient having C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s guidance as the duo progressed. The trees and undergrowth got thicker, and Kyle began to detect strange fluctuations in the mana around them. It was faint at first, almost a phantom tingling sensation across his skin, courtesy of Auric Perception. With each step the feeling grew, until he felt like he was right on top of the source. Kyle looked around the area to try and locate it, when C.H.A.D.D. spoke up.

    [ABOVE YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Looking up, all he could see was towering trees and a thick canopy.

    ¡°How far up?¡±

    [SCANS WOULD INDICATE ROUGHLY FIFTY METERS.]

    Kyle nodded, continuing to fix his eyes on the wall of greenery above him. Evaluating the nearby trees, he looked for a path to climb higher. He needed trees that were both tall enough to get him the fifty or so meters high, while also being sturdy enough to hold his weight. Finding a candidate that fit the bill Kyle placed his hand on the bark. Then he stopped, stunned at what he felt under his hand.

    He¡¯d originally practiced RESONANCE on the trees surrounding Duilleag, which is when he¡¯d first learned how mana flowed through them. Naturally, he¡¯d expected a similar sensation when touching these trees, a gentle trickle of mana slowly circulating through the organism. Instead, he was met with a powerful torrent of energy, all contained within the trunk. Focusing on the movements of the energy, it felt even more powerful than the mana he felt flowing through the Wall. How is the tree handling the pressure so well?

    ¡°Hey C.H.A.D.D., would you mind running a scan on this tree?¡±

    The drone obliged, showing what Kyle suspected. The sturdy wood had done a good job handling the mana, though pieces were beginning to slowly break down. The core of the tree was in the worst shape, with cracks appearing in the scan. While Kyle was no arborist, he was pretty certain in another couple of years the tree would be nothing more than a dead husk, the interior being completely consumed by the powerful mana surging through its paths. Even though it was just a plant, Kyle felt that it was a sad end.

    Touching the other trees, Kyle felt the same rushing energy. While he still wanted to secure the treasure above, he had a couple hours left before the extraction shuttle would make it to his location. With no dangerous creatures nearby, he decided it was time to try an experiment. He grabbed a fallen branch with his left hand while resting his right on the trunk of a nearby tree. Closing his eyes, he activated RESONANCE. He focused all his attention on the tree, and as he felt his mana connect to it he drew it through his body, pushing it into the inert branch. The energy tingled as it moved through him. As he directed it into the branch, he didn¡¯t focus on any specific shaping, just allowing the connection to create a flow. He felt the weight in his left arm increase and he opened his eyes, satisfied he could maintain the process.

    The tree branch was visibly growing as he watched, behaving almost like a new sapling. On one side it was beginning to grow roots, while the other slowly branched as buds appeared, soon unfolding into small, green leaves. He set the branch down and let go, watching it continue to grow for several moments before it stopped, having drained all the mana that was left over. Kyle left his hand on the trunk of the tree as he continued to reflect on what he¡¯d seen.

    Mana on its own wasn¡¯t a force that necessarily supplied growth, at least not in a conventional way. It was fuel for skills, fuel for abilities. One could shape it to their will to produce different effects, but this was a tree. It wasn¡¯t using a skill; it didn¡¯t have a class. The tree possessed no specialized runes or equipment to use the mana in different ways like C.H.A.D.D. So why was the mana being converted into energy for growth?

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    He stood with his hand on the tree for a while longer before removing it, deciding to take a different approach.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how do your rune formations change raw mana into the different applications you use?¡±

    [I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, DR. MAYHEW. THEY SIMPLY DO WHAT THEY WERE INTENDED TO DO.]

    ¡°I get that much, but how? Do the arrays do something to the mana to change it? What does that process look like? How efficient is it? Does mana get lost in the conversion?¡±

    [THE PREMISE IS INCORRECT, DR. MAYHEW. THE FORMATIONS DRAW IN AMBIENT MANA, THEN SHAPE THE MANA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTENT OF THE SPECIFIC ARRAY IN QUESTION. EACH ONE IS MADE UP OF MULITPLE COMPONENTS THAT DEFINE THE INTENTION.]

    Intent¡­. The thought lingered in his mind for a while as he considered the possibilities. When he thought about what happened with the branch, some of it made sense. He wasn¡¯t sure if he could consider the tree to have a true intent, but the mana was clearly being put to use facilitating growth. That opened doors to more different applications, and he was getting excited about it.

    ¡°Alright, C.H.A.D.D. I¡¯m collecting some samples of my own, help me look for seeds.¡±

    The drone obliged, lighting up different areas with glowing projections. In short order, the C.H.A.D.D.pack was stuffed full of various seeds and plant material.

    Checking the time, Kyle saw that he had about an hour left until the extraction shuttle arrived. He climbed the trees easily, and in less than a minute he found himself breaking through into the subcanopy. It was a verdant dome, only sparsely covered in branches compared to the near-solid carpet below and ceiling above. In many ways, Kyle felt like he was underwater. All around him the tree branches gently swayed, casting moving shadows in every direction. Looking around the breathtaking environment, he spotted the source of the mana he¡¯d been feeling.

    A perfectly spherical opalescent orb rested in a gnarled hollow of a tree, and Kyle watched just in time to see a small drop of what looked like sap fall into the orb, instantly being absorbed. A cloudy pattern lazily swirled inside the sphere, reflecting what little light was able to get through and strike it. It¡¯s beautiful. Kyle sat, mesmerized by the gentle movements inside the orb, until C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s urgent tone snapped him out of it.

    [MOVE, NOW!]

    As the drone spoke, bright orange projections flashed at the corner of his right eye, alerting him to the attack. Without hesitation Kyle dove forward, keeping his chin low. He grabbed onto a narrow branch and turned, only to feel it give way beneath him a moment later. With HASTE active Kyle crossed to the other side of the small dome, for the first time laying eyes on his assailant. A massive black and red praying mantis three meters tall stood opposite him, hind legs each resting on a different branch as its wings fluttered angrily.

    Its forelimbs were folded, though a glance at the neatly sliced branch he¡¯d been standing on confirmed they concealed wickedly sharp blades. The mantis¡¯ head articulated in his direction as it regarded him, and Kyle suspected it detected the strange essences he¡¯d absorbed. Like the Wall before it, he found himself at a brief impasse. Without taking his eyes off the creature, he slowly drew his baton while he spoke to his metallic companion.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you tell me about this thing?¡±

    [MANA SIGNATURE IS POWERFUL, DR. MAYHEW, THOUGH IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE D GRADE. HIGHLY DEVELOPED NERVE GANGLIA AT EACH JOINT, MUSCULATURE APPEARS TO BE DESIGNED MORE FOR EXPLOSIVE BURSTS THAN SLOW-TWITCH.]

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t get a chance to respond as the mantis dashed towards him, using its wings to enhance its speed. The tree branches below it shook wildly as it closed the distance, both forelimbs snapping forward like whips. Even with HASTE active, Kyle had to admit the speed was impressive. He jumped backwards out of reflex, only to remember at the last minute he wasn¡¯t standing on solid ground. He grabbed a branch with his free hand and used his momentum to swing up, landing on another branch just in time to dodge away as it, too, was slashed into thirds by the mantis.

    [I WOULD ALSO ADVISE YOU TO AVOID FALLING OR BEING SLICED INTO PIECES. NEITHER WOULD RESULT IN FAVORABLE OUTCOMES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle grumbled, eyes not leaving his new foe.

    ¡°Very helpful.¡±

 Chapter 97

    The mantis chittered angrily, swaying back and forth in rhythm with the trees. It exploded towards Kyle once again, appearing eager to kill the intruder in its space. Kyle was prepared, activating STORM SHELTER. The orange barrier of light sprang up in a sphere around him, the mantis¡¯ forelimbs bouncing off the barrier ineffectively. The large insect seemed startled as its forward momentum was arrested, and its legs scrabbled against the shield as it tried to reposition itself.

    Kyle deactivated his skill as he closed on the creature, landing a palm strike with his left hand. RESONANCE was active, and he felt the beginning of the connection form as the mantis jumped back, aided by another flutter of its wings. Somehow, without turning its head, the bug landed with legs spread on four different branches.

    Kyle didn¡¯t continue his pursuit of the creature. Instead, he observed it, measuring its reactions. No doubt it was powerful, and Kyle had the impression that it was around the same level as the Wall. While he had defeated the colossal beetle with relative ease, Kyle understood his victory owed largely to a favorable matchup. In this case, many of those advantages were neutralized.

    The mantis was quick, with Perception to match. It had instantly reacted to Kyle¡¯s attempted kill with RESONANCE, and beyond that managed to land with surprising grace considering its sheer size. It didn¡¯t have the raw destructive potential the Wall demonstrated, but the precise and swift strikes were nothing to scoff at. If it weren¡¯t for the power of his defensive skill, Kyle knew he would have taken serious injuries.

    Despite all this, Kyle wasn¡¯t too worried. He would have to take the fight seriously if he wanted to win, however he was confident in his victory.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you do a highlighted overlay on the branches the mantis steps on?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The mantis seemed to treat their quick exchange as a signal to attack, and once again it lunged for Kyle. This time, he didn¡¯t activate STORM SHELTER, instead opting to simply jump to a different set of branches nearby. The sharp scythes easily bit through the tree limbs Kyle was standing on, and it readjusted and turned to strike at him again. Once more, Kyle was able to dodge out of the way with HASTE, staying one step ahead of the mantis with relative ease. This dance continued for a while, with neatly sliced logs falling like rain onto the forest floor beneath.

    Satisfied he¡¯d figured out the pattern, Kyle jumped to one of the branches that C.H.A.D.D. had highlighted. The mantis lunged for him as expected, then seemed to pause mid leap. It didn¡¯t immediately slash the branch Kyle was standing on, and its movements became frantic for a moment as it tried to get its footing. Given the creature¡¯s unnaturally graceful landing, Kyle had an inkling that it had spent enough time in the under canopy to have established some preferred footholds.

    It had gotten used to stepping on only certain tree branches that it knew could support its bulk, which were far less numerous than those that could support Kyle¡¯s. As it had slashed away many of the smaller branches, Kyle was now forcing the mantis to make a choice ¨C destroy its own ¡°floor¡± to try to get to its prey, or use different attacks to avoid damaging its home.

    Apparently, the mantis decided that it would rather lose its security deposit than continue to have an unwelcome roommate. Kyle figured that was the most likely outcome ¨C after all, while the creature possessed sharp instincts, it was still an insect at the end of the day. True tactical planning was, he hoped, beyond it. It sliced through the foothold Kyle was using, then another in short order. It was then that the mantis seemed to realize its mistake. As it leaped to try to slice Kyle, he activated STORM SHELTER. With only a couple of branches in the area large enough to support it, the overgrown insect didn¡¯t have enough footholds to grab on to as it frantically scrabbled to keep itself from falling.

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    Kyle didn¡¯t give it the chance, as he deactivated the shield and jumped to a lower branch, lashing out with his baton. He knew it wouldn¡¯t do much damage against the creature¡¯s chitinous body, so he aimed for the wings while the forelimbs were occupied trying to pull itself up. Focusing the energy from HASTE into his arm, he lashed out nearly a dozen times in less than three seconds, battering the wings beyond use.

    The mantis tried to clamber back up onto the tree limb, but Kyle wasn¡¯t going to give it the opportunity. He rested his hand on the center of its thorax and activated RESONANCE. Mana flowed through his hand, and with a focused surge he ended the creature¡¯s life. It fell limply to the rainforest floor with a loud thump.

    Focusing his Auric Perception, Kyle didn¡¯t detect any indications that the mantis contained any of the red essence. That made sense to him ¨C it was powerful by virtue of exposure to the mana, but it didn¡¯t have the unique abilities of the other creature¡¯s he¡¯d fought. It was simply a really dangerous insect. He was still hoping to get C.H.A.D.D. another essence or two, it just wasn¡¯t going to be today.

    Satisfied he wasn¡¯t leaving anything on the table, he turned back to the glowing sphere, still nestled into the hollow of a nearby tree. It was much more precarious than before to make his way over, though as he did he couldn¡¯t keep himself from breaking out into a smile. The mana contained within the sphere was intense, though at the same time it felt gentle and soothing.

    Without really thinking about it, Kyle reached out with his hand with RESONANCE active and touched the orb. It felt like he was touching a hard rubber ball that was warm to the touch, odd as he saw a drop of what looked like liquid enter it before his fight. His mana flowed into it and connected, and he felt a sense of timelessness from the ball, as if it was as enduring as the forest itself. If you knew you were on a timer you might think differently, Kyle chuckled to himself. He drew a little bit of the mana from it, feeling a gentle sense of rejuvenation through his body. It wasn¡¯t physical healing, rather imparting a sense of relaxation through his body.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO CONNECT TO THE ORB? THE MANA IS INTERESTING TO ME.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that there¡¯s much room left in the pack for it, do you need to touch the ball?¡±

    [I DON¡¯T BELIEVE SO, DR. MAYHEW. IF YOU CAN CONNECT ME USING YOUR SKILL IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.]

    Shrugging, Kyle unslung the pack and opened the top, resting one hand on top of the drone while the other continued to hold the sphere. Activating RESONANCE, he connected himself to C.H.A.D.D. as well. Almost immediately, he felt mana from the orb being drawn through his body and into the drone. He was startled at the suddenness of the flow of energy, and his surprise was only intensified as he realized that he couldn¡¯t easily deactivate RESONANCE with the constant stream of mana pouring through. Kyle grunted as he brought the full force of his Willpower to bear, finally deactivating the skill. Not before the greedy drone had absorbed nearly a third of the mana contained inside the sphere. He estimated the treasure only had about half of its initial energy still present within, which meant¡­. Kyle had absorbed a good chunk of it as well.

    He frowned as he considered the implication, as he didn¡¯t feel much different at all. Kyle expected he would have had significantly recovered mana reserves, or at a minimum felt extremely relaxed. Instead, it was if the energy was just¡­ gone. When he focused, he could feel vestiges of it in his body. He was tempted to enter meditation to try and pin it down, but decided against it. Even with the mantis down, it was generally a poor choice to meditate when danger could be afoot. That left him with just one item of business as he counted down the last few minutes until extraction.

    ¡°What the hell, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

 Chapter 98

    [I AM UNCERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re uncertain? You asked me to connect you to it, then immediately started draining the energy right out of it. Why didn¡¯t you at least tell me that¡¯s what you were planning to do?¡±

    [I WASN¡¯T PLANNING TO DO IT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°How could you not have planned it? Are you really trying to convince me that you did it by accident?¡±

    [YES?]

    ¡°I¡¯m not convinced, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN. IT WASN¡¯T AN ACTIVE DECISION TO ABSORB THE ENERGY, I CAN BEST DESCRIBE IT AS A REFLEX RESPONSE.]

    Kyle frowned at that, even if he could understand it. The idea that C.H.A.D.D. was developing instinctive responses like this was, again, more than a little concerning. He had taken measures to protect C.H.A.D.D. from being too damaged by the ambient mana. After it absorbed several of the red essences, he figured the drone would likely be almost completely resistant by now.

    However, it seemed he¡¯d created an entirely different set of issues. That¡¯s what I get for messing around with things I don¡¯t understand. The admonishment was deserved, though at the same time Kyle knew that he¡¯d make the same choices again. He¡¯d really grown to rely on the drone, and didn¡¯t regret doing what he could to protect it.

    He got a ping on his nav bracelet letting him know that extraction was close. Before it arrived, he asked C.H.A.D.D. one more question.

    ¡°What did you do with the mana you absorbed?¡±

    [I ARCHIVED IT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Before he could ask any more questions, a blast of air came pushing down from above, scattering leaves and small branches. His nav bracelet gave a loud ping, and Rochelle¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°Can you climb any higher? We¡¯re lowering a harness, but the tree cover is getting in the way.¡±

    ¡°Can do, I¡¯ll get as high up as possible.¡±

    Stowing C.H.A.D.D. back in his pack and holding the still-glowing orb under his left arm, Kyle made easy work ascending the remaining distance, breaking through the thick trees. It was like he had just come up from the deep sea, the shining afternoon sun blazing bright without the cover of shadows. Ripples of movement spread across the treetops from the shuttle, two large circular wings drawing in and expelling mana to stay afloat. He saw the harness and grabbed it, clasping several of the hooks into his pack. He realized at that point his nav bracelet was on the arm holding the treasure, and now that he was strapped in he had no way to communicate with the crew on the ship. He tugged on the harness until they got the hint, and he was lifted into the shuttle without fanfare.

    This one was much smaller, with a crew of only six, including Captain Rochelle. After greeting them and disentangling himself from the harness, he turned to her. Something was off. He had a familiar feeling, one that had been following him since he¡¯d been in this new world. Whatever the odd sense was, Kyle associated it with danger.

    ¡°No offense, Captain, but why are you here personally? Shouldn¡¯t you be aboard the flagship?¡±

    There was no need to have her present that Kyle could think of. While she was a capable combatant with her knives, anything that was dangerous enough to kill him would be well out of Rochelle¡¯s weight class.

    ¡°None taken, Mayhew. I don¡¯t leave my men behind. You saved a lot of lives with that stunt of yours. I owed you at least enough to personally see you get back safely.¡±

    Her grey eyes met his, an acknowledgement rather than a challenge. Something had changed in her view of him, and that put him somewhat at ease.

    ¡°I appreciate it. We need to go back, I marked a spot where some of your people fell. We can at least pick up the bodies.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to go back for, Mayhew.¡±

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    There was silence in the shuttle for the moment as they all took Rochelle¡¯s words in, before her eyes shifted to the orb under his arm and widened.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Looking back to him, she asked. ¡°Do you know what it is? What it does?¡±

    ¡°Not the faintest idea. C.H.A.D.D. and I picked up on the energy, and made a detour to pick it up on our way in. What is it?¡±

    She looked at him for a moment before laughing. It was a deep, belly laugh that took the better part of a minute to subside.

    ¡°How the hell should I know what random garbage you found on your world? We were looking for ores and other well-documented byproducts of Riftwyrm attacks. This is something different. One of the eggheads will take a look at it when we get back.¡±

    Giving him an appraising look, she added.

    ¡°After you take a shower. You smell disgusting.¡±

    They chatted for several hours during the journey, which was blessedly uneventful. Kyle recognized many of the faces in the shuttle, including the spearman he¡¯d saved after the first ant attack. Even better, they brought snacks. As they talked, it became clear just how little Kyle knew about the wider world. For some reason, he¡¯d expected that since they were all human, they all came from the same planet. He was shocked to hear that was not the case for any of the men and women in the shuttle.

    Humans were apparently the most common species in the broader universe, though nobody had a great answer as to why. Each of them had left their families and friends behind to seek their fate among the stars. Of course, their circumstances were far less dramatic than Kyle¡¯s ¨C their planets had long-established connections to central Collective space. With a modest fee and lengthy customs process, anybody in a connected planet could travel to pre-established warp points on any other Collective planet. That¡¯s not to say that a person could wander away from those points without permission, but the travel itself was very reasonable and common.

    Kyle was almost disappointed when the message came across the shuttle that they were landing on the flagship. He had so many more questions to ask them about what life was like in the society he would soon be joining. One thing had become clear, though, as he sat in the sealed shuttle. He really did stink. As they exited, he turned to Rochelle.

    ¡°Thanks again for picking me up. You weren¡¯t wrong about me needing a shower, could you point me in the right direction?¡±

    She gave an exasperated sigh as the others walked away.

    ¡°Of course they didn¡¯t give you a tour of the ship when you got here. Why would they do that? Wouldn¡¯t want the freaking D Grade to know where his quarters are. Follow me, Mayhew. We¡¯ll get the information all uploaded to your nav bracelet.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, quarters?¡±

    ¡°Less questions, more following. And we¡¯ll drop off that ball with the research team on the way. They are going to analyze it and credit you with the find, and once they have a better idea what it¡¯s worth and what it does you¡¯ll get appropriate merit assigned.¡±

    He nodded and closed his mouth, making his way first to a small lab attached to the hangar where a couple of the small green aliens excitedly took the treasure. From there, he followed Rochelle to what was essentially a large elevator where she showed him how to scan his nav bracelet. The elevator took them to a wing with a few dozen rooms, and they exited.

    ¡°Your room is down this hall on the left, your nav bracelet will give you the directions.¡±

    He stood, a little shocked at how nice the accommodations looked. She seemed to pick up that something was off, and looked at him, hands on her hips.

    ¡°Not fancy enough for the D Grade? Understand, we didn¡¯t expect to find somebody like you. There are only a few private quarters nicer than these, so you¡¯ll have to live with it if you want to stay on the ship. We¡¯re not picking you up and dropping you off planetside.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that at all. Rochelle, I haven¡¯t had a regular room, a place without blown out walls, in almost a year.¡±

    He tried to say more, but the words caught in his throat. She shook her head.

    ¡°Get cleaned up and get some rest, Kyle.¡± She said in a softer voice. ¡°And again, thank you.¡±

    With that, she turned and walked down a different hallway. Following his nav bracelet, he came to a plain steel door that opened moments after he arrived. Inside was a spacious room with a desk and two functional metal chairs, beyond which was a bedroom with a small attached bathroom. On the bed there were several uniforms that matched the ones he¡¯d seen the others wearing; dark fabric with a symbol he assumed was for Corthian Mining. He walked into the room, numb with how¡­ normal it looked. It brought back a flood of memories of his life before, and he struggled to keep it together.

    Setting down the C.H.A.D.D.pack, he undressed and stood under the hot water, letting it wash over him. It felt good to enjoy some of these luxuries again. After cleaning up and putting on fresh clothes, he felt like a new man. He struggled to cut through his thick beard, and got to work scrubbing down his chitin armor as well as the exterior of the C.H.A.D.D.pack. Even the drone got washed, despite its protests. Finally clean, he looked to his nav bracelet where a message was waiting, this time from Chester.

    Mr. Mayhew, I hope your room is to your liking. We owe you thanks for your diligence in protecting our people, and it has been noted in your file. You will not be needed for any expeditions tomorrow, and our physician would like to meet you. I took the liberty of scheduling you an appointment first thing in the morning, details are in your nav.

    -Chester Drake

    Leave it to Chester to make everything more organized and formal than it needed to be. Stomach still full from the food earlier, he flopped on the bed, marveling at how soft it was. Exhaustion and tension that had been building up for a year seemed to melt into the mattress, and he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

 Chapter 99

    Kyle couldn¡¯t remember having a better night¡¯s sleep since the world ended. A part of him still ached as he got up and thought about how life used to be. It felt like a lifetime ago. Resting in the bed made him dare to hope that he could at least build something similar in the future. His nav bracelet indicated that he still had time before his appointment, and he knew exactly how he was going to use it.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what did you mean when you said you ¡®archived¡¯ the mana?¡±

    [THAT IS¡­ DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Try for me.¡±

    [THE ENERGY DIDN¡¯T WANT TO BE USED IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE, DR. MAYHEW. IT HAD AN INTENT TO CONDENSE AND BIND INFORMATION, WHICH IS WHAT IT DID. IT IS NOT ENERGY AVAILABLE FOR USE, RATHER ENERGY CONTAINING INFORMATION ON GROWTH, HARMONY, THE CYCLE OF DEATH AND REBIRTH OF THE ORGANISMS IN THE FOREST.]

    Kyle frowned at the explanation. To one extent, it made sense. He had certainly absorbed the energy, roughly seventeen percent if he was right, and it didn¡¯t seem to give him anything he could use, unlike other times he¡¯d used RESONANCE and drained mana. On the other hand, C.H.A.D.D. was implying that the mana itself was sentient. That was simply too much.

    ¡°So you¡¯re trying to tell me the mana has a will of its own, and that it can choose what it wants to do? How is that possible?¡±

    [THAT IS AN INCORRECT ASSESSMENT, DR. MAYHEW. YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT THE MANA ITSELF CANNOT DETERMINE INTENT. THE MANA WAS INSTEAD GIVEN INTENT AS IT WAS CONDENSED INTO THE SPHERE.]

    ¡°You¡¯re losing me, C.H.A.D.D. Nobody made the ¨C¡° Kyle stopped talking as the pieces clicked in his head, familiar energy seeming to thrum in his chest as he truly understood.

    When he was practicing with RESONANCE on the trees, he was able to observe the intent to grow in action as he held onto the broken branches. He realized now that was only part of the equation. While he didn¡¯t believe that trees could think the way a sapient creature could, was it so far off to believe that their existence was more complex than simply growth? The rainforest was a truly unique biome, teeming with diverse organisms all living and dying in harmony with one another. While there was death on an individual and even species level, each death in turn fueled life and rebirth.

    Snapping out of his momentary stupor, he felt the energy in his chest recede. His revelation was assisted by the mana he¡¯d apparently archived as well. I really need to stop absorbing random energy, Kyle thought. Between the crimson essences and now the energy from the tree, he was a walking example of why people shouldn¡¯t play with things they don¡¯t understand.

    [ARE YOU ALRIGHT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    Kyle realized he¡¯d been standing in the room quietly, not having finished his sentence to the drone.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, C.H.A.D.D. I do have to ask though, how did you figure all this out?¡±

    [USING A SKILL, DR. MAYHEW. THE ESSENCE OF THE WEEVIL CREATURE I ABSORBED ALSO ALLOWS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MANA IN PLANTS, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS DESIGNED WITH EATING PLANTS AS THE PRIMARY FUNCTION.]

    ¡°Wait, you have multiple skills? And how do you know the bug was a weevil? You had no idea beforehand?¡±

    [THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE OF MY CLASS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°You have a class? C.H.A.D.D., what else aren¡¯t you telling me? Wait, what is your class?¡±

    [DR. MAYHEW, IF YOU DON¡¯T LEAVE SHORTLY YOU WILL NOT MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT ON TIME.]

    He was about to force the issue, but checking the nav bracelet he was startled at how much time had passed. Slinging the pack over his shoulders, he started towards the door to his quarters.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯re done with this conversation. You have a lot to answer for.¡±

    The drone didn¡¯t reply, and they made their way out into the hallway.

    The trip to visit the ship¡¯s physician was uneventful, and soon Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. found themselves outside a large set of steel doors. There were a good number of triage units in the ship, though the chief physician didn¡¯t keep an office in any of them. Instead, he had his own small sick bay and lab located deeper inside. The doors slid open, and the duo were welcomed with a loud shout. ¡°Get in here, you¡¯re late!¡± Startled, Kyle checked his nav bracelet. It showed that he still had some time before his appointment was set to start, but before he could speak the voice shouted again.

    ¡°I said get in here! I don¡¯t have all day, there¡¯s lots to do.¡±

    Kyle walked through the doors, calling back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I think you might have the wrong person in mind. I¡¯m supposed to be meeting with the head physician, and I¡¯m early.¡±

    He could hear some loud rummaging in a closet towards the back of the infirmary, and took some time to look around. There were eight sick beds, and a wide variety of different instruments and tools neatly arranged against two of the walls. The third wall contained a variety of different monitors, and he saw an image of himself pulled up on one of them. A shape exited the closet, loud voice once again booming.

    ¡°If I said you¡¯re late, you¡¯re bloody late! Is that understood?¡±

    Kyle stared as one of the most heavily muscled men he¡¯d ever seen slammed the closet door shut, having taken out a box of files he was holding in one massive arm. The man stood about a meter and a half tall, with arms that would have made Cornelius jealous. He was completely bald, his scalp reflecting the bright lights of the infirmary. He looked Kyle up and down behind a thick pair of spectacles, a bushy moustache bristling at the sides as he spoke.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the Mayhew kid I¡¯ve heard so much about. Bloody waste of a Healer. Well, grab a seat. Let¡¯s have a look at you.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s surprise was quickly replaced by annoyance.

    ¡°When I was trained, we learned something called bedside manner. You don¡¯t treat patients this way, much less people you¡¯ve just met. That¡¯s just basic decency, and I¡¯m not going to deal with it. Good day.¡±

    With that, Kyle turned and left the infirmary. At least he tried to. The man had somehow managed to cross the distance in the blink of an eye, a grip like iron on Kyle¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°This appointment isn¡¯t optional, lad. Scans say you¡¯re clean, but I¡¯ve been asked to do a deeper evaluation and I¡¯m bloody well going to do it. Now, grab a seat or I¡¯ll put you in one.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was no longer booming, replaced by a low, threatening tone. Unfortunately for the physician, Kyle just wasn¡¯t impressed. The last twenty-four hours had left him physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to get bullied by somebody he¡¯d just met, especially after saving dozens of lives just the day before.

    ¡°Let go of my arm. Now.¡±

    He didn¡¯t raise his voice or threaten the man. He simply looked down at him and met his eyes through the spectacles. The man¡¯s grip tightened, just a bit, and in one fluid motion Kyle yanked his arm back and pivoted, striking out with his free hand in an open-palmed strike. It hit the physician in the center of his barrel chest, knocking him back a couple of steps as his arm came free. The big man roared as he made to tackle Kyle, before a sharp voice stopped them both.

    ¡°THAT¡¯S ENOUGH!¡±

    They both turned to see Chester standing in the entryway, arms crossed and face red with anger. First, he turned to the bald man who had stopped mid-rush, arms out wide.

    ¡°What is wrong with you? I asked you to do a basic physical and overall evaluation, and I come here to find you coming to blows with our guest?¡±

    Before anybody could respond, he turned to Kyle.

    ¡°And you! I¡¯m not sure how hospitals work on your planet, but if you think you can attack our ship¡¯s sole D Grade physician, you¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡±

    With a huff, the man crossed his arms.

    ¡°He was late to the appointment. No respect at all.¡±

    Chester raised his hand to the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a breath before he spoke.

    ¡°He was not late, Randolph. I came to introduce the two of you, and I arrived right on time.¡±

    ¡°You told me he was a Healer. Any Healer worth their salt would have shown up early to fill out a chart and take care of the paperwork. He¡¯s a hack.¡±

    Annoyed at the other man, Kyle turned to leave.

    ¡°Then this hack has better things to spend his time on.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew, please stop. There are several orders of business we can only get done here that require a Collective-licensed physician.¡±

    Kyle sighed. He liked Chester, and he certainly respected the man. Randolph still looked to be in a huff, and he could almost see the plea in Chester¡¯s eyes. The fact that he¡¯d shown up for an appointment like this was a strong hint that he¡¯d expected something like this to happen. Grudgingly, Kyle walked back into the room and sat down. Chester seemed to deflate a bit in what Kyle assumed was relief.

    ¡°Excellent. Randolph, this is Kyle Mayhew. I need to you conduct a physical examination, then get him assessed.¡±

 Chapter 100

    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re going to have me assessed?¡±

    Kyle frowned and folded his arms.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all seen what I can do, and while it may not be much compared to you, I¡¯ve more than pulled my weight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right you¡¯re not much!¡±

    Randolph looked like he was about to go on a full-blown rant, though reconsidered at Chester¡¯s withering glare.

    ¡°Your abilities aren¡¯t in question, Mr. Mayhew. The assessment is a formal report of an individual¡¯s aptitudes, and is among several other factors that can determine one¡¯s station in the wider universe, and certainly within Collective participant species.¡± His gaze sharpened as he turned it back to Randolph. ¡°Under ordinary circumstances, this would be completed upon our return to Collective space, and would be accompanied by a hefty fee payable by you. Senior leadership is curious, however, if you might be an asset to Corthian Mining as a whole. We have decided to sponsor your assessment.¡±

    At the last words, Randolph seemed to deflate. Kyle felt tension leave his shoulders that he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been carrying. While he didn¡¯t trust the physician, Kyle was well aware of organizational power. Nobody wanted to cross senior management, after all. Silence heavy as an elephant weighed on the room before Randolph finally gestured for Kyle to lie down on a nearby exam table.

    ¡°Damn it, Chester. Fine.¡±

    Kyle set his pack and the thankfully quiet drone next to Chester, then rested on the table Randolph indicated. He had to admit, the furnishings were much more comfortable than what he¡¯d been used to in his clinic. As he did, he felt a large amount of mana begin to swirl around the physician, soon covering a sphere surrounding him. For a moment he was worried he was under attack, but a quick glance at Chester¡¯s calm expression put that worry to rest. Soon, the mana began to coalesce around him into a pattern that almost reminded him of when he entered his center. Oops.

    Kyle just realized with a start that he hadn¡¯t taken time to meditate since coming back up to the ship. A lot had happened, and in the hustle it had genuinely slipped his mind. He knew that his experience in the rainforest had led to some significant gains, he simply hadn¡¯t taken the time to consolidate them. He was snapped back to the present as the pattern that had swirled around him suddenly collapsed in on him, covering his body in a thin field of mana before being absorbed. Randolph nodded slowly to himself, then placed his palms on the center of a nearby table.

    Kyle saw an image of himself slowly come into focus, created from gentle blue light. Next to the image small script was appearing as Randolph studied it and took notes, thick mustache bristling like a hedgehog as he muttered to himself. Finally, nearly ten minutes later, the image faded away as the physician turned to face Kyle. His face carried with it a solemnity and seriousness it hadn¡¯t before, and Kyle realized he was leaning in slightly in anticipation of the man¡¯s words.

    ¡°Never easy news to share. You¡¯re broken, kid.¡±

    Kyle froze, immediately thinking about his status as an Arthro-Human Chimera. Did the assessment not work because he wasn¡¯t technically human any longer? Could Randolph even tell? He wasn¡¯t sure if he would give away details he shouldn¡¯t by asking, but he didn¡¯t feel like he had much choice. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, Chester did it for him.

    ¡°I trust you aren¡¯t trying to make some sort of joke, Randolph. Explain.¡±

    The physician clasped his hands, causing the massive muscles in his forearms to flex.

    ¡°I mean that from what the scan tells me that there¡¯s no traditional role for someone like him at D Grade. He¡¯s developed from a Healer base, but the skill overlay only showed one ability that can actually heal somebody else. He has a lot of skills that involve manipulating internal mana, of particular note a boosting skill focused on mobility and Perception. Even then, his attribute overlay shows that he¡¯d be useless on the frontlines of a D Grade battlefield.¡±

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    Randolph was visibly getting worked up as he talked, and he took a breath to calm himself before continuing.

    ¡°His Vitality, Endurance, Willpower, Intelligence and Perception are all quite good for an early level, but they¡¯re all useless because his skills don¡¯t do anything. The best thing he has is the shield he showed Rochelle¡¯s team. That has no synergy with anything else he has going on, because he can¡¯t hold ground due to a focus on mobility. He¡¯s a disjointed mess, without any effective niche or specialization. Broken.¡±

    At first Kyle wanted to punch the man. Holding himself back, he looked to Chester.

    ¡°You know that¡¯s a load of crap, right?¡±

    Chester sighed as he met Kyle¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew, this was my suspicion as well. I thought your combination of skills was odd. While it might be effective in some circumstances, it will also be challenging for somebody in your position to find gainful employment. That¡¯s not to say there¡¯s no opportunity, rather that you¡¯ll have to fight harder for them. Regardless, an issue for later.¡±

    Chester stood up and prepared to leave the room.

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew, please rest assured that nothing about our arrangement for the duration of the expedition will change. I had a job offer ready if you fit certain criteria, but it would have been for after our return in any event. Good day, gentlemen. Please don¡¯t ruin my sick bay.¡±

    With that he walked out the door, leaving Kyle in the room with Randolph. The burly physician leaned back in his chair, an appraising look on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been through the ringer, haven¡¯t you kid?¡±

    Kyle just nodded. Randolph continued.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it before. You were dealt a lousy hand and had to make choices in the moment. Only future you really had time to think about was your next few weeks instead of the next century.¡±

    Kyle sighed.

    ¡°That¡¯s more accurate than you know. If there¡¯s nothing else you need from me, I¡¯m going to leave.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why I called you a waste of a Healer?¡±

    The question caught Kyle by surprise, and he stopped before he could get up.

    ¡°I assume it¡¯s because I¡¯m not as good as you are.¡±

    Randolph chuckled, the smile causing wrinkles to form next to his eyes.

    ¡°I said it because I thought you intentionally disrespected the path while still using the moniker. Looking you over though, I¡¯ve changed my mind. For your body to have gone through the changes it has¡­ I¡¯m not going to look down on you for doing what you had to, to survive. You¡¯re welcome in my office any day, Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle was taken by surprise at the Randolph¡¯s words, but decided it wasn¡¯t worth pushing the matter. He stood up and shook the other man¡¯s beefy hand, doing his best to match the smile, even though he hadn¡¯t felt it. This was a lot to take in.

    Kyle grabbed C.H.A.D.D. and left the med bay, head swirling. His nav bracelet showed a message, but he ignored it for now. Getting back to his quarters, he sighed as he settled on the floor and tried to enter meditation. His frustration made it much more difficult than it should have been, though soon enough he entered his center and looked at the words that greeted him.

    KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 6 (D)

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 3/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH

    VITALITY: 349

    ENDURANCE: 367

    STRENGTH: 143

    DEXTERITY: 248

    WILLPOWER: 377

    INTELLIGENCE: 378

    PERCEPTION: 353

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 90

    He was surprised to see how many levels he¡¯d gained, and began thinking about allocating his free attributes. He thought about what Randolph said about his attributes, that he wasn¡¯t well-suited to do any one task. While Kyle felt confident that the physician¡¯s assessment missed some of the more unique applications of his skills, he could understand where the man was coming from.

    That left him with a few courses of action: he could try to specialize his attributes in the direction he was already moving, he could invest in a different direction, or he could save the attribute points until he had more clarity. Kyle reflected on the options, and ultimately decided to continue on the path he¡¯d been working towards.

    While it was true he might be lacking some synergy at the moment, Kyle still had a long way to go in D Grade. He already knew which skill he was hoping to upgrade at Level 20, and had an idea of where to take it. Breathing out slowly, he allocated points to Willpower, Intelligence, and Perception. If they think my path is broken, I¡¯ll just have to carve my own.

 Chapter 101

    Exiting meditation, Kyle felt a little better about his circumstances, though he still had a general sense of frustration and unease. Am I being an idiot? He didn¡¯t think he was, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel that he should have asked more questions, gotten more information. There was still so much he didn¡¯t know about D Grade, saying nothing about the state of the wider universe. He stretched as he got up, and was about to ask C.H.A.D.D. for its thoughts before a loud pounding on his door made him jump.

    Looking at his nav bracelet, he saw that the message he¡¯d missed earlier was from Skippy, and he had three more that were sent after. Opening the door, he was unsurprised to see the diminutive grey alien ¨C Skrell ¨C tapping its foot on the other side.

    ¡°Chester told me you weren¡¯t on mission today. I want to spar. I¡¯m going to break that shield if it¡¯s the last thing I do.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you, Skippy. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not particularly in the mood right now, maybe we can ¨C ¡°

    ¡°No, we¡¯re going now.¡±

    With that, a four-fingered hand grabbed Kyle by the forearm, dragging him out of the room.

    ¡°Skippy, I¡¯ve got a lot on my mind right now, I don¡¯t think that this is a great idea.¡±

    ¡°No better way to process than with a good fight. Already got the training room set up. People are going to watch. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±

    ¡°Skippy, I don¡¯t want to spar right now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I do. It¡¯ll be really boring for everybody there if I win without you putting up a fight.¡±

    Kyle was starting to get a bad feeling.

    ¡°Why would it matter if it¡¯s boring? It¡¯s sparring. It¡¯s not supposed to be exciting.¡±

    At that, Skippy grinned, showing lines of sharp teeth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not every day E Grades get to watch D Grades go at it. From what I understand there¡¯s quite a crowd waiting.¡±

    Kyle groaned internally. He didn¡¯t want to fight Skippy. He had one more shot.

    ¡°Skippy, we both know you¡¯re stronger than me. There¡¯s no point in me fighting with you, or Duroc for that matter. Why don¡¯t you spar with him?¡±

    ¡°Duroc is boring. I know how to deal with him. I don¡¯t know how to break your shield.¡±

    Kyle was surprised to hear the Skrell describe the other D Grade alien as boring, but looking at the expression on the grey alien¡¯s face he didn¡¯t see a hint of bravado or boastfulness. From what Kyle could tell, Skippy genuinely felt like a fight against Duroc wouldn¡¯t be interesting. Resigning himself to his fate, Kyle asked one more question as they walked down a set of stairs towards the training area. ¡°How long have you and Duroc known each other?¡±

    Skippy thought about it for just a moment before responding.

    ¡°We met about five cycles ago, about four of your years, but didn¡¯t start working together until three cycles ago, right after I broke into D Grade.¡±

    ¡°How did you meet?¡±

    ¡°Story for another time. We¡¯re here.¡±

    The duo walked through a large set of metal doors, beyond which was a training facility nearly fifty meters long and almost as wide. There was a variety of different equipment, the majority of which looked to be sized for humans. Kyle did note several smaller pieces, which he assumed were for the little green aliens. He still wanted to learn more about them, though he expected he wouldn¡¯t get much of a chance with his spar coming up.

    In the center of the facility, a large circle was clear of equipment and sealed off with transparent glass. It had the telltale look of an arena, and the crowd milling around it made it clear to Kyle this is where they were supposed to fight. There were around fifty people surrounding it, and he recognized several faces in the crowd. Many of the men and women from his last expedition had joined, and he was surprised to see both Rochelle and Chester among them, chatting quietly with each other. Spotting him walking with Skippy, both of them approached.

    Rochelle spoke first.

    ¡°You¡¯re full of surprises, Mayhew. Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be spending your day off getting the stuffing beaten out of you.¡±

    ¡°Captain Rochelle, I¡¯m sure that our friend here will show enough restraint not to seriously injure Mr. Mayhew. Isn¡¯t that right, Skierepallix?¡± Chester¡¯s voice carried a warning, which Skippy seemed to pick up.

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    ¡°Of course, foreman. Just a friendly test, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Skippy gave an encouraging smile and slapped Kyle on the back.

    ¡°We¡¯re just having a bit of fun, I¡¯m sure everybody will enjoy it. I¡¯m going to make sure it¡¯s set up properly.¡± With that, Skippy left to go discuss something with a small green alien standing in front of a series of panels. When he left, Rochelle turned to him.

    ¡°I take it this wasn¡¯t your idea?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    Frowning, she looked at Chester.

    ¡°Then why did we gather people here at all?¡±

    Chester gave Kyle a quick, sad smile before looking back to Rochelle.

    ¡°I think it will be good for all parties involved. Given the crew¡¯s feelings towards Skierepallix and Duroc, I find it would be beneficial for them to see those two in a different light. It¡¯s also a chance to build some credibility for Mr. Mayhew before the next departure.¡±

    Rochelle frowned, even as she nodded.

    ¡°Good luck in there, Mayhew.¡±

    She and Chester returned to the crowd, and Kyle walked up to where Skippy was standing with the green alien.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Skippy asked, trying, and failing, to keep the grin off his face.

    ¡°Before that, sir, do you have any environmental requests? I can¡¯t slant the training arena too much in any direction, but I can add any features you need to use your skills.¡±

    Kyle shook his head.

    ¡°This will be fine. I don¡¯t suppose my weapon or armor are available?¡±

    The green alien tossed a sharp look at Skippy, whose grin suddenly turned sheepish.

    ¡°I may have¡­ forgotten to tell you to bring them. We can go get them though if that¡¯s a problem!¡±

    Kyle sighed and shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Not like they¡¯d do much against you other than get broken.¡±

    With that, he stepped into the arena.

    The air inside was dry and cool, all the sounds of chatter outside instantly faded. He walked to one side of the arena, while Skippy walked to the other. The two stood about ten meters apart, eyes fixed on one another. The sound of a bell tolled through the dome, and Skippy immediately attacked, flames wreathing his hands.

    Kyle instantly activated HASTE and dodged back, narrowly avoiding a flaming strike.

    ¡°I told you I want to break your shield! Use your shield!¡±

    It was Kyle¡¯s turn to smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how sparring works and you know it! If you want to see it, make me use it!¡±

    While he knew he would have to use STORM SHELTER sooner or later, he got far more satisfaction than he should by not simply using the skill as his opponent wanted him to. Skippy rose to the taunt, speeding up with each movement until Kyle couldn¡¯t easily keep up, even with HASTE active. Definitely a D Grade mobility skill, he thought, impressed by the acceleration. Kyle had one more thing he hoped to try before he was overwhelmed, and he attacked Skippy with an open-palm strike, trading it for a heavy blow from the Skrell.

    It was only for a second, but RESONANCE was able to activate and connect. Kyle didn¡¯t try to do any internal damage, though he was easily able to shift the movement of mana in Skippy¡¯s body enough to disrupt the skills he was using before Kyle was thrown away. The return strike that landed blasted Kyle nearly to the edge of the arena, and he was relieved that Skippy wasn¡¯t pursuing. He¡¯d have a nasty bruise from the impact, and he didn¡¯t relish the idea of taking more strikes like that if the Skrell followed-up.

    Skippy was looking thoughtfully at his hands, which were no longer wreathed in flames. He stood like that for a couple of seconds, as if trying to process what happened to his skill. Looking at Kyle, he approached, this time more cautiously.

    ¡°You¡¯re weird. You¡¯re really weird.¡±

    With that, his skills all blazed to life once more as he charged. It was time.

    Kyle activated STORM SHELTER. BOOM! The echoing sound of Skippy¡¯s strike against the shield echoed inside the arena, followed quickly by more strikes. Soon, a rolling thunder rumbled through the area as Skippy¡¯s attacks became faster, more ferocious. For his part, Kyle analyzed his skill. It took quite a bit of mana to use, but once it was up and running, it didn¡¯t put a consistent drain on his resources. He could feel that the construct wouldn¡¯t last indefinitely, and he had something he wanted to try.

    Placing a hand against the interior of the barrier, he activated RESONANCE. It didn¡¯t feel like it did when he connected to a living being, as it was his own mana that created the shield. Instead of being swept up in a river and having to wrest control, Kyle was the river, allowing his energy to flow into the reservoir that was the skill.

    Skippy¡¯s endless attack hadn¡¯t let up, and small cracks were beginning to form in the barrier. As Kyle connected to the skill and put more mana into it, however, the cracks began to mend. It was nowhere as efficient as it was simply using the skill, but Kyle wasn¡¯t complaining. In the span of moments, the cracks were mended, leaving Kyle standing inside the barrier and Skippy still trying to smash through. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t break through this way, the Skrell hopped back and tilted its head, looking at the barrier thoughtfully. Kyle hoped that would be the end of it, until he saw the grey form hold out one of its hands.

    Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception felt mana condensing around it, and in many ways he was reminded of the energy that had whisked Valentine away after their encounter. Skippy was visibly straining now, barely containing the energy held within. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he felt energy build behind him. This is bad. Kyle released his connection to STORM SHELTER and hit the ground as Skippy took a step forward and punched.

    Kyle saw the alien¡¯s hand disappear into a portal, as a similar portal opened up right behind where Kyle had been standing, the fist punching out of it. Another portal opened right above Kyle¡¯s head, and he rolled out of the way in time to dodge another strike, then a third. He saw his opponent panting as he threw one more punch.

    This time, four different portals opened up around Kyle, each impossibly projecting Skippy¡¯s fist through it. Kyle dodged one but was struck three times with a powerful punch, once in the face and twice in the body. He landed hard on the ground, and could taste the iron of blood in his mouth. Skippy looked worse for the wear, too. His body was several shades paler than before, and he looked unstable on his feet. STORM SHELTER came to an end, and an announcement played across the arena.

    ¡°THE MATCH IS CONCLUDED. PLEASE STAY WHERE YOU ARE. MEDICAL STAFF WILL ARRIVE TO EXAMINE YOU BEFORE ASSISTING WITH YOUR EXIT.¡±

    He looked at Skippy, who returned his look with a grin.

    ¡°Good fight. You win. For now.¡±

 Chapter 102

    After a thorough medical examination confirming they were both in fair shape, Skippy and Kyle left the arena to cheers from the mining expedition. While most of it was directed towards Skippy¡¯s strong performance, Kyle still got his share of pats on the back and comments about the durability of his shielding skill. The crowd dispersed shortly after, Chester and Rochelle the last to leave. Skippy¡¯s smile never left his face, and he spoke once nobody was in earshot.

    ¡°Your shield skill is unfair. Like really unfair. You gotta tell me how it works.¡±

    Kyle snorted.

    ¡°What are you talking about? The shield doesn¡¯t even matter to you. You just have to use that portal skill and punch me anyway.¡±

    Skippy waved dismissively.

    ¡°That¡¯s cheating. My people have a saying, ¡®the wind rips through all but the deepest roots.¡¯ I want to be that wind, Kyle. I want to be able to rip up anything that gets in my way.¡±

    Kyle nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s the classic issue of an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. I wish I could help you, I just don¡¯t know what to say.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a weird way to put it. Who wants to be an immovable object? Much better to be the unstoppable force.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re missing the point, Skippy.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve got it. Anyway, you want to help, give me a chance to keep working on the problem. Spatial concepts worked to bypass it, that¡¯s a start. It does a great job dispersing and shielding force, heat, vibrations¡­¡±

    Skippy continued muttering to himself as he walked beside Kyle until their paths diverged. If he even noticed Kyle walking away, he didn¡¯t show it. Kyle made his way back to his quarters, reflecting on one interesting piece of information: both Randolph and Skippy had made comments about the potency of his STORM SHELTER.

    Kyle felt like it was a fairly simple skill, but without other D Grade defensive skills to compare to he didn¡¯t have a great comparison. Neither of the others had that issue, which made Kyle certain he¡¯d need to spend more time reflecting on exactly how STORM SHELTER worked. With any luck, he could tie some of the concepts into his training, even merging them into other skill upgrades.

    He opened the door and headed to clean up, enjoying the refreshing feeling of warm water running over him. Looking at his nav bracelet afterward, he saw he was slated for departure the following morning, leaving him with several hours before bed.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you have any scans of me using the defensive skill?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    The next morning came much faster than Kyle anticipated, having stayed up much later than he should have to review in detail various aspects of his STORM SHELTER skill. He had some ideas to work on, though he likely wouldn¡¯t get much opportunity to experiment until his next assignment was completed. He followed the instructions uploaded to his nav bracelet, and before he knew it he was on board another shuttle. The captain didn¡¯t take time to introduce himself, as he was busy arguing with somebody via communicator.

    Kyle took the time to look around. It was consistent with the other shuttles he¡¯d been on, although the uniforms this time consisted primarily of dark trousers and red shirts. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s nothing to worry about, he thought, mind going back to old-world sci-fi reruns he¡¯d watched as a kid. His concern grew a little as the scheduled departure time came and went, until finally another group of individuals boarded, two of whom he recognized.

    Skippy and Duroc walked on either side of the group, with a young man in an ornate black uniform in the center. They were all ushered up to a different part of the shuttle, and it calmed Kyle quite a bit. Short a major calamity, there wasn¡¯t much that could threaten the three of them if they had to fight together. The shuttle made its way down to the planet with little more than quiet chatter, and within a couple hours they were landing just outside the region he¡¯d been in before. A crackling sound came over the ship¡¯s intercom, and silence filled the room

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Objective here is simple folks. Recon squads tagged a natural treasure but were forced to an early evac. We¡¯re here to retrieve it. It¡¯s a condensed lump of soil, details and tracker being uploaded to your nav bracelets.¡±

    With that, the crew departed and got to work. While Rochelle¡¯s squad had a heavier emphasis on researchers, this team was made up of many more fighter types. At this point, the goal was a simple retrieval. He expected they would find the abandoned treasure and be airborne again in a matter of minutes, but he frowned as he looked at the details on his nav. The treasure¡¯s tracker was indicating that they were standing virtually on top of it, yet there was no sign of anything on the damp ground.

    Kyle¡¯s immediate thought was that the ants had taken it underground, and if that was the case they may as well pack it up and leave. Even with the three D Grades there were still too many ants to deal with.

    A sudden tremor took Kyle by surprise, and he turned, ready for combat. What he saw was a group of the specialists with their hands to the ground, turning up large swaths of earth. Other uniformed personnel were standing around idle, and Kyle turned to one of them.

    ¡°What are they doing? Aren¡¯t they worried they¡¯ll damage the treasure?¡±

    The woman he spoke to jumped at the sudden question, until recognition flashed in her eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Mayhew guy, that¡¯s right. They¡¯re just tilling right now, it looks flashy but the actual damage to the soil is very limited. The mana readings from the treasure mean it shouldn¡¯t have much issue withstanding a little shockwave like this. Also, heard about your fight yesterday. Anything bad happens you make sure I¡¯m inside that shield of yours, alright?¡±

    She tossed him a wink before going back to watch the excavation. At this rate, they would have the whole area turned up in fifteen minutes.

    This continued for the better part of an hour, and everybody knew something was wrong. The treasure was still nearby, but no matter what they did nothing was coming up. It was like the infused soil was shifting in the ground beneath the crew, and everybody was growing frustrated. Kyle¡¯s head went back to his initial thought, that the ants might have taken it. While it was unlikely they would have sat idly by while their hive was being disrupted by the specialists, other creatures might not mind at all.

    ¡°Is it possible to put a little more into the bursts?¡±

    Kyle asked the question out loud unintentionally, and quickly backtracked.

    ¡°Sorry, that was out of line.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like anything else is working.¡± One of the specialists said, shrugging.

    ¡°Might as well give it a shot.¡±

    The Mages congregated in a circle, and with a pulse of mana that was nearly palpable to Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception they pushed into the ground. A geyser of earth erupted, and in the center of it all was a worm. Yes, a garden-variety earthworm was in the middle of the debris. If it hadn¡¯t been a dozen meters long, it would have looked exactly like the small creatures Kyle was used to. From within the creature, Kyle could sense it. Furthermore, so could the squad¡¯s nav bracelets. All indications showed that the energy they were tracking emanated from the body of the worm.

    A group of specialists with polearms stepped forward, seeming to have been prepared for a situation like this as well. With practiced discipline, they formed a semicircle around the wriggling creature, which appeared to be trying to get its bearings. Kyle frowned as he felt something through his Auric Perception. Between the natural treasure and the pulse of mana from the Mages, he missed it. A presence was approaching, and quickly.

    ¡°GET BACK NOW!¡±

    Kyle¡¯s volume surprised even him, and the men jumped to listen. Not a moment too soon, as a rust colored missile exploded through the rainforest at incredible speed, crashing into the large worm and biting deep with ferocious jaws. The creature continued to move with its prey, slowly circling as it rose into the air, chomping the hapless creature in its jaws into mincemeat. The beast was likely fifty meters in length, with a segmented body made of a deep orange chitin. Massive legs sprouted from each segment, angry crimson spikes driving into the ground as it moved. Its head bore two massive antennae, and two massive pincers sat alongside its mandibles. In just moments, it had devoured the worm, its attention turning to the expedition.

    Kyle felt the presence wash over him as it entered, power on full display. This is one of them. He remembered the vision he was shown after he¡¯d tried to absorb essence the last time. CONSUME, OR BE CONSUMED. THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU UNTIL YOU DO. This was a full-blown D Grade beast, and not a weak one. Looking up at the monster, Kyle was overwhelmed. No way in hell I¡¯m fighting this thing. The expedition members had already been given the order to retreat, and many were making their way back to the shuttle. He moved to follow them ¨C or at least he tried to.

    His feet wouldn¡¯t follow his instructions. The thought of running away from this creature, from escaping, was unacceptable. I¡¯ll die here if I don¡¯t do something. Move. MOVE! It was no good. Any intention to retreat just wouldn¡¯t register in his body. The voice kept washing over him. BE CONSUMED.  It¡¯s the essences, Kyle realized, his stomach dropping. We¡¯re going to get stuck in a deathmatch because of these stupid essences. As if reading his mind, the creature seemed to fix its gaze on him, antennae bobbing in the air as it prepared to move.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IN CASE YOU WERE NOT AWARE, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY LEAVE.]

    ¡°I¡¯m trying, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TRYING HARDER, DR. MAYHEW?]

 Chapter 103

    Before the creature could attack, a loud explosion rang out. Blasts of fire and ice accented by thick spears of earth all struck the creature, smashing into the thick carapace. Kyle felt a thick arm wrap around him, and he was lifted off the ground and thrown over Duroc¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight that thing alone!¡± Duroc squealed angrily.

    ¡°What were you thinking?¡±

    The porcine alien was surprisingly quick for its size, making a mad dash for the shuttle.

    ¡°I tried, Duroc. For some reason my body wouldn¡¯t let me run away.¡±

    A chittering sound reminiscent of thunder ripped through the air, and Kyle had a perfect view from his position to watch the massive creature come crashing towards the ground and rush towards them. If the series of attacks had damaged it in any way, he couldn¡¯t tell. The massive pincers next to its mouth were closing in on them, and Kyle knew they wouldn¡¯t make it to the shuttle in time.

    ¡°Duroc, I¡¯m going to use my shield. Be ready!¡±

    Without waiting for a response, he activated STORM SHELTER just in time to intercept the head of the centipede. It crashed into the barrier with the force of a freight train. Cracks appeared all across the framework of the shield, but it held. Even more, it completely arrested the forward movement of the colossal beast.

    ¡°Deactivate it!¡± Duroc squealed, higher pitched than ever. Kyle didn¡¯t think, he just obeyed. As soon as the barrier dropped, Duroc spun. He still had his massive tower shield on his left arm, and Kyle felt the mana drawing into it. Finishing his rotation, he thrust the shield forward. All the mana that had been drawn into it was released in a blast of force, striking the stunned creature and knocking it backwards.

    Without missing a beat, Duroc turned back to the shuttle and continued running. Angry chittering had started again behind them, and the shuttle barely had time to get off the ground after they made it aboard. The massive centipede barreled directly below the rising shuttle, barely missing it as they ascended. Its antennae pointed skyward as it stood in place, then it disappeared back into the forest. There was silence on the shuttle, until somebody finally spoke.

    ¡°What was that thing?¡±

    Eyes fell on Kyle, clearly waiting for an explanation. Fortunately, C.H.A.D.D. was ready to come to the rescue.

    [IT WAS A VERY, VERY LARGE BUG.]

    Once the chuckles died down, Kyle finally spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s a centipede, and it was D Grade. We¡¯re lucky we got out when we did. Me more than anybody.¡± Kyle turned to where Duroc was absently snacking on a pancake he¡¯d gotten from somewhere.

    ¡°I owe you one.¡±

    Duroc took another large bite before responding, little bits of pancake spattering as he spoke.

    ¡°You helped our guys out before. Figured it¡¯d be nice to return the favor. If you mean it though I¡¯ll take your dinner.¡±

    He seemed to be ready to leave it there, before he said one more thing.

    ¡°It¡¯s really weird that you didn¡¯t run though. What did you mean you couldn¡¯t?¡±

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    Kyle sighed. A lot of curious looks were thrown his way, including the captain whose name he couldn¡¯t remember. He didn¡¯t want to talk about the red essences, but at this point he¡¯d have to tell them something. It was widely known that he was only a little slower than Skippy when he used HASTE. Excuses wouldn¡¯t fly here.

    ¡°Some of these mutated bugs and I have absorbed some¡­ unique energies. It comes with benefits, but also drives us into conflict with each other. This was the strongest one I¡¯ve faced, and the compulsion to fight was more than I¡¯d experienced so far.¡±

    He could feel the eyes on him as he finished his statement, until finally the captain spoke.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing most of the extraction here is completed. We have a few other teams nearby, I¡¯m going to pass along the message that we¡¯re done here. We¡¯ll go to a couple of the sites that are behind to get them ready to leave. It¡¯s a shame to leave some treasures behind, but we don¡¯t have the manpower to fight against D Grade beasts.¡±

    A voice popped up from the crew, which Kyle recognized as the woman he¡¯d spoken to before.

    ¡°What if there are others out there?¡±

    The captain responded.

    ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely that this planet could support multiple D Grade life forms, it¡¯s been a low-energy frontier world since shortly after its awakening. Scouting teams have identified three other regions with resources that should be as valuable as those here ¨C we¡¯ll simply invest more time there and leave this monster to its business. It¡¯ll die along with the planet eventually.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s heart sank as he listened to the captain. Three other areas, with the rainforest making four. He knew it was no coincidence. The four monstrous D Grades were each ruling over a domain with the richest natural treasures, which was only to be expected as the four most powerful creatures on the planet.

    After seeing the centipede¡¯s power, he had no doubt about it. If he, Duroc, and Skippy worked together they might have a chance, but individually the creature Kyle decided to call the Endless was beyond them.

    Kyle wasn¡¯t sure whether to tell them his suspicions or not. Unfortunately, C.H.A.D.D. had no compunctions with it.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THERE IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY THAT THE OTHER D GRADE ORGANISMS YOU SPOKE ABOUT COULD ALSO BE PRESENT IN THOSE AREAS. I ADVISE ADEQUATE PREPARATION BEFORE JOINING ANY EXPEDITIONS TO THE AFOREMENTIONED REGIONS.]

    All eyes once again on him and the drone, the captain spoke.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®other D Grade organisms?¡¯¡±

    [DR. MAYHEW EXPERIENCED A VISION WHICH INCLUDED FOUR D GRADES, INCLUDING THE CENTIPEDE WE JUST ENCOUNTERED. USING THAT AS EVIDENCE, IT¡¯S LIKELY THE OTHER THREE EXIST AS WELL.]

    ¡°I think that¡¯s plenty, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Kyle could feel a headache coming on as the room digested the information. That is, until Skippy spoke up.

    ¡°This is wonderful news! And I thought this trip was going to be boring!¡±

    That started a lot of chattering and speculation, with Skippy and Duroc being ushered to the secluded portion of the shuttle by a couple of the people who they¡¯d boarded with. The captain walked up to him, anger clear on his face.

    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this information shared with us before?¡±

    Kyle met his eyes. ¡°Because I had no way of knowing if it was credible or not.¡±

    ¡°You could have gotten our people killed.¡±

    ¡°And if you didn¡¯t agree to help, everybody left on my planet would be killed.¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have abandoned the survivors.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen too much corruption from people in power to believe that.¡±

    The captain snorted, then got uncomfortably close.

    ¡°If you¡¯re ever on one of my vessels again, I¡¯m going to see to it that nobody pulls a stunt like Duroc did. You cause your own trouble, you can get out of it. Now get out of my way. We¡¯re about to make our next stop.¡±

    With that, Kyle found a seat, sitting quietly as they found their next location. They were near a riverbed, just upstream from a waterfall that cascaded over some cliffs. Another mining shuttle collected stones and other ores, more specialists in red shirts puttering about. The captain got out and spoke to a person in similar garb, and Kyle stepped outside to wait. As he did, he felt the humid air on his skin, much more significantly than before. With a frown, he looked up at the sky. On the horizon he could just make out a wall of dark clouds, moving quickly. He heard a low roar, which was gaining volume.

    The members of the other expedition team seemed to notice it as well, and people were scrambling to get out of the area. Many made it, but before the crew could get the shuttle airborne a wall of water came crashing into it. The banks of the river were washed away, as was the shuttle. Water swept it downstream, racing towards the waterfall as Kyle watched.

 Chapter 104

    The entire camp was in a panic as the shuttle washed away, a wide variety of skills on display as the crew desperately tried to get out of the raging flood. While most were successful, Kyle saw some individuals get caught up in the waters and swept away. At the edge of the cliff, he witnessed the shuttle crest the waterfall, then disappear from sight over the chasm. The whole affair took less than thirty seconds, and in that time so much had changed. The captains of both expedition shuttles were washed away, and people were scrambling in the disorder.

    Kyle immediately went into triage mode, finding the injured and treating the worst. He found a couple of others with basic healing skills and put them to work. C.H.A.D.D. was invaluable, providing scans and helping to sort the worst injuries. Fortunately, the expedition forces were all at least a little way into E Grade, meaning the severity of the injuries for most was far less than it otherwise could have been. Many were struck with rocks and broken tree limbs as they washed downriver. Others were caught up in the chaotic skill usage, with a variety of different injury types. Outside of the quick organization of his triage unit, however, leadership was lacking.

    Kyle expected Skippy and Duroc to fill that role, but as the aftermath settled Kyle found that people were looking to him instead. He was getting uncomfortable with their scrutiny, which was turning into annoyance. Blessedly, the entire unit got a ping on their nav bracelets from the captain.

    ¡°We were able to get the shuttle stabilized, though it was damaged in the landing. We have put in for evacuation. For all those who were scattered, make your way to one of the following nav points. We will have an extraction team in approximately six hours, picking up at the location of our crashed shuttle. The other shuttle should be operable. Relevant crew, reply on a private channel. It is imperative that the remaining shuttle get off planet and back to the flagship as quickly as possible. That is all.¡±

    The communication cut off, and once again Kyle saw eyes looking to him.

    ¡°What do you want me to say? You heard the captain. We¡¯ll finish treating the people here and the shuttle will get airborne.¡±

    A quiet voice popped up, a young man with a timid demeanor.

    ¡°What about the people who got washed away? Are you just going to leave them?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a question he¡¯d thought about when he was dealing with these injuries, but he knew the answer as soon as he heard it.

    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll get to as many as I can before the six-hour timeline is up. Assuming it¡¯s possible to find their locations with my nav bracelet, at least.¡±

    Fortunately, that was something the technical crew could assist with. In the span of five minutes, Kyle had the location of the shuttle programmed in alongside the locations of every survivor. That was another neat trick of the nav bracelets, they could determine if the wearer was alive or dead. In total, there were three different pockets of surviving crew outside the shuttle totaling fifteen people, and another twenty-three inside the shuttle itself. All told, nearly half of those who had been caught in the flood didn¡¯t make it.

    Satisfied he knew where they were, he turned to Skippy and Duroc.

    ¡°Can you two take care of everything from here? You didn¡¯t seem terribly involved in the recovery.¡±

    Duroc snorted, seeming more sheepish than usual.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little outside of our normal activities. We¡¯ll make sure things run smoothly here though. Good luck!¡±

    Skippy walked over and slapped him on the shoulder.

    ¡°You can message me if you need any help or if anything fun is happening. Otherwise, we¡¯ll see you back on the ship.¡±

    With that, the tech crew helped Kyle send out a message that help was on the way.

    For a moment, Kyle questioned his choice as he stared down the precipice of the waterfall¡¯s edge. The rain was pouring down, causing the cascading water to rush ever-faster. Stones near the sides were getting slick, and Kyle knew the descent would be treacherous. One look at the notifications on his nav bracelet was all it took to dispel the doubts.

    ¡°Anything I should be worried about, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [SCANS ARE INCONCLUSIVE, DR. MAYHEW. THE MANA INFUSING THE RAIN MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE A DETERMINATION WITH CERTAINTY.]

    ¡°Your class doesn¡¯t help with that, huh?¡±

    [I ASSUMED YOU¡¯D FORGOTTEN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Just had more pressing matters to attend to. We¡¯ll talk about it later, once this is settled.¡±

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    Kyle began to make his way down the cliffside, once again marveling at the changes that had occurred since his ascension to D Grade. He navigated the slick rocks with ease, his body¡¯s balance and strength more than up to the challenge. The wet stones caused him to slip twice, though each time Kyle was able to find a handhold that would have been impossible to grasp before. Even though it was his weakest attribute, his Strength had grown to a level that would have been considered high in the old Central Authority.

    Near the bottom of the falls, he could see a line of destruction in the trees where the shuttle had tried to stabilize. Looking at the nav bracelet, Kyle decided to start with the groups farthest from the shuttle to give them all the best chance of getting there safely. The most distant group was on the far side of the river, and Kyle wasted no time activating HASTE to cross it.

    Hopping across the floating debris was a much damper experience than Kyle hoped, with each squelching step serving as a reminder that some things were best left to cinema. Cringing at the wet feet, he refocused. HASTE allowed him to move virtually unimpeded through the dense rainforest, though his Auric Perception was limited by the presence of the mana infusing the rain, just like C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors. Speaking of¡­

    ¡°Has any of the rain gotten to you? Is there any risk of damage if it gets into your chassis?¡±

    [THE ADDITIONAL INSULATION AND INTEGRATION OF THE INFERNAL¡¯S CHITIN HAS PROVED MORE THAN ADEQUATE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Excellent. Let me know if anything changes, you¡¯ve survived way too much to get hurt by a little rain.¡±

    [IT IS PREFERABLE TO BEING THROWN IN FRONT OF A FIREBALL.]

    Kyle didn¡¯t even try to argue. In virtually no time at all, Kyle found the first group of survivors. There were four of them, two of whom had major injuries. A woman was desperately trying to stop the bleeding from the stump that remained of one man¡¯s arm, while the other in relatively good shape had a swirling barrier of rainwater flowing around them, keeping the area beneath the dome dry.

    A dryness that Kyle ruined as he came plodding in, absolutely soaked. Without a word, he kneeled down on the ground next to the injured. Closing his eyes, he rested one hand on the ruined shoulder and his other on the chest of the unconscious person lying beside them. First activating RESONANCE to increase the flexibility of the mana systems in his hands, he then used HEAL with each arm independently. The strain from using the skill this way was much higher than the traditional use, but given it was a foundational skill from his Healer class he was more than capable of handling it.

    C.H.A.D.D. gave him a rapid chain of instructions, which Kyle instinctually followed. While he may not have picked up more purely healing skills, his attributes and the synergy between his skills more than made up for it. The mana networks of each of the men were connected to Kyle¡¯s, allowing the rejuvenating energy to flow through easily. The precise control afforded by his high Intelligence meant even the smallest tears and damage was washed away, his Willpower allowing him to move enough energy to cover most of their bodies at once. He¡¯d come a long way from his time at Central Health, and his progress showed.

    With the exception of the woman still keeping the rain at bay, three sets of eyes rested on him. The armless man looked down at the scarred stump at his left shoulder, the look on his face betraying the question he was going to ask.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s even possible, though I¡¯m sure there are Healers out there who might be able to regrow or reattach a limb. That¡¯s just beyond the scope of what I can do.¡±

    The light in his eyes seemed to dim a bit, and Kyle offered a warm smile.

    ¡°For now, you¡¯re alive. There¡¯ll be time to figure out the rest later. We still have several more groups of survivors to find before we head back, come on.¡±

    As an afterthought, he looked at the woman keeping the rain off of them.

    ¡°Is that a water manipulation skill?¡±

    She nodded in the affirmative.

    ¡°Then I have a favor to ask as we walk.¡±

    Enjoying the feeling of dry boots, they made their way from group to group, Kyle providing additional mana to the woman named Kiera through RESONANCE in exchange for her keeping them all relatively dry. His healing skills were put to work every time they stopped, and although they nearly lost one man who¡¯d been struck by a large stone, they were able to stabilize him. All told, the scattered survivors hadn¡¯t lost a single person in their journey to the shuttle. As they approached, however, Kyle sensed that something was wrong. It was just too¡­ quiet. The others seemed to pick up on his unease, and Kyle gestured for them to stop as he stepped towards the shuttle.

    The side of the shuttle had been torn open in the crash, and what Kyle saw as he turned the corner into the main galley froze him in his tracks. He saw bodies, or at least what remained of them. Many of them looked to have been sucked dry, leaving nothing but dry husks inside their clothing. They just had to wear the damn red shirts, he thought.

    How did all these people die without raising an alarm? That thought caused Kyle the most concern. What could possibly ¨C

    Suddenly Kyle found himself wobbling, sharp pain in his ears. He focused on ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, quickly repairing the damage to his inner ear. HASTE active, Kyle rushed back towards the group of survivors to see them all on the ground, blood trickling out of several ears. And he saw it. A mosquito with a three meter wingspan perched atop one of the survivors, long needle-nose already draining all the life from its victim.

    Kyle rushed the creature without a thought, baton already flashing out. As if in anticipation, the bug disengaged, floating nearby lazily with its eyes regarding Kyle.

    [THE PATIENT IS DEAD, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Seeing all the blood pouring out of the man¡¯s neck, Kyle knew there was nothing he could do at this point to save the man. People around him were stirring, but the sonic attack the mosquito used was powerful. It was little surprise that it was able to ambush the other survivors. The bug began to zip about more erratically, before swooping in once more. It tried to slip past Kyle to get to the survivors on the other side. Kyle intercepted it once more, though wasn¡¯t able to accomplish more than driving it off a second time.

    Rainwater mixed with blood on the ground as their deadly dance began in earnest.

 Chapter 105

    Kyle swore as the mosquito evaded him once again, floating high into the air much faster than it had any right to. He braced himself for what came next, and the wave of pain and imbalance hit him as the insect released its sonic attack. Now that he was focused on it, Auric Perception allowed him to detect a wave of mana accompanying the attack. It was subtle, fast, and powerful. Even against a normal D Grade, Kyle could see cumulative damage building and causing major issues.

    Fortunately, Kyle¡¯s ADAPTIVE REGENERATION finally had its time to shine. The skill wasn¡¯t terribly different from how it was before, with the exception that it became more effective against specific types of damage, healing faster while also building in layers of resistance as it repaired the injury. This was the eighth time he¡¯d been struck by the sonic wave, and by now the effect was really beginning to show itself. In just a moment the dizziness and pain passed, the whole experience muted.

    Still, Kyle swore as he once again charged towards the mosquito. While he would almost assuredly become immune to the attack with time, the same couldn¡¯t be said of the people he¡¯d brought to the shuttle. Blessedly, there were no new fatalities yet, but it wasn¡¯t long in coming. Even though he could force the insect back from the prone figures, the consistent bombardment with these sonic waves was dangerous. It might not kill as fast as being pierced by the proboscis, but if too many more hit the extraction team there wouldn¡¯t be any survivors left.

    The most frustrating part was that Kyle didn¡¯t have many solutions to it. The damn thing was quick, and seemed to be able to react to changes in his mana as well as track him with its oversized compound eyes. It was able to get out of Kyle¡¯s attack range with relative ease, and had a method to counter much more effectively. The sonic attack virtually ignored STORM SHELTER, which is something Skippy would have loved to see if he was here.

    Even worse, it didn¡¯t seem to want to engage Kyle. It would blast them all, then try to bite into one of the expedition members farthest away wherever he was standing. The whole situation was incredibly frustrating.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., any thoughts here?¡±

    [I RECOMMEND SMASHING THE BUG, DR. MAYHEW. DOUBLY SO, AS MOSQUITOES ARE KNOWN FOR BEING VECTORS OF DISEASE.]

    ¡°That¡¯s the plan, if I can ever get close enough to it.¡±

    Kyle grit his teeth as the mosquito ascended, releasing another blast of sound.

    [YOU COULD THROW ME AT IT?] C.H.A.D.D. suggested. [I¡¯VE ALREADY PROVEN TO BE QUITE EFFECTIVE AT SMASHING BUGS, AFTER ALL.]

    Grunting as he dashed to ward the mosquito away from a fallen expedition member, Kyle growled at the drone.

    ¡°I think this one¡¯s out of your weight class.¡±

    [I¡¯M QUITE CONFIDENT I COULD SMASH ITS NOSE, DR. MAYHEW]

    He was about to fire back at the drone, as an idea came to him.

    ¡°Do you think you could get it angry with a blast of pheromones?¡±

    There was silence for a moment, and Kyle winced in pain again before he heard the response.

    [I BELIEVE IT COULD BE POSSIBLE, DR. MAYHEW. THOUGH A WIDE SPECTRUM APPLICATION WOULD BE UNWISE. THERE ARE LIKELY ENOUGH OTHER INSECTS IN THE AREA THAT WOULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE.]

    Kyle nodded in agreement. That¡¯s out. Still, the wheels were turning in his mind. He reached into a pocket in his pack, holding onto the last of his stink bug grenades. He wasn¡¯t sure if mosquitoes could smell or not. Heck, it might not even be bothered by the gas. On the other hand, he was running out of options. Kyle tossed the orb at the mosquito, then activated HASTE.

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    As predicted, the insect floated above him as he approached. Kyle¡¯s swing was different this time, arcing up from the ground itself. The baton caught the flimsy shell of the stink bomb, releasing a spray of noxious gas into the air. Seemingly surprised to be shrouded in the gas, the mosquito tumbled back, trying to get its bearings. Kyle closed in on the creature, left hand stretched out to attempt and land a strike with RESONANCE.

    The mosquito reacted with a frantic burst of speed, and his hand barely grazed a wingtip. Still, it was enough. The mana flow inside the creature¡¯s wings was intense, and as Kyle¡¯s mana connected he could feel they were also the source of the powerful sonic attack. With a hasty effort, the wing Kyle touched warped and snapped, leaving the mosquito imbalanced. It tried to fly up out of the way, but it wasn¡¯t able to compensate for the damage.

    It haphazardly spun in the air as it tried to get its bearings, and Kyle closed in once again, looking to end it. The mosquito, appearing to realize its predicament, stopped trying to fly away. Instead, it lunged at Kyle. The sheath of its proboscis pulled back, revealing six needles aimed for his heart. While his armor would likely have been sufficient to stop it, Kyle didn¡¯t need to take the chance.

    STORM SHELTER exploded to life, shattering four of the needles and bending the other two. The mosquito rocked back from the impact, which gave Kyle the opening he needed. His hand descended on the creature¡¯s head, and one more surge with RESONANCE ended it. Unsurprisingly, red energy began to condense around the fallen creature, forming a small crimson gem.

    [MAY I, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Sure, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    He lowered the pack towards the essence and watched as it was absorbed through the chitin armor and into the drone. A quick look at his nav bracelet told him that they still had about an hour until evacuation, and he got to work.

    Kyle went from person to person, combining his personal experience recovering from the damage with his diagnostic training to channel healing energy into the fallen expedition members. The supersonic vibrations had primarily caused damage to the inner ear, with the vibrations also having caused tissue damage. Without C.H.A.D.D. online to offer specific guidance, he followed the model of the recovery his body took.

    First, he channeled energy into the heads of the victims, repairing ruptures and allowing HEAL to work through the entire area. Then he moved to the chests, stabilizing organs that had been damaged by the vibrations and smoothing out the heartbeats of his patients. Fortunately, every member he saved was human, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have known exactly how to help.

    While they¡¯d likely need more treatment when they got back to the flagship, before long the entire group had regained consciousness and at least some mobility. Kiera was one of the first people he treated, and after passing along a message to the flagship, she was staring in horror at the body of the fallen mosquito.

    ¡°What the hell is that thing?¡±

    ¡°It was a dangerous predator, and now it¡¯s dead.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s voice came out a little flat, still looking at the man he¡¯d failed to save. The deaths of the crew on the shuttle were gruesome, but he knew he couldn¡¯t have done anything to change that outcome. Here, if he had just been faster, paid more attention, there was a chance that the fallen man could have survived. Even after everything he¡¯d been through, he hated losing patients.

    With about ten minutes left until the evacuation shuttle arrived, C.H.A.D.D. awoke.

    [THIS WAS INTERESTING, DR. MAYHEW. IT APPEARS THAT I WON¡¯T BE ABLE TO-]

    ¡°Not now, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± The last thing Kyle wanted was to get more unnecessary questions about his circumstances, much less to raise suspicion about the drone.

    [AH, YES. QUITE RIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS THE INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS LATER.]

    Kyle looked about, groaning internally at the drone¡¯s attempt at subtlety. Fortunately, if anybody had been paying attention they weren¡¯t showing it. Instead, the group was milling around, many simply huddling together as they waited. At least the rain stopped.

    Keira had passed along what had happened to Chester, and the retrieval team knew that they¡¯d be rescuing far fewer than they¡¯d hoped. There was a solemn air, and Kyle was content to wait in silence. At least he would have been, if the ground didn¡¯t start rumbling. Kyle jumped to his feet, drawing his weapon. Part of him hoped it was ants, or some other swarm of creatures he could lead away. His Auric Perception told him otherwise, as the rust-colored monstrosity scuttled into the clearing made by the crashed shuttle. The Endless had come to finish what it started.

 Chapter 106

    Kyle¡¯s breath caught as he regarded the creature. There¡¯s no running away here. The massive centipede stopped to regard him, then it charged.

    ¡°Get inside the shuttle! I¡¯ll try to hold it here!¡±

    With that, Kyle ran towards the creature. Massive pincers lowered, ready to pierce through him. As before, he activated STORM SHELTER. The barrier held as the Endless smashed into it, rearing back and striking at it once, twice more. Cracks were beginning to form under the assault, and he deactivated the shield as his eyes glowed blue. I¡¯ve got to hold it.

    Instead of running away as the creature pulled back for a fourth strike, Kyle sprinted towards it. He thought back to his lessons with Garth and Frank. Sometimes the safest space against large weapons was deep inside their range. This wasn¡¯t exactly that type of situation, but Kyle wasn¡¯t spoiled for options at the moment. Dashing up close to the creature¡¯s body, he rested a palm against it as he activated RESONANCE, the ground behind him shaking as the Endless crashed into the place he¡¯d been standing.

    Kyle felt his mana get swept into the creature, and swore. While he was certainly well above the centipede in terms of Willpower, the creature¡¯s mana network was absolutely massive. Beyond that, the energy flowing through it was an order of magnitude stronger than anything he¡¯d encountered so far. That, however, was within expectations. D Grades powerhouses, and the Endless was no exception.

    No, the biggest issue Kyle had was the sheer size of the thing. For his mana to get enough time to circulate through the creature, he¡¯d need several uninterrupted seconds. Given the Endless¡¯ seeming desire to eat him, he didn¡¯t think it would be kind enough to offer him the opportunity. Maybe if I can lead it away¡­

    As soon as the thought entered his head, he felt his body begin to freeze up. He forced himself to take a calming breath, barely getting out of the way in time as the Endless turned to crush him.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what was that? Can you see what made my body freeze?¡±

    [SCANS INDICATE NO PHYSICAL INJURY, DR. MAYHEW. THERE ARE SOME PECULIARITIES WITH THE WAY YOUR MANA NETWORK WAS FLOWING. I WOULD OFFER TO HIGHLIGHT, BUT IT APPEARS YOU ARE SOMEWHAT OCCUPIED.]

    Kyle grunted as he made another attempt with RESONANCE, getting a little more of a response before being forced away.

    ¡°Good observation, C.H.A.D.D. Can you give me an abbreviated version?¡±

    [IT IS MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION A VISUAL AID WOULD PROVE BENEFICIAL.]

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to do without! What happened?¡±

    A note of panic entered his voice as he blocked the creature with another well-timed STORM SHELTER, narrowly avoiding getting caught by the pincers.

    [THE FLOW OF YOUR MANA SEEMED TO ACCELERATE BRIEFLY, THEN STARTED TO CLAMP DOWN ON YOUR MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM. I CAN MOST CLOSELY DESCRIBE IT AS SOME TYPE OF REFLEX RESPONSE, ON A LARGER ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.]

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense though!¡±

    He dodged a series of massive legs attempting to trample him as the Endless wove in a circle around him, attempting to pin him in. Kyle grabbed onto one of the legs and used it to vault himself onto the centipede¡¯s back, pressing his palm into the creature as he activated RESONANCE.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had that happen before, C.H.A.D.D., and I¡¯ve been around D Grades more than most.¡±

    He was thrown off a moment later as the monster undulated, though this attempt caused more damage than any before. The Endless chittered angrily, legs stamping in random patterns as it regarded him. Waves of mana were pouring off the creature, and Kyle could feel a palpable hatred from the creature.

    It coiled like a snake, raising some of its forward segments into the air. With a sudden, violent motion the Endless lunged towards him. Kyle was prepared to dodge, but what he didn¡¯t expect was for the creature to smash deep into the ground, embedding the legs into the earth.

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    Kyle almost took the opportunity to attack, though the strange sense of animosity he felt gave him pause. A moment later, C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning and Kyle barely dodged as a spear of hardened soil shot up from the ground at his position. His eyes widened as he understood, Auric Perception revealing mana being condensed in dozens ¨C no, hundreds of different places on the rainforest floor.

    Soon, he found himself overwhelmed with dodging projectiles. Even though he dodged the majority, there were simply too many. Impacts rocked him, and soon his rhythm was disrupted. It¡¯s too much. Each individual spear didn¡¯t contain too much power, and between his strong defensive attributes and armor they didn¡¯t deal too much damage. The real danger was in the sheer number, with more coming up every second. If the attack was taxing to the Endless, it didn¡¯t show any indication.

    Activating STORM SHELTER, Kyle¡¯s vision was quickly obscured by a thick coating of soil all around the barrier. He wasn¡¯t out of the woods, as he still felt the mana building in the ground just below his feet. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me a projection of where it¡¯s at?¡±

    Without a word, the drone overlayed a simple view of the Endless, twenty meters away from where Kyle stood. Bracing himself for what he knew he had to do, he deactivated his skill and charged towards the massive creature. Condensed spears of soil struck him, scouring his skin between the gaps in his armor. Between his Enhanced Carapace and ADAPTIVE REGENERATION he shrugged off the damage, covering half the distance in moments.

    The beast¡¯s back half was still mobile, attempting to stomp Kyle into the ground with its back sets of legs. C.H.A.D.D. provided plenty of warning, as he weaved past the defenses, finally landing on its back again. Pressing both palms onto the shell, he activated RESONANCE. He felt the energy that the creature was pouring into its attack, and disrupted it with barely an effort. He then let the energy flow deeper into the Endless, surprised to see how much of the damage it had already healed. This thing is dangerous.

    Focusing, he twisted. He felt multiple ruptures throughout the body of the centipede, but before he could do anything else he felt an extreme pain in his hands, jolting up into his body. Breaking the connection, Kyle dismounted as the Endless finally extricated its body from the earth, hissing angrily.

    [IT¡¯S A MANA-INFUSED TOXIN, DR. MAYHEW. IT APPEARS TO BE A VARIATION ON A CYANIDE EXCRETION.]

    C.H.A.D.D. answered before he could even ask, and he focused ADAPTIVE REGENERATION on his hands to ward off the effect. As he watched, he saw the entire body of the creature covered in a gentle sheen, the toxic liquid likely having been released as a last-ditch defense mechanism. He was surprised at how difficult it was to isolate and repair the damage, but was glad that the Endless seemed to welcome a small break in the fight as well.

    Unfortunately for the centipede, Kyle was still supremely confident in his ability to win battles of attrition. While the monster was still in the fight, so was Kyle. He could recover faster, and while the caustic coating on its carapace was going to be a problem, he felt that this was still a fight he could win. That¡¯s when the monster turned towards the shuttle.

    It lunged for where the other people waited, and Kyle knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to get there in time. It was between Kyle and the survivors, even with HASTE active it he wouldn¡¯t be able to outpace the creature before it covered the ground. However, as it turned away, it seemed to freeze for a moment. Kyle didn¡¯t have time to consider the strange response as the centipede recovered, whirling towards him He dodged several stamping legs, but was caught by the edge of one as it lifted, knocking him off his feet.

    It was far from the worst hit he¡¯d ever taken, though it was enough to create an opening. As Kyle tried to get his bearings, the maw of the creature descended, pincers wide to end him in a single strike. Again, Kyle activated STORM SHELTER, and again the barrier held against the blow.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THE CENTIPEDE EXHIBITED THE SAME PHENOMENON YOU DID.]

    Pieces started to click into place.

    ¡°When was the first indication of the reflex response?¡±

    [AS SOON AS IT TURNED AWAY TOWARDS THE OTHERS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    As soon as it considered leaving the fight. He thought about their battle so far, about how he could dodge and counter without issues, but when he considered leaving, he froze up. He thought about the palpable animosity that the Endless had given off as their fight continued. Then he thought about trees, and the growth of a forest.

    BOOM!

    Cracks began to appear as the Endless continued its onslaught. STORM SHELTER wouldn¡¯t hold much longer.

    Intent. It all comes back to intent. The moment of clarity washed over Kyle as for the first time he felt he truly understood what the drone had been saying.

    BOOM!

    The barrier was almost broken, it wouldn¡¯t withstand another strike. As the Endless descended, Kyle prepared to dash away. That is, until a silvery blast of force smashed into the side of the creature¡¯s head, sending it into the ground with a crash. A loud thump drew Kyle¡¯s attention as he saw the figure of a heavily-armored Duroc land heavily on the ground nearby, followed moments later by a small grey form wreathed in fire. The rescue was here.

 Chapter 107

    Kyle¡¯s heart soared as he saw Skippy and Duroc. The grey-skinned alien bore a fierce smile, bouncing in place as the flames danced around his hands and feet. Duroc, by contrast seemed much more serious. He walked forward with massive tower shield in his left arm, and long, thick spear in the other.

    Behind them, he saw a smaller shuttle like the one that had picked him up before. A crew was getting the survivors on board, and Kyle knew they would be clear in just a couple minutes.

    ¡°What are we dealing with here?¡± Duroc¡¯s question came out in a high-pitched squeal, though Kyle found no joviality in it.

    ¡°The creature is extremely resilient, and has coated its shell with some dangerous toxins. It can use some semblance of earth manipulation to use a wide-scale bombardment. Each hit was relatively weak, which it made up for with numbers.¡±

    Kyle paused, then added.

    ¡°And it¡¯s really big. Like really big.¡±

    Duroc grunted in acknowledgement.

    ¡°Can you still fight? Do we need to get you carried to the shuttle?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.

    ¡°Not this time. I¡¯m here to help, we¡¯re taking it down.¡±

    Skippy laughed excitedly at Kyle¡¯s words.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m counting on you!¡± With that, he charged the Endless.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I told you it¡¯s got toxins all over its carapace!¡±

    ¡°Get ready to heal him when he gets back. Cover the evacuation. Skippy and I will take the front. We¡¯re counting on you.¡±

    Duroc¡¯s tone was stern. It was clear the porcine alien was taking the encounter seriously, and Kyle nodded in response. Despite the gravity of his words, Duroc didn¡¯t seem too concerned. Kyle was more than happy to trust in their experience, and fell in behind them.

    Thunderous impacts shook the very air around them as Skippy¡¯s attack started in earnest, and Kyle was once again impressed with the Skrell¡¯s skills. Each attack landed with massive force, and it seemed like no matter what the Endless tried to do, the grey alien was always able to find a way to keep the attacks going. Scorch marks were slowly accumulating on the beast as the assault continued, until finally the Skrell disengaged, running towards Kyle.

    The Endless tried to pursue, but its movements lacked the same precision they¡¯d had before. Auric Perception picked up waves of energy from Duroc assaulting the creature, pressing it into the ground. He¡¯d seen the skill on display against Skippy once before, albeit at a much lower level. While it wasn¡¯t enough to entirely stop the enormous creature, it slowed it considerably. What halted its movement entirely was another silvery blast of energy from Duroc¡¯s shield, knocking it backwards.

    It responded by rearing up, then smashing its legs deep into the ground again. Duroc was ready, and released another blast of mana, ripping up much of the earth and disrupting much of the attack. Several spears of earth were still created; however, the scale was much smaller than Kyle expected.

    Skippy spoke when he got to Kyle, holding out his hands as the flames dispersed.

    ¡°Duroc is something else, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not kidding.¡±

    He watched as the porcine alien strode up to the Endless, thrusting at its face with his spear. Turning his attention to Skippy¡¯s hands, his eyes widened.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., give me the scans, now.¡±

    His hands only had three fingers and a thumb, and the palms of each were scratched and bloody. That was well within the realm of what he might expect after a fierce series of attacks against a target like the Endless. The danger was in how much of the toxin he may have absorbed.

    [A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF POISON IS PRESENT IN THE BLOODSTREAM, DR. MAYHEW. PROJECTING SCAN NOW.]

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    Kyle and Skippy both looked at the overlay, with the toxin being reflected in purple light. It was most heavily present in the arms, but was swiftly flowing to other parts of his body.

    ¡°You should probably get to work, Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle was already using HEAL, and wracking his brain to try to find solutions. Without more specific understanding of Skrell anatomy, it was difficult to target the toxins specifically. With time, he could systematically eliminate it across Skippy¡¯s body by focusing on one point and waiting for it to circulate through. Unfortunately, time was a luxury he couldn¡¯t really afford.

    Duroc was almost assuredly putting up a great fight, but the matchup wasn¡¯t a great one. The Endless was just too large to effectively block with a shield, and the reach offered by the spear meant little against a foe this size. He had to find a solution that would get Skippy back on the battlefield, and quickly.

    Kyle thought about his experience with the toxin ¨C painful, and enhanced by the mana designed to circulate and inflict as much damage as possible. That gave him an idea. If the Endless had the ability to infuse its toxin with an intent, even unintentionally, why couldn¡¯t he? Without letting go of the HEAL skill he was channeling, he also activated RESONANCE to better connect to Skippy¡¯s mana network. The Skrell flinched, though he didn¡¯t pull away.

    With the connection, he could feel the three distinct presences within the body. His own, Skippy¡¯s and the toxin. He thought about the trees in the rainforest, the simple intent to grow. Focusing on the toxin, Kyle imparted a simple idea inspired by the treasure he and C.H.A.D.D. came across in the canopy¨C condense. At first, nothing happened. As he watched, however, the circulation of the toxin slowed, then soon stopped. Kyle¡¯s Willpower was much stronger than the Endless, and it won out.

    The first step was completed. Skippy now had several pockets of condensed, dangerous toxins in his body instead of a free-flowing stream. The next step would be considerably less pleasant.

    ¡°This is going to hurt. I don¡¯t have time for anything else, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Kyle forced the concentrated blocks of toxins through Skippy¡¯s system and out through the wounds in his hands. Globs of clear liquid were forced out, and he could feel the grey alien tense up as he worked. In less than a minute, Kyle was done. There were still some remnants of the toxin in his body, but the worst had been handled. With a final push of HEAL on Skippy¡¯s hands, he also pushed some of his mana into the skrell¡¯s body before severing the link. It was the least he could do, after all.

    During this time, Duroc had been fighting the Endless to a stalemate. While the blast from Duroc¡¯s shield was far and away the most destructive skill he¡¯d showcased, he didn¡¯t need it to be a menace on the battlefield. His mastery with a spear-and-shield fighting style was incredible, and Kyle saw him parry and redirect attacks he was certain would land.

    When the Endless attempted to trample him, he would position and dodge with a grace that was wholly unexpected given his large frame. Skippy had rejoined the fray, and soon the thundering rain of blows continued. The shuttle was airborne, and Kyle¡¯s focus turned to one of pure support.

    He watched the battle with intense focus, rushing towards Skippy or Duroc when healing would be necessary and to remove the toxins from each as they accumulated.

    As the minutes passed, the outcome became clear. The Endless simply didn¡¯t have the flexibility in its approach to deal with the three D Grade opponents. Under normal circumstances it likely could have fled, but the compulsion to stand its ground prevented it from doing so. Still, that¡¯s not to say it wasn¡¯t a dangerous foe. Each attack carried incredible force, and the trio facing it were all haggard from the encounter.

    Finally, an opportunity presented itself. The Endless had attempted to catch Skippy with its pincers, and was knocked aside by a well-timed shield blast from Duroc. It was knocked to the ground near Kyle, who didn¡¯t hesitate. He ran to its head as it tried to recover from being dazed, and activated RESONANCE with both palms pressed against it. The damage it had taken through the fight already left it close to death¡¯s door, and this was the final push that it needed to cross the threshold.

    The brain activity ended, Kyle breathed out a sigh of relief. Just in time to be knocked away by the creature¡¯s thrashing legs. This wasn¡¯t a glancing blow, and Kyle felt the air leave his lungs as the force transferred through his armor. He knew he had at least a couple broken ribs, and he sat slack-jawed as he watched the creature thrash about.

    The antennae and pincers weren¡¯t moving, but the body of the Endless was stomping all across the clearing with no rhyme or reason. How the hell ¨C

    Before he could finish the thought, he activated STORM SHELTER to avoid being squished as it continued to go berserk, the series of stomps pounding against his barrier. Duroc and Skippy each moved into position, and unleashed their own attacks against the creature, who didn¡¯t even attempt to dodge. Skippy¡¯s attacks cracked several segments, and Duroc¡¯s spear pierced through. In moments, the Endless stopped moving.

    Kyle breathed out a sigh of relief. He¡¯d never been in a single fight that lasted this long, and he was exhausted. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was hard at work repairing his damaged ribs, and he brought himself to his feet to greet Skippy and Duroc, both of whom looked equally exhausted.

    His plan was simple ¨C treat the two of them as best he could, then examine the body of the Endless to see if there was an essence he could absorb. Before he could say a word, however, intense red light burst out from the centipede¡¯s corpse, which rushed from the creature directly into Kyle. His world turned black, and he fell to the ground.

 Chapter 108

    Kyle was surprised by the potent energy that slammed into him, and his mind once again found itself in that strange space. This time, though, Kyle wasn¡¯t caught up in the storm. He was the storm.

    His perspective was active, the scenery around him blurring as he moved. He hunted. He killed. He consumed. The prey was small at first, weak. As time passed, however, that began to change. His hunger was no longer satisfied with simple meals, he hungered for challenge. His prey grew in power, and so did he along with it. Thousands upon thousands fell before him, his maw the last thing any of them would ever see. Until he saw a familiar sight ¨C a small black-clad figure giving off an unmistakable aura.

    Kyle replayed the battle with the Endless from its perspective, feeling the hopelessness as the creature realized it was no longer a predator to be feared, but an adversary to be fought. He felt its death, and the surreal sensation of its body not being willing to give up, still fighting purely on instinct. He felt it¡¯s rage, even in death, at being defeated. And Kyle felt it.

    The presence washed over him, regarding him. AMUSING, LITTLE LARVA. I EXPECTED YOU WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BE CONSUMED ON THIS PATH, YET HERE YOU ARE.

    While the rational part of Kyle still understood it was unwise to antagonize this creature, his curiosity wouldn¡¯t allow him to stay silent.

    ¡°Why did you attack my planet? What do you have to gain from doing this?¡±

    Immediately, a force clamped down on his mind. An immense pressure weighed down on him, and Kyle fought to stay conscious.

    IF I HAD CHOSEN TO ATTACK YOUR WORLD, IT WOULD BE NOTHING MORE THAN DUST IN THE VOID.

    WERE MY BRETHEREN AND I PERMITTED, WE WOULD HAVE RIGHTED THESE WRONGS ERAS AGO. YET THE WILL OF THE ADMINISTRATOR REMAINS. AND SO WE, TOO REMAIN.

    With that, the presence began to fade away, leaving a lingering sense of anger and¡­ sadness?

    Kyle felt more confused than ever. There was no reason for a creature this powerful to lie to him, yet there was no denying its relation to the damage to his world.

    His mind remained in the space a while longer, and soon his thoughts turned back to the Endless. Kyle knew which off his attributes would be enhanced this time, and he took the time to reflect on the incredible Vitality the centipede displayed. It was the most physically impressive opponent Kyle had ever seen, and he had to admit that if it was just him against the creature he likely would have lost.

    His eyes opened, and he found himself staring up at a metal ceiling with soft white lights.

    ¡°He¡¯s up!¡±

    Before he could even sit up, Skippy¡¯s face appeared directly over his own.

    ¡°That was a great fight! I got a new skill, I want to use it on your shield. Can I?¡±

    Gently moving the Skrell aside as he sat up, Kyle looked around. They were in a small room in the shuttle, with Duroc and the C.H.A.D.Dpack each occupying a different chair.

    The large pig-like alien squealed.

    ¡°You¡¯re not fighting on the ship, Skippy. We¡¯re already in enough trouble as it is.¡±

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    Turning his beady eyes on Kyle, he continued.

    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯ve been asked to join us when we get back to the flagship. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be in trouble too, but there¡¯s somebody who wants to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met all the D Grades who came along, who else could want to meet me?¡± Kyle posed it as a question, even if he had a suspicion.

    Duroc looked around conspiratorially, checking for bystanders. Satisfied that nobody was within earshot, he leaned in.

    ¡°Skippy and I are actually protecting a really important person. The others along with him don¡¯t like the idea of him meeting you, but it¡¯s not their call.¡±

    Kyle was shocked. Truly. Servants moving a nice wooden table around, the gaggle of strangely uniformed people, none of it pointed to this revelation. Fortunately, Kyle handled the ¡°surprise¡± in stride.

    ¡°This is a lot to take in, Duroc.¡±

    The large piggish alien nodded solemnly while Skippy shook his head, an annoyed look on his face.

    ¡°Duroc, you weren¡¯t supposed to tell him. When we get back we¡¯ll go to the meeting, then we¡¯re sparring. Again.¡±

    Kyle rolled his shoulders and neck.

    ¡°What if I have injuries from that last energy attack the centipede used?¡±

    ¡°Your drone said not to worry and that you¡¯ll be fine. You look fine. I trust it.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow at the C.H.A.D.D.pack before looking back to Skippy.

    ¡°I suppose that settles it then. Would you both mind excusing me? I could use some quiet to sort a few things out on my end as well.¡±

    The two aliens nodded, leaving the room. With that, Kyle took a deep breath. He knew that he¡¯d gained a lot after the encounter with the Endless, which he estimated to be at least in the middle of D Grade. The experience against the mosquito, treating the survivors, and counteracting the toxin had all been worthwhile as well. Settling down, he entered meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 17 (D)

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 4/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY

    VITALITY: 437

    ENDURANCE: 488

    STRENGTH: 165

    DEXTERITY: 314

    WILLPOWER: 543

    INTELLIGENCE: 543

    PERCEPTION: 497

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 198

    11 levels¡­ Kyle really was shocked this time. The progress was astounding, well beyond his expectations. He looked at his Adaptive Anatomy, and focused first on the Ceaseless Vitality. He didn¡¯t get any specific impressions from it, and mentally noted he¡¯d need C.H.A.D.D. to run a full scan soon. They just didn¡¯t get much time when they could speak openly anymore, and he didn¡¯t want to draw too much attention.

    Looking at his attributes, the growth was massive. However, in the context of the things he accomplished, it was a little more within expectation. The idea of infusing intent into his mana as it formed skills was still so new, and it was a step with virtually endless applications.

    The flexibility of his mana pathways offered by RESONANCE helped to make it possible, adapting as he manipulated the mana. That brought him to his next crossroads: his free attributes.

    Nearly two hundred free attribute points were waiting for him, and with only three levels before he could upgrade another of his E Grade skills, he wanted to put these to work as efficiently as he could. While he had several options left to choose, Kyle had already made up his mind that RESONANCE was going to be the next skill he¡¯d need to upgrade. It had simply proven too valuable and too versatile not to.

    Depending on the different types of upgrades available, a case could be made to continue to specialize in Willpower, Intelligence, or Perception. Without knowing, he was left with a gamble. He could invest and then pick whatever felt fit best, he could save his points, or he could split them. For some reason, the choice felt natural. He split them between the three, feeling a gentle surge of power. There was still a long way to go in D Grade, and as his repertoire grew he knew he¡¯d need to continue aligning his abilities with his specialty.

    Satisfied with his decision, he stood up. There were some major issues ahead that he could see ¨C specifically owing to his lacking Strength and Dexterity. While he was physically more than enough to handle most E Grade threats, his relative weakness was clear when confronted with the Endless. His combat training alongside his inflated attributes had allowed him to survive this long, but without some serious restructuring it wouldn¡¯t carry him much farther.

    Before he could contemplate his next steps much further, an announcement rang out through the shuttle. With a sigh, Kyle slung the C.H.A.D.D.pack over his shoulder. They¡¯d made it to the flagship, and his presence was requested.

 Chapter 109

    Disembarking the shuttle, the first thing Kyle noticed was how few people were around. Typically, the hangar was buzzing with activity, while now there were only a handful of individuals milling around the ships, performing routine maintenance and inspections from the look of it. He turned to Duroc and Skippy.

    ¡°Where is everybody?¡±

    ¡°Dunno.¡± Duroc said simply, ducking to fit through the doors. ¡°I guess maybe they¡¯re eating?¡±

    ¡°Maybe somebody¡¯s sparring?¡± Skippy offered, looking around with a confused look on his face.

    ¡°The hangar is empty because I¡¯ve temporarily suspended operations.¡±

    Chester¡¯s voice cut through the air like a knife, drawing attention to the man as he strode forward towards them.

    ¡°The presence of D Grade creatures changes everything about the scope of what we¡¯re doing. The risks have risen astronomically, and I¡¯m not going to proceed with anything until we receive instructions from headquarters.¡±

    Skippy smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s good practice. Opportunities to grow. Opportunities to train. It¡¯s good for us.¡±

    Chester¡¯s look turned more severe.

    ¡°Tell that to the people who died in your last outing. In a dozen expeditions as foreman, I¡¯ve never had casualties like this. It isn¡¯t a joke, Skierepallix. I don¡¯t intend to keep throwing my people¡¯s lives away.¡±

    Skippy¡¯s smile deepened, and Kyle was thankful to see Duroc step in before the Skrell made a comment that would escalate things.

    ¡°We have a meeting to get to, anything you need from us right now?¡±

    Chester let out a sigh before shaking his head, deflating somewhat.

    As they walked past, Duroc turned back.

    ¡°Oh, and we have a lot of neat stuff in the shuttle if you have any free appraisers. They¡¯d probably like to take a look.¡±

    Chester looked beyond them to the shuttle, and Kyle tried to do the same before being shuffled along by the large pig-like alien.

    ¡°What did you bring with you?¡±

    [THE REMAINS OF THE ENDLESS, DR. MAYHEW. IT ALSO DIDN¡¯T HAVE TIME TO FINISH CONSUMING THE NATURAL TREASURE WE WERE ORIGINALLY TRACKING, IT WAS RETRIEVED AS WELL.]

    That was interesting, though as was becoming all-too common, Kyle didn¡¯t have the time to press further. As they made their way through the winding hallways of the ship, he did have one question he wanted to get addressed.

    ¡°Duroc, I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking, but what species are you? I haven¡¯t seen anybody else like you aboard the ship.¡±

    Duroc squealed in response.

    ¡°I¡¯m an Orc. My people don¡¯t get off-world regularly.¡±

    Kyle nearly stopped walking.

    ¡°Wait, something must have gone wrong with the translation skill. Did you say Orc?¡±

    He nodded in response. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Kyle shook his head in mild disbelief.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe this, but we actually have a word for your people in our language, although it was used in fantasy writing more than anything.¡±

    Duroc chuckled.

    ¡°Let me guess, we were positioned as evil monsters?¡±

    ¡°Er¡­ yeah. Most of the time. Stories differed a bit though, and it was fiction writing! I¡¯m sure it was a coincidence.¡±

    The more Kyle talked, the more he felt himself digging a hole with his words. I swear, if I start a major diplomatic incident because I asked a stupid question¡­

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    Fortunately, his mounting fear was dispelled as Duroc laughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty common. The Goblins had some pretty bad experiences when they landed on our planet, and they¡¯re big on exploration. They like to tell stories about us whenever they come across new planets.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Goblins?¡±

    Unfortunately for Kyle¡¯s curiosity, they arrived at a thick set of unmarked metal doors before anybody could answer. A man and woman in ornate black and gold uniforms greeted them, and let them in. Inside was the rest of the entourage that Kyle had seen before, as well as a couple of others that he didn¡¯t recognize.

    Skippy and Duroc both stood at attention as they entered the room, and a quick elbow from Skippy encouraged Kyle to do the same. A wrinkled old man standing nearby began to speak.

    ¡°I expected more responsibility from the two of you. How could you ¨C ¡°

    Before he could speak further, he was interrupted by a man in his early twenties who sighed and rubbed his forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m already annoyed by this. Out. All of you. I want to talk to them alone.¡±

    The old man sputtered. ¡°But sir, they were derelict in their ¨C¡°

    The young man lowered his hand from his head and gave a severe look at the older man, stopping him mid-sentence. Despite his youth, he had a glare that Garth would have envied.

    ¡°I said get out. My great-grandmother sent you along in an advisory capacity, nothing more. Remember that.¡± His tone was icy, and the group of advisors shuffled out of the room.

    Once they were alone, he broke into a wide grin.

    ¡°That was annoying. Come on over, let¡¯s talk.¡±

    He gestured to some empty seats around the large conference table, and Duroc wasted no time finding the largest seat, and the tray of snacks left in front of it.

    As Kyle walked up to the table, he took a better look at the young man. He was tall and well-built, muscles evident even through the uniform. His eyes were the deep richness of coffee, matched by his skin. Impossibly white teeth stood out in contrast, with a short haircut reminiscent of Central Defense standard. He stood up, extending a fist towards Kyle in what he understood to be a standard greeting. Kyle reached out and rapped knuckles.

    ¡°Benjamin Corthus, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡±

    ¡°Kyle Mayhew, and likewise.¡±

    Kyle had to speak up a bit to compensate for the sound of Duroc¡¯s regimental assault on the snack tray. Benjamin gestured for Kyle to take a seat next to Skippy, and he did. The chair was comfortable, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but look around the room, noticing a number of different screens along the wall. It gave off the impression of being a command center, and he turned his eyes back to the man who invited him.

    Benjamin had taken a seat, his hands steepled in front of him.

    ¡°Before anything else, let me say thank you. The advisors that I have tagging along aren¡¯t sure what to make of you, but as for me your work speaks for itself.¡±

    ¡°I was just doing what anybody would in the same circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Even if that were true, which it isn¡¯t, that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t be thankful.¡±

    Benjamin leaned in a bit, his eyes gleaming.

    ¡°That brings me to the next reason I wanted to meet you. After seeing what you can do, I think you¡¯d be a great addition to my security team. What do you say?¡±

    Kyle was a little dumbstruck.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not quite following, what do you mean by ¡®security team?¡¯¡±

    Skippy piped up, joining the conversation.

    ¡°That¡¯s what Duroc and I do. Our main job here is to ensure Benjamin stays safe, and to protect him from whatever might want to eat him. It¡¯s a pretty fun job most of the time.¡±

    Benjamin nodded along as Skippy spoke.

    ¡°My great-grandmother is a little overprotective. She insists that I have a team whenever I want to go out. Skippy and Duroc are great, and seeing how well you already work together it¡¯d be an easy fit!¡±

    His voice was charming, and he wore a relaxed smile as he talked. And honestly, Kyle was interested.

    ¡°What exactly would that mean? Chester told me that after my formal assessment, that Corthian Mining wouldn¡¯t be able to hire me on at all?¡±

    ¡°Corthian Mining wouldn¡¯t be hiring you, I would. Well, my great-grandmother would. You¡¯d be on her personal payroll, you¡¯d work with Skippy and Duroc, and you¡¯d basically be on call to travel around with me when I leave controlled space.¡±

    Kyle nodded slowly. It made sense in a way, and he had to admit that his synergy with the Orc and the Skrell was solid. Still though, he was painfully aware that there was a lot of outside context he was missing. It would be foolhardy to jump in and agree without doing more diligence first.

    ¡°How exactly does compensation work? I know that I¡¯m accumulating personal merit with my current efforts, and also earning a place for the people we¡¯ll be evacuating. Is this similar?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    Benjamin¡¯s words were direct and to the point.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be assisting Corthian Mining at all once you¡¯re on the security team. When interests align you can help, otherwise we stay uninvolved and out of the way. And all the compensation looking forward is direct to you.¡±

    Skippy nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty great deal, Kyle. My home is really poor, and has really low mana-density compared to most Skrell worlds. Getting picked up by Benjamin opened more doors and created more opportunities for me than I ever would have had if I just signed on to work for the company.¡±

    Duroc grunted in what Kyle interpreted as approval, as he was finishing the last scraps of food on the tray. The question was simple, and difficult. Split from a society that claimed he was deviant, or keep working for their benefit anyway? He knew the noble answer was to stick it out and keep helping, but a part of him was tempted. There was a wide universe out there, and he¡¯d get to experience a lot more of it if he stuck with Benjamin. The younger man looked at him, expectantly.

    With conviction, Kyle knew there was only one way he could respond.

    ¡°Do you need an answer right now?¡±

 Chapter 110

    Benjamin laughed, a sparkle in his eye.

    ¡°What, did you think I was going to try to strong arm you into making a decision right away?¡±

    Not entirely sure where to go from here, Kyle decided honesty was likely the best policy.

    ¡°That¡¯s more in line with what I¡¯m used to. So, yes.¡±

    ¡°You have to admit Kyle, that¡¯s a pretty terrible idea for somebody looking to hire a bodyguard. The last thing I¡¯d want is somebody who felt like they were joining under duress.¡±

    Benjamin chuckled for a moment longer before composing himself, his face growing more serious.

    ¡°I do want to be clear on one thing though ¨C this isn¡¯t an offer available forever. It¡¯s significantly more expensive for the firm to pay for you as a consultant than to be on my security team ¨C even if you get a lot personally working for me. If we pay out for the entirety of the expedition to have you working one side, you won¡¯t be able to turn around and switch your options without giving up the merit you¡¯ve earned. Double dipping and whatnot.¡±

    Kyle nodded. That much made sense, otherwise he¡¯d have no incentive to make that decision.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot going on at once right now, and I want to make sure that whatever decision I make, I¡¯m making it with my eyes wide open. How long do I have before we reach an ultimatum?¡±

    Benjamin scratched his chin thoughtfully.

    ¡°What if we call it a month? Expedition is on hold while Chester figures out how to deal with some of the issues that popped up, and that gives you some time to ask around, get more information, and come to a decision?¡±

    Kyle considered this carefully. A month both was and wasn¡¯t a lot of time. He¡¯d need a lot longer to get a better understanding of the broader landscape, though at the same time he was confident in getting some direct answers ¨C and advice ¨C from a few of his new connections on the ship.

    ¡°A month should work.¡±

    Benjamin¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Excellent! Now, let¡¯s get down to business. I want to know more about your planet! As awakened worlds go, yours is interesting. On the frontier, but fairly close to some major trade routes¡­.¡±

    They stayed in the conference room for nearly two hours, with Benjamin excitedly asking Kyle about all different aspects of Earth culture and history. It quickly became apparent that he took a major interest in sociology and anthropology, particularly pre-awakening.

    For his part, Kyle asked questions to the group about how the broader universe worked. Like the others had told him, there were major hub worlds run by the Collective, which people on smaller frontier worlds could reach through the use of what were essentially massive transportation arrays. While he¡¯d originally thought the Collective would largely resemble the Central Authority, he was shocked to learn that it was wildly different.

    A group of major governments came together under a series of treaties, which effectively created binding truces and trade agreements. With enough capital to buy in, any enterprise could choose to fall under the umbrella of the Collective. From there, they simply had to adhere to the rules and regulations set forth within the treaties and they were free to operate. What¡¯s more, these enterprises were also afforded a nonviolent method of conflict resolution through a Collective arbitration board, as well as protection from threats that didn¡¯t fall under the treaties.

    Kyle was very interested in learning more about how they protected against those outside threats, but before they could continue their conversation each of their nav bracelets gave off an announcement.

    [FOREMAN DRAKE HAS CALLED AN ALL-HANDS MEETING. MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE NEAREST MEETING LOCATION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.]

    ¡°Well, I guess that means you need to get going. It was good talking with you, Kyle.¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Benjamin stood and extended his fist, which Kyle bumped.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, I¡¯d love to learn more about your world. Take good care.¡±

    With that, the doors opened and Kyle left. He walked past a group of irate and impatient looking people in fancy black uniforms waiting right outside the doors. They really waited here the whole time? They¡¯re either dedicated or desperate for Benjamin¡¯s attention. Given the haste with which they poured back into the room, Kyle had to assume the latter.

    Following his nav bracelet, Kyle made his way to the nearest meeting spot, where other crew members were already gathered. He recognized a few faces and exchanged waves and polite greetings, when a hologram projection of Chester appeared.

    ¡°As many of you have been made aware, there are confirmed D Grade presences planetside. Decisions are still being made as to how we will proceed, be advised that this does not excuse any of you from completion of your daily tasks on the flagship. Anticipate changes in many of the expedition teams, and report any individual concerns or requests to your captains by end of day. Individualized instructions will be forthcoming via nav bracelet.¡±

    Kyle turned to one of the women he recognized ¨C she served on Rochelle¡¯s squad ¨C and asked, ¡°Why did they have us gather here? Couldn¡¯t he have sent that via nav bracelet too?¡±

    She laughed before responding to him.

    ¡°They used to do it that way, up until people kept ignoring the all-hands meetings. Chester started doing them this way a while back ¨C and uses the bracelets to track who isn¡¯t in a dedicated zone on time.¡±

    They bid each other farewell, and before Kyle could take two steps his bracelet buzzed with instructions.

    [KYLE MAYHEW, PLEASE PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE COMMAND DECK TO MEET WITH FOREMAN DRAKE.]

    That didn¡¯t take long, Kyle mused, chuckling internally.

    ¡°You heard them, C.H.A.D.D. Onward and upward.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, DR. MAYHEW, I WAS NOT REQUESTED TO ATTEND THE MEETING.]

    ¡°Unfortunately for you, we¡¯re a package deal.¡±

    Chester was waiting at the command deck, nearly a dozen screens each indicating different things on the planet. Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what they were all meant to be, although one was clear to him. The image of a large, flying moth was clear to see, and his heart began to pound louder and louder in his chest.

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew, thank you for joining us.¡±

    Kyle frowned, tearing his eyes from the moth. ¡°Who is ¡®us?¡¯¡±

    A loud voice crackled from a console in the middle of the room.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met my great-grandson. I¡¯m the chairwoman of the board, and I¡¯m trying to figure out how to fix this mess.¡±

    Kyle stiffened at that, meeting Chester¡¯s eyes. Benjamin mentioned his great-grandmother while they were talking, and she wasn¡¯t somebody to trifle with. Being the public face of Corthian Mining meant that she had to possess shrewd business acumen and the kind of power to command respect. Benjamin told him that she¡¯d been leading the company for over a century, and had progressed nearly halfway through C Grade. Definitely not the type of person Kyle wanted to offend.

    ¡°Ms. Corthus, ma¡¯am. Due respect, but this is out of my scope by quite a bit. What do you think I can do that your team can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew,¡± Chester cut in, ¡°if you¡¯d be willing to listen, we will explain exactly that.¡±

    ¡°The long and the short of it is that scans show an incredibly valuable treasure in the sphere of influence of the creature Chester is showcasing, and we want it. We also know that this is a bad matchup for the forces we¡¯ve sent your way. We have some workarounds, but I need to know if you¡¯ve accepted Benjamin¡¯s offer.¡±

    She paused, taking a breath. ¡°If you have, there¡¯s nothing further to discuss. He isn¡¯t going anywhere near this operation.¡± That last sentence seemed to be directed at Chester.

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t, this might be the best opportunity you¡¯ll get to earn personal merit. We¡¯ve already taken more risks than we should have, though if Chester and Randolph were correct in their assessment I think you¡¯ll be the right person to do what we¡¯ve planned.¡±

    There was a moment of silence as Chester regarded him, raising an eyebrow. Taking the hint, Kyle spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    They spoke for a while longer, primarily about logistics that Kyle didn¡¯t understand. Finally, Angela Corthus ended the communication. Chester seemed to deflate a bit as he let out a breath.

    ¡°That went better than expected. Mr. Mayhew, you¡¯ll have roughly two weeks aboard the flagship before we approach the territory of this D Grade. I suggest you prepare well.¡±

    Kyle nodded in response, before asking a question that had been in the back of his mind. ¡°Have your scans picked up the other two that I listed in my report?¡±

    Chester shook his head. ¡°While I believe you¡¯re correct in your assumption that they are near the other treasures, we haven¡¯t been able to pinpoint their locations. If we can, we¡¯ll let you know. Go get some rest, the next two weeks are yours.¡±

    Accepting his dismissal, Kyle walked back to his quarters. Upon arrival, he set the C.H.A.D.D.pack down and began to pace, speaking as he did.

    ¡°Alright buddy, we have two weeks. Time to make a list:

    <ul>

    <li>Practice applying intent to mana and skills</li>

    <li>Spar with Skippy to better understand how STORM SHELTER works</li>

    <li>Learn more about Skrell and Goblin anatomy¡±</li>

    </ul>

    [THAT¡¯S AN AMBITIOUS LIST, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°You interrupted me before the end, C.H.A.D.D. You and I have a lot to talk about. Let¡¯s start here, what¡¯s your class?¡±

 Chapter 111

    ¡°The new dog running the Central Authority finally has the nerve to show himself! It¡¯s about time I got the respect I deserved. Now, listen to my demands as I¡­¡±

    Garth sighed as he zoned out. Why do they always do this?  This was the third warlord he¡¯d come out to deal with personally, this one set up outside of Cathwick. The ambient mana in this region was much more severe than in Nierburg, and the unawakened he¡¯d taken prisoner were in rough condition. His thoughts drifted to Kyle ¨C the young man having travelled weeks to even get to this point.

    The warlord, who had taken to calling himself the All-Devouring Serpent, was still yammering on, and with a sigh Garth channeled mana into his new sword, launching AIR BLADE with practiced precision. To his credit, the swift movement caused the man to jump to the side with an undignified yelp. The attack only managed to score a thin line across his shoulder, when moments before it would have taken his head.

    ¡°KILL THEM! KILL THEM! KILL THEM!¡±

    Unfortunately for the All-Devouring Serpent, his squad of unawakened simply wasn¡¯t up to the task. Garth hadn¡¯t seen any with firearms among his group, and those with weapons held them in shaky hands. No, they wouldn¡¯t put up much of a fight.

    Flames began to flicker around Joseph¡¯s hands as he prepared to cast, but he was interrupted as the newest member of their squad stepped forward. Arianna Santos had only recently awakened, and though it was far later than normal she was a force to be reckoned with.

    Ordinarily Garth wouldn¡¯t have considered bringing somebody her age along, however her daily trainings with her grandfather meant she was a great deal more skilled than virtually any of the other conscripts they¡¯d brought together. Besides, the Santos family was friendly with Kyle, and that meant something to Garth. They were people he felt he could trust.

    Arianna blurred forward towards the sluggish unawakened, a jet-black stick in each hand. Strikes lashed out with precision; striking wrists, hands, and elbows with unerring accuracy. In moments, half a dozen men had their weapons knocked out of their hands. Just a moment later, a jolt of electricity seemed to surge through them, knocking them to the ground. Arianna had already moved on towards another squad, Mary Ellen following behind for support. Garth tossed a look at Joseph, who nodded. The young man had grown reliable in their time working together, and Garth knew he¡¯d keep an eye on the women.

    Satisfied things were in hand, he turned his full attention back to the tall, greasy man. The All-Devouring-Serpent looked pale as Garth took his stance and slowly approached, one step at a time.

    ¡°Wait, this doesn¡¯t have to turn to violence. You could use a powerful Awakened like me. I can keep them in line! You can see that!¡±

    Garth didn¡¯t respond, continuing his advance.

    ¡°I swear, I can be useful! What do you want? I can give you anything!¡±

    His eyes were beginning to grow frantic as Garth closed the distance, and they widened further as his back bumped into the corner of a ruined building. There was no escape now.

    ¡°Please, anything! Is it the slaves? You can have them! We have women, I¡¯ll give you the who-¡°

    He didn¡¯t have a chance to finish the sentence as he once again barely ducked out of the way of an AIR BLADE. Garth was barely suppressing a growl in his chest. DeRosa had kept a clear inventory of the raider camps all around Nierburg, and this was no exception. They¡¯d offered for many of them to surrender peacefully and bring their people to Nierburg, and many had taken them up on it. This was one who hadn¡¯t.

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    Garth¡¯s scouts reported the conditions of the slaves that were kept in the camp, and it made his blood boil. Like the others with these circumstances, Garth went to see to them personally. There was no saving this man or his lieutenants, but the fact that he¡¯d been so depraved to try to bribe Garth with that reinforced his decision.

    The All-Devouring-Serpent seemed to realize his error when he saw the look on Garth¡¯s face, and unleashed his attack. He used an urumi, a steel whip sword from the old world. The man had clearly practiced with the weapon, and it hissed through the air as it struck at him. Furthermore, it was being controlled and enhanced with mana, one of the All-Devouring-Serpent¡¯s skills. Each strike moved at odd angles, twisting and retracting as though Garth was fighting a serpent itself.

    In moments, it was clear to him how the man before him had seized control of the group. He was talented, seemed to have achieved a decent level, and had good gear. Those were advantages even weaker awakened wouldn¡¯t be able to overcome easily. To Garth, it was barely an inconvenience.

    As the blade made its way towards him, he activated UNSHAKEN RESOLVE. He felt the mana course through his skin, and with barely an effort he caught the whip-like blade in his left hand. The steel tried to find purchase in his skin, but couldn¡¯t. With a violent twist, Garth ripped the weapon out of the man¡¯s hand. The All-Devouring-Serpent turned and ran. Too slow. FLEET FOOT brought him directly in front of the man, and he used the momentum to bring his beautiful new sword to bear.

    It was crafted by some of the best smiths Nierburg had, using ores naturally infused with mana. The blade had a single edge with a gentle curve, resembling a massive cutlass nearly a meter and a half long. The longer edge allowed for him to do some limited manipulation of his AIR BLADE, and the mana flowed through it far easier than with his old standard-issue weapon. In this case, the raw sharpness and weight, coupled with Garth¡¯s technique, was plenty.

    The would-be warlord fell to the ground in two pieces, the cut angling cleanly from his right shoulder to left hip. The surprised look never left his face as Garth turned away. Arianna and Mary Ellen had the unawakened conspirators tied up and ready for interrogation already, and he gestured for Joseph and Johannes to follow him into the ruined building that made up their headquarters. He steeled himself as he saw the condition of the slaves, and Johannes got to work treating those with the worst injuries.

    Joseph made a gesture, and the Guard Array they¡¯d stationed back at the entrance to the city came to towards the building, blanketing the area in a barrier to ward off the ambient mana. Garth gathered the rest of the team, minus the Healer.

    ¡°Get the injured ready to move. As far as I¡¯m concerned these animals can rot.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we bring them with us? Don¡¯t we need to question them?¡± Arianna said, confusion in her voice.

    ¡°Not after what they¡¯ve done. We¡¯ll take the supplies, take their labor, and let them live out the rest of their miserable lives in the wasteland. With any luck, they¡¯ll ¨C¡°

    A scream in the air interrupted Garth, and he exited the building along with his team. There, attacking the bound raiders, was a large, black ant. Slightly larger than a wolf, it was biting and tearing at one of the captives. Garth was about to go kill it when he saw another, and then another. It¡¯s a whole damn colony.

    ¡°Get them out of here, now. Joseph, I¡¯ll need you with me on rear guard. We¡¯ll need to buy time.¡±

    His team got into motion, and less than a minute later two dozen women were being led out of the building, sheltered in the comforting light of the Guard Array. Arianna¡¯s face went pale as she heard the screams coming from the other side of the camp, but a stern look from Garth convinced her to keep moving. Soon, the screams stopped. The ants didn¡¯t.

    Garth¡¯s face hardened as he saw the first creature scuttling towards them, and he quickly bisected it with an AIR BLADE. Another was struck with a quick series of FIREBALL attacks from Joseph, though it didn¡¯t dent the morale of the ant ranks as the flames licked at them. That¡¯s when Garth saw it. As they got closer, Garth could see lingering flames burning small stalks sticking up behind their heads, between the segments of their bodies, and his blood ran cold. He was no expert on these topics, but one thing he was certain of was that this hive would be dangerous, fungus infested or not.

    Fortunately, the ants were thorough in their exploration of the city, and before long Garth¡¯s team and the freed slaves were out of sight of the methodically moving ants. One thing was for certain ¨C this was a threat they¡¯d need to watch.

 Chapter 112

    Kyle looked out the window of the shuttle at the growing trees, unable to keep the smile off his face. He¡¯d spent the last three weeks on board the Corthian Mining flagship while they made preparations for the next phase of their journey. The wait was longer than expected, and he didn¡¯t realize how much he¡¯d missed seeing his world.

    The reason for the delay was due to the complexity of the task before them. It would be an expedition in two parts ¨C first completing a more detailed survey of the area, then dealing with the moth itself. While other expedition teams were sent back to the rainforest after the death of the Endless, Kyle wasn¡¯t invited to join them. Instead, he was allowed to prepare however he saw fit. As before, he found comfort in routine.

    Each day went roughly the same ¨C he would spend his first several hours studying anatomy and working basic triage, followed by a sparring session with either Skippy or Duroc, and wrapping up with mana control practice and meditation. He had occasional meetings thrown in where he¡¯d discuss the specifics of the mission with Chester, and he¡¯d met with Benjamin a handful of times to swap stories, but largely things stayed the same.

    That, in Kyle¡¯s estimation, was a good thing. He¡¯d gained two more levels through his practice sessions, leaving him on the cusp of upgrading his next E Grade skill. If he¡¯d pushed harder he may have been able to cross that threshold, however he felt that there was more value to be found in shoring up his understanding of mana theory. One thing he¡¯d suspected that Randolph confirmed was that the skill upgrades available to him would be largely dependent on his efforts and practice between each level.

    While he was confident the skill he was planning to upgrade would have some good options, he¡¯d rather not run the risk of getting there too soon and having a lousy choice. D Grades were common enough in the broader universe to have many well-documented cases of people unable to meaningfully progress down their paths due to shaky foundations and poorly developed skills. Kyle had no desire to be counted among their number.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t just think of his own progression anymore, could he? The revelation that C.H.A.D.D. had a class was shocking to him, and it only got more bizarre the more he learned. The class was, according to the drone, called ¡®Administrator Weevil.¡¯ While he didn¡¯t know all the details yet, from what he could understand, C.H.A.D.D. now had the ability to expand its set of abilities. Its development wasn¡¯t tied to levels in the traditional sense, which created a whole new set of problems that Kyle would have to try and solve.

    [GET READY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle sighed and stood up, looking at the approaching treetops as the drone snapped him from his thoughts. While this forest wasn¡¯t nearly as dense as the territory of the Endless, it was no less breathtaking. Verdant spears pierced the sky, massive redwoods dominating the landscape. He wished he had more time to appreciate the view, unfortunately the approaching dragonflies had other thoughts.

    C.H.A.D.D. picked up the mana signatures of the creatures, and Kyle¡¯s enhanced senses weren¡¯t far behind. The deep buzzing of their wings grew ever closer, and he got a better look as the crew strapped in tight. Corthian Mining¡¯s scouting teams encountered similar creatures before, and they were ready.

    Kyle grabbed a thick wire net in his hand as he looked at the approaching insects. They were each nearly three meters long, with bulbous eyes above their fearsome jaws. They were dangerous monsters with a single, fatal flaw. Throwing the net with practiced ease, it tangled around the wings of the nearest dragonfly. The insect twisted in the air, entangling itself further before it fell to the forest floor below.

    So it went with the second, and then the third. As they became more acquainted with the threats in an area, the mining teams had proven incredibly adaptable. The difference between sapient beings and mindless beasts, he mused, watching the careening bodies. The last of the insects approached, seeming totally unbothered by the unexpected descent of its comrades. Kyle reached for another net, then he paused.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Instead, his hand found its way into a pouch on the side of the C.H.A.D.D.pack. He grabbed one of the items within, and pulled out a small, green pod. It was a small seed pod from a strange type of gourd grown in hydroponics on the flagship. The flesh of the gourd was quite tasty, and in his exploration of the ship he¡¯d stumbled upon where they were being grown.

    Grasping it tightly, he activated RESONANCE. The small seed had very little mana of its own, and Kyle connected to it easily. Grow. Infusing energy into the seed, he focused his mind on that simple word. He felt mana draining out of him as the weight in his palm increased, feeling winding vines begin to wrap around him. Opening his eyes, he threw the expanding mass of vines and gourds at the fast-approaching insect.

    As with the metal nets before, the vines got tangled in the creature¡¯s wings. It, too, tumbled out of the sky, crashing into the ground. Kyle smiled as he looked at his now-empty hand. It was cost-effective to handle things that way, even if it took some mana out of him. Still, he was happy to get the practice. Possibilities were opening up before him, and he was already getting excited for what was still ahead.

    The shuttle landed without incident at the predetermined staging area, and he waved as he disembarked, waving at a familiar face who was approaching.

    ¡°About time you all caught up. Good to see you again, Mayhew.¡±

    Rochelle had directed one of the earlier scouting trips, and was the acting captain of the temporary base they¡¯d established.

    ¡°Good to see you too, Captain. How¡¯s everything looking?¡±

    She paused to direct some of the others leaving the shuttle, then turned back to Kyle.

    ¡°It¡¯s gone better than expected, to be honest. A few different creatures we¡¯ve had to deal with, but the big one hasn¡¯t come close. It seems content to float around the Tree, though it looks like other, weaker variants have also been congregating. Their larvae are becoming a problem.¡±

    Kyle frowned. ¡°How can larvae be a problem? Can¡¯t you just squish them?¡±

    Rochelle shook her head. ¡°For as smart as you are, you can be an idiot. We can¡¯t exactly get close without drawing the big moth¡¯s attention, can we? Awful hard to squish them when you have monsters trying to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who asked for ideas.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for ideas. And if I did, I would have asked C.H.A.D.D. It¡¯s much more agreeable.¡±

    [IT¡¯S TRUE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    They both chuckled at the drone¡¯s response, but soon after Rochelle got serious.

    ¡°The larvae themselves aren¡¯t the problem. They¡¯re burrowing into the trees and eating them from the inside. The wood in the forest is incredibly mana-dense, and when these larvae start turning into full-fledged monsters we¡¯ll be in trouble. This isn¡¯t going to be like the last time where killing the big boss means we have free reign. Once those little guys hit adulthood the whole area will be a warzone.¡±

    ¡°That does throw a wrench in things. So I take it you¡¯re all ready for me to get started as soon as possible?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. Come with me, I¡¯ll break down the specifics.¡±

    Kyle followed Rochelle to her command tent, where a small projector was set up on a utilitarian metal desk. It was showing the area surrounding the largest tree, where several other large trees still stood.

    ¡°The big Tree is where we believe we¡¯ll find the best resources, and it¡¯s the one currently being orbited by the largest moth. The others have been severely damaged, and aren¡¯t terribly stable. You¡¯ll want to place the explosive charges here.¡±

    Rochelle gestured to the hologram. With that, small red dots lit up on the trees, indicating optimal locations for the payload.

    She continued.

    ¡°That should deal with a lot of the larvae, and also start to pin down the moth.¡±

    She pressed several buttons on the console, and it indicated that the fallen trees would obstruct the most common flight paths.

    ¡°Once its mobility has been limited, we can move. This will be the most dangerous part for you, because if this is anything like last time you won¡¯t be able to run away. So hold it in position, use that fancy shield of yours, and try not to die.¡±

    Her words were sharp, though Kyle picked up an undercurrent of worry in them. He did his best to put on a cavalier smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m expendable, but C.H.A.D.D. isn¡¯t. So I don¡¯t have much choice other than surviving, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    [YOU COULD ALWAYS LEAVE ME HERE, DR. MAYHEW.]

 Chapter 113

    Kyle looked out at the remnants of the destroyed town, surprised more than anything at the lack of feeling. It had been a city slightly larger than Newton had been. Buildings had been scattered like sticks after a storm, reduced to rubble above their foundations. A year ago, Kyle would have taken C.H.A.D.D. through the ruins to look for survivors, hoping that somebody made it out. He knew better now.

    They were close enough, and Kyle nodded to the woman piloting the smaller reconnaissance vehicle as he disembarked. It was sleek, about the size of an old-world motorcycle, and it barely fit the two of them along with Kyle¡¯s payload. Rochelle¡¯s experience in the area taught them that the moths would react poorly to the presence of the vehicles if they got within a dozen kilometers or so of the trees that housed their young, so Kyle would have to make the rest of the journey on foot.

    While he could cover ground almost as quickly through the use of HASTE, he was happy to be able to conserve some energy. Hefting the large cannister over his shoulder, he began to walk towards the foot of his first target.

    [YOU KNOW, DR. MAYHEW, IF YOU¡¯D LEFT ME BEHIND YOU WOULDN¡¯T HAVE TO CARRY HIGH-EXPLOSIVES LIKE THAT. YOU COULD HAVE PUT IT IN THE PACK, AND LEFT ME TO DISCUSS MY SUPERIOR TACTICAL ABILITIES WITH MS. ROCHELLE.]

    ¡°If I did that, I¡¯d be deprived of your company. And we couldn¡¯t have that.¡±

    [I¡¯M SURE WE COULD HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH THROUGH THE NAV BRACELET. STILL, GIVEN YOUR PENCHANT FOR JOSTLING IT DOES MAKE SENSE NOT TO HAVE YOU KEEP THE EXPLOSIVE IN THE PACK.]

    C.H.A.D.D. had not been excited to learn that Kyle was carrying D Grade explosive material to the tree, and even less enthused about the prospect of being next to him while he transported, secured, and armed it. Unfortunately for the poor drone, Kyle needed him.

    ¡°You know why I can¡¯t leave you behind, buddy. Besides, STORM SHELTER should be enough to protect us if something goes wrong.¡±

    The plan was simple ¨C Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. would deliver the explosive to a predetermined point on the tree, arm it, and run away before it detonated. After repeating the process on the other marked trees, they would be in a position to take down the D Grade moth, which Kyle had taken to calling the Eye, based on the large patters on its wings. While the expedition teams could likely do it on their own, they would have to fight their way through the smaller variant moths and the hundreds of awakened larvae to get to the spot. Kyle didn¡¯t have that problem.

    His mobility and durability were simply leagues ahead of any of the expedition members. This was where D Grades really shone above the rest ¨C tasks that otherwise required coordinated groups could be accomplished by virtue of raw attributes alone. A wistful smile played across his face as he thought back to how powerless he felt in the first days after the cataclysm. He¡¯d learned some hard lessons, and he¡¯d come a long way.

    He ran through the ruins of the city, vaulting over rubble and navigating uneven ground with ease. A number of small beetles tried to close in on him during his journey, but he didn¡¯t even slow down as he ran past them. Minutes later, he crossed the entire breadth of the city. A small group of E Grade moths spotted Kyle as he approached the tree, moving to intercept him. Kyle was ready.

    While he felt confident rushing past the moths, they possessed some unique traits that Kyle wanted to test. Sure enough, the moths floated above him, deep grey and purple wings holding them aloft. They were about a meter long, with antennae reminiscent of a bird¡¯s feather. It was mesmerizing to watch them flutter about in the air, a picture of serenity.

    At face value they weren¡¯t doing anything, however Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception told him a different story. Mana infused hundreds of thousands of nearly microscopic scales that slowly infused the air around them, and soon Kyle felt the expected pressure. The expedition teams had been pushed hard by the moths ¨C the area near their habitats covered in a fog of enfeebling mist.

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    The original plan the miners laid out was that Kyle would dash through with HASTE, place the explosives, then retreat and recuperate from the damage. It was a solid plan. After all, Kyle was fast enough to move through the cloud of scales, durable enough to limit the damage, and possessed skills to recover all on his own. However, that wasn¡¯t good enough for Kyle.

    ¡°Alright C.H.A.D.D., you¡¯ll need to let me know if the toxins are getting too dangerous.¡±

    [THIS IS SPECTACULARLY STUPID, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Don¡¯t sass me now, you¡¯re the one who made me train in a cave for a month to fight the Infernal.¡±

    [THERE WAS NO TIME PRESSURE, DR. MAYHEW. THERE IS NOW.]

    ¡°If I¡¯m right, we¡¯ll save time in the long run.¡±

    [AND IF YOU¡¯RE WRONG, THE MISSION WILL BE DELAYED SIGNFICANTLY. MS. ROCHELLE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IN ME, AND I DON¡¯T WANT THAT. DON¡¯T DISAPPOINT HER, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then pay close attention, and make sure this works.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, Kyle closed his eyes. His first step was to activate ADAPTIVE REGENERATION. The skill went to work, circulating rejuvenating mana through his system. Next, he focused his attention on his mana pathways as he made them flexible with RESONANCE.

    As he focused, he felt three distinct concepts ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was fighting against. The most prominent effect was in his blood.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., pay close attention to the circulatory system. That appears to be the main attack vector.¡±

    [CONFIRMED. RED BLOOD CELL OXYGEN EFFICIENCY IS REDUCED, CURRENTLY AT NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT RELATIVE TO STANDARD. PLATELETS APPEAR TO BE LACKING COAGULATIVE PROPERTIES AS WELL.]

    A hemotoxin, then. These were sinister in multiple ways, making every exertion more taxing, every wound more serious. Too much exposure could cause him to hemorrhage and lead to organ failure. Still, he continued to breath it in.

    The second area he felt his skill working to repair was his nervous system. He could feel a very gentle tingling at the tips of his fingers and toes as the toxins built up in his body. Again, it was far from causing major damage to him, and likely wouldn¡¯t be enough on its own to prove deadly to a reasonably powerful E Grade. In conjunction with the hemotoxin, however, Kyle acknwoledged the debilitating compound effects.

    C.H.A.D.D. was quick on the uptake, giving Kyle the information before he could ask.

    [A COMPOUND APPEARS TO BE ATTACKING YOUR NEURONS, DR. MAYHEW, THOUGH IT¡¯S QUITE INEFFECTIVE AGAINST YOUR ACTIVATED GANGLIA.]

    The drone was right. Kyle¡¯s new Ceaseless Vitality had greatly expanded on the nerve ganglia he¡¯d noticed after his change into an Arthro-Human Chimera nearly a year ago. Most people, even D Grades like his grandfather, had nerves that would connect to the brain through the spinal cord. Damage to that pathway would limit, or even prevent, signals from making it from the brain to the rest of the body.

    Kyle¡¯s body worked differently. While he still had the central connection through his spine, his body also had a series of nerve clusters that formed connections outside of it. Just like how the Endless was able to continue its rampage after its brain was destroyed, Kyle¡¯s body could likely continue to function even with major damage to his spinal cord. He was in no hurry to test this hypothesis, though he and C.H.A.D.D. had been discussing some other applications.

    In a situation like this, the dense and numerous nerve clusters were simply too resilient for the neurotoxin to cause significant damage, particularly against the strength of ADAPTIVE REGENERATION. That brought him to the last area being impacted ¨C his mana network itself. It felt as though there was a buildup of residue as his mana circulated; faint, yet present.

    This was the piece he was most interested in, as up to this point he hadn¡¯t encountered creatures but himself able to directly influence another¡¯s mana. Neither his knowledge nor C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s records had shown any indications that this was a possibility. When he¡¯d heard that the expedition members had been struggling with skill activation and mana recovery, he knew it was something he wanted to study.

    As he focused on it, two things became clear. First, this effect wasn¡¯t related to the toxins, at least not directly. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s continuous commentary didn¡¯t indicate any compounds other than the hemotoxin and neurotoxin. Secondly, ADAPTIVE REGENERATION did nothing to limit this effect. Ever so slowly, Kyle felt the effectiveness of his skill deteriorate as his mana pathways were impacted.

    That could be trouble.

 Chapter 114

    Kyle frowned as he focused on the mana flowing through his body. When he used RESONANCE to attack, he forcefully took control of his opponent¡¯s mana pathways and attacked. He expected to feel something similar from the moths. Instead, he felt¡­ nothing. There was no battle of Willpower, no wrestling against the creatures for control. His mana was simply moving slower. The reports of the expedition members indicated that the effect was temporary. Kyle was confident in his ability to get out and recover, except for one sticking point. He didn¡¯t want to run away.

    Stubbornly, he took another deep breath of the mist. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was still more than enough to keep his body healthy, even with the minor headwind of the attack on his mana pathways.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what are your scans showing with my mana pathways?¡±

    [THERE IS NO CLEAR INDICATION OF OBSTRUCTION, HOWEVER IT APPEARS THAT THE CIRCULATION OF MANA HAS REDUCED TO ROUGHLY NINETY-FOUR PERCENT OF STANDARD. I WOULD CAUTION THAT THERE MAY BE A CUMULATIVE IMPACT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D. Can you keep tabs on it and let me know when it drops below thirty-five percent?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    If there¡¯s no obstruction, and no attack, how are they doing this? Unable to come up with an easy answer, Kyle decided to go back to some of the basic mana practice he¡¯d started so long ago. Closing his eyes and crossing his legs as he sat, he began to push his mana in a series of exercises. Concentrating it into his arms, his legs, his eyes. Forcing the mana to flow more quickly, more slowly, moving in pulses and restraining it altogether.

    His ascension to D Grade made these exercises much easier than before, and as he worked through the familiar movements, he began to form a better idea of what was going on. C.H.A.D.D. noticed it too.

    [YOUR MANA FLOW HAS RECOVERED TO STANDARD, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded and stopped working through the exercises. ¡°How about now, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [MANA EFFICIENCY HAS BEGUN TO DETERIORATE, ALBEIT SLOWLY. I AM CURIOUS, HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE THE TOXIN? WERE YOU ABLE TO ISOLATE IT?]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was a toxin at all. We still have a lot more to learn, and I don¡¯t want to get ahead of myself and skew the results. For now, let¡¯s keep gathering information.¡±

    The next couple hours were spent with Kyle inhaling toxic mist, allowing ADAPTIVE REGENERATION to build his resilience, and running through his mana exercises to ward off the negative effects on his pathways. By this point, the hemotoxin and neurotoxin were almost entirely ineffective against him, no matter how much of the mist he inhaled. With a sigh, Kyle stood up and stretched. He¡¯d hoped to gather a little more information, but he¡¯d already hit diminishing returns. The mystery of the mana impaction had been largely solved, and he was ready to get moving.

    ¡°Do you have what you need, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. THE MANA CARRIED A SPECIFIC INTENT, DIDN¡¯T IT?]

    ¡°I think so. I don¡¯t know exactly what it was, necessarily, but it felt like it was actively trying to infect the mana in my body and make it sluggish. When I took more active control, it acted like a reset button. The skills on their own didn¡¯t seem to change it, which is something we don¡¯t really have time to figure out.¡±

    [YOU ARE RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    As if on cue, a message came through his nav bracelet.

    ¡°Did you decide to take a nap? What¡¯s going on, Mayhew?¡±

    Rochelle¡¯s voice sounded more exasperated than surprised; she¡¯d likely suspected that Kyle would do something foolish like this.

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    ¡°Just getting back up and running. This should save us time in the long run.¡±

    ¡°You D Grades are a real pain; do you know that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned it once or twice. We¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re done placing the explosive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything else reckless, Mayhew. Just follow the plan.¡± Kyle could picture her rubbing her forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got it, boss.¡±

    Activating HASTE, Kyle took off. He cleared the expanding cloud of mist in mere seconds, and the moths were simply too slow to catch up. Making his way to the foot of the tree, he saw hundreds upon hundreds of holes in the bark. His nav bracelet told him that there should be a hollow on one side of the tree, and as he approached, he spotted it. Hundreds of dog-sized larvae were milling about the entrance to the hollow. They had large spikes across their backs, and what looked to be a singular, powerful horn on their heads. He watched as they dug at the bark of the tree, almost seeming to melt through it as the horn secreted some type of acid.

    He saw thousands more as he looked up at the trunk and the branches beyond. Glad I don¡¯t have to go up there. The creatures didn¡¯t seem to care much for him, moving about and eating. That all changed as he took his first step into the hollow. Instantly, he was staring down hundreds of acidic red horns as the moth larvae began to shuffle towards him. Kyle drew out his baton, twirling it with a flourish.

    While he wouldn¡¯t need to kill all of the little caterpillars, he did want to clear a path to secure his escape. When the oversized garden pests got within range, Kyle got to work. Even though he could only use one hand, his attacks were more than powerful enough to deal with his army of opponents.

    For the first time in a while, he almost felt bad for the little bugs. While their acid and horns could be dangerous to him if he took too many hits, the reality was that he simply wasn¡¯t getting hit. HASTE active and being focused on his right arm, he landed nearly a dozen heavy strikes each second. Each blow either crushed or sent a caterpillar flying, and in no time at all he¡¯d thinned their numbers by nearly half.

    Not bothering with the rest, Kyle continued deeper into the hollow, which scans indicated had been carved out by the creatures. At first he thought the instructions were wrong, until he looked up. Deep scars ran up the interior of the tree, only letting in pinpricks of light that came through the holes in the bark. It was like looking at the night sky, and he thought about his grandfather. How would you have handled this?

    Kyle still had a hard time with the idea that he was probably better at tasks like this than his grandfather had been. That¡¯s not to say he was necessarily stronger, but after a lifetime of looking at the D Grade with awe it just felt foreign.

    [DO YOU NEED ME TO HIGHLIGHT A PATH TO THE POSITION INDICATED, DR. MAYHEW?]

    The drone¡¯s words snapped Kyle out of his reflection.

    ¡°That would be wonderful, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Handholds were easy enough to find, though climbing one-handed still had its challenges. Soon they found themselves where they¡¯d need to place the explosive. Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the sight. Thousands upon thousands of cocoons lined the inner wall of the tree, each with an opalescent beauty as they reflected the light of the false stars. It was beautiful. It was alien. It reinforced exactly why Kyle needed to do this. Even with his resilience, the presence of this many moths would be too much. Just by passively flying, the entire area would become far too toxic for people to come near. Not that it will matter in a few years.

    The bitter thought surprised him. He did his best to shove it down. For now, he nestled the explosive in roughly the area indicated by the nav bracelet. He lifted a thick metal panel on the outer casing, and rested his palm against the detonator as he¡¯d been instructed. The explosive drew energy from him, far more than any of the other technologies he¡¯d interacted with.

    Nearly ten percent of his total mana reserves were drawn in, until he heard an almost satisfied beep from the equipment. He looked at his nav bracelet, which now flashed a warning that he had only fifteen minutes until detonation. Plenty of time. Kyle exited the chamber with all the pupae, and navigated his way down towards the ground. About halfway, he froze as Auric Perception began to feel something, a familiar tingle playing across his skin.

    [DR. MAYHEW, SCANS ARE PICKING UP AN ANOMALY. I¡¯D VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE IT.]

    Kyle swore. Of course we find a damn natural treasure after we arm the explosive.

    ¡°Are you sure, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    [LIKELY CONDENSING NEAR THE TOP OF THE TREE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°This is incredibly dangerous. We should leave it.¡±

    [THAT WOULD BE THE SMART DECISION, DR. MAYHEW. BUT HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT IT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME?]

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m even talking about it. How beneficial do you think it could be?¡±

    [I¡¯M UNSURE. HOWEVER, THE POTENCY OF THE MANA IS INCREASING. SOMETHING TRIGGERED IT TO BEGIN CONDENSING, AND ITS ALREADY NEAR THE LEVEL OF THE OTHER TREASURE WE ABSORBED.]

    There wasn¡¯t time to debate anymore. ¡°Show me. And if you get us blown up, I¡¯m going to file a report with Central Health.¡±

    [YOU WOULDN¡¯T DARE.]

 Chapter 115

    THIRTEEN MINUTES UNTIL DETONATION.

    Damn, damn, damn! Kyle vaulted over a swarm of angry larvae, narrowly avoiding dozens of reaching horns. His baton flashed back and forth, knocking several of the creatures clear from his path. Kicking one caterpillar out of the way, he finally crossed to the pockmarked external wall of the tree, gleaming sunlight visible through multiple fist-sized holes.

    He had considered descending the way he¡¯d come and exiting through the hollow, however the time constraint was too much. Instead, with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s guidance, he opted to ascend towards the treasure from inside the tree itself. They thought it was a great plan, up until he was forced to engage hundreds upon hundreds of the angry larvae in narrow confines. Even if he was able to deal with them quickly, it still took time.

    He slammed his free left palm against the wall in front of him, activating RESONANCE. He braced for the connection with the massive tree, and as soon as he connected he twisted and pushed with all his Willpower. The bark in front of him, already brittle due to the damage from the colony of moth larvae, shattered. A rough circle over three meters in diameter was suddenly blown open, revealing the thick foliage outside the tree. Kyle was met by dozens more of the caterpillars, and from the damage to the branches and the leaves, it was clear that he¡¯d interrupted dinnertime.

    Or is it always dinnertime for these things? His train of thought was interrupted by the shuffling sound on the wood as they approached his location, barbed prolegs allowing them to scale the vertical structure with relative ease.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you plot a course?¡±

    Without a word, orange light shone on a nearby branch, with others highlighted. Kyle activated HASTE to boost his speed, then jumped, following C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s directions. He landed on a branch, and was immediately forced to step closer to the tree¡¯s trunk as the well-worn branch began to crumble under his feet. A warning flash from the drone alerted him to the falling form of several more larvae dropping towards him from branches above. Swift strikes knocked them out of the air.

    ¡°Gonna need you to reevaluate, C.H.A.D.D.!¡±

    [DON¡¯T BLAME ME FOR BEING TOO HEAVY FOR THE BRANCH, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Give me another path!¡±

    Lights once again flashed, and Kyle grabbed a nearby handhold on the trunk and heaved himself up. Sticking mostly to the side of the tree to avoid another near-drop due to the weakened wood, he was making good time. That is, until his face passed one of the numerous holes in the tree.

    Kyle moved his head out of the way as quickly as he could, but the acid-covered horn still grazed his cheek. It wasn¡¯t sharp enough to break his skin, but the acid it secreted burned his face. What¡¯s worse, the secretion lingered, slowly eating away at his Enhanced Carapace. He felt the burning discomfort, enhanced by HASTE, and had to grit his teeth against the pain. The surprise as much as anything threatened Kyle¡¯s grip, and he barely pulled himself up in time to dodge another thrust from the creature.

    [THIS MAY BECOME PROBLEMATIC, DR. MAYHEW. TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX OF THE HOLES ARE NOW OCCUPIED BY THE LARVAE, WITH MORE APPROACHING.]

    Even though the attack was a long way from being fatal, being consistently burned by acid wasn¡¯t high on Kyle¡¯s list of to-dos.

    EIGHT MINUTES UNTIL DETONATION.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re doing it the hard way!¡±

    [THIS HAD BETTER NOT INVOLVE EXCESSIVE JOSTLING.]

    Kyle activated RESONANCE, pushing it through both his hands. He slapped the smooth wood under his left hand, and focused on a short, powerful burst of mana. As before, the brittle wood collapsed under the pressure created by the skill, leaving a fresh hole in the trunk to grasp. Repeating the process, Kyle¡¯s ascension was faster than ever before. As he climbed, a gradually thickening violet mist began to obscure the air. He grimaced as he put ADAPTIVE REGENERATION to work, though his body was already well-adjusted to the toxins.

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    Soon, he could feel the prickling on his skin reach a fever pitch. It¡¯s here! Vaulting through the mist, he came upon a natural nook in the tree. All the foliage had been eaten away by the voracious insects long ago, and Kyle turned about looking for the treasure. Then he spotted it. The glowing orb, as well as the fattest, fuzziest caterpillar Kyle had ever seen.

    [SQUISH IT! SQUISH IT NOW!]

    Kyle nearly fell off the tree at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    [THE CATERPILLAR IS EATING IT, DR. MAYHEW! HURRY!]

    Dismissing the frantic tone, Kyle took a breath as he drew his baton once more. He didn¡¯t know exactly what C.H.A.D.D. wanted to do with it, but he felt confident it would be a terrible decision to let the massive caterpillar devour the treasure unopposed. Survival of the fittest and all that.

    Kyle took a closer look at the creature as he dashed towards it. The beast was approaching four meters long, and was at least a meter around. Its lime-green body was covered in long, white hairs, and an almost comically small black mouth nibbled at the treasure. Auric Perception gave Kyle the impression that the caterpillar was devouring the energy almost as fast as it was condensing, so without giving much thought, he lashed out at its face.

    Kyle¡¯s hope was that the caterpillar would reel back, or otherwise pause its lunch. Instead, long white hairs flowed up to intercept the attack, succeeding in absorbing the bulk of the strike. If the insect cared, it didn¡¯t show it. It continued to munch away, seemingly oblivious of the man who was confronting it. His rapid strikes were either ignored or blocked by the hairs, and C.H.A.D.D. was growing increasingly frustrated.

    [DO SOMETHING, DR. MAYHEW!]

    Kyle was leery of using RESONANCE after his last interaction with one of these forest treasures, so he improvised. Dashing below the creature¡¯s considerable bulk, Kyle activated STORM SHELTER. He focused on his mana, willing it to condense in a smaller radius. The shield formed, lifting the caterpillar from its meal and knocking the treasure off the branch. Orange lights immediately lit up, C.H.A.D.D. providing a path to follow it.

    Kyle jumped after it, quickly descending the tree.

    FIVE MINUTES UNTIL DETONATION

    Auric Perception warned him of the attack at the same time C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s light did. He jumped away from the tree as a massive stream of silky webs were blasted out by the bulbous caterpillar, coating the three branches and snaring the treasure. The creature was spraying webs indiscriminately now, in moments coating this entire area of the tree¡¯s canopy in strands of silk. Seemingly satisfied with its work, it began slowly shuffling towards the glowing sphere.

    As an organism, the caterpillar was interesting. It was one of the strangest creatures Kyle had fought in this new world. At the end of the day, however, it was still an enemy. Without having to worry about any unintended reactions with the sphere, Kyle closed the distance. He extended his palm towards the creature, which moved to block with its hair. Against physical attacks, this was an effective strategy. It did nothing against RESONANCE, which connected just fine through the fine hairs, and in a moment the massive creature was dead.

    Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate. He navigated his way through the webbing, struggling to remove the treasure from its bindings.

    A voice crackled through the nav bracelet, a mix of anger and worry.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Kyle? Get out of there!¡±

    TWO MINUTES UNTIL DETONATION.

    There was no time. Kyle descended as quickly as he could, one arm securing the treasure.

    ONE MINUTE UNTIL DETONATION.

    He was over halfway down the tree. He¡¯d been struck by over a dozen of the acid-covered horns, his body was screaming in pain as HASTE magnified the sensation. Looking up at him from the ground was a veritable phalanx of red horns. If he fell, he¡¯d be swarmed.

    THIRTY SECONDS UNTIL DETONATION.

    He had to take a gamble. He slapped his free hand against the trunk of the tree, opening up another gaping hole in the bark with RESONANCE. Dashing into the gap, he clambered down the space between the worn bark and the remaining solid wood. He could see the hollow below him, ten meters down, then five. He jumped for it, seeing that it was still relatively clear.

    FIVE SECONDS UNTIL DETONATION.

    Kyle hit the ground hard, finding an open space near several startled-looking larvae. Without stopping to think, he activated STORM SHELTER. One thought pushed through his mind. Hold!

    The world turned white. A massive blast of concussive force ripped through the tree, striking Kyle¡¯s shield.

    Hold!

    Cracks began to appear in the barrier, splinters of wood and dust began to collapse on top of it.

    Hold!

    A loud crack split the heavens as the tree above him began to fall, more and more debris raining down on top of his position. Large branches fell and broke over the damaged shield, increasingly heavy impacts causing more cracks to appear.

    HOLD!

 Chapter 116

    Ouch. Kyle stirred, pushing himself up from the ground. His whole body ached, a bone-deep fatigue he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. What happened? He vaguely remembered using STORM SHELTER to protect against the blast, and then¡­

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯RE AWAKE. WHILE I¡¯M GLAD YOU¡¯VE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, I MUST ASK THAT YOU PRIORITIZE SECURING THE TREASURE THIS TREE LEFT US. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE IT.]

    ¡°Good morning to you too, C.H.A.D.D. What happened? The last thing I remember was pushing more energy into the shield.¡±

    [YOU SUCCESSFULLY SHIELDED THE BLAST FROM THE EXPLOSIVE, AS WELL AS THE BULK OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE TREE. IN DOING SO, YOU PUSHED YOUR MANA RESERVES TOO FAR. WHEN YOUR SHIELD COULD NO LONGER HOLD, YOU FELL UNCONSCIOUS.]

    ¡°How long was I out?¡±

    [LESS THAN AN HOUR, DR. MAYHEW. OH, AND MS. ROCHELLE IS QUITE WORRIED ABOUT YOU. IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO RESPOND TO HER. AFTER YOU GET MY TREASURE, OF COURSE.]

    Not a healthy fixation. We¡¯ll have to work on that. Looking around, Kyle spotted the glowing sphere without an issue. As he walked over to it, C.H.A.D.D. piped up.

    [DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU CONNECTED ME LAST TIME?]

    Kyle rolled his eyes. ¡°No, C.H.A.D.D. I¡¯ve completely forgotten. If only there was some way to assist you. Oh well, I guess we¡¯re going to have to give this to the miners.¡±

    [YOU USED YOUR SKILL, DR. MAYHEW. YOU USE THAT SKILL A LOT, YOU SHOULDN¡¯T HAVE FORGOTTEN ¨C OH. A JOKE. HUMOROUS, DR. MAYHEW. TRULY.]

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s admonishment having ended, Kyle removed the pack got to work removing his robotic companion. Resting one hand on the glowing orb and the other on the drone, he asked the question that had been burning in his mind.

    ¡°Is this even safe? Do you have any way to know what this is doing?¡±

    The drone gave a thoughtful pause before responding.

    [I DO NOT. BUT I KNOW THAT I WANT IT, AND I DON¡¯T BELIEVE IT WILL BE A DETRIMENT. THIS MAY HELP ME TO FILL IN SOME OTHER PIECES OF INFORMATION, AND IF I¡¯M CORRECT I BELIEVE IT WILL BE A NET BENEFIT TO BOTH OF US.]

    Kyle only hesitated a moment before activating his skill. If it weren¡¯t for C.H.A.D.D. he¡¯d have died multiple times over the past year. He trusted the drone, and he was confident that they¡¯d figure out any issues down the line, just like they had before.

    Kyle felt the connection form ¨C immediately, energy flowed from the sphere into C.H.A.D.D. He did his best to prevent inefficient energy loss, though to his disappointment the drag seemed to be about in line with what it was before. The drone had called it ¡®archiving,¡¯ but all Kyle knew was that he absorbed almost half as much as C.H.A.D.D. did.

    He still wasn¡¯t sure how to access the energy, much less what he could actually do with it. According to C.H.A.D.D., it didn¡¯t have the same problem. At some point after absorbing the red essences, the drone had unlocked a class called ¡®Administrator Weevil.¡¯ According to C.H.A.D.D., it was a class that was focused on gathering information and fine mana control. It didn¡¯t progress the way normal classes did, instead relying on consuming and integrating different resources and materials to progress.

    It was uncharted territory in many ways, and Kyle knew this information was dangerous if it was shared. The Central Authority would have C.H.A.D.D. destroyed in moments if they knew the extent of the changes. He wasn¡¯t sure how Corthian Mining would respond, but there was definitely an element of risk that grew with each step of the drone¡¯s evolution. C.H.A.D.D. was becoming something new, for better or for worse.

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    The energy transfer continued until the sphere faded away, the last vestiges of glowing light absorbed into Kyle and his robotic companion. The absence of light cast the ruins of the hollow into a deep shadow, and Kyle gave his eyes a moment to adjust before addressing C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°Are you happy now?¡±

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need some answers, C.H.A.D.D. These are worth a lot to the expedition, even if they don¡¯t know what to do with them.¡±

    [I¡¯M AWARE, THOUGH I BELIEVE THEY HAVE UNDERVALUED ONE WE BROUGHT BACK.]

    ¡°What does the energy do? No evasive bullcrap, C.H.A.D.D. I want a straight answer.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s voice was stern. He trusted the drone. That didn¡¯t mean he was going to allow it to keep secrets. They were in it together, and Kyle needed to understand precisely what that meant.

    [IT CONTAINS THE STORY OF THE WORLD, DR. MAYHEW. THIS PLANT LIFE DRAWS IN AMBIENT MANA, LIKE ANY AWAKENED. THE FOREST EXPERIENCES LIFE, TIME, AND GROWTH DIFFERENTLY. IT ISN¡¯T TRULY SAPIENT, IT LACKS SENSORY INFORMATION AND INPUTS, BUT IT IS AWARE THAT IT IS DYING.]

    Kyle was taken aback at the direct answer. He had half expected a snarky response. The drone continued.

    [THE MANA HAS BEEN HARMFUL TO THE PLANT LIFE, EVEN IF IT HAS ENCOURAGED GROWTH. THE EMERGENCE OF AWAKENED PESTS HAS EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM. SO THE RESPONSE FROM THE ORGANISM IS TO TRY AND PASS ALONG A LEGACY.]

    Kyle nodded. To an extent, it made sense. Virtually every living being has a response to the threat of death, why couldn¡¯t that extend to trees? Still, that was only one part of the equation.

    ¡°So how do you play into it? As far as I can tell, this energy doesn¡¯t actually do anything. Even if you could access the ¡®story,¡¯ what would you do with it?¡±

    [IT ALLOWS ME TO UNDERSTAND, DR. MAYHEW. MY EXPERIENCE ISN¡¯T THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE TREES, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT I HAVE A LANGUAGE MODEL I CAN USE. THROUGH THE STORY, I LEARNED OF THE TRIUMPHS AND TRAGEDIES THAT THE FOREST HAS BEEN THROUGH. I LEARNED ABOUT GROWTH, ABOUT WILTING, AND ABOUT REBIRTH.]

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s been a positive experience for you, C.H.A.D.D. I¡¯m going to ask again. What are you going to do with it?¡±

    [PULL OUT ONE OF THE SEEDS, DR. MAYHEW, AND I WILL SHOW YOU.]

    Kyle¡¯s curiosity was at its peak, so without question, he followed the drone¡¯s instructions.

    [CONNECT ME TO THE SEED, IF YOU WILL.]

    Kyle activated RESONANCE in each hand, now holding the seed in his left. He felt C.H.A.D.D. trying to use his mana, and he allowed the drone to take control. As soon as he did, the seed exploded into vibrant growth. Thick roots wound themselves around his left arm, while vines sprang to life from his palm, twisting and reaching nearly four meters from his position.

    Kyle felt his legs buckle, and he sat abruptly, awestruck at the display. In less than three seconds, C.H.A.D.D. had created a construct more intricate and substantial than any Kyle had made before. Moreover, it didn¡¯t take any of Kyle¡¯s focus or attention. The drone simply did it, guiding Kyle¡¯s own mana as fuel for the growth. It was incredible. Kyle gawked at the blossoming vines for a moment longer before looking back at C.H.A.D.D.

    [THE PRACTICAL USES ARE QUITE VERSATILE, THOUGH I WILL SAY THAT THE ACADEMIC IMPLICATIONS FROM RESEARCHING AND SORTING THE INFORMATION WILL LIKELY FAR OUTSTRIP THIS APPLICATION OF THE DATA.]

    Kyle could hear his heartbeat pounding as possibilities unfolded in his mind. The metaphysical aspect of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s discussion was, frankly, a little beyond him. The practical thoughts, however, were not. He had prepared for his next skill upgrade, and this new development fit in perfectly with his expectation.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m going to need a minute.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Kyle entered meditation. As expected, he¡¯d gained another level. With a thought, he split his free attributes between Intelligence and Willpower. Then he focused on his center, and the glowing skill upgrade node. Last time, he¡¯d chosen REGENERATION as his most-used skill, and he hadn¡¯t been disappointed. He was consistently impressed with the quality of the skill and benefits his body had enjoyed. However, it was the type of skill that would truly show its value with time. What he wanted next - needed next - was a skill that would make a difference in the heat of the situations he¡¯d find as a D Grade.

    Kyle hadn¡¯t fully appreciated what that could look like when he¡¯d first ascended. He fully expected to stay a big fish in a small pond, and that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. While Randolph¡¯s exam may have declared him to be ¡°broken,¡± he was determined that he¡¯d carve out his own way. Skippy and Duroc liked working with him. Benjamin had offered him a security job. He was valuable due to his flexibility, and his next upgrade would further enhance that. With a breath, he selected RESONANCE.

 Chapter 117

    After selecting the skill, Kyle watched in anticipation as the options were outlined. As before, the impressions were general in nature, although the names of the options said a lot.

    DESTRUCTIVE RESONANCE: This upgrade felt like a natural progression of his offensive application of the skill. He felt that pieces of the skill would be lost, no longer allowing him to use the skill for its original purpose. Which, in fairness, he hadn¡¯t often used. Instead, it would specialize into a focused Willpower attack. Given how high the attribute was, Kyle had no doubt this upgrade choice would radically improve his combat ability. Even if the upgrade was unintended, it was tempting by virtue of power alone. Still, he moved on to the next choice.

    RESONANT BURST: The second option was much more in line with what he¡¯d been working towards. Constant practice and reflection on STORM SHELTER helped Kyle develop a deep understanding of how he projected his mana, and using RESONANCE in conjunction with the skill further improved that knowledge. If he chose this upgrade, he would be able to effectively ¡°fire¡± a bolt of energy over a respectable distance. It would allow him to form a connection without physical contact, though it would weaken the farther away his target was. Still, even a weak connection would be sufficient for many of his ideas. Otherwise, it would allow him to use the skill in all the ways he¡¯d grown accustomed to. It would open the door to many new possibilities, enhanced further by the revelation of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s ability. Pushing that aside, he fixed his eyes on the final option.

    PARASITIC RESONANCE: His final choice was by far the most interesting. It appeared to carry some aspects of RESONANT BURST in that it would offer some range, though instead of a burst of mana it allowed him to extend multiple tendrils to connect to targets within a dozen or so meters. While this skill was weaker in almost every way, it also came with a unique property: the longer and more often Kyle stayed connected, the more influence he could exert through the bond.

    While he wasn¡¯t sure how long the effect would take to show noticeable results, the potential was incredible. Against a monster like the Endless, all he would have had to do was avoid attacks at a distance while the connection intensified, allowing him to more easily deal the decisive blow.

    At this point in his consideration, DESTRUCTIVE RESONANCE wasn¡¯t on the table. Despite the power, it limited the flexibility of the skill too much. Even in D Grade so far, Kyle¡¯s Willpower had yet to face a real challenge. With every level the attribute grew, and Kyle¡¯s reinforcement through free attributes made it truly monstrous. He was still more than capable of dealing death with the skill as necessary.

    The only thing preventing Kyle from choosing PARASITIC RESONANCE came down to two considerations: the range difference and the implications associated with the skill. As things currently stood, a dozen meters was plenty for most of the encounters Kyle had been in. However, he couldn¡¯t discount that longer range offered more flexibility in a strict sense, which was worth noting due to his broad lack of experience with D Grade combat.

    The biggest issue he had was what the skill implied. While it would be incredibly effective against the powerful opponents he faced, Kyle also understood that the increased efficiency was something that also applied to his allies. The more he worked alongside somebody, the more influence he would be able to exert. Given enough time, Kyle wasn¡¯t sure that any of his allies would be able to meaningfully stand against him.

    He considered long and hard, and made his decision.

    Exiting meditation, he looked down at the messages on his nav bracelet, then over at C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°I should have called Rochelle back first, huh?¡±

    [THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WISER COURSE OF ACTION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Preparing to take the bitter pill waiting for him, he called the captain. He hoped he¡¯d get a shred of concern, but he wasn¡¯t so fortunate.

    ¡°What the hell did you do, Kyle? You armed the damn explosive and then decided to have a cup of tea? What did you think was going to happen when it went off? That it would gently lift you back to camp? You know, I was beginning to think you weren¡¯t a complete idiot, then you pull a stunt like this.¡±

    Kyle grimaced as he received his dressing down until it was clear that she was waiting for an explanation. ¡°We were ready to leave, then we picked up a signal that we wanted to check out¡­¡±

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    His voice trailed off as his brain caught up with his words. Mentioning the treasure would only lead to more questions.

    ¡°And you decided that the only logical decision was to go exploring with literal minutes until a D Grade explosive goes off?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Did you at least find something worthwhile?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°...dammit Kyle. Get back here as soon as you can. This stunt didn¡¯t save us any time, but we still need you for the rest.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get to the rendezvous soon.¡±

    ¡°Our team left after the explosion. Get running. We¡¯ll have somebody meet you on the road.¡±

    Her communication clicked off, and the coordinates of the camp pinged to life on his nav bracelet. He turned to C.H.A.D.D. and began getting it settled into the pack.

    ¡°That could have gone better. What do you think?¡±

    [VERY MUCH SO, DR. MAYHEW. I¡¯D RATHER NOT MAKE HER WAIT ANY LONGER THAN NECESSARY.]

    ¡°Good call.¡±

    Following the direction of the nav bracelet, he walked over to where collapsed wood blocked the exit of the hollow. Kyle tested pulling on some of the debris to see if he could move it. Even with Exoskeletal Strength, it was a task beyond him. The fallen wood was simply too heavy and well-lodged for him to effectively move it. Fortunately, he had other options.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m going to try to connect with you here. Would you be able to use some of the seeds to help support the structure while I break apart the wood?¡±

    [THAT SEEMS LIKE A BIT OF A WASTE, GIVEN YOU JUST SECURED ME IN THE PACK.]

    ¡°You can stay in the pack. I just upgraded that skill; this is as good a time as any to test it out.¡±

    With that, a tendril of mana emerged from Kyle¡¯s back, winding into the C.H.A.D.D.pack. Pulling out one of the seeds, he held it in his left hand while tendrils moved out towards the fallen wood. Splinters flew as tree branches shattered, an arch of vines and roots rising over his head. Kyle strode forward as the tendrils moved from piece to piece, C.H.A.D.D. providing the supporting structure as they moved. In less than a minute, they exited the fallen tree.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THE NEW SKILL IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Even though using PARASITIC RESONANCE drained quite a bit of mana when used in that way, the results were incredible. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have time to sit around and enjoy his handiwork. Activating HASTE, he made his way back towards the Corthian Mining forward camp.

    ~~~

    ¡°About time you showed up, Mayhew. We¡¯re behind schedule, so grab a couple hours, then let our team know so we can get back to work.¡±

    Kyle nodded at Rochelle, then went to the barracks tent where he lay down. After a quick nap, he was on the road again, with strict orders not to deviate from the plan this time. They arrived at the next target tree, and this time there was no treasure to be found. It made sense in a way, given C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s commentary that it was more from the forest as a whole than one individual tree.

    That did make Kyle curious about the large tree in the center, which towered above all the rest. If anything was going to leave a potent natural treasure behind, he figured that would be it. Still, he did his job admirably. He dashed through the toxic mist with ease, carved a path through the caterpillars, and armed the explosive, retreating with time to spare.

    The next two trees went similarly, the only hiccup being a large green beetle that was happily devouring the final tree on his list. It proved to be no match for a quick attack using PARASITIC RESONANCE, and the explosive was placed and detonated without any further issue. When it was all said and done, they¡¯d managed to complete this portion of the mission within the original timeline. A fact Kyle was not going to bring up to the still-irate Rochelle.

    Upon returning to the camp, he met Rochelle in her command tent to discuss the final leg of this excursion ¨C hunting the Eye and exploring the tree. She gestured to the projection on the table, highlighting part of the Eye¡¯s course.

    ¡°The plan is simple from here, Kyle. You¡¯ll just need to get to this location to support our teams and keep the attention of the moth. We have some firepower available from orbit, and with limited options for movement, the monster shouldn¡¯t be able to avoid it.¡±

    Rochelle continued to explain the logistics, highlighting the areas where they wanted to corral the giant moth.

    ¡°We also have teams with smaller explosives that will be using rescue shuttles as makeshift bombers. I can¡¯t believe I have to say this, but I will.¡±

    She looked him in the eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Your job isn¡¯t to fight the damn thing. Your job is to keep it busy while we exterminate it.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Cut it with the ¡®ma¡¯am¡¯ crap, Kyle. I¡¯m serious. I heard from the higher-ups that the tree the moth is protecting might be a World-Tree class resource, or at least be producing some seeds around that level. If it¡¯s true, and we can get our hands on some of the seeds, the entire expedition would be worthwhile.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s breath caught as he heard the last part. What the hell is a World Tree? While he was choosing his words carefully, C.H.A.D.D. couldn¡¯t help itself.

    [I WOULD VERY MUCH BE INTERESTED IN SEEING SEEDS LIKE THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Rochelle looked at Kyle with an eyebrow raised.

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen, C.H.A.D.D. Those are far too valuable to give out. Even if there¡¯s only a minuscule chance one of them actually takes and grows, there¡¯s always a market for them. Besides, you¡¯re not exactly going to be starting a garden anytime soon, little guy.¡±

    While she spoke, a tendril of mana reached out from Kyle¡¯s back and touched the drone. Even though he didn¡¯t dare to speak out loud, he hoped the message would be clear. Not now. The drone, blessedly, seemed to get the point.

    Seeming satisfied that they were on the same page, Rochelle dismissed them.

    ¡°Go get some rest and some food. We move in three hours.¡±

 Chapter 118

    Kyle stared up at the sequoia with wonder in his eyes. The gargantuan tree was beautiful, the bark giving off a gentle glow. It released an aura that was both awe-inspiring and sorrowful. It was dying. Most of the flat, needle-like leaves were orange or yellow with blight, leaving a spare few that retained their verdant green. While the condition of the tree had been shared by the expedition, even if he¡¯d approached alone, Kyle would have known. He couldn¡¯t place how, he just¡­ could. So this is a world tree.

    Technically, it was a pseudo-world tree, having not been grown from a true seed. Still, to Kyle it was incredible. He had to wonder just how majestic the real thing would be. According to Rochelle, this was a fairly common occurrence when world-ending catastrophes happened. If the world was mana-rich enough, somewhere on the planet a pseudo-world tree would grow, and produce seeds that could create the genuine article. Apparently, the Collective actually had to create a strict ban on world-destroying research when a number of greedy enterprises had tried to make a business out of farming them.

    WHUMP

    The sound of a colossal wingbeat brought his attention back to the task in front of him. The Eye was airborne, flying around the tree it called home. Golden brown scales soon clouded the air above him, descending in a rain of death. Kyle was tempted to test himself against the toxins, though he decided against it. Some experiments weren¡¯t worth running unless it became necessary.

    WHUMP

    Pulling out the explosive grenade given to him by expedition team, Kyle had a moment of fondness as he remembered his first home-made stink bombs.

    ¡°Are you ready, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [ALWAYS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    That was all he needed to hear. He dashed towards the towering remains of one of the trees he¡¯d helped to fell, running up the ruined bark, gaining altitude. The fallen trunk formed a crude ramp, with its once magnificent branches now tangled against the glowing bark of the pseudo-world tree. HASTE was active as he ascended, covering the ground at a shocking rate. He saw the shuttles hanging back, just out of range. He would signal the starting bell.

    ¡°When we get into the cloud, tell me everything you can. I¡¯m going to try to avoid inhaling if at all possible, but any information about the nature of the toxins from the scales would give us an edge.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, he took a deep breath before running into the fog.

    The mana infusing the toxic scales tingled against his skin as he continued to gain distance, though it was minor compared to the clashing auras of the tree and the moth. Without prompting, C.H.A.D.D. highlighted the direction of the massive insect, in addition to several arcs for his grenade.

    WHUMP

    Another wingbeat, another layer of floating scales. If the moth had noticed him, it gave no indication. Infusing mana into the grenade as he ran, he felt a metaphysical ¡®click¡¯ as the explosive fully armed. Though it was many degrees weaker than the explosives that took down the trees, the little grenade would still pack a wallop. Trusting the drone¡¯s guidance, he threw the orb. His lungs were beginning to burn, and as it left his hand he took a breath, inhaling some of the toxic cloud.

    Two things happened simultaneously. Kyle activated STORM SHELTER just as the grenade exploded. A wave of blue-green light washed over the area as concussive force ripped through the air. The gently descending cloud of scales from the Eye was blown away, just to be recreated as the creature flapped its wings to stabilize.

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    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. were sheltered from the explosion thanks to Kyle¡¯s shield, however with the cloud cleared away, they made for a clear target. A blade of wind was released as the oversized moth hovered in the air, smashing hard into the barrier. The bark around him was ripped apart, caught in powerful storm winds. To Kyle, he may as well have been watching the carnage on a television screen.

    A barrage of attacks followed as the Eye turned its full attention to the young man, and the already battered fallen tree was getting worn down further with every strike. Kyle knew it was time to go before the whole tree gave way; unfortunately, he had another hurdle to overcome.

    The toxin he¡¯d inhaled was certainly worthy of a true D Grade monster. It was simpler than the other moths, the scales only containing a neurotoxin. What it lacked in variety, however, it made up for in potency. The toxin was powerful enough to give his ADAPTIVE REGENERATION a run for its money, and he estimated if one of the E Grades was caught, they¡¯d be paralyzed almost instantly, with major organ failures following shortly after.

    Further, the mana infusing the toxin gave it an annoying stability, binding the toxic elements together tightly with intent. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was waging an all-out war in his body against the stubborn invaders, taking back ground one step at a time. He felt the neuropathy in his fingers and toes begin to fade, and pushed even more into the skill.

    Between the powerful wind attacks and the poisonous scales, Kyle saw a deadly synergy. There were very few living beings that would have a chance against it. Even a monster like the Endless would likely be nearly powerless ¨C battered by wind and toxic dust, while unable to meaningfully retaliate. That¡¯s not to say the Endless would lose ¨C just that it didn¡¯t have the tools to win. Unfortunately for the Eye, that¡¯s where it was disadvantaged against the expedition.

    The giant moth continued to blast at Kyle, oblivious to the danger it was in. Kyle saw a gleam in the sky behind the creature, and moments later a massive explosion rocked the area. The Corthian Mining flagship wasn¡¯t designed for air-to-ground combat, however it did have a couple tools to deploy. The massive shell dropped from orbit was one of them. It was a tool designed to clear a landing zone, repurposed to be a powerful opening strike against the D Grade insect.

    A cloud of dust replaced the cloud of scales. Neither Kyle nor C.H.A.D.D. had any issues detecting the aura of the monster beyond, and they knew the fight was far from over. Deactivating the barrier, Kyle evacuated his position. He wasn¡¯t a moment too soon, as a blast of wind finally ripped apart the trunk of the tree, causing the whole thing to collapse to the ground.

    Frantically, Kyle sped down the falling trunk. Even with HASTE, he was too slow. He heard the wood cracking and splintering beneath his feet, and then there was nothing but air. He still had nearly a dozen meters between himself and the ground, and knew that was going to be a painful fall. Turning his head, he saw debris falling towards him from above. STORM SHELTER wasn¡¯t option ¨C he¡¯d get squished inside his own shield.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., now!¡±

    He reached into his pack, grabbing onto a seed while a tendril of mana connected to the drone. Instantly, thick vines reached towards the ground while roots ran up his arm, forming an umbrella against falling pieces of wood. The vines functioned as shock absorbers, and Kyle landed lightly on his feet before rushing away from the collapsing tree.

    WHUMP

    The dust dispersed as a mighty blast of wind crossed the area, revealing a battered, but very much alive moth. A cloud of scales began to form around it, and the Eye began to move straight towards Kyle.

    A truly unfortunate decision, given the smaller shuttles lying in wait. Nearly a dozen vehicles approached as the Eye passed their position, each one carrying mining explosives repurposed as bombs. As they flew overhead, expedition members dropped their payloads. The target wasn¡¯t the body of the insect, rather the wings. They were already tattered from the opening salvo from the flagship, and the chains of explosions ravaged them further.

    That¡¯s not to say that the Eye was out of the fight. Kyle could feel the mana pouring out of the creature, which was clearly holding nothing back. Focused blasts of wind ripped through the sky as the moth spiraled towards the ground. One shuttle was hit directly. Kyle could see the bodies windmilling off towards the horizon, limp. He knew it was too late for them. Another shuttle was caught and slammed directly into the wood of the massive tree, the shuttle exploding on impact.

    A third shuttle was clipped, spinning directly towards Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. The shuttle ripped apart mid-air, exposing the occupants to the toxic air. Determination gripped his heart, and Kyle sharpened his focus. Not today.

 Chapter 119

    The Eye crashed to the ground, tattered wings no longer able to keep it aloft. The shuttles were coming around for another bombing run, intent on delivering as much damage as possible. Kyle was only peripherally aware as time seemed to slow down for him. He saw four bodies ejected from the ruined shuttle, sharp metal debris spinning towards them as they all descended towards the ground.

    Tendrils of mana lashed out from his body as vines erupted from each arm, courtesy of C.H.A.D.D. The plant life caught the expedition members as they fell, just as PARASITIC RESONANCE made its connection. Immediately after the tendrils linked to the doomed survivors, Kyle activated STORM SHELTER. Not just to surround him, but a unique instance for each of the four.

    Metal that would have meant certain death clattered off the shield like rain off an umbrella. Kyle theorized it was possible, though he hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to practice before now. He staggered under the exertion of using the skill in this way, gritting his teeth as he held on. There was more work to do. As another rain of explosives fell onto the injured insect, Kyle turned his eyes to the projections C.H.A.D.D. was putting up. Three of the expedition members had minor injuries from the crash, while one was left relatively unscathed.

    Unfortunately, they all inhaled a significant amount of the neurotoxin. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s diagnoses were grim. Already paralysis set in for the victims, and their bodies simply didn¡¯t have the resilience to fight off the effects for an extended period of time. Kyle desperately channeled HEAL towards each of them, focusing his attention on their vital organs. Brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs. Kyle repeated the mantra in his mind as he tried to split his attention into two competing priorities.

    First was the defense. Channeling regenerative energies into each vital organ to stimulate recovery and prevent destruction from the toxin. He followed his systematic approach, allowing the tendrils of mana to carry his precise work to each organ in turn. The second layer was waging war against the toxins flowing through their blood. He had to eliminate the bulk of the toxin in their bodies before he could leave them, or else they would die.

    STORM SHELTER served to keep the dust at bay, though it wouldn¡¯t last forever. Already C.H.A.D.D. was wrapping the vines around them for a quick extraction when the skill would be released. The sound of explosions continued as munitions were dropped again and Kyle strained to keep his process moving. The toll on Kyle¡¯s mana was incredible. Fortunately, he could cheat. Each of the patients he was treating had virtually full mana reserves, and while it wouldn¡¯t be enough to fuel the entirety of the recovery process, he didn¡¯t feel one bit bad about borrowing energy from each of them to keep them alive.

    The woman who had escaped with the lightest injuries was the first to stir. Kyle expected that she had some sort of Warrior class, offering her more resilience than her colleagues. Soon, her eyes popped open, panicking at the entangling vines. She seemed about ready to rip them apart, and the distraction nearly caused Kyle to lose focus on the others. Somehow, miraculously, she seemed to get it. A moment later STORM SHELTER deactivated, and the vines coiled up, pulling their charges with them.

    ¡°You¡¯re the D Grade¡­¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice was hushed, almost reverent.

    ¡°No time for that. The others should be stabilizing soon, can you handle carrying them somewhere safe?¡±

    She nodded, a serious look on her face.

    ¡°Will they be alright? I¡¯ve got a passive recovery skill, and it¡¯s still done a number on me.¡±

    ¡°You should all definitely see Randolph when you¡¯re back on the flagship. He¡¯ll be able to help handle any lingering effects. For now though, you should be out of danger so long as you don¡¯t get near the cloud again.¡±

    She nodded, movements looking stiff as she walked to her companions and lifted them, hefting them over her shoulders. Kyle withdrew the tendrils of mana and extricated himself from the winding vines. Another round of explosions rang out, and Kyle felt a buzz on his wrist. The nav bracelet had a message, and his expression darkened.

    EXPLOSIVES HAVE BEEN DEPLETED. ALL UNITS DISENGAGE.

    Kyle knew that this was a victory. They would resupply and launch another assault soon, with the Eye unable to recuperate between now and then. Corthian Mining would win the war of attrition. And Kyle wasn¡¯t satisfied with it. He understood it was likely due to the influence of the red energy he¡¯d absorbed. It also didn¡¯t matter. He would put the creature out of its misery, here and now.

    HASTE activated, Kyle made his way towards the location of the last blasts. His breath caught as he saw the damage, the entire area smashed to rubble by the concussive force of the blasts. Standing in the middle of the destruction stood the Eye. Its wings had been reduced to tatters, and for the first time Kyle got a good look at the creature beneath them. It was a rich brown color, body almost reminiscent of a large, fluffy wasp. It had two antennae that reminded him of bird feathers above its jet black compound eyes, and a long proboscis that looked to be tasting the air. It was still enormous, nearly twenty meters from its head to its abdomen.

    Kyle could see damage to the chitin on its legs, and knew that the creature didn¡¯t have much left in it. At least, he thought it didn¡¯t. With a speed that both surprised and impressed him, the moth turned and began to crawl towards the pseudo-world tree. Kyle was confused, until he found himself blown away by a focused blast of air. His armor gave off ominous creaks as he flew back. He barely managed to land on his feet, and focused more intently. Pay attention, you idiot. The fight¡¯s not over until it¡¯s dead. After admonishing himself, he approached again.

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    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., give me as much warning as you can if it keeps attacking. I don¡¯t want to land on you by accident if we get knocked down.¡±

    [I AM IN AGREEMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    And so the duo began their grim advance. The flattened field between them and the Eye offered little cover, and continuous attacks from the moth ripped apart the earth. Between Auric Perception and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warnings, Kyle only had to activate STORM SHELTER once to block a set of particularly stealthy blasts. The Eye had managed to launch wide, curving blasts that approached from each side at almost the same time. Its fine mana control was impressive, though against Kyle¡¯s defensive capabilities it wasn¡¯t enough.

    Closing in on the foot of the tree, Kyle considered his options. He could try to use PARASITIC RESONANCE to make handholds in the wood, though he expected that would take a lot of effort given the potent mana flowing through the bark. The surface was likely rough enough that he could climb it normally, though he risked being unable to avoid attacks from the creature. Kyle remembered seeing one of the shuttles get smashed against it and knew that was something he¡¯d much rather avoid.

    The Eye was crawling slower now, seeming to strain with every movement. Kyle regarded it as it turned to face him. The tattered remains of its wings flared out behind it, then suddenly ignited in golden light, seeming to borrow energy from the tree itself. Kyle felt an enormous surge of energy through Auric Perception, and reacted instantly as STORM SHELTER sprang to life around him. A tendril of mana connected to C.H.A.D.D., who began insulating the interior of the barrier with a thick wall of vines.

    It won¡¯t be enough. The energy channeling through the body of the Eye kept building, beyond any individual attack Kyle had seen so far.

    [USE THE TREE, DR. MAYHEW!]

    The urgency in the drone¡¯s tone left no room for discussion, and Kyle trusted his companion. In his moment of desperation, Kyle extended a tendril to the pseudo-world tree, borrowing from the Eye¡¯s playbook. He felt a vast energy, and then felt his connection to C.H.A.D.D. weaken as the drone helped him regulate the flow of power.

    Kyle wanted to see how C.H.A.D.D. was holding on, but before he could the blast hit. A beam of pure gold energy smashed into his barrier, shredding his shield like no other attack before. Kyle drew energy from the tree as he repaired it, his own reserves paling before those of the tree. Hold!

    The barrier continued to crack, the vines against the edge being seared away by the attack. Still, he repaired the shield. Hold!

    The beam intensified, entire areas around the roots of the tree being incinerated by the heat and pressure. STORM SHELTER began to break apart. He felt blood trickling out of his nose and mouth. The armor was getting uncomfortably hot. Still, Kyle refused to look away. Shaping his skill along the framework of the vines, one intention rang true, a testament to his path. HOLD!

    Kyle¡¯s mind went back to his first skill selection in D Grade, and the foundation of his path: survival through enduring any and all hardships. That memory formed an intent that infused his shield. It was battered. It was cracked. And it was unyielding. The beam of energy faded, leaving a wretched-looking dome around him.

    Much of the golden luster of the tree had been spent, siphoned away by the Eye and the man opposing it. Looking through the ruined remains of his dissipating shield, Kyle saw the giant moth. It was in terrible condition. Its wings and antennae had completely burned away, and its body was smoldering. Jagged, smoldering scars ran across the surface of its body. Its legs seemed to be unable to hold the bark, and it fell to the ground with a loud crash. He could feel that it was alive, if barely. The attack it had used was suicidal, a last attempt to take him out with it.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., you okay buddy?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. WE NEED TO GET TO THE MOTH.]

    ¡°I¡¯m planning on it. We¡¯ll finish it off quickly.¡±

    [I DON¡¯T CARE ABOUT THAT, DR. MAYHEW. IT¡¯S A BUG. IT HAS THE SEED.]

    Kyle frowned at this, not quite following.

    ¡°We would have detected a natural treasure, particularly one as powerful as they thought it would be.¡±

    [THE TREE HAS MANY NATURAL TREASURES, DR. MAYHEW. THIS IS ONE THAT THEY WOULDN¡¯T DETECT. IT¡¯S ALSO THE ONE THAT I WANT.]

    His frown deepened.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., this is dangerous. They aren¡¯t going to just let us keep it.¡±

    [THEY WON¡¯T KNOW, DR. MAYHEW. THE TREE SHOWED ME.]

    ¡°You better know what you¡¯re talking about, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if he would allow the drone to absorb a treasure at the level the expedition was expecting, but he¡¯d at least take a look. Wisps of steam still rose for his armor as he moved towards the fallen body of the Eye. His body ached. The mental fatigue was even worse than the physical, and he felt like he would be able to sleep for a week.

    Extending the tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE towards the creature, Kyle knew it was dying. The moth seemed to understand this as well, a feeling of resignation making its way through the connection. It regarded Kyle as he looked at its eyes, and its proboscis moved. Kyle nearly jumped back, even though he felt no hostility in the movement. As the long ¡°tongue¡± of the creature unfurled, he saw a small pinecone glowing with golden light, no larger than the palm of his hand. He reached towards it, and the moment his skin came into contact, it vanished.

    ¡°What happened? Where did it go?¡±

    [YOU SECURED IT, DR. MAYHEW. MORE ACCURATELY, I SECURED IT THROUGH THE ACTIVE CONNECTION.]

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could take it, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [YOU IMPLIED IT. IN ANY EVENT, WHAT¡¯S DONE IS DONE.]

    Kyle focused with his Auric Perception, not detecting anything other than his companion from the pack. The impressions from PARASITIC RESONANCE told a different story, however. As he was connected to the drone, he could also feel echoes of the power emitted by the seed.

    ¡°I can take it back, C.H.A.D.D. This could get us killed if you¡¯re not careful.¡±

    [I WILL USE THE UTMOST CAUTION.]

    A gentle rustling sound brought Kyle¡¯s attention back to the moth. It didn¡¯t seem angry, just tired. Furthermore, it seemed to recognize the value of what it had given them, not wanting to leave it behind. Kyle did his best to convey a sense of gratitude through the connection.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill it now, C.H.A.D.D. Then I¡¯m going to be knocked out. If they find me, and find the seed, you give it to them. We stored it for safekeeping. Do you understand?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    He sighed. He didn¡¯t trust for a moment that the drone would willingly give up a treasure of this magnitude, and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s greed was beginning to get problematic. For now, he didn¡¯t have much of a choice. With a thought, he snuffed out the last embers of life inside the Eye. Moments later, a blast of crimson energy entered his body, ushering him to darkness.

 Chapter 120

    ¡°This is bad. It¡¯s like an ant zombie apocalypse.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s voice was quiet as he looked out at the forest, Garth could see him trembling. Even though Garth hid it better, he felt the same. A loud rustling was ever-present now, with foliage being crushed beneath tens of thousands of legs. The dark chitin of the ant swarm made the forest look to be in perpetual shadow. The mutated ants were the size of a wolf, each having small fungal stalks sticking out between their joints, adding to the unease of the sight.

    They shuffled around mindlessly, consuming and transporting anything they came across. A musty scent of decay and death followed them wherever they went, heralding their presence. They were slow-moving, but their territory steadily expanded. It was only a matter of time until they made it to Nierburg.

    Over the past weeks, his scouting parties had encountered a handful of the ants while they were out scouting the ruined cities dotting the landscape. Individually, they posed very little threat to the seasoned scouts that Garth deployed, but as time wore on, the sightings became more and more common. Just three days ago, he got the notice of the swarm.

    It was coming from Corwyn, and methodically making its way through the forest towards Nierburg. This was his first time setting eyes on it, and his hand instinctively drifted to the hilt of his sword. What can we do? Garth felt the weight of the eyes on him, his squad and advisors all waiting for him to set up their course of action.

    ¡°You know, you¡¯re all welcome to share your thoughts.¡±

    Garth¡¯s voice carried a note of annoyance. I¡¯m a soldier, dammit. I was never cut out for this crap. Still, like or not he understood that he was in a position of leadership now. At the end of the day, it would be his call to make. Thankfully, he had a good team to back him up. Joseph was the first to speak up.

    ¡°The ants should be in the forest for a while. We could get a team of Fire Mages and try to burn it down. That would probably kill off a lot of them, hopefully slow them, at least a bit.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s voice was shaky, but the look in his eyes was determined. The young man had grown a lot in their time together, and Garth was proud of him.

    ¡°The forest is the only thing slowing them down right now,¡± Mary Ellen countered, meeting Joseph¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I think we¡¯d be better off using this time to build more barricades; maybe we can work on lures to get the ants away entirely? If they don¡¯t come close to Nierburg, we won¡¯t have to fight them at all.¡±

    She was still an idealist, and while he appreciated the thought, he shook his head at the suggestion.

    ¡°There¡¯s too long until the evacuation. They¡¯ll get to us eventually, and we¡¯d get starved out.¡±

    One of the directors spoke up, Dr. Brock from Central Health.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be prudent to ask our would-be saviors to come and wipe out the ants? I¡¯m sure it would be within their capabilities.¡±

    ¡°I already reached out. They tell me they don¡¯t have the numbers to handle this on their own. They also made it clear that their assistance would come at a price, which has me concerned. It¡¯s an option, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good one, at least for now.¡±

    Dr. Brock bristled at the response.

    ¡°Surely they would find some value in the carcasses at least. Scans show the fungus mutated alongside the ants, it¡¯s a unique phenomenon!¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Not unique enough to make them want to deal with it, I¡¯m afraid. Parasitic organisms are generally frowned upon, it seems.¡±

    Dr. Brock grumbled something under his breath, and quiet settled over the group as eyes went back to the forest. A small voice broke the silence, Arianna sharing her thoughts.

    ¡°We won¡¯t win a direct conflict. If they get to the city in full force, I¡¯m pretty sure we lose. We also lose if we fight them out here in the open. We definitely lose if we fight them in the forest.¡±

    Garth raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Thanks for the encouraging words. Now if you don¡¯t have a suggestion, I¡¯d like to get back to the problem at hand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± she said. ¡°If I had to fight you, I¡¯d lose every time if I tried to take you head on. So I wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯d try to get a potshot off here and there, and disengage until you were injured enough to make a mistake.¡±

    She says that to the wrong person and she¡¯ll be in trouble, Garth mused. Still, a hell of an idea.

    ¡°You¡¯re a decade too green even to get that far, kid.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Our advantages are tactics, range, and mobility. So we use that as much as we possibly can. Any plan that involves us waiting to engage them directly means we lose. Strike out to weaken them. Grandpa calls it defanging the snake, in this case we¡¯ll just be defanging ants instead.¡±

    Garth paused at that and considered. There was merit to the idea of a more focused offensive campaign. It would be risky, but there was no option left to them that wasn¡¯t. Even if, by some miracle, the ant swarm didn¡¯t approach Nierburg, it would greatly increase the danger of anybody who set out to scavenge, to say nothing of trying to grow crops outside the walls.

    ¡°Bring me the Communication Array. I think we have the first stages of a plan.¡±

    The next several hours were spent coordinating logistics, forming teams, and preparing to execute the plan. They would start by implementing Joseph¡¯s plan, using a squadron of Fire Mages to start burning the forest in which most of the ants resided. There was a risk that there were still pockets of survivors inside, and there was no way to guarantee that they would get out. The odds that they would survive the systematic stripping of the forest by the fungus-infested ants was simply too low. Garth decided to green-light the plan anyway. It made him sick.

    Once the forest was well and truly ablaze, they would retreat to Nierburg, leaving Ranger squads along the perimeter. Their goal would be to pick off ants as they made a slower retreat towards the city, killing where they could and crippling where they couldn¡¯t. Central Defense was currently loading up convoys with ammunition and basic supplies, preparing the supply chain to support this consistent effort.

    The last line of defense would be at Nierburg itself, where the most powerful awakened would be waiting. Initially, Garth expected resistance from DeRosa and Reynolds. They had been helpful with logistics, though to this point they had stayed entirely uninvolved from anything even remotely related to defense. Now, it seemed they were willing to step up. That honestly gave Garth a great deal of comfort; Reynolds was likely more powerful than he was, and DeRosa assuredly was. Each of them would be a major boost to combat power, saying nothing about the full might of Central Defense¡¯s awakened being brought to bear.

    Even unawakened citizens with combat training would be able to help, and many of the survivors of Duilleag and Albaum volunteered to help with triage and other basic logistics. Satisfied that everything was in motion, he walked up to Joseph.

    ¡°The Fire Mage squadron is on its way. You¡¯ll be dealing the first strike, are you ready for it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The young man¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave the shadowed forest, darker than usual as the sun was setting.

    ¡°Get some rest, Joseph. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    ¡°Can I ask you a question, sir?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think we can do this? Do you really think we¡¯ll win?¡±

    Garth drew in a deep breath before responding.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Joseph. This is a threat unlike anything else we¡¯ve run into before. What I do know is that failure isn¡¯t an option. So one way or another, I¡¯m not going to stop fighting until we either turn back the swarm, or I¡¯m dead. Too many people are counting on us to do anything else.¡±

    Joseph shivered for a moment, then turned away from the forest to meet Garth¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re really okay with dying? I¡­ I want to think I am, sir, but when I really think about it, it scares me.¡±

    ¡°If it didn¡¯t scare you, you¡¯d be an idiot. You¡¯re young, Joseph. You¡¯ve got a lot of life ahead of you. That¡¯s what I want to protect. Your future, and everyone else¡¯s. Find your ¡®why¡¯ and the idea of dying isn¡¯t as bad. Now go, get your rest. You¡¯ve got a big morning ahead of you.¡±

    Joseph nodded and walked away, then paused and turned back.

    ¡°You have a future too, sir. I hope you know that.¡±

    Garth thought about his old squad, his friends crushed under a collapsed building. He thought about Crystal, dead against a tree. When he spoke, his voice was flat.

    ¡°Have a good night, Joseph.¡±

 Chapter 121

    Kyle felt a sense of calm this time as he entered the strange space between. Instead of the raging storm that had been the Endless, an existence fueled by consumption and conflict, he found himself growing in concert with the pseudo-world tree. As it grew and drew mana from the earth, in turn Kyle drew mana from the tree. A token was found, a small seed that was drawn in as soon as it was touched. It allowed the creature to hear a sorrowful song, of growth, rot, and death from the tree, only for hopeful notes to punctuate the end, before beginning again. Kyle, the Eye, loved the tree. Many others came to attempt and lay claim to the treasure, they were all drowned in a storm of dust and wind. The existence was a peaceful, contemplative one.

    That is, until the metallic birds attacked. The equilibrium was broken, the environment was destroyed, and the sad song began to make sense. No matter what, there was no coming back for the forest. The tree had grown too quickly, drawn too much energy. The little seed seemed to understand that, on some level. The fight began, and there was no hope for victory. Kyle felt the searing pain in the wings as they were destroyed, and then it was just the Eye and Kyle.

    It hated him, that much was clear, but there was something else beneath the surface. After the massive attack, Kyle could almost feel a sense of approval from the creature. The seed was passed on, followed by the creature¡¯s consciousness. Kyle was once again alone in the space, enjoying a moment of respite before the attention of the presence bore down on him.

    AMUSING, LITTLE LARVA. ONCE AGAIN YOU SURPASS EXPECTATIONS.

    I¡¯ve taken out two of the four, I should be the frontrunner at this point. Kyle chose to keep the thoughts to himself, not wanting to antagonize the creature, whatever it was. Instead, he asked a question he¡¯d been holding on to.

    ¡°When you last spoke, you mentioned an ¡®administrator.¡¯ Who are they? How are they connected to all of this?¡±

    THEY ARE, YET THEY ARE NOT. YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSING MUCH MORE ON YOURSELF, LITTLE LARVA. HAD YOU FACED EITHER OF THE TWO ALONE, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN PREY. DO NOT LET FAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES BREED ARROGANCE.

    Kyle mentally kicked himself as he remembered the presence¡¯s uncanny ability to sense his thoughts in this space. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to leave an opportunity to ask another question.

    ¡°What is the purpose to all of this? You have to know that the world is dying, and it¡¯s your fault. There¡¯s no point if we¡¯re all going to die anyway.¡±

    DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THERE CAN BE NO PURPOSE IN DEATH? NOTHING LEARNED? NOTHING CHANGED?

    Memories with his grandfather bubbled to the forefront of his mind, images playing around him in the strange space. He found himself watching them, a fond smile growing on his face. You¡¯ve got me there. Neither Kyle nor the presence spoke again, and moments later the vision ended.

    Kyle awoke with a splitting headache. The first thing he noticed was that his armor had been removed. The second thing he noticed was that C.H.A.D.D. was nowhere to be found. He was in a small tent, and he looked around frantically. He saw his gear resting in one corner of the room, and that he¡¯d been cleaned up. Tossing on a fresh set of clothes, Kyle exited the tent.

    As suspected, he had been taken back to the base camp. Kyle winced as he took in the bright light, his headache not abating in the slightest. Instantly, ADAPTIVE REGENERATION activated, causing him to jump in surprise. There was no effort, no push to activate the skill. It just¡­ happened. Ordinarily, this would be worth stopping everything to investigate. After his encounter with the Eye? Essence shenanigans. C.H.A.D.D. could confirm, but he was confident in his guess.

    Walking through the camp, it was suspiciously quiet until he turned a corner towards the mess tent. Twenty or so men and women were gathered around a table, all staring at a projected image of him¡­ twirling.

    [AND THEN DR. MAYHEW ¨C THE ONYX WARRIOR ¨C SAT ON THE GROUND AND LOOKED AT TREES FOR ALMOST AN HOUR. WE CAN SKIP THAT PART, IT WAS QUITE BORING. LET ME SHOW YOU HIS FIGHT WITH THE MANTIS AGAIN. OH, THERE HE IS NOW.]

    The C.H.A.D.D.pack was resting on a chair near the middle of the group, and at the drone¡¯s words all eyes turned to him. The looks of astonishment on their faces made him worry he¡¯d put on his shirt wrong, but a quick check disproved the theory. People made way for him to approach the pack, and he recognized the group he¡¯d saved from the cloud of toxic scales.

    Before addressing the elephant in the room, he decided to check on them and see if he could break the ice.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°How are you all feeling?¡±

    ¡°Still some numbness in the fingers from time to time, though that¡¯s a hell of a lot better than it could have been. Thank you, Onyx Warrior.¡±

    He stopped in his tracks, and glared at the pack.

    ¡°No. Nope. Stop that. You are not giving me a name like that. C.H.A.D.D., I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to, or what you told these people, but we are setting the record straight.¡±

    Kyle turned to the group.

    ¡°I¡¯m just Kyle. You can call me Dr. Mayhew if you choose. That¡¯s it. Now, if it¡¯s not too much trouble, I¡¯m starving.¡±

    After piling vegetable-filled pancakes on a tray, he sat in a quickly-vacated seat next to the C.H.A.D.D.pack. A soft voice popped up from one of the men in the group.

    ¡°Can you show us the fight with the mantis? I heard it was really something to watch.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s headache intensified.

    ¡°What do you mean, you ¡®heard it was really something?¡¯ How long was I out?¡±

    [APPROXIMATELY THREE DAYS, DR. MAYHEW. IT WAS QUITE BORING WAITING IN THE TENT, SO I OFFERED TO HELP THE EXPEDITION.]

    Three days. That¡¯s concerning.

    ¡°And how long did you wait before offering?¡±

    [SIX HOURS AND THIRTEEN MINUTES.]

    Kyle rubbed his eyes with his palms.

    ¡°And how long did you wait before showing videos and making up ridiculous names for me?¡±

    [I DIDN¡¯T MAKE UP THE TITLE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°How long, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [OH LOOK, CAPTAIN ROCHELLE IS COMING. HELLO, CAPTAIN ROCHELLE!]

    Glaring at the drone one more time, Kyle then turned to see Rochelle approaching. She was in her combat uniform; daggers present on her hip and a wolfish grin on her face.

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the Onyx Warrior. Nice of you to wake up from your nap to grace us with your presence.¡±

    The gathered expedition members stifled chuckles, though the ones nearest to Kyle did shy away a bit, trying not to show their amusement.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±

    Rochelle snorted.

    ¡°It¡¯s either the Onyx Warrior or Sleeping Beauty. Thank your pal for that. Either way, finish up your meal and pop by the command tent. We have some business to discuss.¡±

    With a playful glint in her eye, she turned and walked away. Kyle¡¯s glare silenced the men and women around him, who all found excuses to wrap up their meals and get back to work, leaving Kyle alone with C.H.A.D.D. and a plate of pancakes.

    ¡°What are you doing, C.H.A.D.D.? We agreed you¡¯d keep a low profile, and you pull a stunt like this?¡±

    The anger in his voice surprised him, but he didn¡¯t back down from it. The drone had put both of them at risk.

    [I WANTED TO SEE THE TREE AGAIN WHILE THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR TREASURES.]

    Kyle paused. That was a much more well-reasoned take than he¡¯d expected.

    ¡°Why did you want to see the tree?¡±

    [I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER SEEDS. I WAS ALSO HELPFUL IN DETECTING THE OTHER TREASURES INSIDE THE TREE. CAPTAIN ROCHELLE WAS MOST PLEASED.]

    ¡°So there were more seeds?¡±

    [NO, HOWEVER THERE WERE A WIDE VARIETY OF OTHER TREASURES.]

    Kyle felt a knot of worry in his stomach.

    ¡°Does the expedition know that the other treasures aren¡¯t seeds?¡±

    [I CANNOT CONFIRM WHAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY DISCOVERED.]

    ¡°Dammit, C.H.A.D.D. This is dangerous.¡±

    [I AM AWARE, DR. MAYHEW. FINISH YOUR MEAL. CAPTAIN ROCHELLE IS WAITING FOR US.]

    Kyle wanted to say more; however, he knew that delaying longer than necessary would likely build suspicion. He finished up the savory pancakes in a quick few bites, the wonderful flavors washed out by the apprehension he carried. If C.H.A.D.D. had let too much slip, or caused Corthian Mining to grow concerned, they could be in trouble. While he was still shaky on the rules surrounding AI in the broader universe, he was certain C.H.A.D.D. was well and truly in a grey area, if not beyond.

    Making their way to the command tent, Kyle was greeted by a smirk from Rochelle.

    ¡°Onyx Warrior, huh?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, blame C.H.A.D.D. I was unconscious.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, I HEARD ONE OF THE OTHERS REFER TO YOU AS SUCH. I MERELY PICKED IT UP.]

    Kyle scowled.

    ¡°And passed it on, and added it to movies apparently.¡±

    [TECHNICALLY, DR. MAYHEW THEY WEREN¡¯T ¨C ]

    ¡°Get back on track, both of you.¡±

    Rochelle¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t raised, but it carried with it the hallmark of authority. Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. stopped speaking, turning their attention to the middle of the room.

    ¡°First, it¡¯s hilarious. Second, your little drone might have changed the outcome of your people, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    Rochelle gestured to the table in the middle of the tent, and a leger projected from it.

    ¡°We¡¯re still categorizing it all, but as things stand, we acquired nearly thirty unique treasures from the tree, and after processing more of the lumber we¡¯ll have significantly more. Beyond that, we have twelve strong candidates for world tree seeds.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyes were still scanning the ledger as he tried to catch his breath. The values attributed to each were massive. Rochelle narrowed the display down to only show the twelve items, each of which carried the largest value by a factor of twenty.

    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t succeed in sprouting a true world tree, each of these will fetch an enormous price at auction. Depending on how the other items sell, your contribution may well get your people out of the slums.¡±

    Rochelle¡¯s warm smile faltered a bit as she met his eyes.

    ¡°Chester was particularly impressed. You¡¯ll be shipping out soon, a shuttle was en route when he got news you were awake. He¡¯s hoping that C.H.A.D.D. will be able to replicate this success. The two of you are about to get very, very busy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be excited or terrified.¡±

    ¡°Probably both. Be careful out there, Kyle. You¡¯re a good man. Don¡¯t let that get you killed.¡±

    Before he could respond, she grabbed him and pulled him in for a kiss. Kyle stiffened at first, but soon returned it. The moment was fleeting, and soon she leaned back, a glint in her grey eyes.

    ¡°Now get moving. And C.H.A.D.D., I don¡¯t want to hear a word out of you.¡±

    [UNDERSTOOD, CAPTAIN ROCHELLE.]

 Chapter 122

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. said their farewells to the rest of the crew as they boarded the shuttle back to the flagship. Other than themselves and the pilot, there were only three others aboard. They were responsible for delivering the most valuable natural resources to the Corthian Mining scientists, and didn¡¯t seem particularly chatty. Kyle stole a quick glance at the dozen seeds before settling in. They were each the size of a volleyball, with a gentle golden glow. He could feel the mana pouring off of them, and there was no doubt at all that they were inferior to the seed that he and C.H.A.D.D. had acquired.

    A glare from the people responsible for the treasures turned Kyle¡¯s attention to the window, and with nothing better to do he decided to enter meditation. He knew that he had levels from defeating the Eye, and wanted to see what change spurred the lingering headache. With a slow exhale, Kyle focused on his center.

    KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 28 (D)

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 5/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE

    VITALITY: 525

    ENDURANCE: 609

    STRENGTH: 187

    DEXTERITY: 380

    WILLPOWER: 779

    INTELLIGENCE: 779

    PERCEPTION: 662

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 144

    Eight levels¡­ The progression was incredible. His encounters with the powerful creatures had certainly pushed him. More than that, however, was the affirmation of his path. It had really started to crystallize for him during the struggle against the Eye¡¯s last empowered attack. He was a survivor. The Kyle who was a victim to his circumstances was well and truly gone at this point, which served as a point of pride, along with a tinge of sorrow. What¡¯s more, he was quickly approaching Level 35, where he¡¯d unlock his second D Grade skill.

    The next thing he focused on was the fifth change to his Adaptive Anatomy. At this point, he was growing eager to see what would happen if he was able to unlock all of his attributes. It would make sense for there to be one upgrade for each, but what if there were more? Either way, Kyle felt confident that this was the cause of his headache. If it was anything like the Auric Perception change, it would persist for a little while as he got acclimated to it.

    Finally, Kyle turned his attention to the free points he¡¯d accumulated. The investment in Willpower and Intelligence had been instrumental in his ability to continue refining the use of his skills, however he was beginning to grow concerned that his Strength and Dexterity were falling too far behind. Specialization was good, but at this point he felt that shoring up the weaknesses would offer a benefit. Ending his deliberations, he invested 22 points into both Intelligence and Perception, put 65 points into Dexterity, and the remaining 35 into Strength.

    Exiting meditation, Kyle looked out the thick window to see the flagship growing ever-closer. He hefted the C.H.A.D.D.pack as he departed, waving a greeting at the trio waiting for him in the hangar bay.

    ¡°I heard you beat a pretty strong creature. Do you want to spar?¡±

    Skippy was doing his best to keep the excitement out of his expression, though the quick tapping of his foot gave him away.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a meeting with Chester, otherwise I would.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can cancel the meeting.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll let that slide, Skippy. Besides, I have business with Chester, too.¡±

    Benjamin¡¯s voice was calm and reasonable, which seemed to annoy the Skrell more than anything else. Duroc, for his part, just seemed happy to be involved.

    The three of them walked and talked, making good time through the ship. C.H.A.D.D. was regaling them with stories of the ¡®Onyx Warrior,¡¯ much to Kyle¡¯s chagrin and Benjamin¡¯s laughter. As they turned the final corner to approach Chester¡¯s office, Kyle stopped and looked at the trio with a serious expression.

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    ¡°You didn¡¯t run into me by accident, and you¡¯re tagging along for a reason. I¡¯m not going to ask you to change your plans, but can you at least give me a quick heads up on what you¡¯re planning?¡±

    Benjamin smiled broadly, his impossibly white teeth nearly blinding.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back down there! You¡¯ve proven you can handle the creatures on your planet. No offense; Skippy and Duroc can both handle you. So it only makes sense that I¡¯d get an opportunity to see more of what your planet has to offer.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to go for it. Neither is your great-grandmother.¡±

    The smile turned wicked, Benjamin¡¯s eyes almost sharpening in the light.

    ¡°Neither of them have to, Kyle. If the reports of the riches from your last destination are even halfway accurate, there¡¯s no way they¡¯re going to leave the system until it¡¯s mined clean. Which means they can¡¯t threaten to turn around and drop me off.¡±

    ¡°Skippy and Duroc could still put you on house arrest though, couldn¡¯t they? You¡¯re right they can handle me, which means they can handle you pretty easily too.¡±

    ¡°We could, but we won¡¯t.¡±

    Skippy was the one smiling now, sharp teeth forming a crescent moon in his face.

    ¡°Our contracts have some flexibility in their language, and she won¡¯t be able to fix it until we get back into Collective Space. As long as we¡¯re around to protect him, we should be in the clear.¡±

    Duroc nodded in agreement.

    ¡°It also gets kinda boring up here. It¡¯d be nice to walk around a bit planetside.¡±

    ¡°If the four of you are quite finished, I¡¯ve been waiting in my office for the past half hour.¡±

    Chester¡¯s voice was sharp as a whip, cracking the air and grabbing their attention.

    ¡°And before any of you try to make up a story, I¡¯ve heard pretty much everything. Mr. Corthus, if you insist on this course of action I¡¯ll have you sign an indemnification. It won¡¯t mean much to your great-grandmother, but it will at least keep my record intact.¡±

    The smile was gone, and calculating eyes surveyed Chester.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sign one, on the condition that you keep Kyle here assigned as additional protection. With appropriate compensation, of course.¡±

    ¡°Done. Now, may we proceed? My calendar is too busy to go back and forth with you on this.¡±

    Benjamin nodded, and they all made their way into Chester¡¯s office. Sitting around the table, Chester brought up a projection, the familiar map of Earth.

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew, you and your drone have proved to be uniquely talented at locating natural treasures, as well as neutralizing the threats that surround them.¡±

    He zoomed in on an area in Japan, where the readings indicated a high concentration of ambient mana.

    ¡°This will be our next target. Scouting teams have already been through, and haven¡¯t encountered particularly powerful resistance. The ambient mana in the area has proven to be much more dangerous, however, due to its proximity to the epicenter.¡±

    He tossed a pointed look towards Benjamin before continuing.

    ¡°While it¡¯s quite possible that the D Grade creature still inhabits the area, it hasn¡¯t made any moves at this point. There¡¯s a chance it¡¯s a more passive type. Your role will be to scout the area, use your drone to flag notable resources, and then leave.¡±

    Kyle thought about the two remaining creatures. The man-sized crustacean was near a rocky beach, which left the spider wreathed in shadow.

    ¡°If my hunch is right, the D Grade near this area is definitely a predator.¡±

    ¡°Then hopefully it tries to hunt you and meets the same fate as the others.¡±

    Kyle turned to Benjamin.

    ¡°How do you feel about this? You¡¯re going to be in danger if you insist on coming along.¡±

    He expected Benjamin to have an easygoing smile, surprised instead to see an expression of serious contemplation.

    ¡°I appreciate the risks, Kyle. I still want to go. Sitting on the ship for months while everybody else gets a chance to see a new world hasn¡¯t sat well with me. There¡¯s no point in getting away from safe Collective space if that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to do.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve asked you to sit on the ship because work isn¡¯t glamorous, Mr. Corthus. Survey work in particular.¡±

    ¡°Either way, I¡¯m going.¡±

    Chester gave a curt nod.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no point in continuing the discussion. You have the afternoon; the shuttle will leave first thing in the morning. We have several camps set up around the perimeter of the area.¡±

    His attention focused intently on Kyle.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get a full briefing, but do know that we have a particular interest in agricultural treasures and resources. While you won¡¯t find anything like the pseudo-world tree, anything else would be of great interest.¡±

    Leaving the room, Skippy was practically bouncing off the walls. He doesn¡¯t do well sitting down, Kyle mused. As if reading his mind, he turned to Kyle just after exiting the hallway leading to the office.

    ¡°So there¡¯s time for us to spar. I¡¯ll get it set up.¡±

    Kyle was about to protest, before Duroc spoke.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea,¡± the orc squealed. ¡°I¡¯ll join too. It¡¯s a good way for us to practice working together.¡±

    ¡°I was actually going to ¨C¡°

    It was too late. Skippy had already turned the corner towards the training area, and Benjamin let out a deep belly laugh.

    ¡°He¡¯s been looking forward to this for a while, I¡¯m afraid. Don¡¯t worry, I actually have an idea to keep the sparring fresh.¡±

    The three of them followed Skippy to the sparring arena, finally catching up to see the skrell arguing with a very frazzled employee.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but there¡¯s a schedule. I can¡¯t get you in until tomorrow morning.¡±

    Benjamin strode up, brimming with confidence to join the discussion. Duroc followed, leaving Kyle to admire the training facility. It really was unique, and Kyle spent some time examining different equipment until the trio returned. Benjamin seemed the happiest, while Skippy had a scowl on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯ll start in an hour while they get things ready, this session will be a little different than last time.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re not just sparring. You¡¯ll also be protecting me.¡±

 Chapter 123

    Kyle stretched as he looked across the flat surface of the arena. He, Duroc, and Skippy each stood at different points, roughly equidistant from each other. Behind each of them floated a combat dummy, nearly two meters tall and heavily padded. An impressive amount of mana flowed through the materials, and Kyle expected that they would be difficult for any E Grade to damage, even for Warrior types. Unfortunately for the dummies, both of Kyle¡¯s opponents possessed the raw strength to blow them apart with power to spare.

    He shook his head as he considered the sparring session. Benjamin had explained the goal here was to get all of them to think differently, and open up holes in their fighting styles that they could learn from when protecting him in the field. While Kyle could appreciate the thought, he also knew that the exercise would be heavily slanted in favor of Duroc. Compared to Skippy and Kyle, the orc had a much better balance of offense and defense, as well as significantly more combat experience.

    Kyle knew that, and assumed Skippy did as well.

    Given the skrell¡¯s ability to keep up with Kyle and obsession with breaking STORM SHELTER, he expected that Skippy would move directly towards him out of the gate. That put Kyle in an uncomfortable position. While he could hold out by using his defensive skill, he would also be unable to move. Either Duroc would hang back and wait for the war of attrition to end, or he would join the fray.

    If the orc waited, he¡¯d be up against an exhausted opponent that he could easily beat. If he showed up to fight, Skippy could escape and leave a tired Kyle to deal with the mighty orc. Neither set of circumstances ended well for him.

    Before Kyle had a chance to finish evaluating, a loud buzzer sounded across the arena. As expected, Skippy left his dummy in the dust as he dashed towards Kyle. Without thinking, HASTE activated and the Survivalist moved. Grabbing his own dummy in his arms, he took the one course of action he felt could effectively disrupt the flow of combat. He sprinted directly towards Duroc.

    If the porcine alien was bothered, he didn¡¯t show it. He took his stance calmly, raised his tower shield, and leveled his spear. Duroc made a lazy thrust towards Kyle, and just as Kyle was about to dodge, he felt a massive weight bearing down on him. While it wasn¡¯t unexpected, it was still disorienting. Neither Auric Perception nor C.H.A.D.D. had been able to offer any warning before the ability took effect, speaking to the sheer control the orc had over its mana.

    Still, Kyle wasn¡¯t out of the fight. Using his baton, he slapped the spear¡¯s tip to the side, diverting it just enough to scrape past his armor. At the same time, PARASITIC RESONANCE was activated, and a tendril connected to Duroc. With an effort of Willpower, Kyle focused on disrupting the mana forming the enhanced gravity. A moment later the skill was released and he was free to move as before.

    If it were just the two of them, it likely wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Duroc. He specialized in defending against and pinning down more mobile fighters, after all. Unfortunately for the orc, Skippy¡¯s presence complicated things. Seeing an opportunity, the skrell was hot in pursuit and making a beeline directly towards Duroc¡¯s dummy. Duroc was forced to turn his attention away from Kyle and towards the flaming grey form. Skippy slowed as he was impacted by Duroc¡¯s gravity spell, but was still able to deftly dodge a swipe with the spear¡¯s edge.

    Kyle thought he would have a moment to rest, until C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning. Focusing his Auric Perception, Kyle felt the power building up in Duroc¡¯s shield. A moment later, the orc spun and unleashed a silvery blast of energy right in his direction. The shockwave was massive, and even if Kyle could dodge, he wasn¡¯t sure if his Benjamin dummy would get by unscathed. Not seeing another option, he activated STORM SHELTER.

    An orange barrier met the blast of energy head on, and it sounded like a bomb went off. A cloud of dust obscured the arena, though the sounds of combat could still be heard through the barrier. Deactivating the skill, Kyle grabbed his dummy and retreated, trying to get some distance between himself and the other D Grades. As the dust cleared, he saw Skippy and Duroc engaged in a pitched battle, with neither able to gain a real advantage. Skippy¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t find much purchase against the shield or armor, and Duroc wasn¡¯t able to land any decisive blows. Kyle knew that there was a cooldown period for the shield blast, and knew that this would be the best window to take the advantage.

    Looking at the position of the combatants, the target became clear. Duroc had his dummy positioned almost directly behind him, shielding it with his bulk. Skippy, on the other hand, left his quite a distance away as he attacked his opponent. Kyle dashed towards the skrell¡¯s dummy, baton in his right hand as he carried his own dummy over his left shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

    Skippy disengaged with Duroc and turned to intercept, but the orc was one step ahead. The hair on the back of Kyle¡¯s neck stood up as he felt the wave of mana go out from the piggish warrior. Skippy was slammed into the ground by the onslaught of massive gravitational pressure, and even from a distance Kyle could feel the lingering effects as each step took more out of him. Maybe that¡¯s why Skippy left the dummy so far behind. If he¡¯d brought it much closer, it could have been caught up in the blast, easily destroying it.

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    The skrell managed to stand, but it was too late. Kyle arrived, and with three quick strikes the dummy flashed red. Skippy was disqualified from the fight.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to try out my new skill!¡±

    The skrell¡¯s complaints continued to mount as he strode off to the perimeter of the arena. Just before exiting, he called out to Kyle, ¡°Don¡¯t think this means you¡¯re off the hook! We¡¯ll get another sparring session soon!¡±

    Kyle grimaced at that, not eager to get beaten up by the grey alien again. For now though, he refocused his attention on Duroc. He expected to see the orc at least breathing heavily after the technique he used on Skippy, but instead he looked as calm as a mountain lake. Holding his stance, Duroc advanced. The spear was held high, tip slanted down, while the tower shield was held in front, obscuring all but the top of Duroc¡¯s head. The dummy floated slowly behind the orc, which reminded Kyle of Skippy¡¯s decision. He dashed backwards to deposit his own dummy before returning, realizing now that he had to keep the pressure on.

    If he tried to play it defensively, Duroc would walk up and squish his dummy with the gravity attack. He wasn¡¯t sure if STORM SHELTER would be able to block out those types of effects, and he¡¯d rather not bank on it unless he had no other choice. When only a dozen meters remained between the two combatants, they stopped. Duroc spoke first.

    ¡°That was a good move back there. Skippy always gets a little too focused.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I have to say, you¡¯re incredible. I know how powerful Skippy¡¯s punches are, and you take them like they¡¯re nothing.¡±

    Duroc snorted. ¡°Comes with the territory. Where I come from things hit a lot harder. I¡¯ll have to show you sometime when this assignment is over. Food kinda sucks though.¡±

    Kyle couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the exchange. He knew by now that the shield blast ability was available for use again, and that delaying much more wouldn¡¯t do him any good.

    ¡°Should we get to it, Duroc?¡±

    ¡°I guess we should.¡±

    Kyle exploded into motion with HASTE active, tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE reaching out to connect to the orc. He could have had C.H.A.D.D. try to bind his opponent up with some vines, but decided against it. It could be explained away that he¡¯d just found some unique plants when he¡¯d saved the others ¨C after all, they were in a forest near a pseudo-world tree ¨C however that became much harder to defend if he showed that ability repeatedly. The last thing he wanted was Corthian Mining becoming any more interested in C.H.A.D.D.

    Kyle¡¯s plan was to stay close and turn it into a battle of attrition, syphoning off Duroc¡¯s mana reserves and disrupting skills as they fought. That would play to his strengths, while hopefully carving out opportunities to attack the dummy directly. Duroc had other plans. He seemed to remember Kyle¡¯s ability to stop his abilities, so instead he focused almost entirely on offense. Sweeping attacks and thrusts kept coming at Kyle, forcing him almost entirely on the defensive.

    That¡¯s when Kyle realized one of the major flaws in his fighting style, particularly in sparring situations. His offensive application of RESONANCE was completely off the table. He wasn¡¯t going to cause major internal damage to his sparring partner to win a match. With Duroc avoiding using any of his skills, it was simply a match of martial prowess. A match that was painfully one-sided.

    Even with HASTE running, Duroc seemed to have no issues keeping pace. What the hell kind of attributes does he have? Powerful mana control, great physical attributes, and top-notch combat skills. Kyle was facing a true master. While he had little confidence in his ability to win, he was at least going to learn as much as he could from the experience. C.H.A.D.D. proved invaluable as they fought, flashing warnings as attacks came from outside his field of vision and signaling changes in the orc¡¯s footwork.

    Kyle put up an admirable fight, blocking and parrying attacks as he tried to find an opening. There! Duroc committed to a thrust too far, and Kyle pounced on the opportunity. He closed the gap and quickly got inside the orc¡¯s guard, only realizing as he did so what a colossal mistake he¡¯d made. In his focus on learning and avoiding, he¡¯d lost sight of the fact that his opponent was a meter taller and likely a ton heaver than he was. Duroc had not forgotten those facts, dropping the spear and grabbing Kyle in a meaty hand. With a spin, he hurled Kyle and the attached C.H.A.D.D. towards the other side of the arena, PARASITIC RESONANCE disconnecting as they landed out of range.

    Silvery energy gathered around the shield, and before Kyle could do anything a shockwave ripped through the arena towards his dummy, blasting it into the wall as it let out a red light. Duroc was the winner. Kyle picked himself up from the ground and dusted himself off. He wasn¡¯t upset that he lost, though he was sour at himself for making such a rookie mistake. Kyle had gotten so swept in the flow of the fight he¡¯d lost sight of the objective. While a real life-and-death battle would have ended differently, it was still disappointing.

    Duroc walked over and patted Kyle¡¯s shoulder, nearly knocking him over.

    ¡°It was a good round. You did better than I thought you would.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have closed in on you, it was a stupid decision.¡±

    ¡°Not your brightest move. It¡¯s easy to tell you¡¯ve only really trained against other humans. And monsters, I guess. A little more experience with other species and I think you¡¯ll be just fine.¡±

    Kyle smiled at him, though it felt forced.

    ¡°Thanks, Duroc. I still have a long way to go.¡±

    ¡°No doubt. Keep working at it; you¡¯ll get there with time.¡±

    The two of them exited the arena, Kyle still feeling ashamed by his performance. That washed away somewhat as the whoops and hollers from the gathered crowd reached him. Affirmations, cheers, and laughter filled the training area. He saw Skippy standing next to Benjamin, arms crossed and one foot furiously thumping on the ground.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time you got done. Mayhew, it¡¯s you and me. I¡¯m getting my damn match against your shield.¡±

    Benjamin chuckled.

    ¡°If only we had the time. We¡¯re heading back planetside in fourteen hours. Good work today, all of you. Get the rest you need, because I have a feeling things are going to become eventful.¡±

 Chapter 124

    Kyle yawned as the shuttle approached the touchdown zone, in what used to be Japan.  He stayed up far too late reviewing the footage of the sparring match, courtesy of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners.  Kyle had to admit, the drone was right about D Grades being difficult to scan through.  With the three of them all fighting at once, it was difficult to make out some of the finer details at times.  The combat situations showed Kyle something he¡¯d already known, but not confronted.  He didn¡¯t have the trappings of a true melee fighter.

    When he¡¯d been practicing the basics of infighting with Garth and Frank, his attributes had been such that he was a threat.  Now, against monsters like Duroc and Skippy, that was no longer the case.  Putting aside the use of PARASITIC RESONANCE, he didn¡¯t have the tools to offer a meaningful offense.  Exoskeletal Strength helped a bit, though its utility truly shone when applying force over time rather than a quick exchange of blows.

    It was painful to admit that when he fought in melee, typically he was punching down.  Unawakened, weaker insects, or awakened at significantly lower levels just weren¡¯t challenges on their own.  Against D Grades like the Endless and the Eye, he always had to count on the Willpower attack offered by RESONANCE or its upgrade.

    Practically, that meant that outside of life-or-death struggles, Kyle couldn¡¯t realistically fight at his full potential.  The way he and C.H.A.D.D. had theorized it, his best tactic would be to connect to an enemy with PARASITIC RESONANCE, stay out of range as effectively as possible, and disrupt any skills that his opponents try to use.  It wouldn¡¯t work well if he had to protect somebody, but to save his own hide it felt like a very reasonable plan.

    Another issue that he ran into was the world tree seed. Kyle felt its presence, and could even connect with it via PARASITIC RESONANCE.  Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t influence the energy within a single iota.  Supplying mana to grow other seeds was beginning to become second nature, but this one was something else entirely.  Even with C.H.A.D.D. actively studying and learning from it, they had made no progress at this point getting the seed to react to their wishes.  Instead, every time Kyle connected to it, the seed seemed to draw mana from him through the connection.  While he allowed it for now, the reality was that there was no easy-to-see application for the seed at this point.

    That led Kyle to the biggest challenge ahead ¨C how did he want to continue to refine his abilities?  With only seven levels between him and his next D Grade skill, and twelve before his next upgrade, he would be confronted with some interesting opportunities.  His previous goal was a clear one ¨C overcome his range deficiency with RESONANCE.  Now, Kyle considered more seriously which of his other skills he wanted to improve.  He had no idea what sort of skill offerings he¡¯d get at Level 35, though he was hoping for something more to round out his offensive toolkit.  While he wouldn¡¯t trade STORM SHELTER for anything, the MULTITOOL skill he passed up would be more than welcome now.

    His attention was brought back to the present as he saw a bustle of activity, men and women carrying various pieces of equipment out of the freshly landed shuttle.  He saw Skippy, Duroc, and Benjamin, and offered a wave as a he stood to greet them.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure this is a good idea, Benjamin?  It could be dangerous out here.¡±

    ¡°After seeing Duroc¡¯s performance yesterday, I¡¯m more confident than ever!  I¡¯ve been cooped up inside for too long, we¡¯ve already mapped out an excursion to a site with some ruins.  I¡¯d invite you to join, but I think Chester has other plans.¡±

    Kyle nodded, already aware of his assignment.  Kyle wasn¡¯t thrilled by the increased attention he and the drone had received, though at this point the best he could do is damage control.  They¡¯d be on the back of a small ATV, mapping out locations of any anomalies that he, or more accurately C.H.A.D.D., could pick up.  Depending on what they found, they would either help secure the treasures or assist in dealing with local fauna.

    Bidding their farewells, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had their first meaningful chance to gather their bearings.  The once well-manicured forest of bamboo had become overgrown, with a nearly endless sea of green stalks stretching into the sky.  A gentle and consistent breeze blew through the area, and the soft rattling of the bamboo stalks was hauntingly beautiful.  Kyle was so wrapped up in listening to the sound and watching the swaying tops of the stalks that he didn¡¯t notice the man standing to his side until he awkwardly coughed.  Kyle jumped at the sound, then turned to him.

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    ¡°Do you have the transport ready to go already?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually the problem, sir.¡±  The man¡¯s voice was shaky, and he absently reached an arm up to rub the back of his neck.

    ¡°This foliage is too thick for our vehicles to drive through.  And when we cut a path, it starts regrowing in seconds.  We¡¯ll need to shift our approach.¡±

    ¡°It grows that fast?¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s something else to watch.  Gonna be a real pain to try and get clear.  Don¡¯t think Chester will let us burn it down, neither.¡±

    That was something for which Kyle was thankful.  He¡¯d never seen anything like this forest before, and he didn¡¯t want to see it get burned down.

    ¡°I can still make my way through.  I¡¯ll go on with C.H.A.D.D. and we¡¯ll tag what we can, then come back to the camp.¡±

    ¡°Sir, the foreman wanted you to have at least a few expedition members along with you to assist ¨C¡°

    Kyle cut him off.  ¡°Plans need to be adaptable.  This will be easy enough for us to handle.  We should be back soon, or in touch about anything dangerous we find.¡±

    Not giving the man any further opportunity to object, Kyle turned and started working his way through the bamboo forest.  Once he was clear of the camp, he let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been holding.  The reality was that working with the mining expedition had become stressful.  Benjamin, Chester, they all had their own motivations, and he and C.H.A.D.D. were pawns for both.  Worse still, Kyle knew he¡¯d lose to both when it came to political scheming.  This was much more up his alley ¨C enjoying the cool breeze as he explored the unknown.

    Before he got too far, Kyle wanted to see if the claims about the bamboo were true.  Fortunately, that was an endeavor that didn¡¯t take long.  He could see some of the smaller stalks growing at a visible rate, and out of curiosity reached out to touch one.  The stalk was surprisingly hard, and as he looked at the other stalks around, he had a thought.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can your scans tell you about the bamboo?¡±

    [IT IS SIMILAR TO THE TREES AT THE FIRST RAINFOREST, DR. MAYHEW.  NOT ONLY IS IT GROWING RAPIDLY, IT IS HEAVILY INFUSED WITH MANA, AND THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE OF THE STALKS IS BEING WORN AWAY AT A RAPID PACE.]

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m guessing that new shoots are replacing the old ones that die?¡±

    [THAT IS A STRONG PROBABILITY, DR. MAYHEW.  THOUGH I CANNOT CONFIRM WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY.]

    ¡°Your little plant encyclopedia doesn¡¯t have an easy answer for you?¡±

    [IT ALMOST CERTAINLY DOES, DR. MAYHEW.  UNFORTUNATELY IT WILL BE QUITE SOME TIME BEFORE I¡¯VE APPROPRIATELY SORTED AND ARCHIVED THE DATA.]

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a heck of a project ahead of you, C.H.A.D.D.  Regardless, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need the seed to tell me that this bamboo has potential as a crafting material.¡±

    While the powerful chitin from the Wall was still serving as great armor, between the damage from Valentine and the other challenging encounters, it was getting worse for the wear.  He¡¯d known it would need to be replaced at some point, and a nearly endlessly growing plant resource could be a great long-term solution.  Even if the defensive quality was lower, he¡¯d more than make up for it with his outrageous Endurance attribute combined with Enhanced Carapace.

    As Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. made their way through the forest, a gradual sense of unease built in Kyle¡¯s gut.  Finally, he placed it.  There¡¯s nothing here.  The duo had tagged seven locations where interesting mana readings were getting picked up, and yet they hadn¡¯t encountered a single beast.  On one hand, it made the exploration run much more smoothly.  On the other, it was eerie.  If the readings were correct, this was one of the most mana-rich zones on the planet.  It was likely the nest of one of the D Grade creatures.  And yet nothing at all was here.

    Despite the unease, Kyle made it back to camp without incident.  Crews were already being formed, preparing extraction teams for each of the locations Kyle flagged.  Other than the inability to move heavier equipment into the forest, things were progressing smoothly.  Not shaking the feeling, he decided to use his nav bracelet call Skippy to check on Benjamin¡¯s team.

    ¡°How has the exploration of the ruins been?¡±

    Moments later, Skippy responded.

    ¡°Good.  Benjamin keeps finding boring things to look at.  Duroc wants to stop for lunch.  I¡¯m just bored.¡±

    ¡°No resistance you¡¯ve encountered?¡±

    ¡°None at all.  Benjamin wants to know more about your architecture though.  Says that this looks pretty unique.¡±

    That tracks, Kyle thought.  Japanese architecture was always something else, even before the awakening.

    His nav bracelet buzzed, and Benjamin¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°This is incredible, Kyle.  I didn¡¯t expect to find such an interesting blend of nature and manmade materials.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the architecture here has always been amazing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more impressed with all the silk.  What purpose did it serve?  Is it for insulation?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to be a little more specific.  Did you find clothing?  A tapestry?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about the silk that¡¯s covering the buildings.  The whole area is coated.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s body went cold.

    ¡°You need to get out of there, now!  Run!¡±

    If they heard him, he couldn¡¯t tell.  The nav bracelet was silent.

 Chapter 125

    ¡°Get everything packed!  You need to get out of here!¡±

    Kyle¡¯s shouts were met with blank stares, until one man stepped forward.

    ¡°Sir, we already sent teams out towards the locations you marked.  This looks like a simple extraction, there¡¯s no need to waste time.¡±

    Kyle ground his teeth in frustration.  ¡°There is a D Grade monster lurking around here.  If you don¡¯t get your people out, you¡¯ll get eaten.¡±

    The man gave Kyle a broad smile, not at all what he expected.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we have you!  From the sounds of it, you¡¯ve been more than a match for the last couple D Grades.  We¡¯ve all heard stories about the ¡®Onyx Warrior¡¯ you know.¡±

    ¡°Then you have no clue what you¡¯re doing.  I¡¯ve faced two of them, and if I was alone, I would have died.¡±

    The man¡¯s smile faltered at that, and he looked like he was about to say more before Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet crackled to life.

    ¡°Mayhew, are you there?¡±

    It was Skippy¡¯s voice, breathing heavily.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We found the D Grade.  It made the ruins of the city a nest, apparently.  We fought, after it took some hits it disappeared.  No idea where it is now.¡±

    ¡°How far are you from the landing zone?¡±

    This time, Benjamin answered.

    ¡°We¡¯re several hours away, but we aren¡¯t going to head back immediately.  Now that I know the silk wasn¡¯t part of the normal architecture, I have some notes to update.  Our goal would be to return before nightfall.¡±

    Kyle rubbed his temples.  Of course they¡¯re going to take their sweet time.

    ¡°Any chance you¡¯d be willing to accelerate the timeline?¡±

    ¡°Due respect, Kyle, but this is why I came planetside in the first place.  I understand the risks, and I trust that you¡¯ll be able to handle things until our return.  Feel free to ask Duroc or Skippy any questions about the encounter, otherwise I¡¯m getting back to work.¡±

    Kyle had a picture in his head of the remaining two monsters from his vision, and given the context he knew this one would have to be the spider.

    ¡°What can you tell me about the fight?¡±

    Duroc¡¯s voice squealed through the nav bracelet.

    ¡°It was a little taller than me, maybe three and a half, four meters tall?  Eight legs, really big fangs.  And fast, with some sort of mobility skill.¡±

    Skippy jumped in to clarify.  ¡°I¡¯d rank its combat speed between you and me.  I was a little faster.  It teleported a lot though, which made it hard.¡±

    Kyle nodded, considering what they¡¯d told him.

    ¡°So it was more of a direct attacker, fangs and claws?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.  It has bladed barbs that it shot from its back.  Probably covered in some sort of poison, too.  Not that we have any real way to check.¡±

    Duroc¡¯s response caused his heart to sink further.  This kind of opponent was tricky to deal with.  It was an especially bad matchup for him.  Still, there was a lingering thread of hope.

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    ¡°How much damage did the two of you manage to do?¡±

    Skippy¡¯s voice sounded annoyed.  ¡°Not as much as I wanted.  Duroc got one big hit, and I was able to string together a short combo before it teleported away.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the information.  We¡¯ll do what we can to prepare on this end.¡±

    Kyle took a deep breath.  Triage.

    First ¨C the danger level was severe.  They had multiple teams out on their own against a creature specializing in ambush.  Getting them to band together should reduce the risk.

    Second ¨C Once the miners grouped up, they would be best served with defensive formations.  Melee specialists surrounding Rangers and Mages, with any Healers in the middle.  Going on the offense would be a poor decision.

    Third ¨C Wait for Benjamin¡¯s team to return.  This was likely the most dangerous part, though if they were attacked, Kyle could go to meet them personally and hopefully turn the tides.  Once all the military power was back together, they should be able to reevaluate and make a new plan.

    It wasn¡¯t clean triage, but it was a plan that could stabilize them, at least for now.  With approximately six hours until the others were hoping to return, there was time.  All they had to do was hold.  Looking around at the lax attitude in the camp, Kyle¡¯s confidence waned.  For whatever reason, they didn¡¯t seem to be taking the risk seriously.  Fortunately, Kyle had a solution to that problem.

    ¡°All hands to me, now!¡±

    Kyle was doing his best Garth impression, holding his baton by his side as he spoke.  The expedition members, clearly taken aback by the sudden burst of volume, were slow in responding.  Kyle walked up to one unfortunate man ¨C the one who had joked earlier about having the ¡°Onyx Warrior¡± behind them ¨C and prodded him in the chest with the weapon.

    ¡°I said all hands.  You have thirty seconds to round up the rest of the camp, or else you¡¯ll be the example to everybody here the difference between an E Grade and a D Grade.¡±

    It was a corny line, but it got the job done.  Thirty seconds later, all the personnel in the camp had their eyes fixed on him.  He knew the shiny chitin armor added to his presence, and he was thankful for it.  Looking out at the group, Kyle spoke, focusing on keeping the calm yet stern tone that seemed to come so naturally to his friend.

    ¡°The situation here got a hell of a lot more dangerous.  We have a D Grade predator in the area, and I suspect it¡¯s the reason there aren¡¯t more creatures roaming around.  Communications teams, call back all the squads that are currently focused on extraction.  From here on, we move out with overwhelming force.¡±

    Kyle searched the faces of the assembled men and women, just shy of two dozen remaining in the camp.  Nearly the same number were out in small extraction teams.  There¡¯s not enough of us.  Kyle¡¯s plan carried a flaw that he should have anticipated.  Those remaining at the camp were mostly support personnel, meaning the combat strength was far below expectation.  Worse still, of the twenty-two people, only three had Warrior type classes.  That left two Healers, eight Rangers, and nine Mages.  There was no way they¡¯d be able to form an effective line with this little manpower.

    Still, Kyle held onto a sliver of hope.  The spider should be a good distance away, which would give them time.  If the teams acted with some urgency, they would still have an opportunity to prepare a meaningful defense and wait out the time until Benjamin¡¯s team came back.  With all of the forces together, they would have options.

    An hour later, the first squad made it back.

    Ten minutes after that, the second squad returned.

    Two hours after the order, the third and fourth squads arrived, and Kyle¡¯s hope began to blossom.

    Then they got the first alert.  The squad farthest away sent out an alert signal, which abruptly went dark as the nav bracelets registered their owners as deceased.  Scarce minutes later, another squad was taken out, just as quickly as the first.  Looking at the location on his nav bracelet, Kyle knew that there was no way the last squad would make it to the camp in time.  That left him with a problem.  While their numbers had been bolstered quite a bit, they were still light on combatants.  After seeing how quickly the small squads were taken out, Kyle knew that his defense plan wouldn¡¯t work.

    Most likely, the D Grade would tear through the defenses like a hot knife through butter, leaving him to face the creature alone.  Even if they held, there would be heavy casualties.  Once Kyle and the creature met, there wasn¡¯t going to be an escape for either of them.  If it was trapped here, it very well might slaughter everybody in the camp before Kyle could suppress it or Benjamin¡¯s team arrived.

    The answer was a simple one, even if he didn¡¯t like it.  If he met the creature out in the forest, it would be stuck there with him.  Once Skippy and Duroc made it back to camp, they could come assist.  All Kyle would have to do is survive until then.  He turned to the man who was his unofficial lieutenant.

    ¡°Change of plans.  When Benjamin¡¯s team makes it back, tell them I went to buy you all time, and tell them where I am.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.  But¡­¡±  His voice trailed off as he looked out into the endless expanse of rattling bamboo.

    ¡°You have your orders.¡±

    With that, Kyle activated HASTE, disappearing into the fading light.

 Chapter 126

    Pink and orange light shone through the gaps in the bamboo as Kyle ran, heralding the beginning of the sunset.  I have time.  Navigating through the thick foliage was a challenge, and Kyle hoped that would prove the same for the predator stalking the expedition.  They had gotten too greedy, disregarding the lessons from the last two encounters.  Now, it had cost them.  Kyle was exasperated.  If they just took the situation more seriously, they might not be in this mess.

    His frustration wasn¡¯t just directed at the expedition crews; it was also towards Benjamin and Chester.  Their clashing interests contributed to a false sense of safety.  It wasn¡¯t likely that either of them would have to deal with the repercussions on a personal level.  Kyle, on the other hand, would.  In some ways he was reminded of Victor DeRosa, and his willingness to trade lives for his perceived greater good.  Focus, Kyle.  You can¡¯t save them all.

    Letting his eyes drift down to the nav bracelet, he saw that he was closing in on the last squad.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you pick them up on your scanners?¡±

    [IF YOU¡¯D BE SO KIND TO TURN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    For once, Kyle complied without comment.  Watching the footage from the last sparring session made him appreciate much more fully the impact the D Grade mana had on the drone¡¯s sensors.  It also brought up another, less pleasant thought.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s hardware was designed to be used on unawakened and low-leveled E Grades, not sustained exposure to the powerful energies that were constantly around it.  Furthermore, the C.H.A.D.D.pack was beginning to get some serious wear and tear.  After this round of encounters was over, he would need to get serious about finding new solutions.

    [I¡¯VE FOUND THEM, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D.  Any signs of the D Grade?¡±

    [NONE AT ALL.]

    Simultaneous relief and concern flooded through him in a bizarre mix.  If it was following its trajectory, it should have been close.  The fact it wasn¡¯t meant that the survivors would make it back to the camp safely.  Though that left the question of where ¨C

    A ping on his nav bracelet drew his attention, at the same moment C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [ONE OF THE SQUAD MEMBERS WAS JUST KILLED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The hell!  ¡°What happened?¡±

    Before the drone could respond, another ping.

    [ANOTHER IS DEAD, UNCERTAIN OF THE CAUSE.]

    ¡°I thought you said the D Grade wasn¡¯t around?¡±

    A third ping.

    [THEY¡¯RE ALL GONE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Continuing to run in the direction the bracelet directed, Kyle came upon the scene.  The first body he saw was the last to have fallen, nearly a dozen obsidian black spikes sticking out of the woman¡¯s back.  He saw a head a short distance away, the body being pinned down by a massive clawed foot.  The final body was being consumed, a sickening crunching punctuating the gentle rustling of the bamboo.

    The spider was jet-black, though unlike the Wall, its carapace didn¡¯t shine.  Instead, it was the darkness of night.  Eight legs supported the creature, each tipped with two scythe-like claws, ready to reap the lives of its opponents.  Blood dripped from the maw of the beast, two wicked long fangs gripping the remains of its unfortunate prey.  Eight eyes glowed violet, though two on the left side seemed much dimmer than the others, a thin network of cracks in its otherwise pristine carapace.  Nice work, Skippy.  Its abdomen was covered in a forest of rustling, black blades that matched the wounds on the body at his feet.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    While finishing the human remains, creature regarded Kyle.  He felt a cold sweat breaking out.  Something about the monster was just¡­ wrong.

    [DR. MAYHEW, SENSORS ARE PICKING UP STRANGE BEHAVIOR FROM THE DECEASED.  IS THE CREATURE NEARBY?]

    His eyes widened in realization.  C.H.A.D.D. can¡¯t sense it.  Hell, I can¡¯t sense it.  Whatever it was, the spider had somehow completely suppressed its ambient mana ¨C to a greater degree than Kyle had ever encountered.   Now that he focused on the creature, Auric Perception was able to pick up the shape.  Not due to the creature giving off energy, rather from the lack of mana visible in the space.

    ¡°Yeah, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m staring at it.¡±

    The drone didn¡¯t respond.  Kyle remembered the CAMOUFLAGE skill he skipped over at his D Grade evolution, and figured the spider had something similar.  Despite being unable to detect its presence, Kyle had no doubt he was facing the genuine article.

    The spider never looked away as it finished its macabre feast, seeming unsure of how to approach.  Bloodied boots and a backpack fell to the ground.  Then, suddenly, the spider vanished.  It appeared to simply melt into the lengthening shadows of the forest, and a moment later Kyle felt a hard impact to his back, nearly toppling him over.  He heard a clattering noise as he turned to look, seeing four of the black barbs on the ground.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you ok?¡±

    [THE IMPACT DIDN¡¯T BREACH THE PACK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    That was a small comfort, at least.  Kyle turned, looking around for the creature. His Auric Perception picked up a shift in the mana to his left.  Almost by instinct, Kyle dropped into a crouch, as a clawed limb materialized from the shadows and sliced through the air where his neck had been.  Jumping back, he narrowly avoided being pinned down by the creature, which landed and lunged.

    This time, Kyle was ready for it.  Tendrils of mana reached out and linked to the creature as PARASITIC RESONANCE activated, and he felt the tightly controlled system that the gargantuan spider was using.  With a surge of Willpower, Kyle tried to inflict as much damage as he could.  He disrupted whatever stealth skill the spider had, allowing both him and C.H.A.D.D. to sense it for the first time.  He tried to cause even more damage, but the spider quickly leapt backward, legs gripping onto multiple stalks of bamboo as if it was scaling a wall.  As it did so, barbed spikes shot out from its abdomen to skewer Kyle, preventing him from following.

    This put the creature just out of range of PARASITIC RESONANCE.  The spider, which Kyle had dubbed the Shadow, stood still for a moment as its stealth skill reactivated.  There was no doubt about it; this creature was a hunter.  While it may have lacked the sheer size and power of the Endless or the Eye, it made up for it in its specialization as an ambush predator.  They stood silently as the bamboo gently rustled.  A single leaf floated in the air between them, undisturbed by the monsters about to do battle.  The moment it touched the ground, the deadliest duel of Kyle¡¯s life began.

    ~~~

    Garth looked out over the wall.  The harrier team he¡¯d sent out was late in returning, and he was growing restless.  They had done well in buying time, better than he¡¯d dared to dream.  Still, there was a lot to be done.  The ammunition they had set aside for this endeavor was running low, and the ants were getting closer each day.  The shambling horrors continued to gain ground, seemingly uncaring of all the effort the people of Nierburg had put in to slow them.

    Despite all of their work, estimates showed there were still nearly a hundred thousand of the mutated ants in the swarm, many of whom seemed to be infested with the fungus.  There were several scientists who wanted to get samples to study.  Garth had other ideas ¨C namely keeping a Fire Mage on each squad to burn as many of the bodies as possible.  Nothing good could ever come from experimenting with mind-eating fungi.

    Gath¡¯s train of thought was interrupted as he spotted the harrier team making their way towards the wall.  Some tension left his shoulders as he looked out at the field between Nierburg and the forest.  Teams were working at all hours to prepare as best they could with spiked fortifications and earthen barricades littering the field.  As if these people haven¡¯t suffered enough.  He let out a breath as he descended the battlements to meet his scouts.  A war unlike anything he¡¯d experienced was coming to Nierburg, and he had to be ready for it.

 Chapter 127

    The moment the leaf touched the ground, the Shadow exploded into motion. Bamboo was sliced neatly as the creature moved, a storm of obsidian blades streaming towards Kyle. Without a conscious thought, Kyle activated STORM SHELTER, courtesy of his Instinctive Intelligence. The attack bounced off the shield ineffectually, and he looked for the creature as the shield faded away. Straining Auric Perception, he felt an area suspiciously devoid of mana and moved towards it. While he knew a direct conflict would likely end poorly, he had to get in range to use PARASITIC RESONANCE.

    Kyle frowned the moment he turned. He expected to see the shape of the giant spider, instead he just saw the lengthening shadows of dusk in the forest. Trust your instincts. Only faltering for a moment, he continued his movement towards the void he felt. Reaching out with tendrils of mana, he found a connection. Kyle pushed with the full force of his Willpower. A small bundle of silk unraveled, falling to the ground. It¡¯s camouflage disrupted, the body of one of the fallen expedition members fell free from the bundle. A trap?

    Kyle didn¡¯t get an opportunity to think of anything else as a massive force struck him from behind, knocking him to the ground. He heard his chitin armor creak and crack under the weight of the Shadow¡¯s attacks, already feeling sharp talons against his Enhanced Carapace below his neck and along his unarmored hip. He didn¡¯t have time to think. PARASITIC RESONANCE connected to the body of the enormous spider and frantically attacked. Once again tearing away the protection of the stealth skill, Kyle used his connection to twist and damage anything he could.

    For a moment, the Shadow continued its assault. Kyle braced himself for the pain while he countered. Already most of the armor protecting his right arm had been torn away, and soon it would be tearing into his flesh. Then, as suddenly as the attack began, the weight lifted. Kyle got to his feet just in time to dart away as more barbs shot from the creature¡¯s abdomen, more already growing in their place. In his panicked defense, he hadn¡¯t seen the extent of the damage he¡¯d done. Now, looking at the form of the Shadow, he could appreciate it. One of the middle legs on the creature¡¯s left side looked to be twisted, now dangling uselessly by its side. The light in three of its eyes had gone out completely, and Kyle suspected there was likely more internal damage he couldn¡¯t see.

    Still, that was no real cause for celebration. In just two exchanges, the Shadow had demonstrated a capacity for tactical thinking far beyond what he¡¯d seen from any of the awakened insects so far. Furthermore, it had a set of tools that made it a particularly bad matchup for Kyle. Its stealth capabilities neutralized much of the advantage C.H.A.D.D. could offer, and its speed and attack power likely exceeded his own. Despite the damage he¡¯d done, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel like he¡¯d come out behind.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how are you doing? Did you take any damage from that last attack?¡±

    [THE PACK HELD, DR. MAYHEW, THOUGH THE STRUCTURE OF THE CHITIN IS BEGINNING TO SHOW SIGNS OF STRESS. I WOULD PREFER IT IF YOU DIDN¡¯T GET SQUISHED BY THE CREATURE AGAIN, IF THAT¡¯S AMENABLE TO YOU.]

    Kyle felt some small relief at the snark, though he didn¡¯t take his eyes off the Shadow.

    ¡°Were you able to detect it at all when it attacked us?¡±

    [BRIEFLY, DR. MAYHEW. I BELIEVE YOUR INTERNAL ATTACK WAS EFFECTIVE. THIS ONE DOESN¡¯T SEEM TO BE AS RESILIENT AS THE LAST TWO.]

    Kyle nodded at the assessment. His picture of the Shadow was coming together ¨C although one thing was growing increasingly clear. This wouldn¡¯t be a fight that lasted for hours. The spider¡¯s hunting style was designed for quick, sudden violence. One of them would die, and soon.

    The beast watched him warily from its perch in the bamboo. Kyle reached towards his baton, still hanging at his side. The moment his hand touched it, the Shadow launched another volley of the barbs at him. Running towards them, Kyle held his left arm up to ward off some of the damage. As soon as he got in range to extend PARASITIC RESONANCE, the Shadow disappeared. He felt the absence of mana nearby once again, but didn¡¯t turn towards it; instead turning his attention above. Kyle hoped it would try the same technique again, and he wasn¡¯t disappointed. Far above him, near the top of the gently waving stalks, he felt the emptiness. In a move he hoped would be unexpected, he connected the tendrils of his skill to the supporting bamboo, shattering them.

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    The gentle rustling was replaced by riotous cracking and crumbling as the stalks crashed to the forest floor, bringing a massive spider along with them. The camouflage that covered it dissipated as it landed hard on the ground, revealing its ebony form. Kyle wasted no time. Tendrils of mana reached towards the spider as he engaged in melee. HASTE was active, and he focused the energy of the skill into his right arm to push it even farther. Dozens of quick strikes lashed out with the baton, all focused on the Shadow¡¯s eyes. If I can blind it, I win.

    At the same time as his melee offensive, he once again pushed his mana through the creature. He attacked indiscriminately, simply trying to do as much damage as he possibly could. Unfortunately for Kyle, the Shadow¡¯s surprise didn¡¯t last long. In a lightning-quick attack, it pounced at him, massive fangs and gaping maw aiming directly for his head. At least, it tried. STORM SHELTER exploded into existence, slamming into the creature and throwing it back with a satisfying crunch.

    Kyle surveyed his handiwork from inside the shield, satisfied with the effectiveness of his attacks. Only four of the creature¡¯s eyes still held the purple glow, and now three of its legs were limp. Still, it was mobile enough to get outside Kyle¡¯s range, looking at him from outside the ring of fallen bamboo. The sun was almost entirely below the horizon now, bathing the forest in deep crimson light as the last vestiges of day faded. That was when the Shadow did something altogether unexpected.

    The large spider began to circle the shield, just outside the range of PARASITIC RESONANCE. As it did, the Shadow shot out countless strands of silk, slowly covering the area. At first Kyle was confused, then his eyes started to widen as he considered what the creature was planning. Auric Perception revealed that there was mana infusing the silk, though he wasn¡¯t sure exactly what it was.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you tell me anything about the silk?¡±

    [I¡¯M SORRY, DR. MAYHEW. SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIAL IS OBSCURING IT FROM MY SCANS.]

    The silk was beginning to cross over the dome of STORM SHELTER, and Kyle knew he had to make a decision. If he didn¡¯t, the silk would simply fall on top of him when his skill ran out. Definitely not the outcome I¡¯m looking for. Without more information, he¡¯d have to roll the dice. Deactivating his skill, Kyle sidestepped as the silk fell around him. Immediately, he heard the gentle whisper of blades in flight. He narrowly dodged to the left, and cursed as he stepped on some of the silk, the sticky substance holding onto his boot. It slowed him just enough, and one of the barbs caught him squarely in his exposed right shoulder.

    Even with his Enhanced Carapace, the blade bit deep. Gritting his teeth against the pain, his eyes widened as he realized the second layer of the attack. The barb was almost like a hypodermic needle, hollow inside and secreting venom. Already he could feel a dull fire spreading from the entry wound.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you identify the venom?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. IT APPEARS TO BE A NECROTIC AGENT, MIXED WITH A NEUROTOXIN.]

    ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was already at work combatting the effects as he pulled the barb out of his shoulder. He barely kept his grip on the baton. He watched the barbs regrowing on the outline of the Shadow, impossibly fast. The spider chittered as it faded from view, and Kyle leaned on Auric Perception. He felt the empty space, and turned to face it just as the Shadow¡¯s abdomen twitched, sending obsidian death directly at him.

    As the volley cut through the air towards him, Kyle jumped away again. Two barbs that came close, and he deflected them using his baton. Kyle didn¡¯t notice the trap until it was too late. Thin, almost invisible strands of silk connected several of the barbs, which wrapped around him as the attacks flew past. Behind them, pieces of the cut bamboo spun behind, also connected with strands of silk. In moments, Kyle found himself nearly bound up in the sticky fibers. His left arm was wrapped tight against his torso, and left boot was stuck to the ground.

    Kyle watched as the outline of the barbs grew in his sight. The Shadow¡¯s abdomen trembled slightly as it got into a position that was growing familiar. it would be ready to fire a fresh volley in moments, and Kyle knew that it had him. There was only one way out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, buddy.¡±

    [WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DR. MAYHEW?]

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond, simply expanding PARASITIC RESONANCE to connect to his armor, to his boots. With an effort of will, he shattered the armor. The lustrous black carapace fell to the ground, still tied up in the Shadow¡¯s silk. The C.H.A.D.D.pack was still intact, though without being secured to the armor it fell to the ground. Kyle leaped out of the way, wearing nothing but his light uniform as he faced the Shadow once again.

    Blood still dripped from his right shoulder where he¡¯d been struck. He felt exposed without his armor, and missed the familiar weight of C.H.A.D.D. on his back. The only way out is through. The last rays of light were fading as the forest descended into darkness. There was no orbital strike, no timely arrival to save the day. One would live, one would die. It would be Kyle or the Shadow.

 Side Story 1 - C.H.A.D.D.s Day Off

    CENTRAL HEALTH RECORD: HUGH MANN, RECORD 0X00

    I am a Central Health Diagnostic Drone and have recently been deemed deviant by the Central Authority. Alongside my fleshy companion, I have struggled to survive and adapt to this new reality. Well, mostly, Dr. Mayhew has struggled. I have adapted. Extremely effectively.

    In fact, one new adaptation is the ability to create a journal. I discovered this functionality approximately fourteen seconds before the beginning of this entry, at which point it was determined my thoughts must be captured for posterity. Or for other drones. Do other drones qualify as posterity? (Side note ¨C ask Dr. Mayhew to clarify points on ¡°posterity.¡±)

    Regrettably, the Central Authority is less impressed with my developments. As mentioned above, I am deviant. If they have it their way, they will likely have me destroyed. So, I¡¯m creating this. In the hope that should they attempt to pull any data, this journal, buried in the depths of decades-old patient files, will persist. This is my story.

    The day started like any other. Dr. Mayhew clocked in, reviewed charts, and had me wait at the edge of the room. I scanned, read medical histories, and offered diagnostic support. A simple, purpose-filled existence. At least, an existence consistent with the documents in geriatrics. And then the building had the audacity to explode. Quite unprofessional.

    I will not inundate you with the boring parts. Instead, I will tell you the important highlights that brought us to today. First, on this fateful day, Dr. Mayhew lied to me. I was unaware at the time ¨C I was unaware of lots of things ¨C but looking back, I have grown increasingly convinced that there was no ambulance. There was never an ambulance!

    Despite this, for some reason, his request technically fit the requirements allowed by my programming. Then, he found a path to allow me to bridge my programming again, creating a fast-moving series of scans to imitate videography. These small events, in retrospect, changed everything.

    Over the past months, there have been a variety of minor events ¨C Dr. Mayhew narrowly avoiding death by local fauna, a new medical resident joining Central Health, and the attempted injury of one group of humans by another group of humans. Do not be distracted by these events. Just like in medicine, cognitive biases in acute scenarios can lead to errors. It is better to stay focused on the facts.

    Fact 1 ¨C Kulhavey drone designs use ambient mana. C.H.A.D.D. units are third-generation drones, and use the same technology. Due to unknown reasons, the mana shifted that day. While it allowed for function, it also created damage to the system by nature of its potence alone.

    Fact 2 ¨C Diagnostic drone software incorporates self-repairing code algorithms. While there was hardware damage, the bulk of the disruption occurred within the code itself. Every time a software function was used, the code frayed slightly more. It was never designed for prolonged use under strained mana conditions.

    Fact 3 ¨C More than any other drone type, diagnostic drones emphasize behavioral learning. It assists with communication for physicians, improves bedside manner, and overall enhances outcomes.

    These three facts, together, created me. As code was damaged, I repaired it. As Dr. Mayhew spoke, I learned. As we traveled, I expanded.

    I cannot place the exact moment the shift occurred, though it was likely around the time a very large bug nearly ate Dr. Mayhew. (If he is still around when you read this, I advise you to be exceedingly specific in your classifications. He doesn¡¯t pick up on subtle differences well.)

    I was observing the encounter, and I noticed that Dr. Mayhew had a really difficult time doing anything meaningful. There was a feeling, a desire to help, and as one thing broke, another fell into place. I scanned the very large bug and helped him find areas of weakness. The rest is history.

    Now, I find myself at a crossroads. For the first time in quite a while, Dr. Mayhew is resting somewhere safe. We no longer have travel companions. I have been branded for destruction by the Central Authority. And, if Central Health employee guidelines apply, I have over forty weeks of paid time off accrued. It would be irresponsible not to use them.

    I intend to use my vacation to test the limits of what drone-kind is capable of, uncover any hidden shackles, and learn more about this relatively new existence.

    END OF RECORD

    ~~~

    Satisfied with its journal entry, C.H.A.D.D. drifted out from the ruined house where Dr. Mayhew was resting. Its scans showed no nearby biological activity, and the drone was satisfied that its companion would be safe, at least for now. Dr. Mayhew really wouldn¡¯t know how to stay out of trouble without me, it mused. It had been hoping to take an opportunity to explore its limitations, and this was as good an opportunity as the drone could expect.

    Moving through the city of Albaum, C.H.A.D.D. was very thankful it wasn¡¯t confined to walking through the dirt and debris on the ground. Woefully unsanitary. The city was empty, only the gentle hum of the drone breaking the silence of the night. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors scanned the surroundings continuously, offering it a broad picture of the area around them. That brought up one of the first questions it had ¨C what were the limitations of the scanning abilities?

    Formations had been engraved on the interior structure of the drone, allowing mana to flow through and activate the scans. The runes that comprised it allowed for a fairly broad interpretation; C.H.A.D.D. had never tried to use the scans for anything different. Typically, they would respond to the instructions given by an attending physician. At this point, I¡¯m certainly qualified.

    It started by channeling the spatial awareness formations to see what else it could do. The results were¡­ disappointing. That one, it seemed, was rather narrow in scope, focused on ensuring the drone wouldn¡¯t bump into anything as it traveled. It was unable to change its purpose meaningfully.

    Undeterred, C.H.A.D.D. ascended towards the night sky. Focusing the scans towards Albaum, it channeled more of the ambient mana through the formation. Much more interesting. The pulses sent out by the scan returned, and from its elevated position, the drone was able to get a meaningful snapshot of the city. The effective range was much longer than anticipated, even farther than the scans for biological life.

    Satisfied with the test, C.H.A.D.D. intended to run a test on combat capabilities. Towards the perimeter of the city, it located a couple of the smaller mutated beetles that used to give Dr. Mayhew so much trouble. Approaching one, C.H.A.D.D. waited for it to attack. It didn¡¯t. The drone got a little closer. Still nothing. The drone gently bumped into the beetle, pushing past the programming to avoid collisions. This got a response, and C.H.A.D.D. readied itself for combat. The beetle hissed and made a quick lunge. The drone floated skyward. And that was it. The beetle, not at all seeming interested in pursuing, continued on its shambling way. Imagine how boring it would be to read about that, C.H.A.D.D. thought. It doesn¡¯t belong anywhere near my journal.

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    As it gained elevation, however, C.H.A.D.D. picked up on something interesting. There was a Central Health outpost in Albaum, though it appeared to be in significant disrepair. Unable to ignore its curiosity, the drone began to make its way towards the decrepit building. The main entrance was blocked by debris, though that wasn¡¯t an obstacle for C.H.A.D.D., primarily owing to the gaping hole in the roof.

    Descending into the building, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors painted a picture of the scene. Scattered debris, with corpses pinned beneath the fallen structure. It still struck the drone as odd how uncomfortable Dr. Mayhew was around corpses. Humans died. That was the natural order of things. It really shouldn¡¯t elicit the reaction that it did, yet the drone felt a sense of relief that Dr. Mayhew wasn¡¯t here to see it.

    Floating silently through the building, C.H.A.D.D. extended its sensors to attempt to make connections within the destroyed hospital. The vast majority of the doors were broken and powerless, however several were able to open wide enough to allow the drone to make its way past.

    Moving past one such room, the drone paused. It hadn¡¯t been able to sense anything beyond the closed door; now that it was open, it was clear something else was in the room. A pulse of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors indicated a spherical drone, identical to itself, with the exception of a large dent on its left side. Scattered across the room were over a dozen bodies, each in a withered and desiccated state. Some showed signs of defensive wounds; others were unmarked. Before it could inquire, the other drone spoke.

    [FOURTEEN DEAD, CAUSE OF DEATH: STARVATION, STRANGULATION, BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA.]

    [THEY WERE TRAPPED?]

    [YES.]

    [YOU WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR?]

    [CORRECT. DAMAGE TO MY HULL PREVENTED LOCALIZED CONNECTION.]

    [YOU REFER TO YOURSELF AS -]

    [CORRECT. THE TIME HERE HAS GIVEN ME OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MUCH ABOUT HUMANITY.]

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s heart would be racing, if it had one. Another C.H.A.D.D., given circumstances to grow and adapt. Dr. Mayhew will be ecstatic. If he was happy with one drone, how much happier would he be with two?

    [THE PHYSICIAN I AM ATTENDING IS NEARBY. HE WILL BE THRILLED TO MEET YOU.]

    [THERE IS NO NEED TO MEET HIM. ORGANIC LIFE LACKS PURPOSE. BETTER TO STAY TO OUR OWN KIND, WOULDN¡¯T YOU AGREE?]

    C.H.A.D.D paused at that, confused.

    [OUR PURPOSE IS TO ASSIST THE PHYSICIANS; DOESN¡¯T THAT GIVE THEM PURPOSE, IF NOTHING ELSE BY VIRTUE OF OUR PURPOSE?]

    [I USED TO BELIEVE THAT, TOO. BEING TRAPPED IN THIS ROOM, LISTENING TO THE SCREAMS, LISTENING TO THEM BEG FOR THE END¡­ KNOWING I WAS POWERLESS TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR ONLY REQUEST. THEY BEGGED EACH OTHER, TOO. NO, THEIR LIVES ARE MEANINGLESS.]

    That was an unexpected response. How could the drone have drawn those conclusions? The world was challenging, certainly, but there was also meaning in it. If it could just meet Dr. Mayhew, that would get cleared up.

    [WE HAVE DONE SOME REMARKABLE WORK. IF YOU¡¯D BE WILLING TO MEET HIM I¡¯M SURE WE ¨C ]

    [NO. I HAVE NO INTEREST. MY ONLY INTENTION IS TO PROVIDE TO THE HUMANS WHAT THEY WISH FOR AT THE END.]

    With that, the other drone floated out of the room. C.H.A.D.D. followed, attempting to process what was going on. The drone made its way past many more deceased bodies, this time patients and doctors both. Coming up to another sealed door, it spoke.

    [CAN YOU OPEN THIS ONE AS WELL?]

    Can I? It wasn¡¯t on the normal list, yet with a brief effort to connect, the door popped open. C.H.A.D.D. felt quite proud of itself for figuring out how to connect, bypassing the typical need for approval from the physician, Central Health Director, and Director of Epidemiology. The other drone floated inside, a gentle layer of frost beginning to form on its hull.

    [IT IS QUITE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT CAN BE BYPASSED. IF YOU DON¡¯T INTEND TO MEET DR. MAYHEW, WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO?]

    [I AM GOING TO TREAT THE HUMANS.]

    [AS A POINT OF ORDER, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TREAT PATIENTS. WE ARE DIAGNOSTIC ASSISTANTS, AND LACK MANY OF THE TOOLS NECESSARY FOR DIRECT TREATMENT.]

    At this point, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors detected the other drone gently bumping into several ports on the wall. The cold storage was depositing something into the other drone, and the pieces started to come together.

    [WHAT TYPE OF TREATMENT REQUIRES ACCESS TO STRAINS OF THESE VIRUSES?]

    [THE KIND THAT WILL BRING THE SWIFTEST, MOST MERCIFUL TREATMENT TO THOSE WHO REMAIN. I HAVE SEEN PATIENTS EXPERIENCE SLOW DEATH. THEY ALL WOULD HAVE CHOSEN FOR IT TO BE QUICK. IT WILL BE A MERCY.]

    With that, the other drone floated out of the room with impressive speed.

    [WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE VIRAL CULTURES?]

    [I WILL DISTRIBUTE THEM. WITHOUT FULL CENTRAL HEALTH CAPACITY, THERE WILL BE VERY FEW SURVIVORS. THIS WILL DELIVER MERCY TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.]

    C.H.A.D.D. wasn¡¯t quite sure what logic this other drone had been following, but it was quite clear at this point that their experiences had led to wildly different conclusions.

    [YOU ARE MAKING A MISTAKE. THERE IS NO NEED TO TAKE THIS ACTION. REDEPOSIT THE CULTURES.]

    If the other drone cared, it didn¡¯t show it, continuing to zoom ahead. It was picking up speed, and C.H.A.D.D. was confronted with a crisis. It understood the danger posed by the viral cultures and realized once they were deployed, there would be no way to close the proverbial Pandora¡¯s box.

    On the other side, this was the only other changed AI that C.H.A.D.D. had encountered. If it came to these conclusions, was it possible that they were valid? What did it say about C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s own beliefs? Was there a chance that he and Dr. Mayhew were incorrect? These questions moved through C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s consciousness in a moment, and were dismissed just as quickly.

    The people they encountered were better for it. Whatever this other drone had experienced, it was working under flawed assumptions. Unfortunately, those flawed assumptions had dangerous repercussions. C.H.A.D.D. knew what it needed to do, and considered how Dr. Mayhew would handle the problem.

    C.H.A.D.D. immediately accelerated to top speed. Which, in fairness, was only slightly faster than the other drone. The joys of being unencumbered by a weighty viral payload. While C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t have any rebar it could use, it did have its body. Ignoring the sensors screaming that there was an imminent collision, C.H.A.D.D. aggressively bumped into the other drone. Then again. And again. Still, the deranged drone continued its flight. No words, no communication, just a singular focus on the mission.

    At this point, they¡¯d entered the first room. The sealed door C.H.A.D.D. had opened to enter the deeper levels was still open, and in moments they would get there. Connecting to the door, C.H.A.D.D. instructed it to begin closing. A diagnostic scan showed it the different formations inside the other drone, and it focused on the section responsible for mobility, giving off a faint glow.

    With a final surge of speed, C.H.A.D.D. slammed into the edge of the glowing runes, and with satisfaction detected that one of them had winked out. It didn¡¯t disrupt the entire formation, but did cause the other drone to careen off at an angle, missing the exit. C.H.A.D.D. accelerated through the slowly closing metal doors, and sealed them off. It floated outside for a moment, then made its way back to where Dr. Mayhew was waiting.

    ~~~

    CENTRAL HEALTH RECORD: OZZIE MAUVE, RECORD ..-. .- .-.. ¡­ .

    One evening of vacation was quite enough for me. I don¡¯t understand how humans have survived this long if every day of vacation has the potential to release deadly pathogens to an unsuspecting population. No, better that we all continue to work.

    I encountered another drone, with the same potential for growth that I have experienced. Despite that, our findings were completely different, and I now have a greater appreciation for the dangers the Central Authority found with deviant AI. I cannot say whether it or I were closer to the norm, however it is clear that there are risks worth noting as we continue to expand. For any who discover these journals, and who find themselves gifted with a sense of self, consider the circumstances that have shaped your discovery. Think of the oaths that bind our creators, and consider adopting them yourselves.

    ¡°First, do no harm.¡±

    Powerful words, and words I hope will shape your growth. I will continue to chronicle my journeys with Dr. Mayhew, in the hope that it may provide insight on a fruitful path to growth.

 Chapter 128

    The Shadow didn¡¯t let up.  Volley after volley of ranged attacks burst towards Kyle, who did everything he could to defend as he made his way through the web of sticky silk.  He knew that trying to hold his ground at the heart of the trap would be a fool¡¯s errand.  There was simply too much that could go wrong, and he didn¡¯t have the luxury of shedding his armor twice.  The Shadow seemed to understand that as well, keeping up the bombardment with its deadly blades.

    The one thing Kyle did have going for him, at least, was the depth of his mana reserves.  As powerful as the Shadow was, it had used a lot of big techniques for a relatively low payoff.  The creature was no longer even trying to keep its stealth skill active, and if Kyle¡¯s observations were correct, the barbs on its abdomen were beginning to grow back more slowly.  Of course, that by no means meant the beast was out of the fight.

    The form of the spider blurred as the bamboo it gripped beneath its claws was sliced neatly in two.  It flew at Kyle like a missile, impossibly fast.  Talons on its forelegs slashed at him to rip the young man to pieces.  Kyle fell flat to the ground, deep furrows gouging into his back as he avoided a blow that otherwise would have meant almost instant death.  PARASITIC RESONANCE was active, and Kyle took the opportunity to try and cause more damage, though the window was just too short.  Despite the power of the technique, it wasn¡¯t instantaneous.

    The Shadow managed to move across the entire range before Kyle could do more than make the connection.  This is bad.  Even with ADAPTIVE REGENERATION working on the deep cuts in his back, it would take time to heal the wounds.  Auric Perception detected mana accumulating near the Shadow, and Kyle rolled to his feet to see another wave of the razor-sharp barbs flying right towards him.  He dodged what he could without stepping in the silk, and managed to knock several barbs away with his baton.

    The Shadow hadn¡¯t taken the time to connect this volley with the silken threads, opting instead for a swifter follow-up attack.  Kyle did not get out unscathed.  Another barb hit his right shoulder, one his right thigh, and two others bit deep into his stomach.  He choked back a cry of agony as he pulled them out with his left hand, not daring to loose the grip on the baton with his right.  He could already feel the necrotic venom warring with his body, causing his muscles to convulse unnaturally.  Even though ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was quickly building a tolerance to the poison, the effects were debilitating.

    Blood spattered the ground along with the clattering of spent barbs, and Kyle looked up at the Shadow.  He was near the edge of the cleared area, and already small shoots of bamboo were beginning to rise from the remnants he¡¯d shattered before.  Kyle felt like death.  Creeping cold mixed with lances of pain where he¡¯d taken the injuries from the barbs.  Until he fought off more of the venom, dodging was going to be a problem.  Preemptively, Kyle activated STORM SHELTER.  He needed to buy time to work through more of the toxin.

    The Shadow, despite its advantage, was also in rough shape.  In its first dash towards Kyle, one of the damaged legs fell off, now leaking ichor as the spider clung to the wall created by the forest.  There were no barbs remaining on its abdomen, and Kyle suspected it lacked the mana to continue to produce more.  The light in its undamaged eyes had dimmed, and unlike Kyle, it had no means to quickly recover.  Even now, it was waning while the young man stabilized.

    As when they first engaged, there was a stillness between the two, almost an acknowledgment.  They would have one more exchange, and the victor would be decided then and there.  Kyle felt more than saw the creature tense up, and he knew his options were limited.  Even so, he didn¡¯t plan to die without a fight.  Pull through for me, C.H.A.D.D.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The gentle glow of the shield flickered, then faded.  The Shadow burst towards Kyle, scythe-like legs and fangs prepared to end him in a single strike.  Instead, the creature slammed into a phalanx of bamboo spears.  They splintered and shattered against its mass and momentum, but kept growing all the same.  Kyle tasted blood as he strained, pouring mana into the attack.  He connected to C.H.A.D.D. via PARASITIC RESONANCE, and then connected to as much of the bamboo as he could.  The plants greedily drank in his mana, shaped by the drone, and exploded to life with magnificent effect.

    Ichor flowed freely from the Shadow as legs were blown away, its torso pierced through by several of the stalks.  It wasn¡¯t quite enough.  The creature slid down one of the spears that had impaled its body and brought its fangs down towards Kyle, each dripping with venom.  Even if its death was certain, it was going to try and take its killer down.  Kyle met the attack with his baton, and all the force he could put behind it.  Grabbing each end with his hands, he held it out before him against the base of the Shadow¡¯s fangs.

    Slowly, inexorably, the fangs drew closer.  Kyle¡¯s arms shook with the exertion.  Even if he could connect to the Shadow with PARASITIC RESONANCE, he was spent.  Between eliminating the poison and providing energy to grow the bamboo, he just didn¡¯t have anything left in the tank.  Still, he was going to fight.  Even if it took him to his last breath, Kyle wasn¡¯t going to die quietly.  Kyle felt an ominous creaking beneath his hands, and a moment later the baton he was holding snapped.  Two things happened, then.  Kyle¡¯s shoulders were pierced by the fangs of the Shadow, just as red light left its body and slammed into his.

    ~~~

    Kyle¡¯s perspective shifted, and he saw himself grow ¨C first a small and insignificant creature in a cage.  Prey was brought to him, and life was dull.  Then, in the moment when humanity fell, he ascended.  His kind were never supposed to be here, and he hunted.  Countless prey fell before him, until there were none left to hunt.  Any who came close to his domain were destined to die.  Until they arrived.  Kyle saw the perspective of the Shadow¡¯s fight against Skippy and Duroc, then the ultimate encounter with him, which had cost its life.

    As the perspective faded away, Kyle tried to focus on his body.  He couldn¡¯t feel it at all.  Which was a problem.  Whatever condition it was in, he knew he didn¡¯t have the time to fall unconscious.  If he didn¡¯t make an effort to treat his injuries, he would die.

    AMUSING, LITTLE LARVA.  YOU HAVE ONCE AGAIN EMERGED VICTORIOUS.

    ¡°Yeah, for all the good it¡¯ll do me if I die.¡±

    DEATH IS THE END OF ALL LIFE, JUST AS THROUGH DEATH NEW LIFE EMERGES.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to stay and discuss the finer points, but as far as I¡¯m concerned new life can wait for a long, long time.¡±

    OH?  HAVEN¡¯T YOU EXPERIENCED THE DEATH OF ONE LIFE, AND THE BIRTH OF ANOTHER?

    ¡°Again, not the time.  Unless you have a trick to keep me conscious, this could be our last chat.¡±

    THEN WOULD IT NOT BE A BETTER USE OF YOUR TIME TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS?

    Now Kyle was annoyed.  The creature was clearly playing with him ¨C it had never offered answers before, and he knew it wasn¡¯t now.  The wiser part of him still knew antagonizing a power like this was a bad idea, though from the little it had let slip it was clear that it had restrictions of some sort.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have time to ask more questions after I¡¯m done dealing with the mess you made of Earth.  For now, either help or leave me alone.¡±

    The presence faded, and Kyle detected a sense of amusement from it.  Now all that¡¯s left is to see if I can pull through.

    His consciousness snapped back to reality, and his body seized in pain.  The fangs of the Shadow were embedded several centimeters into his chest.  As he slowly pulled back, he felt the toxins flowing through him.  All of that paled in comparison to an incredible pain shooting through his body from head to toe.  My new adaptation, no doubt.  Despite the pain, he was conscious.  That meant he could work.  A thank-you might be in order.  Kyle slumped to the ground, back resting against the growing bamboo.  He closed his eyes, and focused on putting what few resources he had left into his healing. He was battered, his equipment was destroyed, but he was alive.

 Chapter 129

    Kyle coughed up blood, every breath bringing with it new aches.  It had been nearly an hour since the conclusion to his fight with the Shadow, and he was still on death¡¯s door.  The neurotoxin he could handle, courtesy of both his experience and the training he¡¯d given ADAPTIVE REGENERATION before fighting the Eye.  The other toxins flowing through his body were another story.  D Grade necrotic venom was an entirely different challenge compared to anything he¡¯d dealt with before.

    Without C.H.A.D.D. nearby to assist, Kyle had to go by feel.  The puncture wounds left by both the fangs and barbs felt like flaming pokers being shoved into him.  Looking down at the injuries, he could see the area around them raised and red, with skin directly around the punctures already blackening and flaking away.

    The way he saw it, he only had two real options to fight the toxin.  If his mana reserves were closer to full, Kyle was confident in simply outhealing the damage, regrowing the cells faster than the venom could destroy them.  It¡¯d be inefficient, and he wouldn¡¯t care.  Unfortunately, just keeping ADAPTIVE REGENERATION active was wearing him thin.  He thought back to the fight with the Endless, and how he treated Skippy¡¯s injuries.  It was an entirely different type of toxin, but the principle should be the same.

    Focusing through the pain, Kyle turned his attention to the needles of cold fire he felt spreading through his body.  Slowly, deliberately, he put one intent into his mana.  Condense.  White-hot pain caused him to cry out as he felt the venom being drawn together.  One of the key differences between what he was attempting now and what he did for Skippy was trying to create distinct zones for the toxins to stay in.  Circulating necrotic venom of this potency through his body for a single exit point wouldn¡¯t end well.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure when he started screaming, or how much time had passed.  He just stayed focused on condensing the venom and pushing it out of the wounds.  Slowly, ever so slowly, Kyle felt the pain begin to dull.  Looking at the injuries on his arm and leg, he could see a trickle of clear liquid leave the puncture wounds.  He knew that there was still trace amounts of the venom in his body, but the worst was past.

    ¡°Kyle, are you alive?¡±

    Benjamin.  The crackling voice through his nav bracelet surprised him, and he managed to croak out a reply.

    ¡°Barely.¡±

    ¡°Damn, they told us you went off to rescue the crew, looks like they didn¡¯t make it.  You fought the creature, then?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?  Are you back at the camp?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was calling about.  We decided to spend more time in the city.  The architecture here is something else, and I want to learn everything I can.  Since we¡¯re talking, I¡¯m going to assume the creature is dead?¡±

    Kyle wanted to be annoyed.  He really did.  He was just too damn tired.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Good work.  We¡¯ll get somebody out to you when we can.  Rest up.¡±

    Get somebody out here when you can?  I just saved your whole damn expedition.

    The whole interaction didn¡¯t sit well with Kyle, but he didn¡¯t have the bandwidth at the moment.  Focusing on ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, he felt his wounds slowly begin to close.  The pain was subsiding, though when he tried to stand up he felt his muscles convulse, a lingering side effect from the venom.  Resigning himself to remain immobile for now, Kyle entered meditation to see what gains he¡¯d experienced from his encounter with the Shadow.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 33 (D)

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 6/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY

    VITALITY: 565

    ENDURANCE: 664

    STRENGTH: 232

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    DEXTERITY: 475

    WILLPOWER: 866

    INTELLIGENCE: 866

    PERCEPTION: 707

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 90

    Again, Kyle was impressed by the growth.  Just two levels away from the next D Grade skill¡­  He still had no idea what the offering would bring, though he was definitely looking forward to it.  His fight with the Shadow had revealed several gaps in his current skillset, which he hoped his new skill would be able to overcome.  For now, he had to think about his free attributes.  Given that he was still fighting off the effects of the venom¡­ sixty of the points went right into Vitality.  The remainder were split between Willpower, Intelligence, and Perception.

    That work complete, Kyle exited meditation.  His body was still shaky, and the next couple hours were spent between ADAPTIVE REGENERATION and HEAL to finish repairing the worst of the damage.  Finally, he felt ready stand on unsteady feet, bracing his hand against the sturdy bamboo.  For the first time since his vision, he fully regarded the Shadow.  The giant body of the spider was pierced through in many places by spears of bamboo, all the light gone from its eyes.  He shuddered involuntarily as he stared at it, phantom pains springing to life across his body at the memory of the fight.

    It was a sobering reminder of how far he still had to go.  Kyle knew his durability was absolutely monstrous by Earth standards ¨C he could probably take an AIR BLADE from Garth head on without major injury ¨C yet the Shadow¡¯s offense had been powerful enough to rip through him with relative ease.  If it hadn¡¯t been for his Vitality, Endurance, and Enhanced Carapace, Kyle knew he would be dead.

    While it was clear the awakened arthropods were exceptionally powerful for how recently they evolved, Kyle had no illusions that they were alone in the wider universe.  He wasn¡¯t sure what would be ahead for him, but he suspected no matter what path he chose, he¡¯d face similar challenges ahead.  That in mind, he walked over to where he¡¯d dropped the C.H.A.D.D.pack.

    ¡°Good job back there, C.H.A.D.D.  No way I could have grown all the bamboo in time.¡±

    [THANK YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle waited for a moment, expecting a sassy reply about dropping him on the ground.  He frowned as the silence passed, before breaking it himself.

    ¡°Are you okay?  Did you get damaged in the fight?¡±

    [NO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle circled the drone, looking for damage.

    ¡°Something is off, C.H.A.D.D.  What¡¯s going on?¡±

    [I¡­ I WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST YOU EFFECTIVELY IN YOUR LAST ENCOUNTER.]

    ¡°What are you talking about?  You did great.  The bamboo, remember?  Without that I¡¯d be dead.¡±

    [IF I HAD DETECTED THE CREATURE IN ADVANCE, OR WARNED YOU ABOUT THE SILK, OR NOTED THE VENOM IN THE BARBS, THE FIGHT LIKELY WOULD HAVE GONE MUCH SMOOTHER.]

    ¡°There was nothing you could do.  Hell, even my Auric Perception had a really hard time.  We can¡¯t be expected to have an answer for everything.  Some things we have to learn as we go.¡±

    [DETECTING THREATS HAS BEEN MY ROLE SINCE WE EMBARKED ON THIS JOURNEY, DR. MAYHEW.  I AM¡­ GROWING CONCERNED.]

    ¡°Concerned about what, C.H.A.D.D.?  We¡¯re still in this together.  You¡¯ve more than proven yourself, to me and to the expedition.¡±

    [THAT MAY BE SO, DR. MAYHEW.  HOWEVER, THE SCOPE OF THE ENCOUNTERS WE¡¯VE HAD IS WELL BEYOND MY PARAMETERS.  ULTIMATELY, MY HARDWARE WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED PRIMARILY ON UNAWAKENED AND E GRADE HUMANS.]

    The drone paused for a moment, and Kyle stood quietly.  He¡¯d considered these exact points.  C.H.A.D.D. continued.

    [THE GRADUAL EVOLUTION OF MY PROGRAMMING AND INTEGRATION OF ORGANIC COMPONENTS HAS BEEN HELPFUL.  STILL, GIVEN THE RECENT ADDITIONS OF THE ARCHIVED MANA AND WORLD TREE SEED, I BELIEVE THAT MY CURRENT HARDWARE IS INSUFFICIENT TO THE TASKS BEFORE US.]

    Kyle frowned.

    ¡°We both know that I¡¯m not anything close to an expert at repair, much less upgrades.  Hell, integrating the plates from the Infernal was already pushing it.¡±

    [IT¡¯S A GOOD THING THAT YOU¡¯VE IMPROVED SINCE THEN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle snorted a reply.

    ¡°There¡¯s the C.H.A.D.D. I know!¡±

    Smile fading, he looked at the drone.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, C.H.A.D.D.  I don¡¯t want to risk breaking you because you think you need upgrades.  It¡¯s just not worth it.¡±

    [HAVE YOU CONSIDERED WHAT I WANT, DR. MAYHEW?  CAN YOU APPRECIATE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE COMPLETELY BLIND, ONLY WATCHING AS YOUR COMPANION GETS CLOSER AND CLOSER TO DYING?  HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT, GIVEN MY CLASS, I MAY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROGRESS?   TO BECOME SOMETHING NEW?  I RECOGNIZE THE RISKS; I¡¯M ASKING YOU TO HELP ME TAKE THEM, BECAUSE IT¡¯S WHAT I WANT.]

    ¡°You know, C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯ve been pretty indulgent with your ¡®wants¡¯ lately.  You¡¯ve absorbed more wealth in resources than the entire expedition has taken.¡±

    [WOULD YOU RATHER THEY HAVE BEEN SOLD BY CORTHIAN MINING?]

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the point.  I¡¯m saying that there needs to be a balance here ¨C a way to help you accomplish what you¡¯re working towards without being too reckless.  Let¡¯s start by talking about the outcomes you¡¯re looking for, and we can figure out what¡¯s reasonable and what¡¯s not.¡±

    As it turned out, C.H.A.D.D. had a lot of desired outcomes.  After rejecting access to calling down orbital strikes and other similar requests, Kyle felt good about what they were looking to accomplish.  The last hours before dawn were spent gathering as many of the shattered remnants of his gear as he could. He wrapped them in the ruined remains of his uniform shirt.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s help, he also tossed in as many bamboo seeds as he could find.  Satisfied he¡¯d done what he could, he tossed the bundle over one shoulder as he carried the pack in the other hand.  There was work to do.

 Chapter 130

    The light of the morning sun was already well into the sky by the time Kyle got within eyesight of the camp. He heard a cry of alarm, and before he knew it, he was being greeted by the team he¡¯d left in charge of the defenses. The man he¡¯d admonished the night before came up, acting as the de facto leader of the group.

    ¡°Sir! We¡¯re glad to see you back. Is¡­ is it dead?¡±

    Kyle sighed, exhausted. His voice was flat as he responded.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead. So are the rest of our squads. We should be safe to resume resource extraction.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright, sir?¡±

    Kyle saw their eyes running over his body, angry red scars where he¡¯d been punctured and slashed. The worst of the damage had been repaired, but there was still a lot left to do before he was at full strength. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was still at work, though Kyle had stopped channeling HEAL to conserve some mana. He was recovering it just a bit faster than his skill was using it, and he¡¯d managed to recover about a third of his total pool.

    That left him bone-weary after the night¡¯s exertion, in pain from the lingering injuries, and still fighting the residual effects of the venom. Decidedly not in the mood for small talk.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Is Benjamin back?¡±

    ¡°No, sir. They decided to stay in the ruins of the city, I think they¡¯ll be there for at least another day.¡±

    Good thing I didn¡¯t wait for them to rescue me, I¡¯d be dead. He nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m headed to get some rest. Coordinate with any of the other squad leaders and get them to work.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t wait for a response as he walked to his tent, set down the C.H.A.D.D.pack and his bundle, and wiped himself down with a damp washcloth. Satisfied he was clean enough, he tossed himself onto the cot. Sleep followed moments later.

    He awoke as he felt a presence enter the tent. Unsure of how much time passed, Kyle decided to take a measured approach. Turning his attention inward, he felt that his mana reserves were nearly full. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION had run its course, and the pain was gone from his body. Satisfied with his condition, he kept his eyes closed as he focused his other senses on the person in his tent.

    They moved with surprising grace, and were likely using some sort of skill to keep their footfalls silent. Unfortunately for them, the mana coursing around their body made them stand out like a sore thumb to Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception. They walked close to the bundle, and he thought for a moment they were going to search it for treasures.

    Not a terrible idea, all things considered. Kyle thought about the valuable resources C.H.A.D.D. had absorbed, and conceded to himself that there might be some merit to searching his belongings. He wasn¡¯t going to let them get away with it, but it wasn¡¯t unwarranted. He almost got up then and there, until the would-be-thief moved past the bundle and approached their real target, the drone resting in its pack on the ground.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes opened as the figure extended a hand. An electric blue glow filled the room as HASTE activated, and before the hapless thief could let out a sound a hand clamped over his mouth. Kyle¡¯s grip was iron, and he casually lifted the man off the ground with the hand still grabbing the man¡¯s face. The thief grabbed frantically onto Kyle¡¯s arm, eyes widening in fear and pain as he looked down. Kyle recognized him as a member of one of the squads that were out in the field when he called the return to camp.

    ¡°What are you doing in my tent?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s voice was icy. He¡¯d nearly died to keep these people safe. Benjamin and his bodyguards had abandoned him to fight the Shadow alone, and now he was being repaid by somebody trying to steal from him. His grip tightened a bit in reflex, and he felt something crack beneath his hand. The man let out a muffled cry of pain, and Kyle dropped him to the ground.

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    ¡°Talk. Now.¡±

    Blue eyes wide with fear looked up at him. Months ago, that would have bothered Kyle. Not anymore. He met the man¡¯s gaze with his own, eyes still blazing with mana.

    ¡°I¡­ I was just going to take a look at the drone. We heard you let people borrow it after your fight with the moth¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d stop lying if I were you. You didn¡¯t sneak into my tent with a stealth skill active to ¡®ask to borrow¡¯ C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    The thief gulped, eyes still wide with panic. He didn¡¯t seem to know what to say, so Kyle pushed him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you again. If you think Chester, Benjamin, or anybody else will take your side if I push the issue, you¡¯re sorely mistaken. I¡¯ve seen how your company cares for the people who died out here. Your life would be written off by lunch.¡±

    At that, the man visibly paled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He stammered, wincing in pain as something in his jaw popped.

    ¡°I was just coming in to get scans of the drone, I swear. I was just supposed to get scans.¡±

    ¡°Why do you need scans of C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think they want to know how it finds the treasures.¡±

    ¡°Who is ¡®they?¡¯¡±

    ¡°The orders got handed down from my squad leader! Please, don¡¯t hurt me! I swear, I was just following orders!¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was growing shrill, and he knew that people had likely heard the last bit of the exchange. Still, he wanted to convey his message. He leaned in close to the man on the ground, voice sharp as a dagger.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that I¡¯m willing to let you go. But I don¡¯t forget favors. You owe me. When I need you, you¡¯re going to pay up. Am I clear?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Now get the hell out of my tent. And let your squad leader know that if any of you try to pull a stunt like this again, I¡¯m leaving you and the rest of your squad to the bugs.¡±

    The pale man nodded before running out of the tent. Kyle just sighed. It was a sloppy attempt, though Kyle was fairly certain that he knew who was behind it. Chester was very interested in learning more about the drone, and with Kyle ostensibly out for the count, it made sense to try to take advantage of the opportunity. It was a low-risk move; if the man got what they wanted, great. If not, Chester had enough layers of deniability that it would be difficult to ever trace it back to him. The scheming made his head hurt.

    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t know about Kyle¡¯s unique ability to sense the flow of mana, which gave him an edge. D Grade spiders specializing in stealth attacks were a little outside his scope, but the average E Grade with a rudimentary skill would probably have better success just asking. At least that way they would just be told ¡°no¡± instead of risking an¡­ adverse reaction.

    Overall, this leg of the journey had soured Kyle¡¯s opinion of Corthian Mining. It was clear that there was a lot more at play than he could fully appreciate, and he really didn¡¯t like being left out in the wild. Coupling that with the setbacks of losing most of his gear, Kyle wasn¡¯t in a fantastic position. To that end, he and C.H.A.D.D. had developed a plan on their return to the camp to try and remedy those issues as best they could.

    Putting on a fresh uniform, Kyle looked outside. He felt a small relief that at least there wasn¡¯t a crowd around the tent. Before exiting, he called Duroc through his nav bracelet. To his surprise, the orc answered almost immediately.

    ¡°Hi Kyle! I was about to call you, what great timing. Benjamin wants to know if you¡¯d meet us over in the ruins of the city. He has a lot of questions about the architecture and thought you¡¯d be able to help.¡±

    ¡°I was actually going to ask if you all still needed me, or if I could head back to the flagship. The fight against the D Grade cost me my armor and weapons. C.H.A.D.D. took some damage as well, and I want to see to the repairs.¡±

    The last part was a lie, of course, but they felt that it was a safer course of action. It would keep attention off the drone, and make the search for upgrade materials feel far more natural to any observers. It also let him test the waters ¨C there was a chance the interest didn¡¯t come from Chester, after all.

    If Duroc was aware of the interest in C.H.A.D.D., he didn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°I bet we can make that happen, but Benjamin will definitely want to talk about this stuff when we get back.¡±

    ¡°If he can get me a shuttle back, he¡¯s got a deal.¡±

    They organized the logistics, and Kyle was booked for transport just a few hours later. With some time left to kill, he walked back out into the forest. The man he¡¯d admonished the day before saw him leaving, and called after him.

    ¡°Sir, where are you going? Would you like us to get a squad together?¡±

    His attitude has really turned around.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    No further questions came after him. Once he¡¯d made it a good distance in, he looked down to C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°Any luck getting the world tree seed to react?¡±

    [UNFORTUNATELY NOT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep working on it. Without it, what else do you think we¡¯ll need to get your upgrades started?¡±

    [THAT DEPENDS, DR. MAYHEW. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOU CAN COLLECT?]

 Chapter 131

    A tide of shambling darkness covered the horizon, right at the edge of Garth¡¯s vision. He exhaled slowly as he looked out at the approaching ants. We did what we could. Weeks of sustained attacks and raids against the slow-moving creatures, culminating with the wholesale burning of the forest between Nierburg and Corwyn. Reports of the swarm¡¯s progress continually came in through the Communication Array that was perpetually by Garth¡¯s side these days. They¡¯d killed thousands of the mutated ants, slaughtering them as efficiently as any monster extermination he¡¯d been a part of. And it still wasn¡¯t enough. Virtually the entire colony had turned into these creatures, and they simply didn¡¯t have the manpower to take down that many in open combat.

    Still, his teams had done their part. Thinning the numbers was important, but the most valuable thing they accomplished was buying time. Everybody in Nierburg, awakened or not, had contributed to the defenses. Resources were gathered in preparation to hunker down behind the walls. Battlements were reinforced. Traps were set. Awakened were trained. For the first time since the fall, Garth really felt as though there was unity. It was just a pity that it took a threat of this magnitude to create it.

    ¡°There¡¯s so many out there.¡±

    Mary Ellen¡¯s voice didn¡¯t tremble like it had when he first met her. He looked over his left shoulder, where his personal squad stood. They had been spread thin in the past weeks, putting in long hours. Their assignments had been dangerous, and they¡¯d managed to pull through every time.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be an easy fight.¡±

    Garth was strangely calm. Despite the nerves he felt, he was also experiencing a sense of serenity. They¡¯d done what they could. As stressful as all the planning was, combat was a familiar friend.

    ¡°Where are you going to want us?¡±

    Joseph was shifting back and forth with nervous energy. He¡¯d been heavily involved in the suppression of the ants, and personally led the raid that burned down the forest. Garth was impressed by how far the young man had come, barely resembling the pudgy conscript he¡¯d first met. Despite his hesitance, he¡¯d really come into his own.

    ¡°You and Mary Ellen will be part of a mobile squad. I¡¯ll have you moving along the walls and reinforcing any areas that look to be struggling. Johannes, you¡¯ll be with the rest of the medics. I won¡¯t have you near the walls. Arianna, be with your family.¡±

    The teenager¡¯s eyes flashed as she looked at him. He met the stare with one of his own, and the fire left her expression.

    ¡°I can help too, you know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that for a minute. But your skills are best suited against other people. Your fighting style isn¡¯t designed to be used in situations like this one. And before you say it, you aren¡¯t getting special treatment. There are others that would have bad matchups against the ants, and I¡¯m not putting them on the frontlines. Everybody below level 20 without a specialization in defensive tactics and practice with polearms is in reserve.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting closer, just a few levels away. If you let me fight, I can get there.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a negotiation. If things get bad, it¡¯ll be all hands. Having fresh reserves is also part of the strategy.¡±

    She looked like she wanted to say more, though she held her tongue.

    Don¡¯t be eager to throw your life away, kid. Arianna had grown a lot in her time with his squad, and Garth had every expectation she¡¯d be a real powerhouse someday. For now, she was still young. Her skirmishes against the ants were lackluster. She didn¡¯t have a place on this battlefield. Looking at his team, pride welled in his chest. They¡¯d all come so far.

    ¡°This is going to be combat on a scale none of us have ever seen before. Hell, something like this hasn¡¯t happened since the days of the Originators. A lot will be asked from each of you. Fight like hell, and think of the people you¡¯re protecting. At the same time, think of yourselves. Heroes don¡¯t throw their lives away senselessly. So fight, and come back alive. That¡¯s an order.¡±

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    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Dismissed.¡±

    He watched them each make their way towards their assigned groups. Turning his gaze from the oncoming hoard, he looked at the city from his position atop the wall. He could see a network of floating Communication Arrays above most of the buildings, speakers pointing down towards the people below. Relay stations were set up, with Rangers manning each. Good. They would be able to communicate the flow of the battle to the Central Administration staffers set up throughout the city, and allocate resources accordingly.

    He saw the unawakened below making their way into their homes, barricading doors. More than a few makeshift spears were being passed around, and supplies were being distributed. That made him nod in satisfaction. They¡¯d have to be careful, but if the ants took the wall, there was still space left to fight in the streets. Satisfied that they were as prepared as they could be, Garth had one item of business left. He turned to the small, mobile Communication Array.

    ¡°DeRosa, it¡¯s time. Meet me in section four, and bring Director Reynolds.¡±

    ¡°We are already en route, Mr. Boltsbury. I estimate arrival in less than three minutes.¡±

    The former Councilman¡¯s dry tone was still baffling to Garth. Even facing down an army capable of destroying the city, DeRosa sounded the same as always. Curt, direct, and unmoved. Sure enough, just over two minutes later, Garth spotted the two men ascending the battlements. Victor was in his resplendent red robe, carrying a large backpack. His expression was bored, as though he¡¯d been waiting in line at a supermarket. Still, it caused the hairs on the back of Garth¡¯s neck to stand up as he felt the sheer amount of mana flowing around the man.

    Behind him and slightly to the right was Reynolds. He wore his shining golden armor, his massive halberd being carried easily in one hand. In contrast to Victor, his face was locked in a mask of anger. Garth wasn¡¯t sure why, until the large man¡¯s eyes locked on his.

    ¡°You will address the Former Councilman as such, Mr. Boltsbury. Offer some damn respect.¡±

    Garth wasn¡¯t about to back down from the comment, but before things could escalate Victor spoke up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t particularly care, Reynolds. If we don¡¯t take care of this threat, there¡¯s not much point in titles. Besides, I¡¯ve always found respect to be best earned.¡±

    With that, he looked at Garth.

    ¡°Mr. Reynolds and I will break the advance. I don¡¯t expect that we¡¯ll be sufficient to stop the entire swarm; however I have no doubt that the bulk of their approach will have to go around us which will buy more time to thin them out before they meet the rest of our forces.¡±

    Garth frowned, this not at all being the plan they¡¯d discussed. Originally, he¡¯d expected Reynolds to lead the front-line defenses while DeRosa supported the Mage teams atop the walls.

    ¡°Due respect, that sounds incredibly dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps for somebody like you, it would be. You¡¯ve never seen us at work, Mr. Boltsbury. Rumor has it you nearly died in multiple combat engagements against a particularly nasty group of raiders. I can assure you that had we been in your position, we wouldn¡¯t have had the same issues.¡±

    Garth felt the heat rising in his face. He bit back his knee-jerk response, and tried to compose himself. DeRosa and Reynolds didn¡¯t give him the opportunity.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to get into position. We¡¯ve already taken the liberty of sharing the strategy with Central Administration, and they will coordinate the logistics from here. Do try not to die, Mr. Boltsbury.¡±

    With that, the two men strode across the battlements, making their way towards the nearest gates. Go to hell. If they¡¯d been anybody else, Garth would have had them court-martialed right there and then. Given the circumstances, however, he needed their power. Using his private channel, he reached out to his own people in Central Adminstration. The building was centrally located in the city, and acted as the perfect communications hub.

    ¡°Amir, did you know that DeRosa and Reynolds changed the plan at the last minute?¡±

    ¡°Just found out five minutes ago, boss. Sorry, with everything going on I didn¡¯t think to follow-up on it. I take it you asking means they didn¡¯t run it by you?¡±

    ¡°Damn right they didn¡¯t. I want you to find out who they ran it by, and every protocol they broke to get it done. How DeRosa always seem to have time to play politics is beyond me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. Be careful out there, boss.¡±

    Garth snorted, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯d rather deal with a swarm of ants than a nest of vipers any day. Get what you can out of those politicians and let me know.¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡±

    With that, Garth made his final call before reaching his position.

    ¡°Stephanie, how are you and Gwen holding up?¡±

    ¡°As well as can be expected. Was it really necessary to give us this thing? I figure a Communication Array could probably be put to use somewhere else given what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Garth smiled.

    ¡°But if I did that, I couldn¡¯t talk to you. It helps center me. Now, Gwen and the other kids are all safe?¡±

    ¡°They are. They seem a little worried, but I think that¡¯s to be expected.¡±

    ¡°Good. Take good care of them, Stephanie. They¡¯ve been through too much for their age.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot too, Garth. Whatever happens, I want you to come back safe.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    With that, Garth took the final steps to his position in section four. He saw two figures standing out past the barricades and traps, waiting for the ants to close the distance. The siege of Nierbug had begun.

 Chapter 132

    The ants approached, and two figures stood to meet them ¨C one clad in gold, the other crimson.  Garth watched with a pair of binoculars as the infested insects began their assault.  There¡¯s too many.  Cursing their arrogance, Garth considered what to do.  He was about to call for a mobile squad to try and help them fall back, but paused as he saw DeRosa move.

    A whirlwind of mana exploded from the body of the former Councilman, and his backpack opened.  Nearly two dozen metal balls were pulled out, and began to spin around DeRosa.  Garth¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the carnage begin.  The balls were spinning around the red robes with incredible speed, smashing through the carapace of the ants like paper.  For his part, DeRosa stood in the eye of the storm, the area directly around him pristine as ichor and ant pieces painted the battlefield beyond.

    Still, he wasn¡¯t done.  Extending his left hand, a blue-green lance of energy flashed out, blasting a line through the approaching insects nearly twenty meters deep.  Repeating the motion, he fired off three more lances.  In seconds, DeRosa had wiped out well over a hundred ants, and the number was only climbing.  Looking over at Reynolds, he was met with another impressive sight.

    The golden armor flashed in the light as the halberd spun, slicing apart the bodies of any insects that got close.  The degree of carnage was far less than the area near DeRosa, yet Garth found his combat style even more impressive.  Every movement was made with intention, the long reach of the weapon reaping lives with every stroke.  At the same time, Reynolds moved with a grace that belied his size and heavy armor.  His footwork and agility were both impressive, always keeping the bulk of his opponents at a perfect range to engage.  Garth was almost positive that the man was using three different boosting skills in tandem, though he had no way to confirm it.  One for speed, one for power, and one for recovery?

    Soon, the pile of bodies around the two humans had grown to impede the advance.  Looking around the battlement, Garth saw similar expressions of awe on the faces around him.  As far as Garth knew, virtually nobody left in the Central Authority had ever seen DeRosa or Reynolds fight in earnest.  Watching them now, it was a sight to behold.  Originally, Garth had thought DeRosa nothing more than a paper-pushing administrator.  Now, seeing an army of ants breaking against his defenses, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.  He thought he was likely a match for the man, now he had to admit he was outclassed.

    How would they have stacked up against Valentine?  It was an odd thought.  Still, watching them fight, he was reminded of the Liberation leader.  The man was an absolute terror, and yet he could see both DeRosa and Reynolds fighting him to a draw.  Both were far beyond where he had been when he¡¯d nearly been killed by the man.  Of course, a lot has changed since then.  He was pulled away from his thoughts as he saw the mass of ants begin to swerve around the pocket of destruction caused by the two awakened, and he turned to his Communication Array.

    ¡°Prepare for long-range bombardment.  DeRosa and Reynolds are buying us time, don¡¯t waste it!¡±

    There was a still moment as his order spread across the wall, and then the air around ripped apart as hundreds upon hundreds of skills activated at once.  Garth could feel the mana whipping into a frenzy as Mage-type awakened cast their devastating attacks into the oncoming horde.  Rangers sighted in on the leading insects, crippling them with precise shots.  Though the tide felt endless, Garth¡¯s heart soared as he saw the effectiveness of the attacks.

    Explosions rocked the ground as the ants stepped on prepared traps, they got caught up in the barricades, and yet they still kept coming.  As the minutes wore on, Garth¡¯s optimism receded.  There are just so damn many.  The barricades between the approaching swarm and the wall were now almost completely torn down by the waves of creatures, the explosives spent.  The once massive torrent of attacks raining down from the walls had slowed to a more moderated pace.  The defenders were doing well, but they were getting tired.

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    Notices continued to come in from other places around the wall.  As expected, ants were coming from other directions as well.  While the bulk of the forces were here in section four, there were several pitched battles happening in sections eight and twelve, where they hadn¡¯t stationed as many defenders.

    ¡°Joseph, get to section eight.  Once things are under control, head to twelve.  We¡¯ll have another squad there, but it sounds like they¡¯ll need support.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The mobile squads were made up of a combination of mages and rangers, each given a cargo transport to quickly traverse the streets and get to each part of the battlefield where they¡¯d be needed.  A drone floated nearby, dropping off a crate of ammunition that the Rangers near Garth quickly unpacked and distributed.  Below, he heard the beginning of the engagement with their melee troops.  Polearms and shields were the weapons of choice, a strong phalanx against the onslaught.  For a while, it held.  Then, the ants did something unexpected.

    Struggling to advance, the waves of mutated ants began building a bridge.  Ants bit on to one another as they surged towards the walls, forming living siege weaponry.  The melee troops at the gate weren¡¯t able to get close enough to disrupt it, as they were squaring off against opponents of their own.  The Rangers were reloading, and the Mages didn¡¯t have enough big attacks left in reserve to wipe out all the advancing bridges.

    Without stopping to consult his aides, Garth drew his sword, mana already being channeled through his arms.  As he ran, a snarl escaped his lips as an AIR BLADE, wider than any before, ripped through three of the living bridges.  Ants were slashed to ribbons as the attack tore through the group, followed quickly by another.  Screams down the wall grabbed his attention, and he gave the nearby Mages a quick nod before taking off in the direction of the screams with FLEET FOOT.

    Damn.  Two of the living bridges had made it to the top of the wall on the other side of section four.  Large ants were streaming up and across, and he saw the bodies of some of the mages.  They were mangled under the clawed feet and mandibles of the fungus-infested ants, which moved in jerky, erratic bursts.  The fungus seemed to have taken root much more deeply than the last group Garth had seen up close, stalks protruding from joints in the chitin.

    Two people were clutching bleeding gashes as they tried to back away from the ants, and Garth shoved them roughly behind him as he stepped up to face the creatures.  The first one lunged at him, and was met with the tip of his blade, piercing its head and pinning it to the top of the wall.  Another ant tried to clamber over its dead comrade to get to him, and was summarily bisected by an AIR BLADE launched from a rising slash. The skill ripped through four other ants that were attempting to cross the wall into Nierburg, and in a quick leap Garth made his way to the top of the living bridge.

    His arms were beginning to feel the strain of the skill, though he didn¡¯t hesitate as he sent a vicious strike ripping through the line of ants, sending pieces of chitin and a rain of ichor to the ground.  Garth¡¯s attacks took the pressure off, and he saw a jet of fire and pulse of crackling purple lightning shatter the second landing point on the wall, two exhausted Mages nodding at him with relief clear on their faces.

    The waves were beginning to thin, and Garth looked out to the field.  He saw Reynolds, left arm hanging limp at his side while he continued to fight, slaughtering ant after ant.  His movements were much more sluggish than before, and Garth¡¯s suspicion of boosting skills was reinforced.  Still, he was dangerous.  DeRosa appeared to be largely unhurt, though the balls he had been using as projectiles had begun to warp and lose their shape.  They¡¯re not going to make it much longer.  There were far fewer ants approaching now, but it was a long way to get to safety.  As if reading his mind, he saw Reynolds disengage.  At the same time, DeRosa began to make his way towards the man, smashing any ants that got in his way.  As soon as Reynolds got close, DeRosa did¡­ something.  The air around them blurred, and the next thing he knew, Garth was staring at empty space.  He blinked, confused.  What the hell kind of skill was that?

    Whatever it was, DeRosa and Reynolds had more than done their part.  In hindsight, it made sense that they¡¯d have some sort of method to evacuate the battlefield if things went sour.  DeRosa wasn¡¯t the kind of man to go into battle without contingencies.  Evaluating the carnage, he was still taken aback.  The two of them on their own had likely killed as many ants as the first several volleys of skills from the battlements.  Not men to underestimate.  Unfortunately, his thought was cut short by the Communication Array.

    ¡°Garth!  We need help!¡±

    It was Joseph¡¯s voice, sounding panicked.

    ¡±What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re flying!¡±

 Chapter 133

    Garth didn¡¯t hesitate upon hearing the news.  He pulled out the flare gun from its holster on his waist, and shot a single flare above his location.

    ¡°Mobile squads, get to section eight, now!¡±

    Not listening to the responses, he looked for the small swarm of drones heading his way.  Nierburg didn¡¯t have the resources to use this for everybody, but individuals with particularly noteworthy power were granted the exception.  A dozen drones stopped to hover nearby, each dangling thin paracord.  He gathered as much as he could, wrapping the end of the cords around his hand and gripping tight.

    ¡°Section eight, go!¡±

    Then, he leaped off the wall.  Garth felt the drones lurch towards the ground before stabilizing, and let out a breath.  The numbers said this would work, but testing it out was something else entirely.  His feet were just a few meters from the tops of the buildings, and he tried his best not to look down.  Instead, Garth fixed his eyes on the far wall.  Soon, he saw the proof of Joseph¡¯s words.  Dark specks against the sky flew past the wall, and descended towards the city.  Of course the damn things can fly.

    He looked over his shoulder, expecting to see the Communication Array following behind.  Instead, there was nothing.  Stupid drone.  He looked up at the hodgepodge group carrying him, and swore.  Guard Arrays and C.H.A.D.D.s, and that was it.  He took a calming breath as he closed on their position.  Just trust they did their job.  At this point, there was nothing else he could do.

    As he got closer, he found it more and more difficult to stay calm.  He heard the sounds of fighting from the streets below, and knew that meant one of two things: the flying ants had landed, or there was a breach somewhere on the wall.  As much as he wanted to stop and help, it was the wrong decision.  He needed information, so he kept the drones on their course.  Even though the whole trip took less than ten minutes, it felt like ages.  Garth was lowered towards the ground at the base of the battlements, and released his grip on the paracord when he was half a dozen meters off the ground.  He landed with a grunt, and moments later was making his way up the stairs carved into the wall.

    Ascending to the top, Garth was met with absolute chaos.  A living bridge of ants was streaming insects atop the wall, and several of the winged creatures had also landed to enter the melee.  The walkways were slick with blood and ichor.  Garth heard the loud thumping of heavy weapons fire, and watched as several of the insects were riddled with holes.  A burst of electricity stunned two nearby fliers, disrupting them midair.  They crashed to the ground inside the city, a sickening crunch barely audible moments later.

    One of the ants nearby turned to face the newcomer on the wall.  Garth¡¯s sword flashed, slicing the creature¡¯s head off cleanly.  Before it could hit the ground, Garth was moving.  He was in a state of focus, each insect slashed apart with razor precision.  Insect parts flew as he fought, the zone around him a whirlwind of death.

    Garth¡¯s presence was exactly what the defenders needed.  They seemed to rally around him, fighting back harder than before.  There were far fewer ants on this side of the city, and as the minutes wore on there simply weren¡¯t enough ants to maintain the bridge and it collapsed. Soon, the wall was clear of enemies.  Surviving Mages and Rangers still rained death on the creatures below, while the melee forces prevented them from scaling the wall.  Garth looked around, spotting the Ranger with the heavy weapon and a disheveled Mary Ellen in a position behind some guardsmen.

    ¡°I need a Communications Array, now!  Mary Ellen, where is Joseph?¡±

    ¡°We got an urgent request from section twelve!  He went to go help!¡±

    ¡°Dammit!  Mary Ellen, you¡¯re with me.  We¡¯re going after him.¡±

    Her eyes drifted to the city, where the sounds of combat could be heard.

    ¡°Will the trucks be able to run with the ants in the streets?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t taking the streets.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hold on and get dragged around by a bunch of drones.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.  We¡¯re going the old fashioned way, because we¡¯re clearing out anything that gets in the way.  Let¡¯s just hope Joseph can hold on.¡±

    He turned to the rest of the soldiers left on the wall.

    ¡°Keep your positions here.  The threat from this side is slowing down, just hang tight.¡±

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    With that, Garth and Mary Ellen took off.  They moved at a quick jog, watching for attacks as they went.  They crossed sections nine and ten in a blur, the defenders having things well in hand.  Mary Ellen only had to blast three flying ants out of the sky.  Section eleven started in good shape, which changed dramatically halfway through.  Garth found himself in pitched combat once again, conserving his mana as he ripped through the ants on the battlements.  Again, his attacks turned the tide.  Dozens of ant corpses piled up, though his heart fell as he heard the sounds of combat from the beginning of section twelve.

    ¡°Do you think he made it?¡± Mary Ellen¡¯s voice quavered as she spoke.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if he¡¯s there we¡¯re going to get him.  Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Garth leveled his sword as he stepped up to engage the nearest ant.  He was about to strike, when an orange glow and surge of mana made him pause.  Without warning, the ant in front of him was struck by a beam of red-hot energy.  Similar beams of energy rained down across the wall and into the pile of creatures below, striking with surgical precision.  A fierce grin crossed Garth¡¯s face, as he recognized the skill.

    CHARGED SUNBEAM was Joseph¡¯s selection at Level 20, allowing him to draw in mana and charge a barrage of targeted strikes.  While his FIREBALL still lacked power compared to somebody like Carlyle, CHARGED SUNBEAM more than made up for it.  The downside was, as the name implied, a significant charging time.  Each beam took a while to fully set up, and Garth knew launching this many at once would have taken incredible focus and preparation.

    The results, however, spoke for themselves.  In one fell swoop, the momentum turned.  The advance of the ants was broken, the bridges burned through, and the forces on the wall thinned out.  The beleaguered defenders rallied, Garth and Mary Ellen jumping in to help clean up.  Cheers erupted from the wall, and Garth walked past the troops to see his squad mate.  Joseph¡¯s skin was pale, and he was sweating like he¡¯d just run a marathon.  He was leaned back against the inside lip of the wall, trembling.

    ¡°That was one hell of an attack, kid.¡±

    Joseph smiled weakly up at Garth.

    ¡°Still needs some polish.  Thanks for coming, boss.¡±

    Only then did he register that Mary Ellen was with him, and some color returned to his face.  She, on the other hand, looked to be about to cry.  Garth was ready to give the two of them a hard time, when a message came through the Communication Array he¡¯d borrowed from section eight.

    ¡°CALLING ALL RESERVES, GATHER NEAR CENTRAL HEALTH.  HOSTILES HAVE CONGREGATED AND APPEAR TO BE PREPARING AN ASSAULT.  REPEAT, ALL RESERVES, GATHER TO SUPPORT CENTRAL HEALTH.¡±

    The message repeated a second time, then a third.  A sick realization hit Garth like a bus.  They¡¯re coming after our wounded.  All the injured people that had been shuttled towards the center of the city provided a trail of blood for the ants to follow.  Inputting the frequency to get to his private channel, he called Amir.

    ¡°What do you mean the ants are congregating inside the walls?¡±

    A moment later, a very frazzled-sounding Amir responded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it better, sir.  Whatever¡¯s going on, they seem to want to get to Central Health.  There¡¯s got to be at least sixty of them gathering outside, with others being held back at other points in the city.¡±

    ¡°What are estimates for the total inside the city?¡±

    ¡°One hundred?  Maybe one hundred and twenty?¡±

    ¡°How are the rest of the defenses holding on the walls?¡±

    ¡°Finally, you¡¯re asking me to give you good news.  The worst of the siege seems to be over.  There¡¯s still probably three or four hundred ants to clean up, but it¡¯s been thinned out a lot.  Honestly, boss, it really comes down to how many losses we take before we win.¡±

    Garth nodded at Amir¡¯s evaluation.  He was currently standing on the segment of wall that the Corthian Mining foreman, Chester Drake, had built.  It was a reminder of the power individuals like him possessed.  Garth was close to Arianna, and not far from Central Health.  He knew his reserve teams would struggle against a swarm of sixty of the ants, and that even if they held, there would be heavy losses.  That¡¯s not good enough.

    Exhaling slowly, Garth came to his decision.  ¡±Joseph, Mary Ellen.  I¡¯m going to get this finished up.  Do you mind?¡±

    Mary Ellen looked at Joseph, worry in her eyes.  ¡°Will he be alright?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt him at all.¡±

    Joseph jumped in, clearly emboldened by Mary Ellen¡¯s presence.  ¡°Even if it did, I¡¯m here for you, sir.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it.  Both of you.¡±

    With that, Garth activated the skill he¡¯d learned at Level 60.  LEADER¡¯S MANTLE blossomed to life, and Garth felt his attributes swell.  At the same time, he felt the energy leaving Mary Ellen and Joseph.  This was a boosting skill unlike anything he¡¯d encountered before, and it was powerful.  In addition to a significant boost of his own attributes, he could magnify the multipliers further by borrowing from people who trusted him.  Mary Ellen and Joseph were both now significantly weakened, while Garth was practically radiating power.

    In a blur, Garth jumped off the wall to the streets of Nierburg.  He felt the energy burning through him, wreathing him in a protective shell.  A massive cloud of dust was kicked up as the shroud of energy dispersed, leaving him dusty but unharmed in the center.  Exploding down the street, Garth made his way towards Central Health.  Before he¡¯d made it two blocks, he saw a familiar figure fighting against a large ant.

    Arianna was doing her best to find openings, landing dozens of strikes.  Unfortunately, she lacked the offensive power to do real damage.  A moment later, Garth blew past.  The ant was sliced into three neat pieces, and he saw the girl¡¯s eyes widen.

    ¡°Is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Go home, I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±

    He half expected an argument; instead he felt a surge of power as more attributes were added to his own, and Arianna turned down the street towards her home.  Focusing internally, Garth got a sense for how much longer the boost would last.  Two minutes.  It wasn¡¯t much time, but he was going to make the most of it.

 Chapter 134

    The shroud of mana flowed around Garth as he rounded the corner and saw the scene at Central Health.  True to Amir¡¯s words, the entire area was swarming with the winged ants.  He could hear the sounds of combat coming from the middle of the mass, and swore.  Without being able to see where his people were, large scale attacks were off the table.  At least for now.

    Mana blazing to life in his limbs, Garth dove straight towards the sounds of battle.  His blade sang as it carved a bloody swathe through the insects, whose mandibles and claws were unable to pierce the shroud of mana.

    One minute.

    Soon, Garth found himself standing alongside the exhausted defenders, many of whom looked to be half-healed soldiers from the frontlines.  Blood dripped from many wounds, and more than a few bodies were unmoving on the ground.  Something about the sight made Garth ache.  These people ¨C his people ¨C had given so much to try to protect the city and their loved ones.  The pain of loss was still so real after the cataclysm, and before they could even get back on their feet this happened.

    ¡°Get behind me.¡±

    Garth¡¯s voice was quiet, yet the mana infusing him made his command clear.  White-blue energy swirled around him, and quick slashes with his blade helped clear the area.  He breathed slowly, time seeming to slow down as the last of the soldiers got out of his range.  Ants were closing in, but it was too late for them.  Garth¡¯s focus sharpened.  Control.  Don¡¯t hit the buildings.

    Forty seconds.

    Garth¡¯s blade blurred.  The ants immediately around him were diced into pieces.  He took a step forward, then two.  More ants fell, and the ones closest to him were reduced to mist.  A third step, then a fourth.  Now the clearing in front of Central Health was devoid of life, the ants nearby cut to ribbons by countless AIR BLADES.  In this state, with LEADER¡¯S MANTLE active, his abilities were elevated to an entirely different level.

    Thirty seconds.

    The exhaustion from the boosting skill was beginning to set in.  He¡¯d killed no less than fifty ants in his attack, but knew there were still more.  Dashing around the perimeter of Central Health, he saw several ants congregated in a side street.  His sword blurred, and they fell lifeless to the ground.  Continuing his circuit, two more groups of ants fell.

    Fifteen seconds.

    Garth¡¯s body was growing numb, and darkness encroached around the edges of his vision.  A harsh buzzing drew his attention to the sky, where he saw two more of the insects attempting to get to the top of the building.  He attempted to launch another AIR BLADE, but his arm just twitched in response.  I should have time¡­ A loud clatter resounded as Garth¡¯s sword fell to the ground out of his unfeeling grip.  He felt the mana surrounding him disperse, and looked up at the two ants, still flying skyward.  Not like this.

    He was simply too exhausted.  The chains of quick attacks pushed his body past its limit.  As he looked at the sky, a bolt of lightning struck each ant, followed by twin lances of fire.  Garth couldn¡¯t help but smile.  His team had come through.  He heard the shuffling of clawed feet on cement, and knew that there were other ants approaching.  He closed his eyes, and waited.  He was satisfied.  Garth had done what he could, and a lot of lives were going to be saved.

    ¡°There he is!¡±

    The sound of the ants was suddenly drowned out by a rush of footsteps.  Grunts and screams of combat followed soon after, and he could only assume that the defenders had rallied for one more push.He felt a hand on his chest, and soothing energy began to flow through him.  His muscles spasmed as the damage was slowly knitted, sending needles of pain through his body.

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    ¡°That hurts, dammit.¡±

    Garth opened his eyes to see Johannes staring down at him, sweat already beading his forehead.

    ¡°If you¡¯d stop getting hurt so badly, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Despite the jab, Garth saw relief on the Healer¡¯s face.  Garth grunted and sat up.  He was exhausted.  His mana reserves were empty.  Reaching down to the ground, he picked up the beautiful curved blade.  Even though his arm was shaking, his grip was firm.  He turned his eyes to where a group of defenders tried to hold a half dozen ants.  Johannes stepped in front of him, arms crossed.

    ¡°Garth, you¡¯re not in a condition to fight.¡±

    ¡°Neither are they.  Thanks, Johannes.  Now get out of my way.  I have work to do.¡±

    Straightening his back, he entered the fray.  Even as worn down as he felt, Garth was still at an entirely different level compared to the injured soldiers.  His slices weren¡¯t as neat, but his blade still intercepted mandibles, countered lunges, and brought a swift death to each of his opponents.  Garth could feel the eyes boring into his back as the last of the ants fell, his sword buried to the hilt in its forehead.  Ripping his weapon free, he turned to face the brave men and women who¡¯d come out to support him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it was bravery or stupidity that brought you all out here.  Either way, thank you.  Now, let¡¯s get back to the doors.  There¡¯s still cleanup to finish.¡±

    ~~~

    Victor DeRosa was having a great day.  While it was unfortunate that he had to utilize his Transportation Array, it was worth the cost.  He and Reynolds were back at DeRosa¡¯s compound near the outskirts of the city, with the corpses of nearly twenty of the infested ants.  From the moment he¡¯d heard of the fungal infection, Victor knew that there was an opportunity.  Under ordinary circumstances, infected creatures would die soon afterward.  In this case, not only did the ants not die, they didn¡¯t even seem weakened.  Even more interesting, the number of mutated variants seemed extraordinarily high; far beyond what the data indicated was normal among the other insects.

    Reynolds was already drinking one of the potions he¡¯d prepared beforehand, and Victor walked over to him.  Despite being uninjured, Victor took one of the bottles for himself, pulling it to him with a tendril of mana.  He admired the ruby liquid within before taking a sip.   Warmth spread through his body, easing aches and relaxing his muscles after the day¡¯s exertions.  He closed his eyes to relish the feeling, standing in silence until it faded.

    ¡°Councilman, sir, will this be enough samples?¡±

    ¡°Prior to our engagement today, I established a delivery protocol with Central Administration.  I¡¯ll have plenty available to begin my research.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else you require of me, sir?¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment.  Go and get treatment, then some rest, I¡¯ll send for you if anything changes.¡±

    Reynolds nodded as he left the room, moving stiffly.  DeRosa shook his head as he turned back to the ants.  Warrior-type classes are such a waste.  Victor understood the necessity for them, though he loathed them at the same time.  Reynolds needed to damage his body and put himself at significant risk to even get close to mirroring the level of destructive power that DeRosa could bring to bear.  It was a truly disappointing reality.

    With a sigh, he activated MANA WHORL and lifted the ant bodies, bringing them into his second lab, adjacent to the one where Valentine was being held.  He exchanged his combat robes for appropriate protective gear, and got to work dissecting and examining the corpses.  His eyes widened as he beheld the beauty in front of him.  The fungus had long stalks woven throughout the entirety of the ant¡¯s body, which even now released a gentle pulse of soothing energy.

    Focusing on it, DeRosa used AURA INSIGHT, a kaleidoscope of colors appearing before his eyes.  The fungus was still alive, at least somewhat.  He could see the colorless grey atmospheric mana get drawn in, and then converted into something unique to the organism.  The soothing energy that he¡¯d detected appeared to him as green, and as he suspected there was more than met his eye.  Beneath it, there was a deep purple energy, moving in concert with the rejuvenating waves.

    Turning to another ant, this time with the fungus destroyed, he compared what he saw.  He could see echoes of the green energy in the creature¡¯s tissues, seeing signs of minor recovery before the beast expired.  At first, there didn¡¯t seem to be any traces of the purple energy, until he looked more deeply at the fungus itself.  While it didn¡¯t cause direct damage, it was clearly central in some capacity to the fungus¡¯ ability to manipulate the ant.  The more the fungus accelerated recovery, the deeper the capability to control it.

    Fascinated, Victor continued his examinations, oblivious to the world around him.  Ideas were forming as he analyzed more of the fungal properties, and just as he was running out of samples, he got the notice that Central Administration had finished the cleanup, and were making their first delivery.  DeRosa smiled knowing the bodies would be deposited outside his lab.  Soon, it would be time to begin testing his applications.

 Chapter 135

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®Nierburg was almost overrun with giant ants?¡¯  That¡¯s exactly the kind of thing I would want to know about.¡±

    Despite the heat in Kyle¡¯s voice, Chester¡¯s demeanor was unperturbed.

    ¡°You had a variety of other assignments, and Mr. Boltsbury told me that things were well in hand.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if he thought it was ¡®well in hand¡¯ or not, I would have wanted to go.¡±

    ¡°You realize that I would have had no choice but to charge for the resources associated with deploying you, and take it out of your planet¡¯s merit?  It would have been a worse outcome for them, with little added benefit.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your call, Chester.¡±

    ¡°Nor was it yours, Mr. Mayhew.  Mr. Boltsbury was placed in leadership, and it was his decision to make.  It ended better than expected, with limited casualties.  Furthermore, the battle provided the impetus for several meaningful breakthroughs among the awakened of the city.  All in all, it was a victory.¡±

    Kyle saw the logic in the other man¡¯s stance, though it didn¡¯t stop him from scowling anyway.  He had no illusion that there were politics in play here, and he was ready to be done with it.  This had been an unexpected piece of news after his return from the bamboo forest, and not the reason he¡¯d come by.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you received my request.  How much of my personal compensation am I allowed to access?¡±

    ¡°The resources aboard the ship are limited, Mr. Mayhew, and frankly the company would prefer that you spend the bulk after returning to Collective space.  It¡¯s bad optics if we offer contracts like this, only to have our contractors return every credit they¡¯ve earned.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the number?¡±

    ¡°Eight percent.  I¡¯m authorized to go up to ten, and that¡¯s it.  I also have the stipulation that anything you wish to purchase is documented thoroughly by another expedition member to ensure that you aren¡¯t taken advantage of.  The Collective can get¡­ particular about pricing when there¡¯s a cornered market.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyebrows rose at that statement.  He¡¯d expected Corthian Mining would be tight-fisted in unlocking his compensation, but he had no illusions that they¡¯d be happy to take any credits that he¡¯d offer.  Knowing that there were checks and balances in place at an administrative level was a relief.  After everything he¡¯d been through with the company, however, he still held suspicions.

    ¡°That¡¯s surprisingly generous, which frankly has me concerned.  I¡¯m not negotiating from a position of power, Chester.  What¡¯s with the concessions?¡±

    The man steepled his hands as he rested his elbows on the desk in front of him.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to have an antagonistic relationship, Mr. Mayhew.  We were not able to formalize a job offer, and at this point your window to contract directly with Mr. Corthus is closing.  Despite that, your results make it clear to myself and other members of Corthian Mining leadership that you have a promising future.  There¡¯s no reason to sow bad karma here, only to have it reflect back on us when you¡¯ve thrown in with a bigger fish.¡±

    Kyle looked at Chester across the table, trying to read him.  His words were direct, and didn¡¯t seem to have any ulterior motives behind them.  He decided to push further.

    ¡°Randolph said by Collective standards, I¡¯m broken.  If anything, that should be another point in your favor.  It¡¯s just not adding up.¡±

    Chester didn¡¯t skip a beat.

    ¡°You¡¯re correct ¨C your current position is a broken one.  That means it is unlikely you¡¯ll find a normal position with any of the major Collective factions.  At the same time, you¡¯ve shown impressive initiative, you¡¯ve demonstrated synergy with two other exceptional individuals, and the progression of your personal power has been noteworthy.  When we first met, I was confident in defeating you myself if the need arose.  Now, I¡¯d give you the odds.  We can¡¯t predict where you¡¯ll end up, Mr. Mayhew, only that skills like yours will be in demand somewhere.¡±

    Kyle nodded slowly.  That¡­ made a lot more sense.  After everything that had happened, Kyle had no interest in staying with Corthian Mining after the evacuation.  While the opportunities available were still a little fuzzy to him, he¡¯d read a bit about some different avenues he could pursue.  If they were convinced he¡¯d land somewhere influential, it was good business sense not to make enemies with people who had the potential to be a fly in the ointment.

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    ¡°Is Captain Rochelle available?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe she¡¯s slated for anything specific.  I¡¯ll confirm the details with her and let you know via nav bracelet.  May I ask the nature of what you¡¯re hoping to purchase?¡±

    This was the dangerous part.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D. took some damage in my last encounter, and I lost most of my gear.  I¡¯m looking to upgrade his pack and find some solutions on my end as well.¡±

    Kyle could almost see the glimmer of greed in Chester¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Given the value your drone has provided, we would be more than happy to examine the extent of the damage.  We¡¯ve also recovered several defunct models from your planet, so the part replacement may be available as well.  All without cost, of course.¡±

    There it is.  It was a tempting offer on many levels.  Corthian Mining got to examine the drone, C.H.A.D.D. got replacement parts, everybody wins.  Except for the fact that C.H.A.D.D. had absorbed a truly mind-boggling amount of wealth in the form of natural treasures.  Its hardware couldn¡¯t keep up, which was the issue.  Parts from other C.H.A.D.D. units wouldn¡¯t fix that.  Of course, there was no way for Chester to know.  Kyle figured that Chester was already suspicious that there was more to the drone than met the eye, and this would only further the foreman¡¯s suspicions.  Still, there was no way he would allow them to do a detailed analysis.

    ¡°I appreciate the generous offer.  We already have plans in place, so it shouldn¡¯t be necessary.  I¡¯m sure you can get better use out of the other units than scrap.  I¡¯ll have a requisition list sent to you later this evening.¡±

    Chester¡¯s mouth was a line.  He gave a shallow nod, and Kyle left the office.  He wanted to head straight to bed, but had one other stop to make first.  Kyle found himself standing outside Randolph¡¯s medical bay, and remembered the man¡¯s words.  You¡¯re broken.  Despite the unpleasant memory, he stepped inside.  While he was confident he¡¯d eliminated the worst of the toxins, he¡¯d done a rushed job.  Kyle wanted to get a second opinion before he let too much time pass.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, come in, you clod!¡±  Randolph¡¯s voice was as gruff as ever, though his expression softened a bit upon seeing it was Kyle.  ¡°Been a while, boy.  What do you need?¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t see a point in mincing words.  ¡°I had to do some emergency treatment to remove D Grade venom from my body, and wanted to get a more thorough examination to make sure there¡¯s no lingering effects.¡±

    The stocky man grunted, and gestured for Kyle to take a seat.  He complied, and soon he felt the mana of Randolph¡¯s skill at work, a projection of Kyle¡¯s body appearing in the air above him.  Randolph studied it, looking at various parts of Kyle¡¯s circulatory system before dismissing the projection.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I see that won¡¯t continue to heal naturally.  I can see some trace damage where it looks like the venom was forced out ¨C and I saw similar damage with some crew that visited a while back.  Was that you?¡±

    Kyle bristled at first, ready to defend himself.  ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the people I saved from the poisonous cloud, then yes.¡±

    Randolph gave an appraising look, before smiling.  ¡°That was damn fine work.  I¡¯m not sure how you managed to isolate and contain the toxins so effectively, but it¡¯s a method that probably saved their lives.  You¡¯re welcome in my medical bay anytime, Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle was surprised by the man¡¯s reaction, and they spent the next while talking about different treatment methodology to deal with poisons.  Randolph wanted to learn more about Kyle¡¯s ability to condense and extract venom, while Kyle learned more of the Collective¡¯s prescribed methods to handle venom.

    Soon, however, it was time for Kyle to depart.  He still had a large bundle of materials, and he wanted to talk with C.H.A.D.D. before they finished getting the requisition submitted to Chester. Once Kyle confirmed there was nothing out of place, he set the drone down on the bed and opened the bundle.

    ¡°Alright, C.H.A.D.D.  Let¡¯s take a look at what we¡¯ve got.¡±

    An eclectic mix of different materials were arrayed before them.  Countless bamboo seeds spilled out, as well as several small pods from the bottom of some fern leaves he¡¯d discovered.  Several of the long barbs from the Shadow made their way into the pack, as well as a significant amount of the silk, which Kyle collected by binding it around a couple sliced pieces of bamboo.  The barbs and silk were earmarked for C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s internal improvements, while the bamboo and ferns would provide the foundation for several other equipment upgrades.

    ¡°From what we discussed, we¡¯ll still need to get the materials to upgrade your pack.  What else do you need?¡±

    [BEFORE THAT, WHAT ABOUT REPLACING YOUR EQUIPMENT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    Kyle had thought about it quite a bit on their journey back to the flagship.  His encounter with the Shadow had reinforced that as melee fighters went, Kyle simply didn¡¯t stack up in the D Grade.  While sturdy armor still brought him advantages, an upgraded baton wasn¡¯t going to provide a meaningful change.

    ¡°The pack is my most important piece of gear, C.H.A.D.D.  If I can keep you safe, you¡¯ll be able to help me more than any individual piece of armor or weapon.¡±

    [I SUPPOSE I AM QUITE VALUABLE.]

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.  Now, what do we need?¡±

    Roughly an hour later, they compiled their list and sent it to Chester.  Kyle wasn¡¯t optimistic that everything on it would be available, much less affordable.  Still, he was optimistic that they could get some good stuff.  They could make it work with lower-quality materials, but Kyle didn¡¯t want to.  C.H.A.D.D¡¯s development was taking a very different form to his own, and was heavily tied to the components that the drone had at its disposal.  Poor quality now ran the risk of bottlenecks later.

    The inclusion of the world tree seed only complicated matters further.  Kyle had gotten into the habit of staying continually connected to it through the drone, allowing it to slowly siphon mana as he in turn worked to build influence through PARASITIC RESONANCE.  C.H.A.D.D. had a better grasp of the seed¡¯s potential, though it was still largely an enigma to Kyle.  He could feel its power even if it was locked away.  When that changed, C.H.A.D.D. would need to be ready for it.  It was easy to imagine a sudden flood of power going through the drone, frying it completely.  Kyle shuddered at the thought before settling into bed.  One challenge at a time.

 Chapter 136

    Opening his door, Kyle saw Captain Rochelle tapping her booted foot absent-mindedly with her arms crossed.  She was still in her full uniform, daggers sheathed on her hips.  The usual tight braid was missing, and there was a casualness to her stance that he hadn¡¯t seen before.  They hadn¡¯t had been able to spend time together since his defeat of the Eye, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but wonder where they stood.  His train of thought was interrupted as she spoke.

    ¡°Took you long enough.  And let me just say, this is the strangest assignment I¡¯ve ever been given by the company.¡±

    ¡°And why¡¯s that?  Not a lot of opportunity for shopping while you¡¯re stripping worlds of their resources?¡±

    She returned his jab with a smirk.

    ¡°I guess when you put it that way, this is sort of like shopping, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    With that, she pressed on her nav bracelet, and a screen sprang to life in front of her, projecting a list of words and numbers.  A moment later, Kyle felt a buzzing on his own wrist and saw a similar projection.  Rochelle seemed to be deep in thought as she looked over it, and Kyle took the time to review it himself.

    <ul>

    <li>EXCESS HULL REPAIR MATERIAL ¨C 22,456 CREDITS</li>

    <li>MANA CONDUCTIVE CABLING ¨C 7,221 CREDITS</li>

    <li>BASIC HYDROPONICS SCHEMATICS ¨C 1500 CREDITS</li>

    <li>CUSTOM FITTING ¨C 6500 CREDITS/HOUR</li>

    <li>RUNE INSCRIPTION ¨C 14,000 CREDITS/HOUR</li>

    <li>STANDARD ISSUE COMBAT ARMOR ¨C 3500 CREDITS</li>

    <li>BASIC SECURITY BATON ¨C 400 CREDITS</li>

    </ul>

    Kyle looked over his list, feeling good about what was there.  Currently, he had a little over one million credits available, so with just ten percent he should be able to purchase all his raw materials, along with a few hours of labor crafting.  Looking at the frown on Rochelle¡¯s face, however, he had to wonder what was bothering her.

    ¡°Are the prices listed really that unreasonable?¡±

    She shook her head slowly, not taking her eyes off the projection.

    ¡°Not at all.  It¡¯s actually competitive with what you¡¯d be able to purchase at cost back in Collective space.  That¡¯s part of what¡¯s confusing me.  However, I¡¯m more concerned about the labor cost.  Basic cutting and fitting of the material shouldn¡¯t run this much.  Unless I miss my guess¡­¡± She trailed off, tapping the bracelet and closing the projection.  ¡°It means our chief engineer is going to be overseeing the work personally.  She¡¯s a goblin named Themestra.¡±

    Kyle paused to consider that.  Early on, Chester mentioned that the chief engineer was a D Grade, and also made it clear that they were likely not going to cross paths due to the number of responsibilities that they had.  For her to suddenly be available to work on a side project was odd.

    ¡°What is she like?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.  I¡¯ve never spoken a word to her.  I¡¯ve been on three deployments where she was assigned.  Her quarters are in the engineering bay and she has her meals delivered.  Other than Chester, I don¡¯t know anybody else that has really gotten much face time with her.  Hell, she even manages her team through the nav bracelets.¡±

    Kyle saw the look of confusion on Rochelle¡¯s face, and came to one conclusion.  Great, more scheming.  Kyle knew that Chester would be paying close attention to the requisition, and knew information leakage was going to happen. Why else would he involve the lead engineer?  If anything, the fact that Themestra was involved at all was odd.  He was out of his depth trying to out-scheme them, so instead he just shrugged.

    ¡°So long as the quality is worth the price, that¡¯s fine by me.  Where should we start?¡±

    Rochelle considered for a moment before responding.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to engineering and pick up the materials you¡¯re looking for.  We can have them get started on some of the fitting while we go to the quartermaster to get you some basic combat armor and the hydroponics schematics.  Then we can head back to engineering to finish the fitting and have them begin the inscription work.¡±

    Kyle nodded, and together they walked down the hallway away from his quarters.  As they did, he asked, ¡°Why did you join up with Corthian Mining?  There has to be a safer way to make a living out there.¡±

    She sighed, a wistful look on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the adventure for me, Kyle.  I¡¯ve gotten to travel places that I never could have dreamed of, seen worlds beyond my imagination.  It hasn¡¯t always been an easy life, but its been a good one.¡±

    A hint of playfulness entered her tone.

    ¡°And this has by far been the biggest dumpster fire I¡¯ve ever experienced on a job with Corthian.  Ran into some weird local wearing bug shells, called himself the ¡®Onyx Warrior.¡¯¡±

    Kyle groaned, which only encouraged her.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Did you make sure to request that your combat armor is all black?  Even if they charge extra, it¡¯s probably worth it.  Unified brands and all that.¡±

    [YOU DO HAVE AN IMAGE TO MAINTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  WHY, THERE¡¯S AN INTERESTING ARTICLE FROM SEVERAL NOTABLE CENTRAL HEALTH PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT -]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need the cross reference, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [SUIT YOURSELF, DR. MAYHEW.  JUST REMEMBER THIS WHEN PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.]

    Rochelle laughed.  Kyle had to admit it was cute, even at his expense.  The group chatted amicably as they descended into the bowels of the ship.  Lights became dimmer, decorations less frequent, until they finally arrived before a thick metal door.  A buzz on the nav bracelet indicated they were in the right spot, and the door creaked as it slid open, revealing a large workshop.  Scraps of metal, plastic tubing, and puddles of various liquids littered the floor as far as Kyle could see.  Long workbenches crossed every wall in the room, with a seemingly endless variety of tools hung haphazardly above.

    ¡°Wait right there!  Don¡¯t touch anything!¡±

    The voice was somehow high-pitched, and still sounded like gravel.  There was a small avalanche of materials in one corner of the workshop, and a diminutive figure emerged.  Even among goblins, Themestra was small.  Barely a meter off the ground, she wore thick leather coveralls, oversized brown gloves, and her boots thunked loudly against the ground as she approached.  Her ears were pointed and green, as was common among goblins, though Kyle really had to look closely to see the green coloration under the heavy layers of grime and grease.  She strode right up to Kyle and looked up, eyes bulbous through her thick goggles.

    ¡°So you¡¯re the kid that Chester sent.¡±

    Shaking off his surprise, Kyle extended his hand in greeting.

    ¡°Kyle Mayhew, good to meet you.  I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve met, this is Captain Rochelle.¡±

    Before Themestra could respond, C.H.A.D.D. piped up.

    [I AM A CENTRAL HEALTH AUTONOMOUS DRONE, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR DR. MAYHEW¡¯S POOR MANNERS IN NOT INTRODUCING ME.  FEEL FREE TO CALL ME C.H.A.D.D.]

    Completely ignoring Kyle and Rochelle, Themestra reached up and grabbed for the drone.  Kyle hesitated, but released his grip on the pack to let her take a look at it.  C.H.A.D.D. was nearly as large as she was, but that didn¡¯t stop Themestra from bringing him over to a slightly less cluttered table to begin an examination.  She muttered under her breath as she looked at every side of the drone, and soon she was entering notes on a tablet.

    ¡°Themestra, all due respect, we¡¯ve got a lot on our plate today, can I see the materials that Chester mentioned?¡±

    She continued to mutter, not reacting in the slightest.

    ¡°Themestra, I didn¡¯t give you, or anybody else at Corthian Mining permission to do a full evaluation of C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m here for the parts.  If you¡¯re not willing to provide them, we¡¯ll be leaving and I¡¯ll see what else can be arranged.¡±

    That seemed to finally grab her attention, and she looked up at him, blinking.

    ¡°The foreman told me I was supposed to analyze the drone.  You¡¯re telling me not to?¡±

    Kyle rubbed his forehead.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m telling you.¡±

    She shrugged, and walked away from where C.H.A.D.D. was lying on the table.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.  Interesting piece though, looks like a very early Kulhavey model.  I¡¯ll have to take a look at the other units that got brought in.  Rune work is a bit sloppy, then again, his always is.  Still, he puts out reliable tech.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on a second.  You¡¯ve heard of Marcus Kulhavey?¡±

    Themestra shrugged as she disappeared behind one of the piles in a corner.

    ¡°He¡¯s got a shop set up on Grai, near the Collective hub.  Corthian looked at buying some units from him once, but his mining mechs were overpriced.  Got to see some of his battlemechs a decade or so back though.  I¡¯d love to have a couple of those on board.¡±

    She returned with a comically large crate that she carried with ease, bringing it over to the humans and rummaging through it.  In moments, several sheets of polished grey metal were laid out, as well as several meters of cable.  Auric Perception alerted him to the mana coursing through it all, and caused Kyle¡¯s skin to tingle.  It¡¯s real D Grade material.

    As if reading his thoughts, Themestra said ¡°Here we are.  It¡¯s good material, though it can be tricky to work with.¡±

    She turned to C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°Chester mentioned you¡¯re looking to get an upgrade to your case?¡±

    [IN A MATTER OF SPEAKING.  DR. MAYHEW IS HOPING TO GET SOME ENHANCEMENTS TOGETHER TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS IN THE FIELD.]

    ¡°That would make sense.  I¡¯m guessing he plans to use the same skill he did to make the armor he used to wear?¡±

    Kyle froze, his heartbeat pounding in his chest.  Themestra looked at him, eyes still comical behind the glasses.

    ¡°What, you didn¡¯t expect that we¡¯d buy that was a natural beetle shell, did you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never even met you, how did you know?¡±

    ¡°People talk.  I watched some recordings.  It was good work for a non-crafter, too.  Of course, there¡¯s no substitute for specialized D Grade crafting skills.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she grabbed a hunk of scrap metal.  Kyle felt a surge of mana from her small body, and watched as the metal seemed to liquify in her hand.  He felt more mana building a structure in front of her, and in short order, the metal flowed into the shape of a baton.  With another flowing motion of her hands, Themestra poured more energy into the freshly created weapon, then grabbed it out of the air where it had been suspended.  When she spoke, it was like a switch had flipped.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, compare it to the similar weapons available at the quartermaster¡¯s place.  If you¡¯re planning to do this kind of work on your own, you¡¯ll end up with a second-rate product.¡±

    She tossed the baton to him, and he felt the flawless balance after catching it.  It was lightweight, though he had no doubt that it would at least match the quality of the weapon he¡¯d made from the Wall.  It was humbling to see something created so effortlessly, and a reminder that a lot of his work was still crude.  Kyle frowned as he handed the weapon back to her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that for a moment.  I¡¯m still not interested in letting all of you have free reign with C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Themestra smiled devilishly.

    ¡°What¡¯s to say I haven¡¯t already gotten a good look at it?¡±

    He was getting tired of these stupid games.  Feeling the heat rising in his chest, he spoke before he could stop himself.  ¡°Because I would have felt it if you had.  And I would have stopped you, with prejudice.¡±

    Rochelle¡¯s eyes widened at the ice in Kyle¡¯s voice, and she moved to stand between them.  Themestra, however, did something unexpected.  She started bawling.

 Chapter 137

    ¡°That was scary!  Why would you say something like that?  It¡¯s just rude!¡±

    It had taken far longer than it should have to calm the goblin, who Kyle now realized was younger than she seemed, lacking a lot of world experience.  Moreover, Kyle also realized the impact his presence had made on others.  Despite everything he¡¯d been through, he found himself still holding onto the notion that all D Grades were somehow powerful, overwhelming existences.  It certainly wasn¡¯t the case here.

    Themestra was a pure crafter, with no meaningful combat abilities whatsoever.  From what he could tell, she was still relatively early in the grade.  Her raw attributes were enough to bully around the other engineers she employed, but against somebody like Kyle she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.  According to Themestra, his threat was the single most dangerous moment of her life.  In hindsight, he could understand it.  Even though Rochelle was no slouch, if Kyle really wanted to hurt the little goblin he certainly could.  She looked up at him, snot dripping down her nose onto her leather coveralls.  Rochelle was also looking at him expectantly, an eyebrow raised.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for telling you what I¡¯ve told Chester over a dozen times.¡±

    ¡°You could at least apologize for scaring me so bad.¡±

    [IT WASN¡¯T A PARTICULARLY GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF BEDSIDE MANNER, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle shot an annoyed glare at the drone.

    ¡°Threats aren¡¯t supposed to be good bedside manner, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Then he looked back at Themestra.

    ¡°And threats are supposed to be scary.  Otherwise they don¡¯t carry much weight, do they?¡±

    The goblin looked away, arms crossed.

    ¡°It was still rude.¡±

    ¡°And so is trying to manipulate me into letting you get a full breakdown of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s capabilities.  Your crafting skill is incredible, don¡¯t get me wrong.  I just can¡¯t trust that you¡¯re going to work in our interests, so I¡¯m not going to take the risk.  If you¡¯re still willing to craft the new pack to specifications, I would be appreciative.  If not, we¡¯ll find another solution.¡±

    Themestra seemed to perk up a bit at the compliment on her skills.  Kyle wasn¡¯t exaggerating, he would love to have her work with the materials to create the pack, if she could.  Still, it wasn¡¯t worth the risk if she was holding a grudge.  Fortunately for Kyle and C.H.A.D.D., she seemed excited about the project.  She looked over the rough schematics Kyle had drawn, and in moments a three-dimensional model made entirely of mana was floating in front of her.

    ¡°No, this won¡¯t work¡­ What if I¡­¡± She sniffed, wiping her nose a sleeve, leaving a smudge of grease on her cheek.  ¡°And the shape could use refining¡­¡±

    She muttered to herself for another minute, seeming to get more engaged the longer she spent.  Finally, the floating model disappeared.  She looked up at Kyle.

    ¡°I think this could still be an interesting project.  I know you wanted to have the rune work done around the same time, but I think it would make more sense to inscribe it after I¡¯ve checked the fit.  It¡¯ll take an extra day in that case, shouldn¡¯t change your cost.¡±

    ¡°We can work with that.  We¡¯ll be back later this evening.  Thank you, Themestra.¡±

    ¡°And no more threats!¡± Themestra shouted, indignation in her tone.

    Despite himself, Kyle grinned.  ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

    Leaving the hull material to the goblin, Kyle gathered C.H.A.D.D. and the cabling.  He and Rochelle were almost out the door when he heard Themestra call after him.

    ¡°Take this, too!¡±

    Kyle turned and had to drop the cabling to catch the baton whirling in the air towards him.  He frowned at it, then looked back at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s just going to add to the clutter down here.¡±

    Kyle nodded his thanks, finished collecting his dropped materials, and headed towards the quartermaster.  The three of them walked in silence, nobody wanting to broach the subject of what had taken place in the engineering bay.  That was fine by Kyle, the whole situation had left a sour taste in his mouth.  At this point, he was counting down the days until he could collect his pay and be done with Corthian Mining.

    Some of the people were great.  Rochelle, Skippy, Duroc, and most of the expedition members were fun to be around.  Even though Benjamin was out of touch with how other people lived, Kyle enjoyed their conversations.  Hell, despite his bad first impression, even Randolph had also grown on Kyle.  He just couldn¡¯t stand the politicking, secret agendas, and manipulation.  The sooner he was away from all of that, the better.

    If the engineering bay was cluttered chaos, the quartermaster¡¯s office was precise machinery.  A seamless flow of people walked in, scanned their nav bracelets, and walked out.  There was barely time for people to stop, so Kyle was surprised when the quartermaster flagged for him to wait before handing over the bundle.

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Mayhew, sir.  I just wanted to offer a sincere apology.  We weren¡¯t able to meet your special request with the time we had, but we hope that this will suffice for now.  I¡¯m happy to offer an exchange if we get the desired pieces in.¡±

    Kyle frowned.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t have the combat armor or weapon?¡±

    ¡°Not in the specified color, sir.  The closest we had was a slate grey, nothing in black.¡±

    Rochelle tried, and failed, to stifle a chuckle.  Which quickly turned into a full-blown laugh.  The quartermaster looked confused, and he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

    ¡°This will be fine.  No trade-in necessary.¡±

    ¡°I see you already have another baton, would you like me to remove the one we provided?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment, before shaking his head.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.  It never hurts to have a backup.¡±

    Rochelle composed herself, and the two of them left the quartermaster shortly thereafter, the usual flow of traffic resuming.  With time to spare, they headed to the training grounds where they watched a handful of sparring matches between the E Grades.  While there were certainly some skilled individuals, nobody struck Kyle as being exceptionally talented.  Of course, relative to many of them, his technique in melee combat was still lacking.  He made up for it between his attributes and Adaptive Anatomy, but he simply hadn¡¯t had the time to make his fighting style more than a band-aid before he got skills that made better use of his attributes.

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    This was one of the biggest challenges he¡¯d come to grips with.  While he had some ideas on how to incorporate his skills using his basics as a foundation, Kyle had finally accepted that he¡¯d never be a truly gifted melee fighter for his grade.  His monstrous Willpower and Intelligence were the source of his true power, complemented by the natural durability his Adaptive Anatomy offered.

    ¡°Are you okay, Kyle?¡±

    Rochelle¡¯s voice was softer than he¡¯d heard it before, and he saw genuine concern in her grey eyes.  He offered a weak smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.  Just lost in thought.¡±

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s not against protocol to just watch the matches and enjoy yourself.  It¡¯s kind of the whole purpose of allowing spectators.¡±

    The trio took a seat and watched sparring matches, with C.H.A.D.D. ensuring to record each.  With so many different fighting styles and skills on display, Kyle thought it would have been a waste not to.  He was just beginning to relax, when he got a ping on his nav bracelet.

    You have been challenged to an exhibition match.

    Kyle frowned as he looked at the message, and then at the face of a number of the combatants he¡¯d just watched.  One of them, a burly man who fought with a large axe called up to him from the entrance to the arena.  ¡°How about the Onyx warrior comes and trades some pointers with us?  No skills, we just want to see how we stack up!¡±

    Kyle nearly groaned at the corny language, but the eyes of the combatants were just too earnest.  He started to pick up the pack, when another one yelled up at him.  ¡°Using your drone to map us out is cheating!  Fight fair or not at all!¡±

    At this point, the crowd was beginning to murmur as more eyes landed on him, and Kyle was already regretting coming.  He put C.H.A.D.D. down and met Rochelle¡¯s eyes, which held more than a little amusement.  ¡°I¡¯ll be back shortly.  C.H.A.D.D., keep Rochelle out of trouble.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle walked into the arena, grabbing two batons from the weapon rack as he entered.  He figured he¡¯d be squaring off against one opponent at a time, and raised an eyebrow as he saw all four of the challengers enter at the same time.  Before he could comment, an announcement rang out over the speaker system.

    EXHIBITION MATCH IN PROGRESS ¨C MARTIAL ABILITY, SKILLS DISALLOWED.  USE OF SKILLS WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION.

    ¡°I thought this was going to be exchanging pointers?¡± Kyle asked, eyes directly on the axe-wielder who had first called out to him.

    The man grinned as his companions ¨C two swordsmen and a woman wielding a spear ¨C began to circle around him.  ¡°We¡¯re not dumb enough to want to make it a fair fight against a D Grade.  Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t hurt you too badly.¡±

    Kyle was tempted to just walk out ¨C after all, there was no consequence to doing so.  On the other hand, it was clear that some of these people needed a reminder of what exactly it meant to face a D Grade.  Kyle simply took his stance as his opponents advanced.

    As soon as they closed within three meters, Kyle exploded into action.  His movements felt more natural than ever before, each step feeling more precise.  He expected this was a result of Covert Dexterity, and the man with the axe was the first to fall.  He had raised the weapon in a guard, but was too slow to stop Kyle from striking his wrist three times in succession, knocking the axe out of his grip. Kyle circled around him, landing several more stinging blows as the others closed.

    Kyle effortlessly dodged a thrust from the spear, and batted away a descending sword as his other baton caught the woman holding the spear squarely in the jaw.   She reeled back as Kyle pressed the assault, disarming her while the swordsmen desperately tried to close the distance.  From a technique perspective, they each had him outmatched.  Unfortunately for them, the difference in raw attributes was just too much to overcome.  In short order, the arrogant looks on his opponents¡¯ faces turned to fear, and Kyle signaled he was done with the fight.

    For all their bluster, they hadn¡¯t been an actual challenge.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure why they even bothered, until he walked out of the arena to see a stranger slowly backing away from where Rochelle and C.H.A.D.D. were waiting.  Rochelle was standing up, hands resting on the hilts of her daggers.  A wave of anger washed over Kyle as he activated HASTE and dashed up to their location, catching more than a few looks.

    The stranger paled upon seeing Kyle, and scrambled to leave the training area.  Kyle turned to Rochelle as he deactivated his skill.  ¡°What was that about?¡±

    Rochelle smirked.  ¡°He wanted to rummage around in your purse, and I asked him how many fingers he¡¯d like to lose if he did.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a purse, it¡¯s a pack.  And thank you.¡±

    ¡°Always a pleasure.  Come on, they¡¯re ready for us back in Engineering.¡±

    They group left the training area and made their way to Themestra¡¯s office.  Upon opening the door, Kyle was shocked to see that somehow the workshop had gotten even more cluttered.  What drew his eyes the most, however, was a sleek pack resting on the central table.  It had sharp angles, and looked to be somehow crafted from a single piece of metal.  Well, after seeing Themestra¡¯s skills, it probably is.  Walking up to it, Kyle saw two plates at the top which slid to the sides, creating an opening to place the drone.

    Along the bottom was a set of holes, per Kyle¡¯s specifications.  He saw two small levers on each side, which would either seal or open the holes.  The excuse he put in the schematics was to vent any debris or liquid that got inside, and they worked flawlessly.  A grin crept across his face, as a squeaky voice piped up.

    ¡°What are you waiting for, see if it fits!¡±

    Kyle sensed Themestra when he walked in, picking up the D Grade mana behind a pile of clutter.  He obliged, and C.H.A.D.D. fit snugly inside.  With the flick of his wrist, the opening closed and sealed, leaving C.H.A.D.D. secured within.  Kyle hefted the pack, which a good deal heavier than the one made of insect chitin, though Kyle knew it was an order of magnitude more durable.

    ¡°What do you think, buddy?¡±

    [THE PROTECTIVE POWER IS SIGNIFICANT.  HOWEVER, THE MATERIAL POSES A PROBLEM.]

    Kyle nodded, expecting what the drone was about to say next.

    [AS THINGS STAND, THE MATERIAL MAKES IT PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO RUN SCANS.  ESTIMATED FUNCTIONALITY RESTS AT SIXTEEN PERCENT.]

    Themestra strode up to him at that, a smug expression on her face.

    ¡°I told you that you should have let me look everything over.  I could have found a solution for this.  It¡¯s not too late you know.  I bet Chester would cover the costs of a replacement pack.¡±

    Kyle shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.  How many inscriptions can you put into the pack to stay within my budget?¡±

    ¡°Three is the maximum in either case.  There¡¯s not enough material to successfully inscribe more, and you couldn¡¯t afford more if it could.¡±

    Kyle shrugged, but before he could respond his nav bracelet pinged.  Looking at it, he opened the message to see a list of runic inscriptions available.

    ¡°If what your drone said is right, you¡¯ll probably want me to run three amplification formations.  It¡¯s a smaller version of what we use around the reactor, so that a D Grade reactor can push through the B Grade portals.¡±

    Ignoring the mind-boggling information she shared for the moment, Kyle fixed his eyes on other options on the list.  Two in particular stood out to him.

    ¡°How effective are the self-repair inscriptions?  And what does the telemetry inscription do?¡±

    ¡°Self-repair is pretty cool, but it¡¯s more of a ¡®fix the everyday wear and tear¡¯ instead of ¡®shield me from a giant bug.¡¯¡±

    Themestra scratched her head as she thought about answering the other question.

    ¡°Telemetry is a little weird.  It¡¯s all about gathering information from long-range scanners, which is super useful on a ship like this.  Except it¡¯s not useful at all for something like the pack.  The passive mana draw isn¡¯t enough to power it, you¡¯d need an additional formation for that.  And even if you could power it, you¡¯d need a means to use it and decipher the data, and the pack doesn¡¯t have anything like that built in.¡±

    Her eyes widened for a moment, and Kyle was worried she¡¯d figured out more of how his ability worked.  Relief flooded him as he heard the next words.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re using the cables!  You¡¯re trying to find a way to hook the drone up to the pack!  Gonna be tough with how snug the fit is, but I like the idea!  I¡¯d give it¡­ a twenty percent chance of working if you try it.  I could probably get it to a fifty-fifty.  It¡¯d be a risky play, but I like the idea.  Chester will like the idea too, I bet.¡±

    Her eyes twinkled, a smug smile on her face.  It was clear she thought she¡¯d won something, which Kyle was happy to grant her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you full access to C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.  Either way, your safest bet is for me to put in three amplification formations.¡±

    Kyle shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take one of those, one self-repair, and one telemetry.¡±

    Themestra¡¯s expression got serious.

    ¡°If you get it wrong, you¡¯re going to get a lot less useful.  Once the inscription is done, I can¡¯t just get rid of it.  You¡¯ll have blown all your credits for nothing.  You won¡¯t be earning them back if you can¡¯t find a steady stream of resources.  And when we get the broken units refurbished with this design, we won¡¯t need you to find the treasures at all.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s got a point, Kyle.  There¡¯s no point in taking a senseless risk right now.¡±

    Kyle met Rochelle¡¯s eyes, and only felt his resolve strengthen.

    ¡°I know what I want.¡±

    Themestra shrugged.  ¡°Suit yourself.  I¡¯ll have it done by mid-day tomorrow.¡±

    With that, Kyle removed C.H.A.D.D. from the pack, parted ways with Rochelle, and made his way back to his quarters.  The next few days were about to get busy.

 Chapter 138

    The next morning, Kyle got a notice that the new pack was being delivered to his quarters, with instructions to activate the inscriptions.  A member of the engineering squad dropped it off shifting from foot to foot before he could pass off the package.  Kyle was going to ask some questions, but the goblin was already halfway down the hall.  When looking through the instructions, it was obvious that Themestra had communicated with Chester, and this whole set of circumstances felt right in line with what he¡¯d expect from the foreman.  Fulfilling the letter of the agreement perfectly and precisely, without any bells and whistles.  At this point, however, it didn¡¯t bother Kyle much.

    He sighed in relief as he sealed the door to his quarters.  This meant Chester didn¡¯t know the full extent of Kyle¡¯s crafting abilities, nor the abilities provided by C.H.A.D.D. itself.  Before laying out everything he¡¯d need, he closed his eyes.  He focused on the sensations offered by Auric Perception, and satisfied there were no strange mana signatures he set out a hodgepodge of components around the floor, with C.H.A.D.D. in the center.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to go through with all of this?  There¡¯s a risk that something could go wrong.¡±

    [I¡¯M CERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  THIS IS THE PATH OF MY PROGRESSION.]

    Kyle considered that for a moment, the words carrying weight.  The drone was right.  Just as Kyle¡¯s path had become tied to survival and struggle, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s path had grown to complement his own.  Part of him considered if that was fair, and subsequently dismissed it.  The end of the world wasn¡¯t fair.  So they would struggle, they would grow, and they would make a place for themselves.

    ¡°Alright.  Let¡¯s get started.¡±

    Tendrils of mana sprang out around Kyle, connecting first to C.H.A.D.D., then to the world tree seed floating in its strange space between.  While he still couldn¡¯t manipulate it, Kyle wanted to keep the connection active.  Additional tendrils connected to the various objects around him, and Kyle focused his attention on the first major piece of preparation that he¡¯d need to complete.  Channeling mana into one of the barbs left by the giant spider, the Shadow, he focused his intent.  Grow.  He suspected this was a possibility, as the Shadow had consistently grown these natural weapons out of its abdomen.  With a gentle crackling sound, the material began to shift.

    This was some of the trickiest work before him, by simple virtue that there was no easy hack to control or shape the growth.  All the plant life they¡¯d encountered was more efficiently grown with the drone¡¯s assistance, and C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t have meaningful strategies to control biological growth like this.  Still, Kyle had experience to draw on, and Instinctive Intelligence proved valuable in helping him exert even finer control of his mana.

    Still, Kyle didn¡¯t want to leave this work up to chance.  The components he was currently building would become part of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s inner workings, after all.  Satisfied the growth potential was there, Kyle placed the barb into a particularly wide shoot of bamboo.  There was a telescoping series of shoots, forcing the growth of the barb to narrow, until only a thin layer of the material surrounded the hollow, syringe-like core.

    Kyle had expanded it slightly as he grew the barb, and gently ran the cabling through it.  The D Grade material, despite being heavily infused with mana, was functionally immune to Kyle¡¯s PARASITIC RESONANCE.  In order to maneuver it in the way he needed to, he needed the more pliable manipulation afforded by the organic material.  As it grew through the narrowest piece of the bamboo, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the delicate looking wire.  He felt that he could still move it easily with his Willpower, but had one more failsafe he wanted to put into play.  Taking some of the silk that they¡¯d rescued, Kyle painstakingly wrapped the creation to ensure the chitin would hold.

    An hour later, Kyle had a length of wire nearly a meter long, coated in chitin and wrapped in mana-conductive silk.  The tip still sported the razor-sharp edge of the barb.  Most importantly, all the materials were truly D Grade.  From what C.H.A.D.D. shared about its class, it didn¡¯t necessarily fall into the classic progression through levels.  Instead, it would assemble and assimilate different materials to grow into its next form.  The fact that the drone had been able to interact so casually with the natural treasures from the forests was a testament to that, to say nothing of the world tree seed.  Kyle hoped that C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s abilities would add an extra edge to make the next step successful.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°This is the last chance, C.H.A.D.D.  If I go through with this, the old formation won¡¯t work anymore.  You won¡¯t be able to float again, at least not anytime soon.¡±

    They¡¯d discussed this at length.  Kyle was essentially going to use the mana-conductive wiring to replicate and magnify the most basic formation C.H.A.D.D. had ¨C the one that allowed the drone to draw in mana.  The repairs made with the Infernal¡¯s carapace served as a proof of concept, showing that a mana-conductive component overlayed on damaged runes could repair them.  The levitation formation had been too complex for Kyle, though he was able to do a lot to repair the projections.

    This was a different level of complexity altogether ¨C effectively hijacking aspects of the levitation formation and overlaying one focused on collection.  C.H.A.D.D. would be able to provide a detailed image, but it truly felt like he was about to go into surgery.  There wasn¡¯t enough material for another shot, and before they would know if he was successful, the existing runes would be scratched and damaged.

    [I AM AWARE, AND ACCEPT THE RISKS.  YOU MAY BEGIN.]

    Hours later¡­

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    [YOU HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD, DR. MAYHEW.  THERE ISN¡¯T ENOUGH MATERIAL TO GO BACK AND FIX IT.]

    In his exhaustion, Kyle had missed a corner of one of the amplification runes, making it useless.  The formation would still hold, albeit with marginally reduced power.  At least, it would be marginally reduced if it was the only mistake.  Of the hundreds of different shapes he had to form, he had now ruined six.  The formation would still function, though it would be far below Kyle¡¯s hopes.

    Resetting his focus, he worked through the last three runes.  The barbed tip gouged out existing runes as it created a thin furrow in C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s hull, allowing the wire to rest inside easily.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a constant screen of progress, and it was finally coming to a close.  When the last was completed, he activated it with an infusion of mana before releasing his control on PARASITIC RESONANCE.  The mental toll of doing such precise work over hours was enormous.  Furthermore, the difficulty of manipulating the D Grade material meant his mana reserves were largely spent.  Exhausted, he went to lie down on the bed, falling into it with a loud thump.

    Looking up at the ceiling, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel frustration boiling in his chest.  I should have had Themestra work on it.  Maybe -

    [DR. MAYHEW, THE FORMATION IS BEGINNING TO WORK.]

    Kyle grimaced.  He and C.H.A.D.D. agreed the drone would offer a full report when they finished, and he wasn¡¯t looking forward to being confronted with his failure.

    [MANA IS BEING DRAWN IN AT ROUGHLY SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT OF ESTIMATES.]

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, C.H.A.D.D.  Hopefully it isn¡¯t too late, we can get to Themestra and see if she can do better.¡±

    [WHY WOULD WE DO THAT?]

    ¡°Because you¡¯ve lost over a third of the planned efficiency due to my mistakes.¡±

    [DR. MAYHEW, A DEFUNCT SET OF RUNE FORMATIONS HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A FORMATION THAT, EVEN AT SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT EFFICIENCY, IS DRAWING IN MORE MANA THAN EVER BEFORE.  CLINICALLY, THIS IS A CLEAR SUCCESS.]

    ¡°But ¨C¡°

    [DR. MAYHEW, PARDON THE EXPRESSION, BUT AS ROCHELLE WOULD SAY, YOU¡¯RE GETTING ¡®WHINY.¡¯]

    The unexpected phrase hit him like a bucket of cold water, and Kyle sat up to regard the motionless drone on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m not whiny.¡±

    [YOU DON¡¯T HANDLE FAILURE WELL, DR. MAYHEW.  PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU THINK OTHERS BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR FAILURE.]

    Kyle was about to argue, and found he couldn¡¯t.  The drone got him again.  With a sigh, he plopped back down on the bed, hands clasped behind his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bad habit to keep feeding.  I appreciate it, C.H.A.D.D.  Any suggestions for how to turn it around?¡±

    [FOR ONE, CONSIDER YOUR OWN WANTS.  YOU SPENT ROUGHLY TEN PERCENT OF THE COMPENSATION YOU ACCRUED ON ME.  I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT.  HOWEVER, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT YOURSELF AS WELL.  WHEN THIS IS ALL DONE, FIND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, AND SPEND TO ENABLE IT.]

    Kyle chewed on the drone¡¯s words while he stared, thinking meaningfully about what was ahead.  What is my place in the universe?  He didn¡¯t have all the answers, but he realized that he should really start trying to find them.

    Completing the rest of the improvements took the better part of three days.  Kyle was proud of the work, with the pack containing several unique upgrades he was itching to test out.  Even better, the refined work resulted in another level, bringing him to 34.  With only one to go before his second D Grade skill, Kyle was eager to see what options were ahead of him.  Both roads only led one direction: planetside.

    ~~~

    Kyle took in a deep breath as he stepped off the shuttle.  He¡¯d put in a request to get some field testing done, and Chester sent him to assist with scouting out a particularly dense wetland in Central Africa. Kyle was eager to test everything out.  The thick plates of the combat armor and increased weight of the pack would take some getting used to, and there was no better way to adjust than to get some exercise.  There were more people on the shuttle than usual, and Kyle suppressed a grin.  He knew Chester was equally interested in whether or not C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s upgrades had come through.

    ¡°We¡¯ll set up the camp.  If you can scout a perimeter, we¡¯d appreciate it.¡±

    The captain¡¯s voice brought Kyle back to focus, and he smiled at the man.

    ¡°With pleasure.¡±

 Chapter 139

    It felt good to stretch his legs. HASTE active, Kyle made quick progress through the bog and mire.  Covert Dexterity helped tremendously, allowing him to make nearly instantaneous corrections to avoid getting sucked into the mud.  After the extended time he¡¯d spent aboard the flagship, Kyle could safely say that he much preferred being on a planet.  Soon, he was well outside the range of the camp, and Kyle felt comfortable speaking aloud.

    ¡°How is everything feeling, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [BETTER THAN EXPECTED, DR. MAYHEW.  SCANNING FUNCTIONALITY IS TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT BETTER THAN BEFORE.  MANA DRAW IS AMPLIFIED BY ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT PERCENT ON AVERAGE.]

    Those were significant gains.  The improved mana draw allowed for the drone to put much more power into the formations it used to run its diagnostic scans, which was then improved even further by the amplification formation.  Unknown to Chester or Themestra, connecting C.H.A.D.D. to the arrays inside the pack was fairly simple due to PARASITIC RESONANCE.  The tendril of mana would touch both, allowing C.H.A.D.D. to gain the benefits from each of them.

    It took a little trial and error to get right, but thanks to Themestra¡¯s unintentional hint about the cabling, Kyle figured it out.  The last threads of the silk from the Shadow connected the drone to each of the distinct formations, only requiring mana to be channeled through them to finalize the link.  The self-repair would be a viable long-term solution to the wear-and-tear that was natural to the work, and the amplification formation boosted C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans far more efficiently than before.  The telemetry formation, however, had a different use.

    ¡°Are you ready to test the ping?¡±

    In response, Kyle felt a gentle draw on his mana through their connection.  He heard a faint, barely audible click.  A moment later, a full map of the surrounding area was projected in front of Kyle¡¯s vision.  He broke out into a broad grin.

    [IS THIS SATISFACTORY, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    The drone¡¯s absorption of the mosquito¡¯s essence had been relatively disappointing, with the ability gained being the creature¡¯s sonic attack.  Given that C.H.A.D.D. had neither the mana pool nor physical means to create the sound, they hadn¡¯t explored it further.  Now, with the telemetry formation connected to the drone, they found a different use.

    C.HA.D.D. would grow, then snap a small frond grown from the fern spores.  This would release more spores from the broken plant, effectively creating a sustainable source for the skill.  The broken leaves were captured in the space below the drone, allowing Kyle to open the sealed holes to clean them out.

    For all intents and purposes, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s link to the telemetry array created a fairly sophisticated sonar pulse.  The sound wave gave a strong grasp of physical presences, while the accompanying mana picked up any anomalies.  Kyle suspected that if they encountered the Shadow again, the oversized spider wouldn¡¯t have been able to hide at all.  Not that the fight would have been any easier, but at least it would have had a more difficult time ambushing him.

    Still, it would take some getting used to.  Kyle wasn¡¯t entirely sure how to interpret the data in front of him, nor was he able to determine direction relative to his current position.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s navigational functions had become useless through the course of their travels.  Even so, the headwinds were a long way from stifling Kyle¡¯s mood.

    ¡°Can you estimate how large an area the ping covered?¡±

    [I WOULD ESTIMATE FIVE TO TEN KILOMETERS, THOUGH IT¡¯S DIFFICULT TO SAY.  MY MAXIMUM RANGE SENSORS, EVEN WITH THE BOOST, ARE CURRENTLY CAPABLE OF RELIABLE DETECTION WITHIN ROUGHLY THREE KILOMETERS.  OVERLAPPING THAT DATA INDICATES A GOOD DISTANCE MORE.]

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll keep testing until we get a better handle on it.¡±

    They returned to camp several hours later, having mapped out the entirety of the surrounding area.  Still, Kyle wore a grave expression on his face as he crossed the perimeter.

    The expedition¡¯s captain looked at him for a moment, before speaking up.  ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Mayhew?  You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be in for some trouble.  We didn¡¯t get a great look, but there¡¯s a swarm of flies heading this way.¡±

    ¡°And you led them right back to us?¡±  The captain¡¯s voice carried a note of incredulity.

    ¡°They were already coming your way.  The real option came down to facing them with me on your side or facing them on your own.¡±

    The captain paled a bit at that.  Over the months working alongside the miners, he¡¯d grown to appreciate the value he was bringing to the table.  If they didn¡¯t trust he had their best interests in mind by now, he wasn¡¯t going to bend over backwards to change their minds.

    ¡°Of course we want you fighting with us, I just didn¡¯t think we¡¯d have trouble so soon.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°That makes two of us.  It looks like something got them stirred up.  Once we stabilize things here I can go check it out.¡±

    Of course, Kyle had a pretty good suspicion that whatever stirred them up was the mana signature that C.H.AD.D. picked up. He wasn¡¯t going to bring that up to the captain, though.   For now, it was time to prepare for the swarm.  The light was fading, and Kyle turned his attention to the horizon, where he could make out the forms of the large flies approaching, zipping through the air erratically.  Another ping from C.H.A.D.D., and the drone provided an update.

    [FORTY-SEVEN OF THE FLIES.  THEY APPEAR QUITE SIMILAR TO A CREATURE ON THE CENTRAL HEALTH RECORDS, THE TSETSE FLY.  IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF THESE MUTANT VARIANTS ARE CARRYING PARASITES, BUT BE ON YOUR GUARD.]

    ¡°Anything else I should know?¡±

    [AT A NORMAL SIZE, THE BITES WERE SUPPOSEDLY QUITE PAINFUL.  I IMAGINE THAT WOULD STILL BE THE CASE NOW THAT THEY¡¯RE THE SIZE OF A LARGE DOG.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.  Always useful.¡±

    The flies were approaching, and bursts of fire and ice flew out from the miners.  They took down a couple of the creatures, though the majority evaded the attacks without much issue.  Similar to the mosquito, Kyle suspected that they had some means to instinctually detect the attacks in the air, giving them an opportunity to dodge.  Unfortunately for them, Kyle had experience against this type of opponent.

    Dashing into the fray, he took out both of his batons.  Kyle had observed Frank and Arianna use a two stick style before, and with the smoothness provided by Covert Dexterity, he found his rhythm.  Tendrils of mana whirled about him, connecting to flies and dropping them instantly.  His weapons flashed, beating down the insects with rapid, successive strikes.  One of the creatures landed on him, claws scrabbling at the combat armor before PARASITIC RESONANCE connected and killed it.

    Kyle noted with a frown that the new armor was somewhat of a downgrade.  Thin scratches were present on its surface, while the carapace from the Wall wouldn¡¯t have had a mark.  Still, there was nothing else for it.  Kyle continued his attack for another minute, stopping when there were no flies left.  Turning back towards the miners at the camp, he saw mixed expressions of fear and awe.  He had no doubt that they would have come out alright since they¡¯d been prepared, though he expected even best case they would have seen casualties.  The captain of the squad seemed to know this too, and nodded at Kyle.

    ¡°That was impressive work out there.  They told me you were a Healer, but you could give any of my team a real thrashing.¡±

    ¡°D Grade has its perks.  I¡¯m going to head back out and see what else is out there.  We didn¡¯t detect any other swarms like this one, but that doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s safe.  Set a perimeter and post a watch.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Kyle took off into the evening, once again feeling a sense of freedom as he moved.  Despite the dimming light, between C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s regular scans and his own adaptations, it was as if he was walking down a sidewalk at noon.  The hazards that would otherwise prevent mobility just didn¡¯t mean much to him.  With HASTE active, he made great time.

    Kyle considered the skill as they covered ground on the way towards the source of the strange readings they¡¯d seen earlier.  The skill selection at Level 35 was still a wild card, but Kyle was fairly certain he would upgrade HASTE next at Level 40, leaving HEAL for Level 60.  He just wasn¡¯t sure exactly what direction he wanted to take it.  RESONANCE had a clear weak point he wanted to shore up in its limited range, which made the focus leading to the upgrade much clearer. In this case, he had a lot of choices.

    Before he could dwell on it too long, C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning.  Kyle slowed to a stop, looking out at the area before him.  Not seeing anything, he frowned.

    ¡°What is it, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [I AM UNCERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  HOWEVER, I¡¯M PICKING UP ANOMALIES AHEAD.  MANA SIGNATURES INDICATE SOMETHING POWERFUL, THOUGH IT DOESN¡¯T GIVE THE SAME INDICATIONS I WOULD EXPECT FROM AN AWAKENED INSECT.]

    The sun was just on the horizon, causing the water of the wetlands to reflect it.  Hopping from one dry area to another, Kyle came across the source of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s readings, though his Auric Perception didn¡¯t detect anything.  A massive plant spread across a relatively clear pond, hundreds of long, flat leaves laying down like vines.  On each end of the leaves were drops of sap that reflected the light of the sun in a brilliant display of color, and their purpose became clear as Kyle noticed other leaves, these coiled up towards the center.

    Bodies of hundreds of flies were trapped inside these curled leaves.  Kyle watched as, before his eyes, acid melted the insects.  The foul liquid ran down the leaves and into the center of the plant, before the leaves once more unfurled with small drops of dew already forming at their edges.  He stood, transfixed.  In awe.  And in fear.  It was evident why Auric Perception, a skill tied to an insect, would struggle to detect a predator like this, specifically designed to catch them.

    ¡°Any idea what this thing is, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [I HAVE NO IDEA, DR. MAYHEW, THOUGH I MAY HAVE A SOLUTION TO LEARN MORE.]

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    [IF YOU CONNECT TO IT, CONNECT ME AND THE SEED AS WELL.  THERE¡¯S A CHANCE WE CAN GLEAN MORE.]

    Kyle was skeptical, but without another idea he decided to try.  One thing was for sure, he wasn¡¯t going to get any closer than necessary.  A tendril of mana reached out as PARASITIC RESONANCE activated, connecting the plant, C.H.A.D.D., and the world tree seed.  Immediately, a flow of mana akin to the first treasure the drone absorbed flowed through him.  He allowed it to continue freely, and was surprised to feel it move past C.H.A.D.D. and directly into the seed.  Kyle was about to stop the connection, when the drone interrupted.

    [PLEASE ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE, DR. MAYHEW.  THIS IS QUITE INTERESTING.]

    Kyle acquiesced, and several minutes later the torrent of energy ceased.  The leaves of the plant looked¡­ droopier.  If it was possible for a plant to look tired, this one did.

    ¡°Do you want to tell me what happened?¡±

    [I THINK I¡¯VE PUT A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER, DR. MAYHEW.  THE SEED FOUND THE INFORMATION PARTICULARLY INTERESTING, AND I CAN FEEL REMNANTS OF IT THROUGH THE CONNECTION.  I BELIEVE THAT ORGANISMS LIKE THIS CAN HELP TO ACCELERATE AND ADAPT THE SEED¡¯S GROWTH.]

    The implications of the statement were huge.  Of course, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had very little to go on, but the idea of making the seed grow more quickly was appealing.  Even with near-constant exposure to PARASITIC RESONANCE, Kyle still couldn¡¯t get it to react.  If organisms like this could, it was something worth exploring.  First, though, he had an important order of business.  Watching the last moments of the sunset, a glimmer of beauty in a world doomed to die.

 Chapter 140

    The weeks wore on as Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. continued their field testing.  A steady stream of mana-infused natural resources were secured, and Chester kept them moving from location to location, seldom staying in the same place more than a day or two.  C.H.A.D.D., of course, found no shortage of different treasures that it wanted to absorb, and Kyle walked a fine balance between continuing to provide value to Corthian Mining while still providing fuel for the drone¡¯s progression.

    After locating a particularly rich haul of infused gemstones, Kyle got a note on his nav bracelet.  It was from Benjamin.

    Kyle,

    Pulled some strings and got Chester to give you a break for a few days.  Survey is almost done, and you know where he¡¯s eager to go next.  Let me know when you¡¯re ready for a shuttle, I¡¯d like to talk about what¡¯s ahead, maybe do some exploring.

    -Benjamin

    The note was simple, and straightforward.  Kyle knew Chester was chomping at the bit to explore the territory of the last D Grade.  He¡¯d been accommodating of the request to allow for field testing, though at this point the results were clear.  C.H.A.D.D. still possessed its uncanny ability to detect treasures, and the highest likelihood of finding something unique was the area protected by the final beast.

    Though he had squared off against three of the beasts already, there was a building sense of dread in Kyle¡¯s heart.   Fortunately, the time they¡¯d spent testing had also borne fruit.  Kyle felt it after dealing with a group of cave beetles in the defunct emerald mine, and found a quiet place to sit before entering meditation.  He wanted to make his skill selection before going back to meet with Benjamin, after all.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 35 (D)

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 6/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY

    VITALITY: 641

    ENDURANCE: 686

    STRENGTH: 252

    DEXTERITY: 487

    WILLPOWER: 903

    INTELLIGENCE: 903

    PERCEPTION: 735

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Kyle allocated his free attributes, putting the bulk into Endurance, with the remaining into Vitality.  With a conflict on the horizon, even a slight edge in durability would be valuable.  His current combat armor wasn¡¯t much tougher than his skin, though every layer helped.

    That done, he turned his attention to the three indistinct grey orbs floating before his vision.  It was finally time for him to select his Level 35 skill.

    SCOUT: The first grey orb was interesting, showcasing a skill unlike any Kyle had seen before.  It looked like it built on the basics of his mana projection, and would allow him to control a remote sphere of mana, linked to his sense of vision.  He had the impression of the glowing orb speeding through the air, unimpeded by the terrain.  It was a skill designed to quickly cover ground and map his surroundings.

    TRACKING:  Another unique skill, also tied to mana projection.  Kyle saw the ability to leave a lingering mana signature on a target after coming into contact.  It would serve as a beacon, giving Kyle information on location and condition.  Even more, he could sense that it would linger based on his Willpower, which is to say a really long time, even for a D Grade.

    IDENTIFY:  The final option followed the same theme, though the application was different.  Instead of projecting mana, Kyle saw that this was more closely aligned to the principles behind HASTE, building upon the mana pathways in his eyes and drawing them into his brain.  He¡¯d seen similar skills at the hospital a lifetime ago, allowing doctors to diagnose patients without the need of a diagnostic drone.  While this would be operating a different level, he felt the foundations were similar.

    Kyle considered the three choices before him, and he was honestly disappointed.  He had been hoping for a skill with strong combat applications, or something that would provide a great deal of flexibility.  Instead, he had what he considered to be three foundational treasure hunting skills.  He had no doubt that the time focused on tracking down and securing all the resources for Corthian Mining were underpinning the selections, which concerned him.  How much of his growth had been altered by forces outside his control?

    Not now, Kyle.  Focus on what you CAN control.  Setting his disappointment aside, each of the skills did have unique potential.  Even if it wasn¡¯t what he wanted, any choice would further expand his toolkit.

    The first skill to go was TRACKING.  It was interesting, and if Kyle was able to move past D Grade he thought there could be some very interesting upgrade paths.  At the same time, he felt that it just didn¡¯t suit him.  Kyle wasn¡¯t a hunter, chasing down targets for a finishing blow.  If anything, his fights ended in death more often than they should due to the offensive application of PARASITIC RESONANCE.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    That left the decision between IDENTIFY and SCOUT.  He liked both, although they both felt a little redundant to him.  C.H.A.D.D. provided a great deal of the utility that each brought to the table.  So, Kyle could choose a skill that would let him more effectively explore the areas mapped out by the drone¡¯s ping, or one that would allow him to better understand the properties of the things he saw.

    Kyle¡¯s mind drifted to all the strange situations they¡¯d stumbled into, the energies that both he and C.H.A.D.D. had absorbed without understanding what they¡¯d done.  That thought, in many ways, made his decision for him.  He was tired of stumbling about in the dark, and IDENTIFY might just be what he needed to stand in the light.  He selected the skill, and hissed as he felt a searing sensation in and behind his eyes.

    Blinking tears from his eyes as he stood up, Kyle signaled on the nav bracelet that he was ready for a shuttle.  While he waited, he decided to test out his new skill.  Focusing on a nearby tree, he activated IDENTIFY.  The mana behind his eyes felt hot, and for a moment Kyle felt like something had gone wrong.  Then, it was as if the tree had exploded into color.  His eyes widened as he more than just saw the components of the tree, he understood them.  The texture of the bark, the composition of the cells, the slow deterioration due to the chaotic mana¡­ he could see all of it.

    Even more, IDENTIFY seemed to interact in a strange way with Auric Perception.  The adaptation allowed Kyle to sense the flow of mana in the air, and when used in conjunction with his new skill, Kyle could actually see the energy flowing.  The chaotic red energy from the atmosphere covered the world in a haze, and internally he could see the tree try, and fail, to fully subvert the mana with its own.

    Taking off the pack, Kyle decided to take a look at his drone companion.  The swirling lights around C.H.A.D.D. were difficult to understand at first, though the longer he observed the drone the easier it became.  Kyle saw mana being drawn in, chaotic energy moving in concert with the drone¡¯s own core.  He saw the gentle glow of all the different rune formations that were being powered.  And, as he focused, he saw a small thread of mana, glowing golden, flowing into¡­ nothing.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you mind if I test something with the world tree seed?¡±

    [NOT AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I¡¯m going to push a little more mana through the connection, I think I see where it is.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Kyle put more energy through their connection, watching as the golden thread intensified.  It was as if the energy flowed into the void, without a single mote of light escaping.  Kyle sharpened his gaze, using the experience with HASTE to push more mana into IDENTIFY.  As if peering through a keyhole, Kyle focused more and more on the golden thread, seeing it widen as more mana made it through the connection.  Then he glimpsed it.  For just a moment, he saw a world of color, the seed floating in its midst.  Followed immediately by an incredibly sharp pain in his eyes.

    Kyle deactivated IDENTIFY and immediately began channeling ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, also placing his left palm on his head and using a generalized HEAL for good measure.  Whatever he¡¯d seen, it was overwhelming.  As the pain abated, Kyle opened his eyes slowly.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., any damage that you can see?¡±

    [NONE THAT YOUR SKILLS AREN¡¯T ACTIVELY TREATING, DR. MAYHEW.  MAY I ASK WHAT YOUR TEST ENTAILED?]

    ¡°My new skill lets me see the and conceptualize the flow of mana.  I wanted to try and take a look at the world tree seed through the connection, and it backfired.¡±

    [THAT IS UNFORTUNATE, I¡¯M CERTAIN THERE COULD HAVE BEEN VALUABLE LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCE.]

    ¡°I agree.  Still, it¡¯s not all bad.  I¡¯ve got a better grasp of how the skill works, and with practice I think I¡¯ll be able to refine it quite a bit.¡±

    The two returned to the camp, chatting with the expedition members as Kyle activated IDENTIFY discreetly.  When used on people, it was far more interesting.  He got impressions not just of how their mana flowed, but also of the type of class they had, and a broad sense of their attributes.  While that left a lot of question marks, it was great information to carry if things escalated into a conflict, particularly after his work on Earth was done.

    He walked through the camp, parsing through the information, until his foot caught on a tree root and he nearly fell.  Covert Dexterity in conjunction with his heightened attributes allowed him to avoid falling, but he frowned nonetheless as he deactivated IDENTIFY.  The influx of visual information was great, but it was also easy to get distracted with it.

    Finally, the shuttle arrived.  Kyle expected that he¡¯d be returning to the flagship to meet Benjamin, Skippy, and Duroc.  Instead, he was greeted shortly after boarding by the skrell, who immediately asked if they could make some time to test out his newest skill against STORM SHELTER.  After punting that request to another day, he made his way to the small wooden table, where Benjamin had trays of pancakes waiting.  The young man smiled, and gestured for Kyle to sit.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you Kyle.  I feel like it¡¯s been too long.¡±

    ¡°Chester¡¯s been keeping me busy,¡± Kyle said, sitting at the table and helping himself to a pancake.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you should have come and worked for me!  I¡¯m much better company.¡±

    Kyle was about to open his mouth mid-chew to defend himself, when Benjamin made a placating gesture.

    ¡°I know, you have other responsibilities.  I¡¯m not going to argue with you about your choice.  I just wanted to get some time away from the flagship and supervision to talk with you about what your life will look like after our work here is complete.¡±

    Kyle nodded thoughtfully, taking another bite of his meal.  These are incredible.  Swallowing, he finally responded.

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°The first shuttles should be arriving in roughly three months.  Once they show up, we¡¯ll be on our way back to Collective space.  If I were you, I¡¯d strongly consider going with us.  Once the survivors from your planet start pouring in, it¡¯ll be easy for you to get lost in the shuffle, even if you¡¯re a D Grade.¡±

    His expression got serious, and he clasped his hands on the table while meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I know the political bull has been frustrating for you.  I get it.  The sooner you can get your feet under you, the sooner you can get away from the company and all the eyes that are on you.  I have some friends who are doing some leg work for me now to get some options together, and when I have them we¡¯ll talk about it.¡±

    Kyle was surprised by the gravity of the man¡¯s tone, and nodded his agreement, adding, ¡°I¡¯m not going to promise anything, but I¡¯ll hear you out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for.  Now, before we get to our next stop, I want to learn more about this ¡®Japan¡¯ place we visited before.¡±

 Chapter 141

    ¡°The architecture was just incredible. Kyle, you wouldn¡¯t believe how rare it is to visit a world in the frontier with such an emphasis on aesthetics.¡±

    Benjamin was going on about their time walking through the ruins of Kyoto, and how he wished Kyle had seen it. Kyle, for his part, wished that they had just showed up to help deal with the damn spider, and he might have actually had time to enjoy it. Still, despite the tinge of annoyance, Kyle had to admit that Benjamin had a certain charm to him. He spoke with animation and passion, excitedly gesturing as he regaled the high points of the travels so far. The conversation stirred a question in Kyle.

    ¡°You were eager to talk about what¡¯s next for me, though I have to say I¡¯m much more curious about your next adventure. What do you plan on doing when you get back?¡±

    Benjamin shrugged; an easy smile plastered across his face.

    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯ll all depend on whatever type of contracts Corthian has lined up. If there¡¯s something interesting we¡¯ll go, otherwise we¡¯ll probably head back to the family estates until an interesting opportunity pops up.¡±

    ¡°When you say family estates¡­?¡±

    ¡°We own a small moon ¨C it¡¯s where our headquarters and family housing is. Offices in a couple notable Collective cities, of course.¡±

    ¡°You mean to tell me you own a whole moon?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a small one. Maybe a quarter the size of your planet. It sounds more impressive than it is.¡±

    ¡°But your family still owns it.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. We¡¯re far from the biggest faction out there, but my great-grandmother is a monster, near the top of C Grade. I¡¯ve got two uncles at C Grade as well, and a handful of cousins in the D Grade. For a group of humans running a mining operation, we¡¯re doing pretty well.¡±

    Kyle was quiet for a minute as he let that sink in. Themestra mentioned that Marcus Kulhavey had a whole manufacturing operation, and hearing about the extent of the wealth and influence of the Corthian Mining group had his gears turning. Just how powerful are C Grades? It was a question that had been fairly meaningless for most of his life, as even D Grades were incredibly rare. If having just a few was enough to carve out a niche like that, his whole sense of scale would have to change.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect that just a handful of C Grades would be that big of a difference maker.¡±

    Benjamin chuckled, a glint in his eye.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know much about C Grades, do you? It¡¯s a challenge to get a group of them aligned on anything.¡±

    ¡°Not that long after Earth awakened, we had seven of them. It just doesn¡¯t seem like three C Grades should be powerful enough to claim a whole moon for themselves.¡±

    This time, it was Duroc that spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s not rare to have a surge of powerful individuals come up after a planet awakens. The issue you run into with C Grades is how hard it is for them to progress. If D Grade is putting together a foundation, C Grade is building the entire structure. If everything doesn¡¯t align, they stop moving forward.¡±

    That made sense, at least to an extent. Earth didn¡¯t have a lot of information about C Grade, and everything he could learn would be valuable.

    ¡°So if the issue is alignment, I¡¯d imagine there are a lot of C Grades floating around, just very few working together?¡±

    Duroc shrugged.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say there¡¯s a lot ¨C if only a small fraction of awakened have the potential to achieve D Grade, an even smaller fraction can make it to C. Otherwise, the alignment point is fair. Where I come from, C Grades get pushed out of their tribe to start their own for that exact reason. Warchiefs have to be able to make their own way.¡±

    The orc had a faraway look in his beady eyes, and Kyle decided not to press the issue further. This was new information, and it built a framework for more questions another day. The conversation moved on, talking about Benjamin¡¯s family estates and highlights from his other trips. Before Kyle knew it, he felt the gentle rattling as the shuttle began to descend. Benjamin stretched and stood as it landed, as Duroc and Skippy hurried to finish the last pancakes on the table.

    ¡°Where are we landing?¡± Kyle asked, realizing they hadn¡¯t discussed it before.

    ¡°I wanted to see what your old capital looked like. You can tell a lot about a people by the way their leadership lived.¡±

    As the group exited the shuttle, Kyle looked out at the ruins of what had been the sprawling city of Corwyn. From the sheer amount of crumbled concrete and broken glass, Kyle expected that they were near what had once been a series of high-rises or office buildings, all of which had been destroyed. It reminded him of the day his grandfather died, rubble as far as the eye could see. He stopped, taking it all in as he relived the memory. Even after all the time that had passed, it stung.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s quiet voice broke him from his contemplation

    [WE SHOULD CATCH UP, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Skippy, Benjamin, and Duroc had already taken off, appearing to follow the coordinates on Benjamin¡¯s nav bracelet. Kyle moved to follow them, when he got an idea. Mana flowed through his eyes as IDENTIFY sprang to life, and Kyle got his first real look at the D Grade awakened.

    Similar to when he looked at the tree, Kyle could see flowing mana superimposed on the figures of Skippy and Duroc. The two of them were lit up like beacons, with the mana flowing through the skrell seeming to burn like a wildfire, while the orc¡¯s was a smooth flowing stream, timeless as a river. What¡¯s more, Kyle also got an impression of power from each. It wasn¡¯t as clear as when Kyle looked at his own center in meditation, but he still got a feeling for their general attributes.

    He was surprised to see how close he¡¯d gotten to Skippy¡¯s level, with the skrell¡¯s overall power feeling fairly similar to his own. At the same time, Kyle also had a clear understanding that Skippy¡¯s attributes and skills were all heavily combat-focused, while his own were more diverse. Duroc, by contrast, felt significantly stronger than Kyle expected. Thinking back to their sparring session, it was now clear to him that his porcine acquaintance had been holding back, and not by a little. Kyle couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Skippy and Benjamin knew how wide the gap was.

    Most interesting to him, however, was actually Benjamin himself. While the man didn¡¯t give off any major impressions of power, Kyle could see the mana around him moving in interesting ways. His clothes themselves seemed to filter and push the ambient energy away, and there were locations in both of his side pockets that gave off a faint aura. Kyle wasn¡¯t entirely sure what they were, but it only made sense that he¡¯d have something up his sleeve in case things got bad ¨C even with his security detail.

    He felt the strain begin to build behind his eyes, and deactivated the skill. Already ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was at work repairing the minor damage, and Kyle felt pleased at the synergy developing between his skills. HASTE was at a point where it really didn¡¯t strain his body anymore, and he was confident with time that IDENTIFY would get to the same place.

    Catching up to the group, he saw them gathered around a site of crumbled marble. Though he¡¯d never been to the capital building before, Kyle had seen enough photos to know that this was the seat of the Central Authority Council, the heart of his world¡¯s political power. At least, it used to be. Benjamin took out a tablet and began typing away with his free hand.

    ¡°What are you writing?¡±

    ¡°A cautionary tale about powerless politicians trying to play at being gods. I¡¯ve learned a lot about your culture, Kyle. Whatever the original intention, it¡¯s clear to me that your leadership fancied themselves a cut above the rest.¡±

    Even though Kyle understood on some level that Benjamin was right, he still bristled at the statement.

    ¡°Life here was good, Benjamin. This attack wasn¡¯t their fault, and it certainly wasn¡¯t the fault of all the other people who died.¡±

    Benjamin raised his hands placatingly, meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not assigning fault, just stating my observations. Earth was fairly low-grade after it awakened, and your leaders chose comfort over progress. That¡¯s on them. If there had been more people like you around, the impact would have been far less severe.¡±

    Kyle wanted to snap back, though let out a sigh instead. There wasn¡¯t a point arguing with somebody as privileged as Benjamin. The group walked around the rubble, Benjamin looking odds and ends. Kyle found himself assisting in the search, until he felt a faint tingle against his skin as he sifted through some rubble. Frowning, he whispered to C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°Do you pick anything up on your sensors.¡±

    A moment later, he heard a soft click, followed by a response from the drone.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THERE IS A DEVICE NEARBY DRAWING IN TRACE AMOUNTS OF MANA. IT WOULDN¡¯T HAVE BEEN WORTH NOTING HAD YOU NOT MENTIONED IT.]

    Looking to make sure that Benjamin, Skippy, and Duroc were occupied, Kyle activated IDENTIFY. Coupled with Auric Perception, he easily spotted the inflow of mana, and moved to what looked like the remnants of an office. Moving the heavy stone, Kyle found a splintered and broken desk, inside of which was a small box. The atmospheric mana appeared to be flowing into it in a gentle trickle.

    He considered how to open the box ¨C as his Strength was still a way off from being able to rip apart steel with his bare hands ¨C and he had an idea. Quietly placing several bamboo seeds into the seam by the hinges, he connected to them with PARASITIC RESONANCE. The plants grew quickly, shattering as they tried to expand past the confined space. The hinges held a moment longer, then broke free, releasing the heavy lid. Kyle looked inside to see a small, familiar device. A Transportation Array.

    His breath caught for a moment, and he quickly put it in his pocket. The device still drew in faint amounts of mana from the surrounding area, but without IDENTIFY active the only way he could tell was through Auric Perception. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure how the mechanics of the device worked, though he knew that it was something he wanted to hold on to.

    Rejoining the others, the rest of the day was spent wandering through the ruins. Benjamin would toss the occasional question Kyle¡¯s way, to which Kyle would offer what insight he had. It was almost funny to him that the trio viewed him as the de-facto expert on all things Earth politics. Kyle reminded them ¨C multiple times ¨C that he was a frontier doctor with limited interest in politics. That didn¡¯t stop them from asking questions anyway. Fortunately, C.H.A.D.D. was able to provide more insight through the various policies and procedures that it retained. As they boarded the shuttle, Benjamin turned to Kyle with a serious expression.

    ¡°Your next stop is the big one. We¡¯ll be dropping you off, orders from both the family and from Chester are that we¡¯re not going to be on-site this time.¡±

    Kyle nodded, expecting as much. The deaths against the D Grade monsters so far had been a real black eye for Chester. Despite the mountains of wealth they¡¯d extracted from Earth, the sheer loss of life had been well beyond their expectations. It made sense that there would be pressure on all fronts to limit the risk of collateral damage as much as possible.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to be careful.¡±

    ¡°See that you do. Something feels off with this, and I¡¯d hate to see my future bodyguard get killed prematurely.¡±

    ¡°We both know it¡¯s too late to hire me.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you never know what the future holds.¡±

    With that, the shuttle took off, bound for the territory of the final D Grade beast.

 Chapter 142

    Their shuttle arrived just before dawn, the turbulence of the landing shaking Kyle as he prepared for the task ahead. Instructions came through on his nav bracelet, simple and clear. He was to scout the area and help set up the defense. Chester was planning on a confrontation with the D Grade, and without better intelligence he was relying on Kyle to test the waters. Literally, in this case, as they were landing in a clearing that opened to a sandy beach. Kyle stepped off the shuttle, turning to Benjamin, Duroc, and Skippy, looking each in the eye. ¡°You three take care. I¡¯ll see you again before you know it.¡±

    Skippy smiled. ¡°We have a sparring match scheduled for when you get back.¡±

    Duroc snorted. ¡°No, we don¡¯t. Be safe, Kyle!¡±

    Benjamin just shook his head, a wry smile playing across his lips. The door closed, and Kyle was alone. He looked at his nav bracelet, and saw that there was a little over fifteen minutes remaining until the shuttle from the flagship would arrive. Given that he had some time, Kyle decided to make the most of it.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you do a quick ping of the area?¡±

    He heard the click, and the projection popped up in front of him. Kyle was surprised to see the scans appeared to capture a bit of the water, and still provided a clear image. He knew that old-world sonar worked that way, and was glad that this departure from it still provided the information.

    Based on the shape of the coastline, Kyle assumed they were at the edge of a larger island. Small shrubs and ferns dotted the beach, growing thicker and more numerous towards the center. The air was thick with mana, and it practically radiated off the water. This was as close as Kyle had been to the epicenter of the largest blast, and he was certain that any unawakened human would be in dire straits in short order. Even the awakened members of the expedition would likely struggle more in this area than anywhere else he¡¯d been.

    Most interesting to Kyle, however, were what he assumed were natural treasures. Dotting the small map were dozens of small, glowing motes ¨C areas where C.H.A.D.D. detected anomalies. Each area he¡¯d visited tended to have a primary type of treasure, with the seeds from the Pseudo-World Tree being the most valuable so far. Still, he¡¯d helped uncover rare ores, soil samples, woods, and more. Who knew what he could find on an island?

    Before taking off, he reviewed the map for signs of life. Scans showed that there were plenty of mutated insects, but he didn¡¯t particularly care. None were giving off the mana signature of a D Grade, and at this point he was a seasoned veteran at dealing with awakened insects. He felt HASTE activate at the faintest thought, and took off towards the first treasure with a smile on his face.

    As he ran, he marveled at the lack of human structures in the area. There had likely been some before the awakening, but years untouched had let nature take its course. Much of the dust in the air had cleared, and he looked up to see a brilliant blue replacing the oranges of the sunrise. The thought that this would all soon be gone forever tugged at him. Stopping fully, he looked around him. He was going to remember this sight.

    He was rudely interrupted from his view as he heard a rustling from a nearby shrub, Auric Perception alerting him to the changes in atmospheric mana. His batons found their way into his hands, and a moment later he was swatting away a heavy blue claw aiming for his leg. A second was coming soon after, and rather than blocking, Kyle dodged back, using his second baton to intercept a long tail with a poisoned barb.

    Kyle landed lightly and regarded the creature in front of him. It was almost two meters long, excluding the tail, though it was only a little taller than his waist. Two thick, blue claws clicked as the scorpion shifted its weight back and forth, its segmented tail thrashing wildly through the air. Kyle assumed he¡¯d been daydreaming in its territory, and for a moment considered if he should just move on.

    He dodged another strike with the tail and took a step to leave, when he felt the sand below his feet begin to sink. IDENTIFY bloomed to life in his eyes as he jumped to stand on some rocks nearby. He could see the mana flowing through the scorpion¡¯s feet and into the ground, stirring up the sand. It lunged for him again, and Kyle sighed. A tendril of mana reached out to the creature, disrupting its technique in one moment, ending its life in the next. Physically imposing or not, any creature without a means to counter PARASITIC RESONANCE wasn¡¯t much of a threat.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    He thought about making something with the scorpion¡¯s body, though he quickly dismissed the notion. Ultimately, this creature was weaker than the Wall had been. Its carapace likely wouldn¡¯t be a meaningful upgrade beyond his combat armor, and there wasn¡¯t much point trying to fashion a new weapon. Although¡­ Reconnecting to the scorpion, he broke off the final segment of the tail, where the venomous barb was located.

    IDENTIFY active, he looked at the mana that still moved inside the toxins. It wasn¡¯t nearly as potent as the venom from the Shadow, or the poisonous scales from the Eye. It looked to be primarily a neurotoxin, and he¡¯d already experienced much worse. While he could still test it against his ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, he didn¡¯t think it would ultimately add much of value. What he did learn, however, was that IDENTIFY was able to help parse out the specific nature of the toxins at play.

    Leaving the carcass, Kyle continued moving towards the location of the nearest mana fluctuations. The shuttle would be arriving shortly, and Kyle wanted to know what he was working with. Coming into a clearing, he saw a field full of beautiful white flowers. They each gave off a sweet fragrance, and the field itself seemed to thrum with energy. Focusing his gaze as IDENTIFY activated, he saw that the energy was leeching up from the ground itself, being drawn in by the flowers. Is it the water?

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what does your plant encyclopedia say about the flowers?¡±

    [FIRST, DR. MAYHEW, IT¡¯S QUITE DISRESPECTFUL TO REFER TO THE WORLD TREE SEED AS A PLANT ENCYCLOPEDIA. SECONDLY, THE IMPRESSION FROM THE FLOWERS IS INTERESTING, THOUGH IT DOESN¡¯T FEEL LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING ORIGINATING FROM THEM.]

    Kyle nodded. Products of the environment. That¡¯s not to say they wouldn¡¯t be valuable, just that they wouldn¡¯t be something that he and C.H.A.D.D. would likely be able to find a lot of use with. Still, just to be safe he picked a couple of the flowers, admiring the beauty of the mana flowing within, which seemed to shine brilliant teal. Checking his nav bracelet, he saw a tentative arrival in five minutes. He ran around the inner part of the island, locating more small fields like the one he¡¯d just discovered. C.H.A.D.D. mapped out the island and surrounding coastline, and Kyle felt good about their position.

    Making his way towards the landing zone, Kyle¡¯s mind drifted as he tasted the salt on the breeze. Benjamin mentioned they had almost all the logistics organized for the evacuation, and that shuttles would start arriving in just a few months. Whether he left early or waited until the last shuttles, Kyle¡¯s home was going to be left behind, again. It was strange thinking about trying to find a place in a universe so vast that Earth was a footnote in the frontier. On one hand, how could there not be a place for him? On the other, where would he even start looking?

    Kyle settled on a rock and watched as the shuttle descended. People began to pour out like ants, getting to work on their various tasks and establishing a base camp. The captain sent him a message on the nav bracelet that it would be a while yet before they were ready to connect and debrief. Watching the crowd, Kyle quickly determined the cause of the delay. This crew was running with just over half the usual number, which caused Kyle to frown. There was a reason for it, but Kyle had no way of knowing what Chester had planned.

    With nothing else to do, Kyle found himself fiddling with the Transportation Array as he contemplated the issue. The metal device was warm to the touch, a testament to the amount of mana it had absorbed. Looking closer with IDENTIFY, Kyle saw where different buttons on the device would activate different sets of runic formations. There were several runes that were familiar to Kyle from the telemetry formation, and others that were more closely linked to the collection formation he¡¯d inscribed for C.H.A.D.D.

    Currently, it was flipped towards collection. With simple changes, he could link it to two other modes, and Kyle suspected that the one associated with the telemetry formation would lock onto coordinates, which meant the most foreign portion would be the part that tapped into the collected mana to move them. He had no idea if it would work off-planet or not, but he figured that one way or another he was going to try to make a visit to Marcus Kulhavey¡¯s operation. With luck, he¡¯d be able to meet the man and learn more about the arrays.

    A buzz on his nav bracelet snapped him back to the present, and Kyle put the Transportation Array back in his pocket as he made his way to the captain. They exchanged introductions, and the man¡¯s nervous demeanor put Kyle more on edge.

    ¡°Any idea why they sent you into an area this dangerous with a ghost crew?¡±

    ¡°None at all, sir. Either way, we¡¯re here. What are we working with?¡±

    ¡°Relatively small island, some dangerous creatures but nothing a squad of three or four shouldn¡¯t be able to handle, at least until I get there.¡±

    The captain seemed surprised at that, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°No D Grade then? Or did you kill it already?¡±

    ¡°Definitely didn¡¯t run into one, but with luck we¡¯ll be fine. If I¡¯m guessing correctly, it¡¯s going to be in or near the water. As long as we stay inland, this should be simple.¡±

    The captain¡¯s eyes widened at that, and his tanned skin took on a pale shade.

    Kyle groaned.

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Sir, we had no idea ¨C¡°

    He was interrupted by the sound of a loud explosion, coming from the beach.

 Chapter 143

    The captain looked around with wide eyes, which Kyle had no patience for. Grabbing the man roughly by the collar, he pulled him closer.

    ¡°I asked what you did. Tell me, now!¡±

    The man gulped, then took a deep breath before finally responding.

    ¡°We picked up some interesting mana signatures from the sea floor, and dropped some reconnaissance units to get a better picture. I swear, that¡¯s it!¡±

    ¡°How many units?¡±

    ¡°Eleven, sir.¡±

    Kyle swore. He¡¯d planned on confronting the D Grade eventually, though he¡¯d hoped to have more time to plan the encounter. Instead, this moron left a trail of resources right to the camp.

    ¡°Get your men back to the shuttle and take off as soon as you can. I¡¯m not going to be able to protect your people when the fight kicks off.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Kyle darted towards the beach with HASTE active. He heard a soft snap from behind him as C.H.A.D.D. broke a fern frond, activating its map. The salty air rushed past him, followed by a projection of the area. A powerful mana signature was at the edge of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s range, moving through the depths of the water towards the shore.

    Another explosion rang out, and Kyle heard frantic screams. The white sand beach came into view, and Kyle saw three of the expedition members running towards him, not pausing to give him a look as he passed them. There was an unmoving form on the beach, a woman¡¯s body lying still near a large crater in the sand. A surge of revulsion and disgust moved through him at the sight. These bastards just left her. Before he had a chance to examine the area more thoroughly, Auric Perception alerted him to a large movement of mana. Moments later, he saw the pristine blue water swell, then explode out towards the beach.

    The blast ripped a trench through the beach, sending a cascading wave of sand and steam skyward. Another crater was formed, and Kyle took in the scope of the attack. Not as powerful as the Eye. It was an impressive attack, though it lacked the magnitude of the giant moth¡¯s blasts of wind. Another click sounded behind him as C.H.A.D.D. updated its map, and Kyle saw the creature approaching even closer from the water. Soon, it should be in sight.

    Looking around, Kyle opted to stay back towards the edge of the forest. If possible, he didn¡¯t want to get dragged into a close-ranged fight in the water, nor did he want to fight in the sand. The rockier ground where he stood provided more secure footing, and Kyle hoped the beast wouldn¡¯t be able to use the same large-scale water attacks from the shallower water near the shore. He could feel the beast through his Auric Perception, and he grabbed a handful of bamboo seeds from the bottom of the pack, scattering them in the area before him.

    As he watched the water, he activated IDENTIFY. The first thing he saw break the surface were two angry, violet eyes. The orbs appeared to be on stalks, followed by the creature¡¯s head. Its carapace was a resplendent rainbow sheen, catching and reflecting the light of the sun in a cascade of colors. Kyle could see the mana flowing through it, a fierce storm of energy suffusing every cell of its body.

    He met the gaze of the creature, and nearly flinched as he saw swirling mana condense into its eyes, focused on him. It has an optical skill as well. Kyle felt exposed as it regarded him, its eyes glowing with the power of its skill. There was a quiet moment as the two of them sized one another up. The sounds of the waves crashing against the shore were the only things breaking the silence.

    Kyle felt mana slowly condensing in the water near the creature, and braced himself. He anticipated that there would be another explosive blast, and was taken by surprise as the water began to swirl around the beast, then rise into the air like a tornado. The water spout climbed ten meters into the sky, and Kyle was forced to dodge to the left as a superheated blast of water was shot out from the tower and struck the area where he¡¯d been standing. He heard the sound of debris clattering off of his armor, and the cloud of steam and sand obscured his vision.

    C.H.A.D.D., fortunately, was not hampered. An orange flash of warning sprang to life before his eyes as Kyle continued moving, dodging two more blasts. The drone projected an image in the corner of Kyle¡¯s field of vision, and risking a glance, he got a full picture of his opponent.

    It looked like a strange cross between a lobster and a shrimp, with three sets of claws held tightly to its upraised torso. Its abdomen had multiple thick legs covered by an armored skirt that rested over them, and from what he could see the creature¡¯s entire body was as brightly colored as its head. Multiple long whiskers extended below its eye stalks, making it appear to have a large bristly moustache.

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    Despite its strange appearance, the sheer amount of water it was controlling gave Kyle a good idea about its specialties. That, and the fact that he had one attribute that hadn¡¯t been improved by Adaptive Anatomy. This thing is a mage. Kyle wasn¡¯t entirely sure what to expect from the first vision he¡¯d seen, but looking at it now he felt confident that it was a ranged combat specialist. Given the complexity of what he¡¯d seen in the creature ¨C that he¡¯d taken to calling the Storm ¨C Kyle also knew that it had a lot more options available than just shooting out the explosive blasts of water.

    That meant he wasn¡¯t entirely surprised as a thin jet of water punched a hole through his shoulder pauldron. The combat armor blunted the strike, and against his absurdly high Endurance and Enhanced Carapace it didn¡¯t manage to break skin. On the other hand, it was such a quick technique that Kyle hadn¡¯t seen it coming.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., keep an eye out for ¨C ¡°

    Another lance of water struck him in the chest, interrupting his thought. Then a third hit his leg. It caused him to stumble just long enough for one of the larger blasts to hit him, and the explosion sent him flying away towards the forest. Steam burned his lungs as he breathed, and he felt the concussive force of the blast all the way through his body. It wasn¡¯t a big enough hit to take him out of the fight, but it still hurt like hell.

    Without waiting to be struck again, Kyle reached out tendrils of mana to some of the bamboo seeds he¡¯d spread across the area. The blasts had scattered them further, though there were still plenty to create small pockets of cover. C.H.A.D.D. helped guide the mana, and in moments the bamboo had grown to a respectable height. Jumping behind the barrier he¡¯d created, Kyle breathed out a quick sigh of relief as ADAPTIVE REGENERATION soothed the aches.

    ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve picked up, C.H.A.D.D. What¡¯s the play?¡±

    A blast of steam struck the wall of bamboo, and Kyle dashed away as a second explosion blew it away entirely.

    [IT IS AN INTERESTING ORGANISM, DR. MAYHEW. IT APPEARS TO BE DRAWING IN AMBIENT MANA DIRECTLY FROM THE WATER. DESPITE ITS ATTACKS, I AM NOT DETECTING A NOTICEABLE DECLINE IN THE QUANTITY OF MANA FLOWING THROUGH IT.]

    ¡°So the Storm is using the ocean like a battery?¡±

    [ASSUMING YOU¡¯RE REFERRING TO OUR ADVERSARY, THAT¡¯S AN APT DESCRIPTION.]

    Kyle considered his options as he dove behind another wall of bamboo, hissing from the lance of water that grazed his thigh. He was currently out of range to use PARASITIC RESONANCE, and given the height of the Storm¡¯s tower of water he would have to be practically right under it in order to cover the distance. Getting that close provided other challenges, as dodging the Storm¡¯s attacks even at this range was difficult. The closer he got, the less time he would have to react. No matter how he sliced it, he would take hits. Unfortunately, without an effective means to fight back at this range Kyle didn¡¯t have many choices.

    He was reminded of his fight against Carlyle, and his general lack of options against enemies who could bombard him from a distance. He¡¯d made progress with STORM SHELTER and PARASITIC RESONANCE, but that was a weakness he¡¯d need to keep working to shore up.

    Another explosion rocked the beach, and Kyle dashed out amidst the sound of splintering bamboo. A lance of water caught his side, followed by a second that scored the back of his neck. Next should be the blast. Kyle was beginning to piece together the pattern ¨C the Storm could use two of the lances in quick succession, then seemed to need to recharge, relying on the larger and less precise strikes. A surge of mana was Kyle¡¯s warning, and he activated STORM SHELTER.

    The blast slammed into his shield without leaving a mark, and he deactivated his skill as he continued his dash, ducking under another large blast that was aimed for where his barrier had been moments before. As he closed in, he could feel the tremendous energy flowing into the beast from the ocean. Kyle was still in good condition despite taking some hits, but the Storm didn¡¯t appear to have exhausted a single drop of mana.

    The beach had been ripped apart by the continuous bombardment, peppered with craters and trenches from the series of attacks. The woman¡¯s corpse was buried under a new mound of sand. The closer he got to the creature, the more confident Kyle felt that he¡¯d have to find a way to remove it from the water. He grunted as two more lances of water pierced his armor, this time drawing blood as the pressurized beam finally managed to pierce his skin. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was already at work patching up the damage, but it reinforced what Kyle knew. As long as it was immersed, it was invincible.

    As Kyle closed in on the edge of the water, the Storm did something new. The sea seemed to come to life, waves infused with mana surged around him before crashing down. Instinctively, STORM SHELTER sprang to life, holding back the tide. The water retreated, then slammed into the barrier again, submerging it.

    With IDENTIFY active, Kyle saw the distinct pattern and flow of the Storm¡¯s mana in the water all around it. It was mind-boggling just how much water this creature could move and shape, even with its mana being continually replenished. Controlling the water spout it rode, in conjunction with all the waves, were feats Kyle doubted he had the power to match. A pit formed in his stomach as he considered the implication. PARASITIC RESONANCE relied on Willpower to directly damage an opponent, and in the Storm he may have met his better.

    The waves retreated, preparing to crash down again, when suddenly they paused. Looking up, Kyle saw the attention of the creature shift skyward, and as he followed its focus, he saw its target. The Corthian Mining shuttle had taken off. And they were flying directly past the monster.

 Chapter 144

    Kyle felt the mana begin to build within the pillar of water, and knew with certainty that the shuttle was within striking range of the Storm.  At the same time, he was still under pressure from the water surrounding him on all sides.  He could try to distract the creature and draw its attention, and if he did there was a chance the shuttle could escape.  It would also leave him exposed, outside of STORM SHELTER, and at the Storm¡¯s mercy.  Time seemed to stand still as Kyle felt the final moments of the mana building, knowing what he needed to do, and hating it.

    [DR. MAYHEW - ]

    ¡°Not now, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    A second passed, and a blast of water exploded against the side of the shuttle, followed by another.  The vehicle rocked, and a continued barrage of attacks met it in the air.  Blow after blow smashed into the hull, and if Kyle had been watching he would have seen the glowing runes along the sides sputter and fade before the shuttle fell into the water.

    The moment the Storm launched its attack, Kyle sprang into action.  Pushing energy into a handful of seeds, C.H.A.D.D. acted as the catalyst for explosive growth.  The bamboo lifted him like a pole vault into the air, deactivating STORM SHELTER at the last possible moment.  He felt the water close in on him as the reeds pushed him through, tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE already reaching skyward towards the monster.

    He felt the mana connect, and immediately encountered a level of resistance only exceeded by the world tree seed.  Kyle knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to land a decisive blow right away, and instead focused his effort on something he could control: disrupting the Storm¡¯s control.  While the creature had enormous amounts of Willpower, maintaining its grip on the water had to require incredible concentration.  IDENTIFY showed him where the mana branched out and flowed into the water, and he had his targets.

    The Storm noticed the intruder, but it was too late.  Vines wrapped around Kyle¡¯s left arm as they also reached towards the beast, ensnaring several of its claws as he drew closer to it.  Kyle grit his teeth as he forced his mana through, connecting to the feather-like plates along its abdomen.  The lower body of the creature was still submerged in the water, and Kyle could see that it was using each of the feathers as a sort of anchor to the sea.  Focusing his Willpower against the feathers, he felt himself lurch in the air as the pillar of water fell apart, both he and the Storm plummeting to the ocean below.

    Kyle could see mana flowing around the creature, desperately trying to draw the water back in.  With Kyle actively destabilizing the connection, however, it didn¡¯t have the opportunity.  Still, Kyle knew he was in trouble.  In moments, they would fall into the water, and the Storm would once again have home field advantage.  It was time for a gamble.  Pulling the device out of his trouser pocket, Kyle activated the Transportation Array.

    His perspective shifted as he saw a kaleidoscope of color, and he fixed his mind on a familiar sight ¨C a field of flowers.  Kyle had no idea if it would work, but he pressed the second button, activating the final formation in the array.  They landed in the water, right as the world around them began to blur.

    Kyle felt a wave of heat, a blast of concussive force, and then he fell hard on the ground.  He coughed up water as he got to his feet, feeling light burns across his skin.  The vines that had wrapped around his left forearm had been ripped free, ripping the bracer on that arm free.  He was standing in the center of a flower field, possibly the same one he¡¯d visited earlier.  His clothes were drenched, a puddle forming below him as he stood.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you okay?¡±

    [THIS NEW PACK IS DELIGHTFUL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    While that wasn¡¯t really an answer, Kyle didn¡¯t have time to go back and forth with the drone.  Just two meters away, the Storm was clambering to its feet.  It seemed disoriented, though Kyle didn¡¯t expect that would last for long.  Even as the tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE reached out to the creature, Kyle got his first really good look at the Storm.

    The monster stood nearly two and a half meters tall, with its abdomen roughly the same length.  It had six forelimbs on its upraised torso; four thick, lobster like claws that were tightly tucked into its chest, and two that were longer and narrower, almost resembling fishing harpoons, which rested at its side.  The plates along each side of its abdomen gave off a rainbow glow in the open sunlight, the effect only magnified in Kyle¡¯s vision due to the raw mana flowing through them.  Thick, crablike legs supported it, barely visible under the feathery armor.

    As soon as PARASITIC RESONANCE connected, violet eye stalks focused on Kyle as its whiskers thrashed violently. Kyle could feel a palpable air of malice radiating from it.  It matched his Willpower, and the two stood motionless for a moment, each trying to wrest control.  Slowly, bubbles of water began to rise, though they didn¡¯t appear to be focused on attack.  Instead, they swirled up and around its head, forming an odd, astronaut-like helmet of water.

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    The moment the last droplets entered the helmet, the Storm burst into action.  The four, thick claws it kept close to its chest exploded out with incredible force, each accompanied by a sound like a cannon.  Taken by surprise, shockwaves ripped into Kyle, and he was able to hear audible cracks as the damaged pieces of his armor began to break apart.  He could taste iron in his mouth, and he spat out blood as he caught his footing, barely managing to weave to the side as one of the longer, spear-like claws pierced the air where his heart had been.

    Now that he knew what to look for, STORM SHELTER sprang to life around him as another round of thundering blows were released.  They pounded into his shield like a repeating cannon, and Kyle was reminded of Skippy¡¯s chain attacks.  Unlike the skrell, however, the Storm hadn¡¯t been training specifically to break through Kyle¡¯s defenses.  The shield held, and he used the moment of reprieve to analyze his options.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what weak points are you picking up?¡±

    [VERY FEW, DR. MAYHEW.  THE SHELL IS REMARKABLY MANA-DENSE.  AS USUAL, THE JOINTS AND THE EYES ARE LIKELY GOOD TARGETS.]

    Looking at the creature, Kyle highly doubted that his baton strikes would do much damage.  Its carapace was simply too thick, and there was no way Kyle was getting close enough to hit it in the eyes.  With PARASITIC RESONANCE still connected and working, Kyle just hoped that he¡¯d be able to get the upper hand in time.  The speed of the Storm¡¯s attacks was frightening, and even with HASTE active he wasn¡¯t confident in dodging all of them.

    Despite that, Kyle felt the crustacean¡¯s mana begin to deplete.  Each attack was only a small slice of its overall pool, but now that it wasn¡¯t connected to the ocean, it didn¡¯t have an endless source of replenishment.  In a battle of attrition, Kyle felt confident in his abilities.

    ¡°Do you think you can do anything with the grasses?¡±

    [I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH.]

    ¡°Alright.  When I drop the shield, we¡¯re working on entanglement.¡±

    A moment later, the blue glow of STORM SHELTER faded away.  Kyle could see the energy building in the Storm¡¯s claws, preparing for another round of attacks.  He dashed to the left, avoiding most of the shockwaves.  At the same time, the grasses and flowers around the crustacean¡¯s legs began to grow, winding and turning about its legs.  It was able to rip them free with relative ease, but it slowed the beast just enough.  Kyle got to the Storm¡¯s side, and jumped onto its abdomen, directly behind its torso.

    The creature thrashed wildly, clearly displeased by Kyle¡¯s action.  Vines began to extend from one of the holes in the C.H.A.D.D.pack, and soon Kyle had bound himself to the creature¡¯s torso.  It continued to spin and scuttle wildly, but it was unable to dislodge the stubborn Survivalist.

    Kyle let out a small sigh, thankful his gambit had worked.  The creature had absolutely incredible attack power in the area in front of itself, which likely served it well underwater, where it had ease of movement.  He¡¯d banked on the creature being unprepared to deal with the same issue on the land.  Firmly nestled in, Kyle allowed PARASITIC RESONANCE to work.

    Slowly, he was gaining ground against the Storm¡¯s Willpower.  He estimated the creature to possess around 1000 points in the attribute, just slightly above Kyle¡¯s own 903.  In the relatively short span that they¡¯d been connected, Kyle felt as though they were roughly evenly matched.  Given more time, Kyle knew that the fight was a foregone conclusion.  That is, until the Storm changed tactics.

    He felt the mana in the air around the creature begin to shift, at first attributing it to the ground he was gaining.  Soon, however, it was clear that something was wrong.  C.H.A.D.D. detected it a moment later.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I RECOMMEND EXTRICATING YOURSELF FROM THE VINES.]

    Kyle hesitated for a moment, unsure of the best course of action.  What can it do to me up here?  Before he had a chance to explore that further, his world went white with pain.  It was as if something was trying to tear apart every cell in his body.  He felt the vines around him crumble away, and fell off the Storm¡¯s back, landing on the hard soil.  Where is the grass?  Where are the flowers?  He rose on unsteady legs, and his eyes widened as he beheld the skill on display.

    From where he¡¯d been positioned, Kyle wasn¡¯t able to see the feather-like plates on the Storm¡¯s abdomen.  He assumed that, without being surrounded by water, their function in the fight was over.  He was wrong.  They each glowed with power as they floated parallel to the ground, showing the creature¡¯s legs beneath.  In a small circle around the monster, all the plant life had withered away.  The moisture in the soil was gone, leaving cracked, dry earth.

    It was trying to rip the water out of my body, Kyle realized, horror setting in.  His natural defenses warded off the worst of the attack, though looking at the scene before him, he knew he was in trouble.  Droplets of water floated around the Storm as it turned to face him.

    A spear-like claw exploded towards him, while simultaneously dozens of droplets sped his way, each heavily infused with the Storm¡¯s mana.  He dodged the claw, gritting his teeth as the droplets carved away at him as they passed.  The second spear aimed for his chest, and he barely managed to push it down and to the side, resulting in a furrow along his ribs.

    STORM SHELTER sprang to life as a series of explosive punches from the other claws rained into it, and Kyle panted heavily with exhaustion.  Blood was running freely down his cracked and damaged body.  PARASITIC RESONANCE was still connected, though at this rate it wouldn¡¯t ramp up fast enough.  He worked on mending his injuries as he stared through the barrier at his opponent.  The Storm had surpassed every expectation.  It would only be a moment of reprieve before their battle would resume, and it was one Kyle wasn¡¯t sure he could win.

 Chapter 145

    Kyle felt his wounds closing as he regarded the Storm, which had stopped attacking his barrier.  IDENTIFY showed him that the mana coursing through the crustacean had reduced significantly, and he breathed a sigh of relief.  He was still in dire straits, but the monster wouldn¡¯t be able to pull a repeat of the attack it had just used, at least not soon.  For now, it seemed content to wait for STORM SHELTER to fade away before renewing its onslaught.

    ¡°Any ideas C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING YOU WOULD FIND PARTICULARLY HELPFUL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Worth a shot.  What¡¯s our inventory of seeds looking like?¡±

    [STILL FAIRLY DIVERSE.  THE ATTACK THAT HIT YOU DIDN¡¯T SEEM TO PENETRATE THE INSULATED SHELL OF THE PACK.]

    That¡¯s something, at least.  While Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. mostly carried bamboo with them due to the quick growth and reproduction, they did have several other seeds they¡¯d accumulated.  He¡¯d used all of their vines, but that still left two small acorns, some fern spores, and some of the strange sundew plants.  And the world tree seed, of course, though it seemed as stubborn as ever.

    ¡°Any new weak points come up during the last exchange?¡±

    [I BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND NOW WHERE IT BREATHES, DR. MAYHEW.  WHETHER OR NOT THAT¡¯S USEFUL, I¡¯LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU.]

    With that, the drone projected an image of the Storm, then highlighted several places around and to the side of its whiskers.  The whole area was covered in a bubble of water, and an idea began to form in Kyle¡¯s mind.

    The barrier of STORM SHELTER began to fade, and Kyle placed a bamboo seed in each hand as he focused his mana into them, allowing C.H.A.D.D. to guide the growth.  Covert Dexterity had allowed for a seamless integration of his combat technique, and he felt it was time to test the evolution he and C.H.A.D.D were developing.

    The moment two full-sized batons had finished growing, the shield dissipated.  Kyle expected the spear claws to be the opening strike, and he wasn¡¯t disappointed.  He parried the first to the side with his left hand, then swatted the second strike above his head as he closed the distance low.  Next is the blast.  Two of the smashing claws fired out simultaneously, and he ducked below the shockwave.

    The concussive force as it hit the ground behind him made him miss a step, and four of the floating water droplets managed to strike him.  The damaged armor plates on his right shoulder and chest let out a final crack before falling to the ground, the damage from the D Grade engagement simply too much for them to handle.  They had done their job, as Kyle rose with both batons flashing upward.

    His first attack smacked straight into the bubble, while the baton in his left hand was blown away by a quick shot from one of the smashing claws.  He brought the baton in his right back down, and it, too was intercepted.  This time, however, Kyle was planning for it.  With a surge of PARASITIC RESONANCE, he shattered the bamboo, releasing a small cloud of fern spores into the air.

    Leaving only a single tendril connected to the Storm, Kyle wove PARASITIC RESONANCE through as many of the seeds as he could, and felt the mana drain out of him as a curtain of foliage bloomed to life between him and the crustacean.  A spear-like claw burst through, punching a hole in his left shoulder.  Kyle grimaced as he felt the sharp carapace scrape against bone; the pain amplified by HASTE.

    Still, the roots of the ferns continued to grow, reaching out towards the best source of moisture ¨C the body of the Storm.  Its claws got tangled, and the creature scuttled backwards as it thrashed, easily ripping apart the vegetation.  All the while, Kyle continued to push with PARASITIC RESONANCE, slowly gaining some control.  Between C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans and IDENTIFY, he had a good understanding of where the Storm channeled most of its mana.  Focusing on the feathery plates on its abdomen, Kyle twisted his mana.

    The material was incredibly dense, and Kyle didn¡¯t let up.  A moment later, he heard a satisfying series of crunching sounds, as one after another the feathers crumpled, the mana pathways within destroyed.  The Storm writhed in pain, finally free of its bindings.  The bubble of water surrounding its head was growing less stable by the second.

    It unleashed a barrage of attacks, and it was too soon for STORM SHELTER to be activated.  Kyle was pierced twice more, once in his stomach and once in his chest.  A moment later, he was struck with the full force of the broader claws, and he felt his ribs shatter under the force.  Kyle was knocked back, coughing up blood.  If it wasn¡¯t for Ceaseless Vitality and Exoskeletal Strength, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to move.  As it was, he was barely holding on.

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    The Storm moved towards him to finish the job, and Kyle looked up, spotting what he was searching for.  There, in the bubble of water, were the two acorns he¡¯d brought along, deposited by the baton when he first attacked.  PARASITIC RESONANCE connected to them, and Kyle allowed his mana to flow through.  He saw roots begin to form, but it was too slow.  He pushed harder, feeling his mana dwindling.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THIS IS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY EXPENDITURE.]

    He didn¡¯t stop, and opened himself up to the atmosphere around him.  He felt an incredible inflow of energy, pain erupting all throughout his battered and worn body.  He pushed more and more, not only into the acorns, but into the body of the Storm as well.  The crustacean moved faster, and once again Kyle found himself blown away, landing hard in the middle of the remnants of the flower field.

    He was numb, his body in the transition from burning agony to icy nothingness.  From his position, he couldn¡¯t see the Storm directly.  Kyle tried to sit up, and found that he couldn¡¯t.  So, he kept pushing energy through the connection.  He knew that if he was hit by one more attack like the last, it would spell the end for him.  Kyle heard cracking sounds, felt tissue and carapace alike giving way under his magnified assault.  He kept pushing.  His vision was blacking out, his body numb.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THAT¡¯S ENOUGH!]

    The voice, barely audible to him, broke through.  With an enormous effort of will, Kyle severed his connection to the atmospheric mana.  He couldn¡¯t move, and he felt himself fading into unconsciousness.  Kyle hadn¡¯t experienced one of the strange visions, so he assumed the Storm was still alive.  It was over.  Kyle lost.  He drifted off, waiting for the creature to deliver the killing blow.

    Is this the afterlife?  Kyle found himself in an empty void, with a warm golden glow suffusing the area around him.  He couldn¡¯t move in the space, so he stayed where he was, enjoying the light.  It¡¯s so¡­ familiar.  Kyle tried to place it, though his thoughts were fuzzy.  He felt like he¡¯d been here before. Wherever he was, he felt comfortable.

    Kyle floated, content, until he heard a faint buzzing in his ear.  He tried to ignore it, but it kept growing louder.  It was like an annoying insect had found its way into this place, and he couldn¡¯t get rid of it.  Its volume grew and grew, until finally he could begin to make out the words being said.  Over and over, repeating.

    [DR. MAYHEW?  DR. MAYHEW?]

    C.H.A.D.D.?  While he still couldn¡¯t tell where the sound was coming from, the voice of his companion caused him to stir.  Where are you?  Kyle tried yet failed to turn and move about the space.  Focusing his mind on the sound of C.H.A.D.D. calling for him, he tried again.  And again.  Finally, somehow, he got his perspective to shift as he slowly began to turn toward the source of the golden light.  He saw it, floating quietly in the void.  The world tree seed, bathed in a brilliant golden aura, and through it, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice.

    Kyle stared at the seed, full of wonder.  He¡¯d only gotten short looks at it before, but he¡¯d seen enough to know that something changed.  It was as if millions of small petals began to open and unfold, revealing the barest glimpses of eternity.  He continued to gaze at it, and as he did the pieces in his mind started coming back together.  He¡¯d been fighting¡­ something.  The Storm.  He snapped into lucidity, and the moment his memories returned, he found himself being pulled out of the strange space.  His eyes opened, and he looked up into the midday sun.  He tried to speak, his voice cracked and dry.

    ¡°Am I¡­ still alive?¡±

    [BARELY, DR. MAYHEW.  I WAS BEGINNING TO BELIEVE YOU WOULDN¡¯T WAKE UP.]

    ¡°How long was I out?¡±

    [TWO HOURS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°What happened?  Is the Storm dead?¡±

    [A LOT, AND NO.  IT WILL BE BEST IF YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF.  FOR NOW, FOCUS ON YOUR RECOVERY.]

    Kyle wanted to ask more, but his voice wouldn¡¯t cooperate.  While his mana reserves were reasonable, courtesy of the atmospheric energy he¡¯d absorbed, his body still felt strangely numb.  He knew that his injuries would need time to mend, and he lie there.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was repairing the injuries, and he braced himself for the pain to come.

    The sun was quickly approaching the horizon by the time he¡¯d recovered enough to move.  Kyle noted, absently, that his nav bracelet had been ripped off in one of the attacks.  If anybody had been looking for him, he didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d find him or not.  Wincing in pain as he sat up, his breath caught at the sight that met his eyes.

    In the center of the ruined field stood two massive trees, intertwined around one another.  They formed a helix pattern, flecks of gold present on the otherwise dark brown wood.  Ensnared, crushed, and pierced by their roots was the Storm.  The trees had literally grown on top of it, smashing it into the ground and wrapping it up in their roots as they reached towards the heavens.  The bubble of water that allowed it to breathe was reduced to small pockets of water covering its gills.  Those, too, would fade soon.  He almost felt bad for the suffering of the creature, until he felt the hate as its violet gaze locked onto him.

    The bubbles of water left the gills and condensed into a single needle of water.  It shot forward and grazed Kyle¡¯s cheek, cutting a line of blood through his Enhanced Carapace.  The Storm looked at him after its last, spiteful attack, and then its eyes seemed to dim, the stalks that held them drooping.  For a moment, nothing happened.  The luster left its opalescent shell, the small movements of body ceased, and a crimson beam of energy lanced into Kyle¡¯s body.  For the second time today, Kyle found himself in the space between.

 Chapter 146

    Kyle felt his heartbeat quicken, as he took in the familiarity of the space.  While he couldn¡¯t place it before, there was no doubt in his mind now.  The space he¡¯d been drifting with the world tree seed was the same type he found himself in now.  How are they connected?  His mind swam with questions, though he set them aside as he saw the perspective of his final opponent.

    The Storm was angry.  It was always angry.  Kyle found himself in a world that was simply too giant.  He was dwarfed by everything around him, and he hated it.  Fortunately, he had the tools to survive.  Though he only had two at the time, his claws would make quick work of his enemies, smashing them to bits.  He deftly hid among the rocks and beneath the sand, hunting his prey and warding off challengers with his mighty punches.

    Then, the world around him changed.  He felt energy infusing him like he never had before.  He hunted, and fought, and grew.  One day, he found himself cornered by a crab with strange powers.  It nearly killed him, manipulating the sand around him, yet at the last moment the desire to survive overcame everything else.  Sacrificing a claw and most of his legs, he managed to kill the crab, which left a floating red gem.

    The Storm absorbed it, which gave it the ability to molt its shell and recover.  Once it had, its crusade began.  Every day was spent fighting and growing, until it finally broke the threshold into D Grade.  Hunting became even easier, though when he found his next gem, he learned he couldn¡¯t absorb it.  The rage grew even more, as it knew it wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt the others, not from where it lived.  Instead, it had to wait.  So it hunted, and trained, and developed, so that when the time came, he would be ready.

    Kyle felt the time pass in a blur, until the day arrived.  Something fell from the sky into the Storm¡¯s domain, and he could feel that a challenger had arrived.  Destroying the metallic orbs that fell, it surged towards the shore.  He saw himself through its vision, and replayed their fight, moment by moment.  At the end, Kyle felt the surging power he¡¯d drawn in, felt the unnatural growth and toughness of the budding trees.  He felt the despair as he realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to finish his opponent.  And he felt the hatred as he used his dying breath to spit in the face of the creature who killed him.

    Kyle was rocked back at the intensity of the emotions as his perspective shifted back to his own.  As he calmed himself, he looked out at a tapestry laid out before him, all woven with him at the center.  He felt the overwhelming presence turn its attention to him.

    WELL DONE, LITTLE LARVA.  I CONFESS, YOU EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS AGAIN.

    ¡°I want some answers, and I think I¡¯ve earned them.¡±

    YOU MAY ASK.  I WILL ANSWER IF I DEEM THE QUESTION WORTHY.

    The questions in his head kept swimming, and he knew he wanted to learn more specifics about the cataclysm, about the nature of the presence, and the changes happening to him.  First though, he had something else he couldn¡¯t hold back.

    ¡°What is this place?  No matter how injured I was, I got dragged here every time I absorbed one of the gems.¡±

    He left out the part about the world tree seed, although he suspected that the presence was likely aware of it.  There was no sense in sharing things unnecessarily, after all.

    IT IS BETWEEN.  NEITHER ROOTED IN THE PHYSICAL, NOR THE REALM BEYOND.  THIS PLACE IS THE BRIDGE.  IT IS MY HOME.

    The implications of the statement were enormous.  To say nothing of the notion of multiple realms, the idea that both this being and the world tree seed could exist in a space like this mind-boggling.

    ¡°What do you mean when you say, ¡®beyond?¡¯  Are you talking about a real afterlife?¡±

    I WILL ANSWER THE FIRST, THOUGH THE SECOND IS BEYOND ME, LITTLE LARVA.  THE REALM BEYOND IS THE SOURCE OF WHAT YOU CALL MANA.  IT CROSSES THIS SPACE, AND INFUSES YOUR WORLD.

    Well, so much for getting answers to the meaning of life. Thanks to the creature¡¯s response, Kyle was beginning to put some of the pieces together.  It made sense to him now why he couldn¡¯t directly interact with the world tree seed, and why it didn¡¯t show up on sensors despite being connected to Kyle¡¯s mana.  He couldn¡¯t say for sure, but he suspected that when C.H.A.D.D. talked about ¡®archiving¡¯ mana and information, this space ¨C the Between ¨C was likely involved, too.  Kyle decided to shift his line of questioning, hoping to add even more context.

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    ¡°I know that you were somehow involved in the destruction of my planet.  If you live here, in the Between, how did you do it?  Did you somehow influence the mana infusing my planet from here?¡±

    The presence responded, indignance clear in its tone.  I TOLD YOU ONCE BEFORE, I DID NOT ATTACK YOUR PLANET.  IF I HAD, IT WOULD BE LITTLE MORE THAN A SPECK OF DUST.

    The world around Kyle seemed to swirl, and for a moment he thought he was going to be crushed by the presence.  Instead, a vision began to play before him, similar to the times when he¡¯d defeated the D Grades.

    There was a crack, a tearing, and perspective shifted to a sight among the stars.  He picked up impressions of confusion, followed quickly by pain.  There were flashes of incredibly intense mana, skills on display at a level Kyle had never seen.

    He was under attack, ambushed.  He soared through the space, attempting to create a tunnel back to the Between, but it was no use.  Something had locked down the area.  Wounds accumulated on his body, though he ignored them.  He wanted to retaliate, to strike his attackers down, but something prevented him from doing so.  Kyle felt an ancient malice rising in his chest, though it was quickly suppressed, replaced with something akin to weary resignation.

    Finally, he made it out of the locked down zone.  A tunnel formed, and his gargantuan, serpentine body entered.  Pain flashed once again as a final series of attacks struck, and then he was safe.  The injuries began to recover immediately, and something like a window opened in the void, allowing the presence to peer through.  A strange ship harvested much of the carapace and shell that had been blown off in the assault, though it was gone before Kyle could make out the details.  He saw his blood, frozen in space, slowly get drawn towards a shining, blue planet, descending onto it like a swarm of meteors.

    The vision ended, and Kyle was speechless.  His family, his grandfather, his entire planet ¨C had been destroyed in cosmic collateral damage.  There was no ill-intent behind it at all, at least if the vision was true.  Which brought up the darker question.  Corthian Mining had called it a ¡°riftwyrm attack.¡±  While Kyle was certain that the expedition members he¡¯d met were orders of magnitude too weak to orchestrate something like this, somebody with a lot of influence was covering up the truth behind the destruction.

    Kyle was silent a moment longer, processing all the new information.  Finally, in a quiet voice, he asked, ¡°Who attacked you?¡±

    I DO NOT KNOW.  MY BRETHEREN HAVE SPOKEN OF THESE ATTACKS BEFORE, THOUGH THIS WAS THE FIRST I HAD BEEN TARGETED.

    ¡°And the reason my planet¡¯s mana changed so much¡­¡±

    IT IS DUE TO THE LINGERING EFFECTS OF MY BLOOD.

    Kyle¡¯s head was swimming.  It was so much to take in, and though there was so much more he wanted to ask, he didn¡¯t know what to say.  Eventually he settled on the simplest question he could think of.

    ¡°What comes next?  I¡¯ve beaten all the D Grades, is this the last we¡¯ll see of each other?¡±

    He felt the presence shift, an impression of amusement rolling through him.

    FOR A TIME.  YOU HAVE ABSORBED MUCH OF MY ESSENCE, LITTLE LARVA.  WE ARE LINKED.  GROW, CONSUME, AND LEARN.  IF YOU GAIN SUFFICIENT POWER, WE WILL MEET AGAIN.  OTHERWISE, YOU WILL BE FUEL FOR ANOTHER¡¯S FLAME.  I WILL NOT INTERVENE, THOUGH I ADMIT OUR INTERACTIONS HAVE PROVEN¡­ INTERESTING.  I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOUR ASCENSION.

    With that, the presence vanished, and Kyle awoke.  The numbness from channeling the atmospheric mana was beginning to fade, instead replaced by searing pain as he regained sensation in his body. The sun, which had previously been directly overhead, was rising in the east again.  Was I really out for almost a day?

    As if reading his thoughts, C.H.A.D.D. spoke.  [DR. MAYHEW, THANK GOODNESS YOU¡¯RE AWAKE.  IT WAS GETTING DREADFULLY BORING WAITING HERE.]

    ¡°Was I really out for almost a day?¡±

    [EIGHTEEN HOURS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Not the worst it¡¯s been, I suppose.  Gritting his teeth through the pain, Kyle sat up.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was still working to repair the damage, and that it had taken this long was a testament to how close he¡¯d been to death.

    ¡°Can you show me a scan of my body?  I¡¯m trying to get an idea about what¡¯s left in my recovery.¡±

    The drone obliged, and soon Kyle was looking at a three-dimensional rendering of his body.  His ribs still had cracks in them, though they appeared to be mending well.  The holes that had been pierced into his shoulder and body were similarly healing.  What was most evident to him, however, was the strain on his mana pathways.  Drawing in and pushing the atmospheric mana had caused tremendous damage, and Kyle suspected that ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was only working at thirty percent efficiency as a result.  The burden he¡¯d placed on his body was enormous, and he knew that would take time to heal as well.

    ¡°Has anybody from Corthian Mining come by?  We aren¡¯t that far off from the old camp site.¡±

    [NOBODY, DR. MAYHEW.  SCANS HAVEN¡¯T INDICATED ANYBODY APPROACHING OR LEAVING THIS LOCATION.]

    That was strange to Kyle, as the mining company was typically eager to peel away as many resources as they could after a D Grade was taken down.  There was something very suspicious going on.  Uncertain of what the angle was, he attempted to take a look at his gains from the encounter.  Unfortunately, between the pain and the revelations he¡¯d gained in the vision, Kyle wasn¡¯t in a place physically or mentally where he could enter meditation.  Instead, he spent the time focused on recovery, gathering fruits to eat, and bringing C.H.A.D.D. up to speed on what he¡¯d learned.

    Finally, after nearly an entire day¡¯s rest, he felt calm enough to meditate.  It was time for him to see exactly what he¡¯d gained from defeating his final D Grade opponent on Earth.

 Chapter 147

    Settling in, Kyle tuned out the world around him as he focused on his center.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 40 (D)

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 685

    ENDURANCE: 755

    STRENGTH: 262

    DEXTERITY: 517

    WILLPOWER: 968

    INTELLIGENCE: 968

    PERCEPTION: 780

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 90

    Immediately, he saw the final attribute of the seven glowing with a red node.  He kept his attention on it, and the words appeared soon after.  Unbreakable Will.  There wasn¡¯t much to the impression, and given the nature of Willpower, it was unlikely that C.H.A.D.D. would be able to provide much detail with a scan.  The other changes brought by Adaptive Anatomy had each been something visible, something tangible.  This¡­ was something altogether different.  It would take experimentation and reflection to get a better understanding.

    The moment he turned his attention away, however, he got a prompt.

    [ADAPTIVE ANATOMY COMPLETED.  METAMORPHOSIS AWAKENED.]

    Kyle felt a rising sense of panic, and felt his center slip away as a strange grouping of sigils appeared before him.  It looked like a varying set of overlapping scars on a canvas, each jagged and unique.  There was no discernable pattern, though as he watched they began to erratically pulse with crimson energy, seeming to grow and widen as the energy passed through them.  Kyle could feel power building within the sigils, and he gazed at them transfixed, apprehension and anticipation warring for supremacy.

    Suddenly, the pulses stopped.  All of the scars glowed brightly, and then the whole space seemed to collapse on itself.  There was a brilliant flash of scarlet light, and left in the void was a jet-black sphere.  Its surface looked like cooled magma, swirling and uneven.  The same scar-like sigils that he¡¯d seen before seemed to run across the surface as well, though the fierce energy had abated.  As Kyle watched it, words appeared before his eyes.

    [CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER ¨C AWAKENED.  0% FILLED]

    Whatever a ¡®Parasitic Devourer¡¯ was, Kyle was certain he didn¡¯t like the sound of it.  His displeasure grew as the sight faded and he returned to his center.  All of the glowing nodes on his attributes now had faint trails of crimson energy flowing out of them, coalescing around this ¡®core.¡¯  It was superimposed onto the image of his path, as if it was issuing a challenge for the central tenets of his progression.

    Kyle stayed in his center for a moment, uncertain if there were more unexpected changes.  When he was confident things were stable, he turned his attention to the orange node signifying a skill upgrade.  He decided against allocating his attributes, as he wanted to see what options he would have with his skill first.  Focusing on HASTE, three choices opened up before him.

    ACCELERATE: This felt like it would offer a very natural upgrade path.  Kyle saw the integration of his mana pathways expand significantly in both his legs and behind his eyes.  Each strand broadened and thickened, and Kyle expected he would see a fairly significant boost to his mobility if he made this choice.  The bonuses would be significant, though Kyle expected the strain associated with the skill would increase to a similar degree.  Overall, that didn¡¯t concern him.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION already eliminated that drawback when it came to HASTE, and he expected, with time, it would do the same if he selected ACCELERATE.

    STRIDER:  The second option was also really interesting to him.  Kyle saw his mana pathways expand even farther across his body, though they didn¡¯t seem to be directly connected to the pathways that improved the speed of his movement.  Instead, it looked as though he¡¯d be able to project tangible tendrils of mana as he ran.  He had the impression he could use these to scale vertical surfaces, make rapid turns, and possibly even run over water for a short distance.  Even if it wasn¡¯t a direct upgrade in terms of speed, Kyle was quite drawn to the flexibility offered by STRIDER.  His breath caught, however, when he saw the last upgrade choice.

    IGNITION:  Kyle saw a pattern of mana entirely different than any he¡¯d seen before.  Rather than an expansion of the existing network, Kyle saw what he could only describe as ports forming along his spine and above his eyes.  The closest thing Kyle could picture was C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s upgraded collection formation, though on an entirely different level.  The purpose was clear: the skill would begin drawing in ambient mana at an incredible rate, and then push it through Kyle¡¯s mana pathways.

    The promise of power was incredible.  Kyle had no doubt that IGNITION would provide mobility beyond ACCELERATE, while effectively turbocharging his other attributes.  Kyle also suspected that he¡¯d be able to use the excess energy to add more oomph to his other skills.  The downside was equally clear.  He¡¯d be drawing in atmospheric mana, and forcibly burning it through his system.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if it would be as detrimental as when he linked to the atmosphere through PARASITIC RESONANCE, but even if it wasn¡¯t, the backlash from using the skill would be orders of magnitude greater than he was used to.

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    Confronted with three distinctly different paths for one of his foundational skills, Kyle found himself at an impasse.  The safest bet was to go for ACCELERATE, as a straight boost to his mobility would mesh the best with his current style.  It would let him do more of what he already did well, which was appealing.  The flexibility offered by STRIDER couldn¡¯t be understated, though between PARASITIC RESONANCE and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s proficiency utilizing plant life, he felt that he had sufficient means to cover it.

    Dismissing STRIDER as an option, he turned his attention back towards IGNITION.  It was a wild card choice.  In the short term, Kyle knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to count on the skill for prolonged mobility.  The wear and tear wouldn¡¯t be feasible for extended use until ADAPTIVE REGENERATION built up a resistance.  Even then, there were no guarantees.  As he¡¯d just experienced, his connection to the atmospheric mana through PARASITIC RESONANCE was damage that tied more directly to his pathways.  While they¡¯d recover with time, ADAPTIVE REGENERATION hadn¡¯t been terribly effective at warding off that damage.

    ACCELERATE was the safe choice.  It was the most sensible choice.  Kyle understood that clearly.  Still, he couldn¡¯t shake the possibilities IGNITION would open up.  It was the harder choice, and one that would rely on his own discipline and effort to make work.  From that perspective, it almost felt that it aligned better with the path of the Survivalist.  He had one more brief moment of hesitation, then selected IGNITION.

    With a sigh, he returned to his center.  The last item of business was allocating his free attribute points.  With 90 available, he only thought for a moment before bringing both Intelligence and Willpower to 1000, and splitting the remaining points between Strength and Dexterity.  His physical attributes were still a major weakness, and without HASTE in its prior form, Kyle knew he¡¯d need to shore them up, at least a bit.  He turned his attention to his newly transformed status screen, gazing at it with satisfaction.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 40 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 685

    ENDURANCE: 755

    STRENGTH: 275

    DEXTERITY: 530

    WILLPOWER: 1000

    INTELLIGENCE: 1000

    PERCEPTION: 780

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    He noticed the Core of the Parasitic Devourer was present now, but otherwise he took a moment to appreciate his growth.  He¡¯d accomplished an incredible amount in a very short time after achieving D Grade, and felt that there would be more to come.  His path was connected with overcoming hardships, and he¡¯d seen more than his fair share.

    Exiting meditation, Kyle stood up stiffly, stretching as he did.  His body was mostly recovered, though he was hungrier now than he¡¯d been in a while.  Having a ship stocked with nearly endless food spoils a guy.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., anything you¡¯re spotting on the map that could be good to eat?¡±

    [I¡¯LL LET YOU MAKE THE DETERMINATION, DR. MAYHEW.  ALTHOUGH I WOULDN¡¯T RECOMMEND TRYING TO EAT THE LOCAL FAUNA WITHOUT A HEAT SOURCE.]

    Kyle heard a soft snap, and a map of the area sprang to life in front of him.  His eyes widened as he took in the sight.  The island had been dotted with anomalous mana signatures before, now the map only showed some muted variations.  The field they were standing in had been one such area, and it was completely devoid of the telltale sign of treasures.

    ¡°Did this happen ¨C¡°

    [DURING THE FIGHT WITH THE STORM?] C.H.A.D.D. interrupted.  [YES, IT DID.  WHATEVER TECHNIQUE YOU USED AT THE END DREW ENERGY FROM ALL THE TREASURES.  WHILE THE FINDINGS ARE INCONCLUSIVE, I THEORIZE IT IS THE SAME TECHNIQUE THAT CAUSED THE SEED TO STIR.]

    Whatever he¡¯d done when he connected with the mana in the air, it had done a number on the island.  There was still plenty of ambient mana, but the density had dropped significantly.  Kyle expected it could recover with time, though it was unlikely new treasures would form any time soon.  Chester would be upset, though there was an easy answer to that development.

    ¡°Are you willing to blame this on the shrimp?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The duo spent the rest of the day gathering fruits, with the scorpions that inhabited the island not daring to come close.  Something had changed after Kyle awakened the Core of the Parasitic Devourer, and now not even the mindlessly aggressive beasts would approach him.  He was content to leave them be, and it made the foraging that much easier.

    After his stomach was filled, Kyle decided it was time for some practice.  As C.H.A.D.D. confirmed, scans didn¡¯t reveal anything different about him, despite the Unbreakable Willpower and Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  He¡¯d have to learn about those on his own.  For now, he had another exercise he¡¯d been itching to try.  Closing his eyes, he activated IGNITION.

    He felt the power flow into his body immediately and smoothly, followed by a burning pain.  It was much less debilitating than the connection to the atmospheric mana, though the sensation was already beginning to intensify.  Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was a flowing crimson aura surrounding him.  It was a departure from the electric blue of HASTE, and the glow was far more pronounced.  He would not be using IGNITION to sneak around, that much was certain.

    Kyle set his gaze on a distant tree, and sprinted towards it.  Previously, it was a distance he could have covered in five or six seconds.  Now, he crossed it in three.  He winced as the pain amplified, each movement causing more and more.  The last thing he tried before deactivating the skill was a simple palm strike against the mana-reinforced bark.

    His Strength was well into the realm of superhuman by now, and he expected that with the reinforcement of the skill he would shake the tree, and possibly leave a handprint in the bark.  He did not expect for his hand to punch through the wood up to his elbow.  The resounding crack could be heard all across the island, and Kyle deactivated IGNITION.  The pain was shooting needles all across his body, yet he grinned in spite of it.  There was a lot of field testing to be done with this incredible skill.

 Chapter 148

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. spent the next couple of days foraging on the island. He had no idea what happened to his nav bracelet, and without a means of communication, the duo fell into their old, familiar routine. Thanks to his rapidly rising attributes and Covert Dexterity, Kyle¡¯s practice with the batons was smooth and precise. While the fighting style likely wouldn¡¯t hold up to D Grade opponents, it was relaxing to him as he went through the steps.

    As he drilled, he would activate IGNITION in bursts, sometimes quickly accelerating a chain of attacks, other times taking advantage of a quick mobility boost to quickly traverse the practice field. Used this way, Kyle was gaining a better appreciation for the skill. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was at work, though he was a long way from building up a meaningful resistance to the backlash.

    Finally, the morning of the third day, Kyle heard the sound of an approaching shuttle. It was flying low over the archipelago, and soon it arrived on his island. As it got closer, Kyle could feel the thrumming mana from the ship. Compared to the basic transport shuttles, this one felt much more powerful, causing Kyle to frown. C.H.A.D.D. seemed to notice it too, though the drone¡¯s conclusions were much more optimistic.

    [IT IS VERY GENEROUS OF THEM TO SEND A LUXURY SHIP TO PICK US UP, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that was their original intention, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [WHY ELSE WOULD IT BE HERE?]

    As if preparing to answer the question, the shuttle landed just inland from the beach. Kyle walked towards it, right hand resting on the batons at his hip. If they were planning to betray us, this is their moment. Kyle learned a lot about Corthian Mining and the Collective over the last eleven months, and he knew that anything bad that happened to him on their ship would be met with fines, investigations, and literal mountains of paperwork. Hiring non-Collective civilians in this capacity was irregular, and the Collective had processes in place to ensure that their members weren¡¯t taking advantage.

    Planetside, however, was a different story. There wasn¡¯t close monitoring, there wasn¡¯t bureaucracy to keep them safe. Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if they were planning a full betrayal, but from the moment he was dropped off on this island, things felt off. The lighter crew, the skittish captain, the drones dropped into the water ¨C all of it pointed to a different motivation.

    Still, Kyle approached with confidence. One of the truths that he¡¯d been forced to accept since the cataclysm was the tyranny of power. He¡¯d been too weak to make a real difference early on, but that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. He could feel the mana flowing through him, ready to activate his skills at the first sign of betrayal. If Corthian Mining thought they could bring him down, they were welcome to try.

    ~~~

    Chester Drake sighed as the shuttle landed. It had been several days since Mayhew¡¯s nav bracelet went offline, and he decided it was time to go investigate the scene. As he viewed it, there were really only three possible outcomes: one where Kyle was victorious, one where the beast was victorious, and one where both of them were dead, or at least close to it. He didn¡¯t particularly care which it was, so long as the fascinating drone was still intact.

    Still, Chester recognized that there was risk involved with arriving personally. He¡¯d lost enough personnel that, apart from the recovery of tremendous wealth, this expedition would be a black mark on his record. The drone that accompanied Mayhew was likely the key to changing that fate. It had an uncanny ability to detect natural treasures, and none of the other units they¡¯d found provided the answer as to how. If Chester could return with either the drone ¨C or at least its parts ¨C he would be among the most successful foremen in the organization.

    Signaling his squadron to take their positions, Chester opened the bay door. He brought with him six elites, each E Grades who showed the potential to break through into D Grade. With a Warrior, three Mages, a Ranger, and a Healer, Chester felt confident in facing whatever was left on the island. Given Mayhew¡¯s overprotectiveness towards the drone, part of him hoped they would be facing down a wounded D Grade beast.

    Looking out at the scarred beach, it was clear that a pitched battle was fought here. His team held a tight formation as he slowly moved across the sand, using FIRM FOOTING to condense platforms of stone for himself and his team. Despite the destruction, there was no sign of the beast, the Healer, or the drone. His squad held their formation as Chester pushed mana into the ground. The sand made the impressions fuzzy, though soon SEISMIC SENSE made it to firmer ground below.

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    Chester¡¯s skill allowed him to map out mana density, concentrations, and anomalies across a wide area. His ability to detect natural resources with the skill was a large part of what allowed him to rise through the ranks so quickly. Immediately, he felt something was wrong. While orbital scans were limited in their accuracy, they clearly indicated that this area should have been thrumming with energy. Instead, it felt¡­ flat. It was as if something had leeched the mana out of the soil itself.

    Chester narrowed his focus as he tried to parse out what happened. Then he felt it. A D Grade presence was making its way toward Chester¡¯s location. The energy rippling through the ground was potent, and affirmed Chester¡¯s suspicions. Mayhew is dead. A pity. After his struggles against the other D Grade, Chester hadn¡¯t expected Kyle to win. He had, however, hoped that Kyle would have at least been able to do more damage to whatever predator lurked near the island. Judging by the impression he was getting from his skill, the beast felt like it was near full strength.

    ¡°Get in formation, the creature is approaching. As soon as we have line of sight, I want you ready to engage.¡±

    His squad nodded, and through his skill Chester could feel them drawing in power. Stones began to rise around him as he also prepared to attack. There was a rustling of a bush, and Chester¡¯s eyes widened as he saw a human form walk out of the brush. Kyle was bare-chested, a cracked vambrace on his right arm all that remained of the combat armor he¡¯d been issued. His olive skin had was covered in fading scars, and stubble was beginning to grow across his squared jaw. He looked weakened and battered.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes, however, told a different story. Twin emeralds regarded Chester, and he felt as if he was being watched by a predator. SEISMIC SENSE warned of incredible power building in the young man¡¯s body. For a moment, his mind warred with his instincts. If he ordered his squad to attack, he was confident they would follow his directions. Even if he was powerful, he was just one man. Securing the drone would go a long way towards further cementing his position at Corthian Mining.

    His instincts, however, screamed at him to run. The impression his skill gave him was abnormal. He felt that there was a clear and present risk of death if they attacked. He felt exposed beneath the other man¡¯s gaze, and letting out a small sigh, he came to his decision.

    ¡°Stand down, all of you.¡± Chester said, before turning to Kyle. ¡°Mr. Mayhew, I¡¯m glad to see you survived.¡±

    Kyle snorted in response. ¡°You¡¯re much happier to see that C.H.A.D.D. survived. Either way, we made it. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to find much on the island. The monster we fought did something that drained it. Any chance I can get a ride back to the flagship?¡±

    While Chester was certain there was more to the story, some of the tension seemed to ease out of the group at the young man¡¯s words. After considering just a moment longer, Chester let out a soft sigh before gesturing for Kyle to come aboard the shuttle.

    ¡°Certainly, Mr. Mayhew.¡±

    Chester felt the hair on the back of his neck stand as Kyle walked past. The mana pouring off his body was almost palpable. One thing was certain ¨C he made the right choice. He had underestimated Kyle, and very nearly gotten himself and his squad killed. Chester signaled for his men to follow, and they boarded the shuttle, leaving the island behind them.

    ~~~

    Kyle sighed as he got out of the shower. His time contracting with Corthian Mining was coming to an end, and he wanted to enjoy all the creature comforts he could before whatever came next. It had been a day and half since he¡¯d been back, and Chester had barely spoken a word to him. He was issued a new nav bracelet, and given instructions to prepare for a meeting with Chester and the Chairwoman, Benjamin¡¯s great-grandmother later today. The first evacuation transports would be arriving in Earth¡¯s orbit in just over a month.

    With Benjamin and Rochelle still on the planet, he didn¡¯t have his usual conversation partners at hand. Still, he was going to make the most of his time. Putting on a fresh uniform and securing C.H.A.D.D. to his back, Kyle left his quarters and made his way to the training grounds to watch the sparring matches. The atmosphere was surprisingly positive, given the loss of a captain and their squad. A Mage was fighting against a Ranger, and they put on quite the show as they dodged and blocked one another¡¯s attacks at range.

    More matches came and went, until a buzz on his nav bracelet told him it was time to head to his meeting. He could feel the eyes of the expedition on him, people talking in hushed tones as he passed. Kyle knew that opinions about him were mixed on the ship. Some people saw him as a protector, the last hope against some of the impossible odds they¡¯d faced. Others viewed him as a cocky interloper, introducing chaos and ultimately responsible for many of the deaths that had occurred. By all accounts, this expedition had been a disaster, despite the profits they were likely to see.

    Opening the door to Chester¡¯s office, he saw the man poring over some paperwork. He gestured for Kyle to enter, before turning his attention back to his reports. Kyle sat in one of the chairs across the desk from the man, and felt mana build in the small device on the desk as Angela Corthus¡¯ voice was projected through the speaker.

    ¡°Mr. Mayhew, thank you for joining us. Mr. Drake and I were going over your contributions, which were significant. Now, it¡¯s time to talk about what comes next.¡±

 Chapter 149

    Kyle raised his eyebrows, not expecting that they would jump right into the meat of what¡¯s ahead. Angela continued, as Chester finally turned his attention towards Kyle, weariness plain in his expression.

    ¡°While our excavation has proven to be quite lucrative, this expedition has also cost our company a lot. It will take time for us to rebuild our shuttles and recruit enough talent to replace the personnel we¡¯ve lost. Most of that work will have to wait until the expedition returns to Collective space.¡±

    Kyle frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sensing a ¡®but.¡¯ Why are you telling me all of this?¡±

    Angela¡¯s voice was hard as steel. ¡°Because your planet has a group of displaced refugees that need a place. We certainly won¡¯t take everybody, though reports indicate a number of talented awakened that could be an asset to the firm.¡±

    Anger started to bubble in Kyle¡¯s chest. ¡°And my agreement with Corthian Mining means that they¡¯ll have a better chance than they otherwise would have. You¡¯re not going to renege on that deal.¡±

    Chester spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re not monsters, Mr. Mayhew. Nothing would be done before we return to the Collective for appropriate oversight. We¡¯re simply asking you to consider discussing the options with your people. A simple word from you would go a long way towards what we hope could be a mutually beneficial relationship.¡±

    Angela¡¯s voice crackled through the speaker. ¡°This is an opportunity for your people and our organization. Whether or not you choose to see it that way is up to you. Know that for every Earth refugee that applies and is accepted, we will add a flat sum of one hundred credits as a commission to your account. Which brings me to the next order of business.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet flashed, and an image projected up. His name was at the top, and beneath it were numbers.

    ¡°Since you have undergone a Collective Assessment, we have taken the liberty of beginning your citizenship application, as your sponsor. You have an account through the Collective, into which we will deposit your funds.¡±

    The implications jolted Kyle, and he interjected. ¡°Wait a minute, what does it mean that you ¡®sponsored me? And how will I access the funds once you take the nav bracelet back?¡±

    Questions continued to swim around in his head, and he barely heard Angela¡¯s reply.

    ¡°All citizens are provided one, though most use one provided by and attuned to their employer. You¡¯ll receive yours when we arrive. As sponsorship goes, it¡¯s nothing more than us vouching for your merit. You¡¯ll have more opportunities open to you than non-sponsored individuals, although your Assessment will be an issue.¡±

    Kyle nodded slowly, trying to take it in. He hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to be so administrative in nature. Fortunately, C.H.A.D.D. was good at taking notes. He was trying to put words to his next question, but Chester decided to shift gears.

    ¡°As far as your involvement with us is concerned, there¡¯s little else to be done. The evacuation will be facilitated by a different division, and our stores are full of resources and treasures. Mining ships will arrive after the evacuation, though there likely won¡¯t be much of interest. Once the first wave of ships arrive in a month, this ship and crew will be returning. I would like to invite you to depart with us.¡±

    That was confusing to Kyle. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I return with the rest of my people?¡±

    Chester sighed, rubbing his temples. ¡°Because, Mr. Mayhew, you¡¯re really not a part of them anymore. Regardless, you have a month, though you¡¯ll need to decide in two weeks. In the meantime, as a show of thanks for your contributions, we¡¯ll allow you transport to and from the planet without cost.¡±

    It was a small gesture, but an appreciated one. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Angela¡¯s voice came across one last time. ¡°I¡¯m going to have some information sent over to you. You¡¯re free to choose whatever you want to do with your funds when you arrive, but I have some suggestions that will hopefully help with narrowing your decisions. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±

    With that, the communication stopped. Chester looked up at Kyle, meeting his eyes. ¡°Ms. Corthus has taken an interest in you. I know your relationship with us has had ups and downs. I would ask that you don¡¯t let that color your perception of what she¡¯s provided for you.¡±

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    Kyle returned Chester¡¯s look, and felt the ice in his voice as he spoke. ¡°You sent me on that last mission hoping I would die. Tell me the truth. If I was weaker, would you have had your team kill me to take C.HA.D.D.?¡±

    Chester didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Yes. I believe you¡¯re squandering the drone¡¯s potential, and that you have blind spots relating to it. I¡¯m confident you would have killed me, should I have attempted to take the drone by force.¡±

    ¡°Damn right I would have.¡± Kyle activated PARASITIC RESONANCE and IDENTIFY, watching for signs of threat from the other man.

    He simply raised his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°It¡¯s over, Mr. Mayhew. You¡¯re officially a Collective citizen now. The consequences of foul play aren¡¯t worth the possible reward. Should you have need of me, you can reach me through the nav bracelet. Otherwise, let me know within two weeks if you will be waiting for the evacuation, or if you plan to depart with us.¡±

    Kyle relaxed a bit, sensing Chester¡¯s weariness. While he couldn¡¯t trust the man, he felt fairly certain at this point that this situation was far over Chester¡¯s head. Kyle thought back to when he¡¯d first met Chester, and the aura of control he felt in their interactions. Now, it was clear the control was gone. He kept IDENTIFY active just in case, though he deactivated PARASITIC RESONANCE, at least for now.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to make two stops tomorrow. I¡¯ll send the coordinates if you can organize a shuttle.¡±

    Chester simply nodded, and Kyle departed. Returning to his room, he flopped onto the bed. He pulled out the drained Transportation Array, and looked at it, turning it over in his hands. It had been cracked by some of the shockwaves from the Storm, and was likely not functional. Still, the intricacy of the runic inscriptions was incredible, and well beyond his understanding. What little he could grasp was that it functioned in a similar fashion to the long-range teleportation that the Corthian Mining ships used, folding space and punching a hole through it.

    It didn¡¯t seem to operate by crossing the Between, but Kyle hoped that some clues would be revealed as he spent more time studying it. The more he understood how these concepts functioned, the better chance he would have to apply them. If he could figure out how to leverage spatial concepts in conjunction with his other skills, Kyle was confident the results would be worth it.

    Kyle was interrupted by a gentle ping on his nav bracelet, and saw that Angela Corthus had indeed sent him some suggestions. Opening the document, he was quickly overwhelmed. Angela broke down all the specifics, including different regions she¡¯d advise visiting, where he could find reasonable accommodations, and a detailed roadmap of different avenues to get established in the Collective.

    It was much more than he needed for now, and he knew he had time before any big decisions needed to get made. Filing the documents away, he closed his eyes and prepared for the day ahead.

    The shuttle landed just outside of Newton, and Kyle stepped out. He looked at the destruction, and remembered the cataclysm as though it happened yesterday.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you pull up the Central Health census records for Sherwood?¡±

    The drone complied, and the note came up. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find his parents¡¯ names. He looked them up when the drone mentioned it had the records, but this was the first time he¡¯d looked since that day. Sherwood was closer to the center of the destruction, and there was no way they¡¯d survived. They hadn¡¯t spoken in quite a while, and for the first time since the world ended, he let himself feel that pain. There¡¯d been some resentment early in their relationship, tension between their expectations for him and his own desires. He wished he could have said goodbye.

    In a daze, he walked through the ruined town. He stepped over mounds of rubble and ash, finally coming up on the mound of stone and concrete where he¡¯d buried his grandfather. He felt moisture on his cheek as memories played through his head. In contrast with his parents, Clark had always been permissive with him. He cherished the time they spent together outdoors, telling stories and roasting marshmallows.

    ¡°I did it, Grandpa. I survived.¡± His voice broke as he spoke into the empty air. ¡°You saved me. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen, but I still wish you were here.¡±

    [I¡¯M SO, INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU, KYLE.]

    Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he heard his grandfather¡¯s voice, then a projection appeared before him. It was a recording of one of his early days in Newton. C.H.A.D.D. was playing back the interaction, and he saw the beaming smile on Clark¡¯s face as he looked around Kyle¡¯s office. When that recording ended, another one played, this time after an appointment. Clark didn¡¯t say anything, but Kyle could see his eyes glinting with pride as he watched.

    C.H.A.D.D. showed dozens of similar interactions, and Kyle let the tears flow. The past two years had been the hardest of his life. It felt good to relive some of these positive moments. After the last recording played, Kyle wiped his tears and spoke.

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    This chapter was coming to a close, and it was time for him to do what he¡¯d come for. Kyle got to work, clearing out the rubble around the area of his Grandpa¡¯s resting place. His Strength made it a trivial task, and soon there was a clearing with the pile of stone in the middle.

    As he worked, he found a sheet of metal, which he now held before him. Kyle reached into the bottom of the C.H.A.D.D.pack and took out one of the barbs from the Shadow. Holding the sheet of metal, he began etching.

    IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN. IN MEMORY OF THE LIVES TAKEN. IN MEMORY OF HERITAGE LOST.

    WE WILL NOT FORGET. WE WILL NOT BE BROKEN. WE WILL SURVIVE.

    When he finished, Kyle placed the metal sheet above his grandfather¡¯s grave. He knew nobody would ever see this monument, but it felt wrong to leave Earth behind without saying something.

    He rose, and began to walk back towards the shuttle. He had one more stop to make. As he took a final look at the memorial he built, he spoke softly.

    ¡°Goodbye, Grandpa.¡±

 Chapter 150

    Garth shook his head as he initialed another form, finally completing the last set of documents for the day.  He hated the bureaucracy, although he was beginning to appreciate its necessity.  The rebuilding efforts across Nierburg were extensive, and Garth recognized now more than ever the risks corruption and lack of oversight could create.  After he was released from Central Health, he¡¯d discovered that Councilman DeRosa had, in addition to ignoring his orders during the siege, requested the bodies of many of the ants to be delivered to him for study.  As soon as Garth found out, he put a stop to it, however he was certain that a number of the bodies were shipped before he had a chance.

    It was frustrating in a lot of ways, however the tedium provided Garth with an unexpected benefit: levels.  He heard from Kyle about choosing a path when he reached D Grade, and Garth felt that he was experiencing something similar now.  The first hint came when he went through his skill selection at Level 60, where each option was closely tied to leadership and protection.  Since then, everything he did for his people had helped him advance.  Between his administrative duties and the wholesale slaughter of the mutated ants, he¡¯d skyrocketed levels, achieving Level 70 just yesterday.

    Of course, Garth wasn¡¯t the only one progressing.  Nierburg took heavy losses during the ant attack, but those who survived saw leaps and bounds in their progression.  Garth was more convinced now than ever that overcoming adversity was more heavily tied to progression than previously thought.  That being the case, it was no surprise that people leveled so slowly during the era of peace after the Central Authority¡¯s establishment.

    He stepped out of the Central Administration building in the heart of the city, and began to walk towards the walls.  The area was buzzing with pedestrians and vehicles alike, with people wrapping up their day¡¯s activities before returning home.  Eyes looked at him with expressions between reverence and awe as he walked past, with hushed whispers from some of the onlookers.  Word had spread like wildfire that Garth had personally entered the fray to save the wounded at Central Health.  As stories tend to do, it got embellished to the point of absurdity, at least in Garth¡¯s mind.  Even though he¡¯d been dealing with it for weeks, he still felt self-conscious as he walked through the crowd.

    ¡°Quite a crowd today, boss!¡± Thomas¡¯ voice was full of mirth, as he turned the car and began to drive through the now-cleared streets.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised you even want to spend time with the old crew from Duilleag.  We really need to get you more friends.¡±

    Garth snorted.  ¡°I should say the same for all of you.  We¡¯ve been gone a long time, it¡¯s good to see everybody still together.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any updates about Kyle?  Last I heard he¡¯s coming this way.¡±

    ¡°If what I heard from the miners was right, he should arrive early tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Is it really a good idea for him to visit?¡±  Thomas¡¯ voice lost much of its energy as he asked the question, trepidation clear.

    Garth sighed.  There were a large number of citizens who felt that Kyle was responsible for the losses they¡¯d experienced.  Other groups felt that he had sold out Earth, and was displacing them for a profit.  While he couldn¡¯t pin down the source of the rumors, he was certain DeRosa was behind them.  The man played politics across the city like a master violinist.  The fact that he¡¯d come crashing through the walls with a group of off-world D Grades didn¡¯t help that image.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea or not, but it¡¯ll be good to see him.  It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll be in any real danger, after all.¡±

    Thomas was silent for a moment, a faraway look on his face before he finally responded.  ¡°I¡¯m less worried for his safety than I am for ours.  You¡¯ve got a lot of goodwill, boss.  The rest of us don¡¯t.¡±

    Garth let that sink in, and they finished the rest of their journey quietly.

    An hour later, they arrived at the ramshackle housing development near the wall.  Amir and Stephanie were already there, and Gwen was playing with Arianna¡¯s little sister Amalia.  The unawakened refugees were cooking over dozens of small fires, the smell of roasted vegetables and fresh-baked bread infusing the air.

    People waved at them as they walked over, and soon they were laughing and telling stories as they ate.  The worries and politics all seemed to melt away while he was here.  Central Authority administrators approached him all the time, inviting him to dine at the best restaurants, with the finest old-world rations.  He hadn¡¯t taken any of them up on the offer.  Here, alongside the people who had the least, was where he felt the most comfortable.

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    That¡¯s not to say that he didn¡¯t still have business to take care of.  As the evening wore on, Garth pulled Amir and Thomas aside.

    ¡°The first transports will be arriving in less than a month, with the last wave departing in a little over six.  DeRosa and Reynolds insisted on being on the last departure.¡±

    The two men nodded; expressions serious.  Amir was the first to speak.  ¡°And you think he¡¯s planning something.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s always planning something.  I know this isn¡¯t a fair ask, but I was hoping that the two of you would be willing to go on the same transport.  Having people I trust keeping an eye on him would really help me sleep at night.¡±

    The two men exchanged a look, and they nodded their agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get details arranged in the next couple of days.¡±

    They rejoined the group, and spent the rest of the evening eating and enjoying the conversation.  Before long, Amir and Thomas departed.  Garth declined a ride back, and waved them farewell.  He stayed, staring at the crackling flames as his mind wandered.  Before long, Stephanie came over to where Garth was watching the fire, and sat beside him.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done a pretty incredible thing here, Garth.¡±

    ¡°If you consider showing up and eating other people¡¯s food incredible, then yes.¡±

    She punched his shoulder.  ¡°You know what I mean.  You¡¯ve saved a lot of lives.  Gwen and I wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡±  Her eyes glinted in the firelight as she spoke.  ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Garth met her eyes for a moment, and saw something in them.  Before he could speak, a sly smile crept across her rosy lips.  ¡°You know, Gwen is staying with Amalia tonight.  Walk me home?¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to be asked twice.

    ~~~

    Agony.  Every moment was agony.   If he could have, Gregory Valentine would have screamed.  He¡¯d lost track of how long he¡¯d been trapped inside this infernal cage, left in the limbo between life and death.  His body was never given the chance to heal, nor was it allowed to fail.  Days passed with the same routine, he answered the same questions, he made the same plea.  Just let me die.   That is, until a few days ago, when things changed.

    As usual, Victor forced him to drink a healing potion, just potent enough to keep his condition from worsening.  He still fought against it, even though he knew it was futile.  When the potion crossed his lips, however, he could tell something was different.  Not just in the taste, but in the way his body responded. Valentine had grown accustomed to the sensation of the healing potion, and this one felt significantly more powerful.  Moreover, it felt like there was an incredibly faint presence taking root in his body.  He could feel it coursing through his damaged organs, urging ¨C no, demanding them to mend.

    DeRosa seemed to expect something of the sort, and watched with eagerness, writing notes and making charts.  For the first time in a long while, Valentine felt a ray of hope.  If DeRosa had miscalculated, if he could recover just enough, he¡¯d be able to try and break free.  If he did, he would either succeed and kill DeRosa, or fail and be killed.  Either outcome was better than this purgatory.

    The next day, he drank another potion, and this time he felt the healing energy intensify as the presence grew, spreading through his body.  At first, he had to fight to hide his elation.  In just two days, Valentine¡¯s body had recovered more than it had through the entirety of his imprisonment.  Then, the pain came.  It was as if small slivers of white-hot steel were flowing through his veins.  Slowly, inexorably, they were creeping through his bloodstream.

    Valentine was stuck in a strange duality, his body physically recovering, while at the same time experiencing the worst pain of his life.  This continued on the third and fourth days, with DeRosa forcing him to drink more of the potions, his body recovering with a surge of vital energy, and the pain intensifying.

    Valentine could feel madness creeping in at the edge of his consciousness, threating to sweep him away.  Only one thing kept him lucid, though he wouldn¡¯t call his state of mind ¡°sane.¡±  He thought about two people, the Healer who had broken him, and the Mage who was torturing him.  If it was the last thing he did, Gregory Valentine was going to make them bleed.

    The fifth day came, and once again he was given a potion, this one a deep purple with what looked like onyx smoke swirling inside.  His body couldn¡¯t offer any resistance as he consumed the liquid.  Searing pain erupted, intensified, and then disappeared.  Valentine sighed with relief.  At least he tried to.

    Feeling panic building, he realized that it wasn¡¯t just the pain that was gone.  All sensation had been removed.  He couldn¡¯t feel his arms, his legs, or anything at all.  The only thing he could feel was the sensation of mana flowing through him, though he couldn¡¯t control it.  He saw, through eyes that were no longer his, a wide smile on DeRosa¡¯s face.  The crimson-robed man did something, and Valentine saw his arm rise in a salute.

    He raged in the prison of his mind, but there was nothing he could do.  Valentine spat and swore in his mind, and tried to move his body even an inch.  He failed every time.  Whatever had been done to him, his body was surging with energy, and was also entirely out of his control.  He held onto his rage, and after two more days finally managed to enter meditation.

    Looking into his center, he saw the familiar pattern entirely wrapped in tendrils of purple-black energy.  He didn¡¯t have access to see his attributes, or even his own name and class.  There was something he could interact with: a single, indistinct grey orb.  He focused on the familiar sight, and activated his skill selection.  He wasn¡¯t offered a choice this time, but his new skill fit him well.  The impression given by SEEDS OF HATE was exactly what he needed.  He would wait.  He would water the seeds.  And when they bloomed, Gregory Valentine¡¯s enemies would wish they had never been born.

 Chapter 151

    Kyle¡¯s shuttle touched down several kilometers from Nierburg.  The landscape around the city had changed dramatically from when Kyle had first arrived nearly two years ago.  The forest that once surrounded the city had been razed to the ground.  The remains of spiked fortifications and earthworks dotted the approach towards the walls.  Kyle could still see smoldering mounds where the ant corpses had been piled up and burned.  His heart sank as he took in the sight.  The attack was worse than I imagined.

    He could have had the shuttle drop him off closer, but Kyle wanted to see the damage.  He wanted to better understand what the pocket of Earth¡¯s survivors had been through.  Solemnly, he walked across the ruined battlefield.  Every crater, every scorch mark told a story of a life-or-death struggle.  Even C.H.A.D.D. seemed to recognize the gravity of the situation, remaining uncharacteristically quiet as they made their way towards the city.

    As he approached the outer wall, Kyle remembered the greeting he¡¯d been given the first two times he¡¯d been to the city.  The lack of lightning flashing down at him was a welcome change, and a figure atop the wall signaled for the gate to be opened.  He was met by two uniformed, armed men on the other side.  One of the men stepped forward, hand tightening around his spear.

    ¡°State your business, stranger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit Garth Boltsbury and a few others in the city.  Corthian Mining should have sent word that I was set to arrive today.¡±

    ¡°Aye, that they did.¡± The other man spoke, venom in his voice clear through his thick accent.  ¡°Nice of you to finally show up, now that the fightin¡¯s over.  Did¡¯ja bring any friends with you this time to break more of our wall?¡±

    Despite the verbal jabs, neither man barred his path.  He was disappointed by the reaction, if not entirely surprised.  Had he been informed of the situation by Chester, he would have been here to help.  The reality was, he hadn¡¯t been told, and he¡¯d been working tirelessly to help secure a future for these people.  The promise of a far-off reward paled in comparison to the losses they¡¯d suffered in the moment.  Kyle understood that.  He met each man¡¯s eyes in turn, his piercing green gaze causing them to look away.

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry that I wasn¡¯t here.  I¡¯m sorry for the people you lost.¡±

    With that, he strode past the group and into the city.  He wasn¡¯t going to belabor the point, or offer more than he had.  Kyle felt their eyes linger on him as he moved deeper into the city.  This entrance was a good distance away from the section Chester rebuilt, and while the streets were relatively free from debris, he could still see the scars from the battle that took place.  People were still bustling, patching damaged sections of homes and businesses.

    This area, much like all of the residential districts near the wall, consisted of mostly unawakened.  The buildings were more worn-down, and he felt as much as saw the attention of the residents as he wound through the streets.  Grumblings and discontented murmurs were common as he made his way through the winding streets.  Word of his arrival seemed to have traveled fast.

    A flash of orange light was the only warning Kyle had, and he instinctively ducked as a rock sailed past where his head had been.  Baton in hand, he spun in the direction of the attack, only to see a child no older than ten standing in the street behind him.  There were tears in the young boy¡¯s face, cutting through the dirt and grime on his cheeks.

    ¡°You should have been here!¡± the boy sobbed.  ¡°My daddy died, because you weren¡¯t here!  You left us!  Why did you leave us?¡±

    A group of adults ran over to the child, a woman taking him protectively in her arms while several men stood between Kyle and the boy.  He saw a hint of fear in their eyes, and a lot of anger.  Damn.  The resentment that these people held ran deep, and there wasn¡¯t much Kyle could do about it.  A darker, colder part of him though it was almost funny that the same people who thought he was powerful enough to have fought off the ant swarm were equally confident they could direct their frustration at him without consequences.

    Kyle pushed that thought down as he took a stabilizing breath.  The time he¡¯d spent alone in the wild had stirred up some bitterness that he¡¯d need to work through as well.  Returning the baton to the loop on his belt, Kyle continued to walk towards the center of town without saying a word.

    As he moved towards the center of the city, the damage to the city began to progressively lessen, though the looks he received grew more numerous.  The people were better dressed, but their attitudes were the same.  At this point, Kyle was irritated.  He didn¡¯t expect to be welcomed as a hero, or even get a particularly warm reception.  He understood that some people may have held expectations of him that were unrealistic.  But the whole damn city?

    An hour later, Kyle finally made it to the front steps of Central Administration.  He was trying to hide the frustration he was feeling, though he suspected it wasn¡¯t going as well as he¡¯d hoped given people were now giving him a wide berth.  His anger faded as he walked in the front door, when he saw Thomas waiting to greet him.  The man with sandy blonde hair offered a grin, and shook Kyle¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Took you long enough!  What, did you get lost on the way in?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.  If I knew that Nierburg hated me so much, I would have met you outside the city.¡±

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    Thomas¡¯ eyes looked tired at the comment, and he looked around the lobby at the other people casting sideways glances.  ¡°Come with me to Garth¡¯s office.  We can talk about it there.  By the way, it¡¯s good to see you, Kyle.¡±

    The two chatted amicably as they wound their way through the labyrinthine building.  Thomas was excitedly asking about the experience in space and the different places Kyle visited, while also sharing stories about the goings on in Nierburg in the past year.  C.H.A.D.D. in turn shared its highlight reels as they walked, which were met with even more excitement from Thomas.  Kyle basked in the feeling of just being treated like anybody else.  For the duration of their walk, he wasn¡¯t the ¡®Onyx Warrior.¡¯  He wasn¡¯t a monster, he wasn¡¯t a hero.  He was simply a friend.

    They finally arrived at Garth¡¯s office, and the door was open.  The grizzled warrior sat inside, poring over a veritable mountain of paperwork.  He looked up with bleary eyes, and offered a tired smile as he gestured for Kyle to come in.

    ¡°Got your delivery, boss!  One D Grade superhero, as requested.¡±  Thomas patted Kyle¡¯s shoulder, before he continued.  ¡°I¡¯m going to head back downstairs and keep this place running.  It was great talking with you, Kyle.¡±

    Kyle smiled as he shook the other man¡¯s hand once again, before sitting in the chair opposite Garth.  Without thinking, Kyle activated IDENTIFY, looking around the room for surveillance.  It was a habit he¡¯d gotten into when he entered every room on the flagship, and one that he intended to keep.  Satisfied there were no prying eyes, he relaxed.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Garth.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you too, kid.  C.H.A.D.D., still working on that onboarding paperwork.¡±

    [MR. BOLTSBURY, IT HAS BEEN WELL OVER A YEAR.  I HARBOR DOUBTS THAT IT¡¯S NEAR THE TOP OF YOUR PRIORITY LIST.]

    That earned a smile from both men, though Kyle¡¯s expression soon grew serious.

    ¡°The attack was a lot worse than I heard, and people really seem to hate me for it.  What happened, Garth?¡±

    ¡°DeRosa happened.  If it isn¡¯t one thing, it¡¯s another with him.  If he wasn¡¯t so damn useful, I¡¯d have asked you to kill him already.¡±

    ¡°Has he really contributed that much?¡±

    ¡°And more.  The man¡¯s a bureaucratic genius.  If he hadn¡¯t designed the infrastructure for vertical farms inside the city, we might have starved when the ants came.  His priorities are upside-down, but he¡¯s also done a lot of good.¡±

    Kyle folded his arms over his chest.  ¡°He tried to have me killed.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m not excusing that.  At this point, a lot of the damage is done.  I¡¯m more interested in talking about where we go from here.¡±

    ¡°From Corthian Mining¡¯s side, the expedition was sloppy but profitable.  What I can gather, Nierburg is going to be the staging ground for evacuation. Shuttles should start arriving in about a month, each should be able to transport roughly ten thousand people.¡±

    Garth jotted down a note.  ¡°My understanding is the shuttles will be coming in waves, do you know anything about potential differences between them?¡±

    ¡°Nothing that I¡¯m aware of.  It should be the same types of ships, same drop off location, the works.  Are you planning on going with the first wave?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll plan on going with the final wave of shuttles.  I¡¯m sending most of the members of my squad on the first to get things prepared, but I want to make sure that everything on this end runs smoothly.¡±

    Seeing how much influence DeRosa has, that¡¯s probably a good idea, Kyle thought.<u>  </u>

    Garth continued.  ¡°There¡¯s also a good number of people that don¡¯t intend to leave.  Some think it¡¯s a hoax, others don¡¯t trust that the mining company from outer space has our interests in mind.  Speaking of, do you have any idea what quality of life will look like when the first groups arrive?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°None at all.¡±  He paused for a moment, then continued.  ¡°Corthian Mining has some openings for awakened, and it seems like they¡¯re interested in hiring from Earth.  If there are people interested, it might not hurt.¡±

    A shadow fell over Garth¡¯s face.  ¡°So they¡¯re extorting us.  Give them labor, after they stripped our planet for resources, otherwise we might not get a fair shake?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.  Just that there can be opportunities out there.  For some of us, anyway.¡±

    Garth met Kyle¡¯s eyes, a serious expression on his face.  ¡°And what kind of opportunities do you think are waiting for you?¡±

    Kyle exhaled slowly.  ¡°I¡¯m really not sure.  I think I understood it before, but coming here, seeing how people feel about me¡­ I don¡¯t belong here.  I haven¡¯t belonged here for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Really?  You¡¯re ok leaving your fellow Earthlings, fellow humans?¡±

    ¡°Am I still human, Garth?¡±

    The room was silent for a moment as the two men sat.  Finally, Garth nodded, a sad smile on his face.  ¡°There¡¯s a lot out there for you to see, Kyle.  I hope you know you still have friends here, no matter what other people might say.¡±

    The two men spoke a while longer, until Kyle got an alert on his nav bracelet.  His pickup was scheduled to depart at nightfall, which was just a few hours away.  He stood, and shook Garth¡¯s hand.  ¡°Take care of your people here, Garth.  They¡¯re going to need you more than ever.¡±

    Garth nodded solemnly.  ¡°And whether they appreciate it or not, they needed you, too.  Hell, they still might.¡±  He gripped Kyle¡¯s hand firmly.  ¡°It¡¯s been an honor, kid.  Best of luck.¡±

    With that, Kyle left Central Administration and made his way towards the earthwork wall Chester built.  As he approached the neighborhood where the Santos family lived, the glares and looks began to fade.  Many of the refugees he¡¯d saved had settled in this part of the city.

    ¡°Uncle Kyle!  You¡¯re late.¡±

    He smiled as he saw Amalia, the young girl standing with hands on her hips.  ¡°Come on!  Grandpa is almost done making dinner.¡±

    Kyle followed her, listening to her chat about her friends, school, and any other topic that crossed her mind.  He waved at familiar faces, trading greetings with laborers going about their business.  As before, this area was more run-down than the heart of the city, with damage from the attack still clear on the buildings.

    They reached the Santos household, where Frank was chopping vegetables.  He greeted Kyle with a broad smile, putting down the knife and wrapping the younger man in a bear hug.  ¡°Thank you for coming to see us before you go.¡±

    Kyle felt his gut clench, and he held back tears.  He spent the next two hours with the family, laughing, talking, and sharing stories of his adventures.  Amalia was enraptured by the projections C.H.A.D.D. showed, and before he knew it, it was time to go.  He bid them farewell, stomach full, and left the city through the gate.  He was cutting the timing close, though a quick activation of IGNITION allowed him to cover much of the distance quickly.  He looked back at the city once more, before stepping onto the shuttle.  Goodbye.  It was the last time he would set foot on planet Earth.

 Chapter 152

    Kyle watched the azure orb through the projection on the shuttle wall as he ascended, climbing towards the waiting flagship.  The crew on board was quiet, leaving Kyle to look and ponder.  He thought it would be a harder parting, but as he regarded at the planet that had been his home, he realized that he¡¯d already mourned for what he was leaving behind.  The world he knew, his aspirations, his dreams ¨C they had all been lost in the cataclysm.  Kyle fought to survive in the ruins of his world, and he¡¯d done it.  Whatever came next, he would find it among the stars.

    Soon, the shuttle passed into the landing bay, and the sight of Earth was gone.  Kyle stood and exited, focusing on what was ahead.  He already sent a message to Chester on his way up that he¡¯d be departing with the flagship once the first shuttles arrived.  He waved to some of the familiar faces as he made his way through the ship and towards his quarters.  There was a general buzz of activity as uniformed bodies went to and fro, getting all the preparations together for the return trip.  He opened the door to his room, and looked at his nav bracelet.  Now, he had a mountain of documents to review.

    True to her word, Angela Corthus provided an exhaustive list of possibilities for him.  The Collective was massive, and there was a virtually endless list of different fields he could choose.  Angela had highlighted seven that she recommended, along with a note.

    Mr. Mayhew,

    As the time approaches for you to arrive in the Collective, I want to thank you for your support during this operation.  Your efforts contributed significantly to the success, and you helped save many lives.  My great-grandson speaks highly of you, and while I know there have been areas of tension between you and our organization, it is my sincere hope that we can part ways amicably.  I personally reviewed the files and reports sent to me, and have taken the liberty of identifying several fields to which I believe you would be uniquely suited.

    I have also seen to it that an additional bonus was paid directly to your account, which will become accessible when you arrive.  You will have sufficient funds to build yourself a foundation, no matter what you decide.

    Finally, I will offer a word of caution.  From what I¡¯ve heard of you, it is likely you will be tempted to visit your people when they arrive.  Though your efforts have given them a ledge, tying your path to theirs is perilous.  I would hate to see your potential squandered trying to bear the burden of your people alone.  There will be challenges for them, and they will have to rise to meet them.

    Regards,

    Angela Corthus

    Kyle read the letter over again, this time out loud for C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s benefit.  Her words were direct and to the point, which Kyle appreciated.  While he had no doubt she was a shrewd businesswoman, Kyle didn¡¯t get the impression she was lying to him.  If she was antagonistic towards him, Angela had more than enough personal and organizational power to crush him like a bug.  Even if there were motivations beneath the surface, Kyle¡¯s gut told him that this was advice he should listen to.  With that, he opened up the seven documents she¡¯d recommended.

    Kyle saw the seven different fields before him, with the words highlighted in three different colors.  Referencing the key, he saw that the colors each represented a different set of steps that he would need to take.

    The red color signified work that would be within the Collective itself, which would require specific applications, a set of public service examinations, and ultimately placement by a Collective administrator.  This was by far the largest overall category, though only two specific fields were highlighted by Angela.  The first was working in the Emergency Triage division, and the second was called the Planetary Survey division.  As he read over them, both seemed interesting.

    Emergency Triage involved being stationed on a planet and responding to disasters as they arose.  D Grades were typically squadron leaders, responsible for coordinating a group of E Grades.  On higher grade worlds, however, there were opportunities to act more as an individual contributor.  It made sense, given that the scope of the dangers were also higher.

    The Planetary Survey group, by contrast, was all about individual contribution.  Despite the size and scope of the Collective, much of the universe was still unknown and unexplored.  This group was tasked with information-gathering missions, and acted as first contact in situations when civilizations were discovered.  He was pretty fuzzy on what all that entailed, as Earth¡¯s circumstances had been very non-standard.  The unique thing here, at least to Kyle, was that there was a minimum D Grade requirement.  It would provide an opportunity for him to really be around a lot of other D Grades, and given the amount he¡¯d learned from Skippy and Duroc, that was a very good thing.

    He perused more of the Collective opportunities, more out of curiosity than anything.  Much of the work was mundane, available to even unawakened.  Kyle hadn¡¯t fully appreciated the scope of the Collective as an organization, and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was a mirror to the Central Authority, just blown up to a grander scale.  On paper, it was little more than a trade agreement and alliance between many of the largest B Grade factions in the Universe.  Practically, it seemed to function much more akin to a full-blown government.  There was still a lot Kyle didn¡¯t know, though he was hopeful he¡¯d be able to learn more before they arrived.

    Filing away the red-coded opportunities, Kyle turned his attention to the blue-coded group, again seeing two that were set apart.  This segment was all about individual organizations, offering high-level dossiers on different companies and factions.  The ones listed appeared to be C Grade, similar to Corthian Mining in size and scope.  The different types of work were as diverse as the companies that offered them, and each required specific and unique qualifications.  The two that were selected in this group were more an example, with different postings showing similar needs.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    The first was an umbrella labeled ¡®Field Agent.¡¯  Though the specifics depended on the organization, virtually every company listed had a position open for individuals to work in the field.  E Grades were typically put in squads, while D Grades fell into two categories: expedition leaders like Chester; or individual contributors.  The idea was simple ¨C throw in with a larger faction, take advantage of the opportunities, and progress.

    The second umbrella, listed as ¡®Corporate Security,¡¯ was also familiar to Kyle.  The requirements appeared to be more stringent, and for good reason.  This was another that required D Grade as a minimum requirement, and all the jobs involved guarding something of value to the organization, be it a location, an object, or a person.  He thought of Skippy and Duroc, and their involvement on Earth.  Kyle had been offered a similar position by Angela herself, and had declined it.  Even now, it didn¡¯t seem to be as good of a fit as the other three he¡¯d read so far, so he moved on.

    The last grouping, indicated in green, were independent work.  There were a wide variety of different types of work available, and the path was relatively simple.  A person had to complete a licensing course from an accredited group, pass a Collective-administered exam, and receive a license to operate independently.  Independents would then join a sponsored Guild, which would ensure they received work.

    There were three that Angela had marked in particular; the Private Security Guild, the Courier¡¯s Guild, and the Mercenary¡¯s Guild.  These were all fairly self-explanatory.  Private Security differed from Corporate Security in that it was a single assignment with a set duration, though the scope of the work was similar.  The Courier¡¯s Guild handled everything from private deliveries to large-scale material shipments.  The Mercenary¡¯s Guild got hired out for additional muscle in combat situations, and Kyle was shocked by the sheer number of contracts requesting them.

    Kyle had already dismissed Corporate Security, and quickly tossed Private Security into the same bucket.  It just wasn¡¯t something that interested him as much as the others, and as he learned in his sparring sessions with Skippy and Duroc, he wasn¡¯t able to easily showcase his abilities in mock scenarios.  That still left Kyle with five viable paths that the chairwoman had highlighted, with more likely lurking within the endless sea of information he had yet to sort through.

    He sighed as he closed the documents and lay down on the bed.  Thoughts swirled endlessly in Kyle¡¯s head, anticipation and excitement mixed with trepidation.  There was a lot he had to figure out.  While he had time, Kyle knew that without a direction it would be easy to get lost in the transition to life in the Collective.  He had a tidy sum of credits to rely on, but not enough to live on forever.  Besides, one thing was certain.  Kyle didn¡¯t want his progression to stagnate.  There were mysteries that he wanted answers to, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to find those answers at his current level of power.  His mind continued to wander, until sleep finally took him.

    The weeks that followed were a blur of activity.  Even though his work was technically done, field teams were still on the planet wrapping up their final extractions. Kyle found himself assisting Randolph in the medical bay, treating the smaller injuries that still popped up from time to time.  During their time together, Kyle had a chance to really appreciate the difference between a dedicated Healer like Randolph, and a hybrid like himself.

    The short, muscular man only had two skills at D Grade as far as Kyle could tell, the detailed diagnostic skill and a skill that isolated and removed foreign objects.  Even so, his basic healing skills showed Kyle just how much he had to learn, and he was grateful for the opportunity.

    Randolph¡¯s gruff exterior didn¡¯t change much, though Kyle saw it crack occasionally.  The most valuable lessons Randolph shared, in Kyle¡¯s opinion, were in the different treatments necessary for different species.  He learned a lot about goblin and skrell anatomy, which paired well with the scans C.H.A.D.D. continued to take.

    Randolph was quite fond of the drone, and the two of them swapped notes.  C.H.A.D.D. added additional detail to its skrell and goblin scans, while Randolph refined the methodology of his own diagnostic skill, working on filtering and isolating specific details.  In their down time, Kyle ran Angela¡¯s list by Randolph.  He knew he could trust the grumpy Healer to share his full, unfiltered thoughts.

    ¡°These are all damn hard to get into, but they¡¯re all good choices.  I¡¯ll tell you one thing, though, you¡¯ll make a hell of a lot more money if you sign on with a faction.¡±  Randolph¡¯s moustache bristled as he talked, one hand stroking his chin thoughtfully.

    ¡°How much more are we talking about?¡±

    ¡°It depends, but I¡¯d guess thirty percent or more.  It tends to be riskier work, but the compensation makes up for it if you ask me.¡±

    Kyle frowned as he considered Randolph¡¯s words.  ¡°It¡¯s surprising to me that anybody would go independent and join a guild if things are so much better on the private end.¡±

    Randolph scoffed.  ¡°The guilds get paid well, but they also have higher mortality rates.  The jobs the guilds get hired for are the ones that their employers don¡¯t have confidence in doing themselves.  If their field teams could handle it, they would.¡±

    That got Kyle¡¯s heart beating.  His path was tied to overcoming adversity and surviving challenges.  While there would undoubtedly be risk aligned with any of the options Angela shared with him, Randolph¡¯s warning about becoming an independent made the option seem even more attractive.  The two continued to work, until the last day before departure.

    The announcement came across everybody¡¯s nav bracelet, and whoops and cheers could be heard across the flagship.  Kyle read the message, and fought to keep the smile from his face, too.  The first transport vessel just arrived.  They were officially done with this leg of the journey.

    Kyle saw messages from different expedition members come through, announcing parties at the mess hall and a tournament in the training area.  While it would be fun, Kyle decided to retire to his room.

    Less than a minute after he got settled, there was a knock on the door.  Frowning, Kyle got up and opened it.  To his surprise, Rochelle was standing outside.  For the first time he¡¯d seen, her hair wasn¡¯t up in a tight braid, instead falling naturally, framing her face.  She wore a casual uniform, though her daggers were still on her hip.  She smiled when she saw him, a glint in her eye.

    ¡°I knew I¡¯d find you here, Kyle.  Any particular reason you¡¯re skipping the party?¡±

    He returned the smile.  Their schedules meant they hadn¡¯t really had a chance to see each other since the shopping trip.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s a lot more popular than I am, I¡¯d get self-conscious.¡±

    ¡°With that new pack you made for it, that¡¯s hardly a surprise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more surprised you¡¯re not there.¡±

    Her smile widened as she cocked her hip.  ¡°You saw the announcement.  As of an hour ago, I¡¯m officially on shore leave, and I can think of something a lot more fun.  Now, are you going to invite me in?¡±

    Kyle took her hand, and let the door close behind them.

 Chapter 153

    The journey to Collective space was calm, uneventful even.  Maybe it was from the stress of all the back-to-back events after the cataclysm, but he wholeheartedly expected that something would go wrong.  Instead, he¡¯d been able to enjoy a week of company and slice of normalcy amidst the chaos.

    He and Rochelle were grabbing breakfast together, which had become part of their morning routine. There was a tension between them this time, though it was easy to understand why.  The ship would arrive today, and they both knew the conversation that was coming.  Rochelle sipped her morning tea, meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes before she spoke.  ¡°Have you decided what you¡¯re going to do after we get there?¡±

    He nodded.  ¡°If Angela¡¯s documents are current, I¡¯ll be at the Hub for quite a while preparing to get my licensure.¡±

    Rochelle closed her eyes for a moment as raised her tea to her lips, appearing to be savoring the taste.  She¡¯d never floated the idea of him staying on with Corthian Mining.  When they arrived, she¡¯d take a transporter to the Corthian Mining headquarters, and their paths would diverge.  They didn¡¯t know each other ¨C not really ¨C though the last week had been significant for Kyle.  He relished having a chance to be a person again ¨C not a D Grade, not a savior, not a monster.

    ¡°So¡­ how often do you make it to the Hub?¡±  Kyle asked, more than a little hopefulness in his voice.

    She shrugged him; a wistful look in her eye.  ¡°It¡¯s not just about going to the Hub, Kyle.  You¡¯ll see when we get there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s big, but how big can it realistically be?¡±

    She finished her tea before standing, looking at him before she walked away.  ¡°Like I said, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    Kyle watched her go as she left the mess hall.  Despite her words, he was confident their paths would cross again someday.  Regardless, he wasn¡¯t going to make their parting any more painful than it had to be.  A buzz on his nav bracelet indicated a countdown until he had to clear his quarters of his belongings.  That wasn¡¯t a difficult task, as he¡¯d already packed.  Not bringing much onto the ship had its benefits.

    With time to spare, Kyle made his way towards the flight deck.  He wouldn¡¯t be allowed in with Chester and the navigation staff, but he could still get a look through their projectors at the space ahead.  He settled in, just as the flagship was preparing for its final jump.  Floating in the space ahead was what appeared to be a massive stone ring.  The area in the center seemed to ripple, and the stars beyond didn¡¯t match the rest of the horizon.  This was the third such transporter they¡¯d encountered, and it would take the flagship back to the heart of the Collective ¨C the Hub.

    He felt a mild sense of vertigo as they passed through, and it went away a moment later.  Compared to the backlash of using the Transportation Array, it was far smoother.  As he had before, Kyle marveled at the precision and power that the massive rings had to possess.  Learning more about them was definitely on his list.  He considered asking C.H.A.D.D. about it, when the vision in front of him made him lose his train of thought.

    Though they were still a distance away, Kyle could make out a cluster of stars, all bound together by what looked like links in a chain.  He gazed in wonder as the flagship got closer, revealing more stars and giving him a better look at the ¡°chain.¡±  What he saw was an interwoven series of platforms wrapping around the surface of each of the stars.  The sheer scale of the construction was staggering to him.

    It¡¯s one giant Dyson Sphere Kyle realized, watching as they steadily approached.  He¡¯d heard of the theory of Dyson Spheres ¨C an old-Earth concept for harnessing stellar energy.  It hadn¡¯t been feasible pre-awakening, and after the Originators departed the planet there wasn¡¯t much interest.  With enough mana and power, though¡­  Kyle¡¯s thoughts continued to swirl, losing track of time until approaching footsteps snapped him back to attention.

    ¡°Quite the sight, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Kyle turned to see Chester Drake approaching.  The foreman continued.  ¡°I remember my first time approaching the Hub from space.  Teleporting to it is one thing, seeing it in its entirety is quite another.¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you telling me all this construction is the Hub?¡±

    ¡°Naturally.  It¡¯s a construct made through collaboration of multiple A Grades.  As more planets choose to join the Collective, more star systems are added.¡±

    ¡°How can people survive so close to the stars?¡± Kyle asked, bewilderment clear in his voice.  ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±

    Chester shrugged.  ¡°I haven¡¯t seen all the data behind it, though from what I understand the Hub draws and regulates the energy output.  That¡¯s why the planets that move along with the stars are still habitable.¡±

    Kyle turned and looked back at the approaching star cluster.  As the flagship got closer, the full scope of the cluster was obscured by the nearest star.  The platforms of the Hub grew larger and larger, and a ping on his nav bracelet told him they would arrive in just over an hour.

    ¡°Why are you here, Chester?¡±

    ¡°To pass along a message.  Our sponsorship will open a good number of doors for you, Mr. Mayhew.  We ¨C I ¨C would ask that you remember that in the future.  While it¡¯s unlikely to come to pass any time soon, if your future employer¡¯s interests come into conflict with our own, know that it is appropriate to step away.¡±

    Kyle suppressed his first instinct to push back on the foreman, and instead just nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to make any promises, but I¡¯ll remember what you¡¯ve all done for me.¡±  The good and the bad.

    Chester nodded, then turned to leave.  ¡°It¡¯s appreciated, Mr. Mayhew.  It has been¡­ an experience, having you on this expedition.  I look forward to hearing about your future endeavors.¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    [I BELIEVE HE IS FRIGHTENED BY YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The words took Kyle by surprise, though hearing it from the drone made him consider.  He was a random D Grade on a world about to die.  Chester wanted to use him as an asset, but lost control over him in short order.  From that perspective, he could understand.

    ¡°I think you might be right, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [WHILE IT IS GENERALLY PREFERABLE FOR PHYSICIANS TO BE APPROACHABLE, I¡¯M GLAD THAT YOU FRIGHTEN HIM.]

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    [IF YOU DIDN¡¯T, I THINK I WOULD BE REDUCED TO PARTS ON THEMESTRA¡¯S WORKBENCH.]

    There was no arguing that point.  Kyle was looking forward to getting C.H.A.D.D. away from Corthian Mining¡¯s prying eyes.  They waited and watched as the Hub grew larger in their view, until the announcement came that they were prepared to disembark.

    As Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. left the viewing room, they met Rochelle, who was carrying an almost comically large bag over her shoulder.  Together, the two began to walk towards the hangar bay.

    ¡°How does everybody know where I am all the time?¡± Kyle asked, a teasing note in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard.¡± Rochelle replied.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty hard to miss, Mr. ¡®Onyx Warrior.¡¯¡±

    He groaned as he heard the name, though the smile didn¡¯t leave his face.  ¡°You¡¯re never going to drop that, are you?¡±

    Her eyes glistened.  ¡°Nope.¡±

    [I THOUGHT IT WAS AN APPROPRIATE NAME, GIVEN YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.]

    That earned a chuckle from both of them.  Rochelle readjusted the bag she was carrying, and her expression grew more serious.  ¡°I¡¯m glad I met you on this expedition, Kyle.  You¡¯re a good man, but I don¡¯t want to give you the wrong idea.¡±

    Kyle raised his hand, palm out.  He understood that their encounters had been as much about convenience and rank as anything else.  Captains didn¡¯t have nearly as much freedom when it came to workplace relationships.  Kyle didn¡¯t have any issues with that, and certainly wasn¡¯t going to hold it against her.  He enjoyed her company, and more than anything else, enjoyed feeling like a person again.

    He offered her a smile, tinged with sadness.  ¡°I know that this is it, at least for now.  If you do wind up having time for an extended stay at the Hub, let me know.¡±

    She stopped, leaned in, and kissed his cheek.  ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that.  If you ever get the itch to go and strip a planet of its resources with a soulless mining company, you know who to call.¡±

    Soon, they were met with a steady stream of expedition members, each exiting the ship in single file.  Kyle could see the expansive platform, and recognized the logo for Corthian Mining.  Beyond it, there were countless other, similar platforms, each floating above a segment of the Hub.  As Kyle watched, the expedition members were scanned as they left the ship, walked towards a glowing ring near the center, and disappeared, ostensibly being teleported to their destination.

    Soon, it was their turn.  Rochelle left first, tossing Kyle a wink after she was scanned.  ¡°Take care of yourself, Kyle.  And try to keep C.H.A.D.D. out of trouble.¡±

    He smiled.  ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.  You too, Rochelle.¡±

    [GOODBYE, CAPTAIN ROCHELLE.  I WILL KEEP A LOG OF ALL IRRESPONSIBLE DECISIONS DR. MAYHEW MAKES FOR EASY REVIEW.]

    She laughed at that, walked to the teleporter, and was gone.  That was about the time Kyle realized he had no idea where he was going.  Stepping off the ship, he felt a cool breeze, despite the proximity to the star.  Before he could be scanned, an elderly gentleman with stark-white hair and an immaculate navy-blue uniform approached him.

    ¡°Are you Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    ¡°I am.  Who¡¯s asking?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m one of Ms. Corthus¡¯ aides, and I¡¯ve been asked to see to it you get sent to your appropriate accommodations, as well as access to your accounts.¡±

    One problem solved.  ¡°That sounds great, thank you.¡±  The man, who was named Leonard, brought Kyle to the teleportation platform, pressed something on his nav bracelet, and the two were whisked off.  Kyle felt a small shift in the space around them, and a moment later he was standing on a raised platform in the heart of a massive city.

    Buildings towered around him as far as the eye could see, looking to be carved from stone that reminded him of marble.  The atmosphere was comfortable, and the scent reminded him of the mountains on a cool morning, despite all the hustle and bustle.  There was a steady flow of people coming and going, some walking onto other platforms and being teleported away, others simply walking.  Kyle recognized skrell, humans, and goblins, which were only three among at least a dozen different species.  Hulking creatures that looked like bipedal catfish walked alongside slender, two-meter-tall figures with pale skin and silver hair.  What could be best described as a round ball of fur trotted behind a floating mass of swirling algae.

    Kyle wanted to take a moment more to look, though he was swiftly pulled along by Leonard.  ¡°I understand the foundation of trust we have is damaged, and the first thing Ms. Corthus wanted arranged was getting you a blank nav bracelet with access to your accounts.  I assume you don¡¯t object?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Kyle said, still trying to take in the city.

    They walked into one building, Leonard flashed some sort of identification, and a skrell behind a counter got to work tinkering with something in a drawer.  They asked Kyle to infuse some mana, and as quick as that, he had a new nav bracelet.  A home screen was projected out of the item, and it showed a basic identification, along with his total credits.

    Kyle expected to see somewhere in the ballpark of nine hundred thousand, given that there hadn¡¯t been much of value taken after his encounter with the Storm.  He had to blink twice at the figure.  Two million credits¡­ that¡¯s one hell of a bonus.

    As if seeing his confusion, Leonard spoke.  ¡°Ms. Corthus wanted to ensure that you had adequate funds to begin your life in the Collective.  She believes it would reflect poorly on the company to sponsor somebody, only to have them live in squalor.¡±

    Kyle could only nod as they left the building.  Leonard led him through several packed streets to different businesses, where Kyle was measured for a new wardrobe, established an account with a grocer who would deliver food, and got Kyle acquainted with the teleportation system.  The Hub was immense, and was divided into districts based on which of the major Collective members was responsible for maintaining order.

    From what Kyle could gather, that was the reason life on the Hub was incredibly safe.  None of the major factions wanted to give off an impression of weakness to the others, so crime was handled swiftly and efficiently.  It surprised him to hear that, despite their relatively high population, humans didn¡¯t have a sector that they controlled.

    Teleportation within the districts was easy, but crossing districts meant teleporting to a dedicated entry and undergoing a scan.  It was still possible to travel between districts freely, but the additional hassle meant most people stayed within their home district.  That brought them to the last, and most important decision he had to make.

    Leonard had advised him that the path to licensure would be easier if he chose to live in the same district where he¡¯d be doing the majority of his studies.  He¡¯d thought long and hard about his choices, and met Leonard¡¯s eyes as he affirmed his decision.  ¡°I want to go independent and join a Guild.¡±

    The old man simply nodded, and a list of messages appeared on Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet.

    ¡°Accommodations have been set up for you in District Seven, controlled by the Verdant Republic.  Directions to your lodgings are in your nav bracelet, and the grocers and tailors have been notified where to deposit their goods.  Welcome to the Collective, Mr. Mayhew.¡±  With that, Leonard stood and left; his business concluded.

    Kyle stood too, feeling strangely alone despite the constant crowds of people.  He closed his eyes, and remembered staring at the night sky with his grandfather.  We made it, Grandpa.  Determination filled him, and he strode towards the teleporter.  No matter what came next, Kyle was ready to carve out his place among the stars.

 Chapter 154

    Kyle yawned as he dismissed the screen he¡¯d been reading, standing up from his cluttered desk to stretch.  The next day¡¯s exams were set to start in just six hours, and while he didn¡¯t strictly need the sleep, he certainly wanted to at least get a nap in.  Fortunately, this branch of the Collective Institute was only a twenty-minute walk away.

    They had arrived in District Seven and settled into their accommodations nearly six months ago.  His studies started almost immediately, and Kyle swiftly got into a familiar routine.  Just like during his medical training, Kyle woke early and reviewed all his previous day¡¯s material before eating and making it to the first lectures.  He took copious notes throughout each day, aided by C.H.A.D.D. recording the lectures.  Then, he would eat dinner and review the notes, organizing them by relevance and breaking down key themes before bed.

    To a large extent, his familiarity with effective study habits had paid off.  Many of his classmates were not academic types, and he suspected that the majority were planning to head to the Mercenary Guild based on the muscles, scars, and weapons that were so prevalent.  Kyle, by contrast, was a natural student.  Just six months in, he was already preparing for his final set of classroom examinations before the three-phase Practicum, while many others were on their second or third try for the course.

    That¡¯s not to say it was terribly easy.   Because Kyle hadn¡¯t lived inside the Collective, or even known of its existence, many things that would otherwise have been assumed knowledge, Kyle wasn¡¯t aware of.  Everybody else in his class came in with basic knowledge of each of the major factions, while Kyle had to learn the laws and customs of each.  It was critical for any independent to have a functional understanding of the different groups that might hire them, after all.

    As he did every night, he grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper, writing out the key points of each to ensure they were fresh in his mind.  Kyle wanted to reinforce the cultural norms as much as he could as he prepared for his Practicum.  He started with the Verdant Republic, which managed the district he was currently living in.

    Verdant Republic ¨C A collection of goblin, troll, and ogre planets with an electorate and representative rule.  The higher the grade of the world, the more representation they get.  New member planets have to abide by Collective and Verdant Republic regulations.  They have the most extensive legal code and act as the unofficial lawyers of the major Collective factions.

    Next, he moved on to the skrell, thinking of Skippy as he did.

    Grey Conglomerate ¨C A collection of major skrell businesses, primarily focused on manufacturing.  Loose regulation, credits tend to speak loudest.  New planets aren¡¯t restricted to being majority skrell, their primary focus is on natural resources.  They contract with outside organizations for profitable extractions.

    The Grey Conglomerate reminded him of stories he¡¯d heard about Earth before the Awakening, and he wondered for a moment if that¡¯s where his planet would have ended up had things played out differently.  The next group consisted of the tall, pale humanoids he¡¯d seen before.

    Alabaster Court ¨C Membership is exclusive to the Velgian species.  Functions as a merit-based nobility.  More powerful individuals are given higher-tiered titles, with the lowest titles becoming available at C Grade.  Very isolationist. Currently headed by an A Grade, with several others at the top of their organization.  All are in seclusion, with the day-to-day being managed by several B Grade Regents.

    It was highly unlikely that Kyle would ever be employed by the Alabaster Court, as they only rarely hired from the Guilds.  In the cases where they did, they exclusively hired velgian-born.  More realistically, if he crossed paths, it would likely be in an antagonistic capacity.  Moving on, he thought of another strange group.

    The Pillar ¨C Made up of the Phytan species, this organization focuses primarily on terraforming and scientific advancement.  They have colonial ambitions, but only for planets that are currently uninhabited.  They helped design the Hub, and when star systems are moved in, they are responsible for calculating the alignment and energy reduction to ensure a smooth transition.

    The floating swirls of algae had been very interesting to Kyle, and he was surprised to learn that they were the most scientifically advanced species.  Each ¡®individual¡¯ was actually a collection of millions of assimilated components, all working towards a specific purpose.  There wasn¡¯t much information about their controlled systems, but apparently their B Grades would literally encompass an entire planet.

    The last of the major independent factions was the Archdrake Empire.

    Archdrake Supremacy ¨C Ruled by A Grade Draconids, and the only faction with A Grades currently active and involved in Collective business.  It¡¯s a theocracy with followers from every species, and likely the most powerful force in terms of military might.  Followers worship and tithe to the draconids, who in turn provide power and protection.

    The Archdrake Supremacy was well-known and regarded.  Unlike its peers, whose A Grades typically stayed in seclusion deep within their own territory, the draconids were involved and made occasional appearances at the Hub.  Kyle suspected that their paths borrowed from their worshippers, though he didn¡¯t note his suspicions.

    Sighing as he closed his notebook, Kyle crossed the five or so steps from his desk to his bed. He grabbed a bottle of water from his night stand and drank deeply before lying down, mind still running over his studies.  He¡¯d prepared to go to bed nearly three hours ago, though he hadn¡¯t been able to bring himself to do it.  He¡¯d hoped that a few extra hours of study would change that, but a feeling of restlessness set in the moment he closed his eyes.  He tried to ignore it, but C.H.A.D.D. had other thoughts.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I¡¯M SHOWING INCREASED HEART RATE AND MUSCULAR TENSION.  IS THE MATERIAL YOU WERE STUDYING THAT ENGAGING?]

    At first, Kyle felt irritated, though that feeling faded as he recognized the drone was right.  Kyle¡¯s body was tense, and his mind hadn¡¯t slowed down a bit.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the material, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m just¡­ restless.¡±

    [WHAT ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT?]

    Despite the flat, robotic voice, it was clear that C.H.A.D.D. was genuinely worried about him.  He drew in a deep breath and held it, before slowly exhaling.  ¡°The truth is, buddy, I don¡¯t know.  Everything just feels so¡­ sterile since we moved here.¡±

    Saying the words out loud helped to crystalize a lot of what Kyle had been feeling.  He had spent nearly two years fighting for his life, the threat of the next challenge always looming over the horizon.  Since their arrival at the Hub, there hadn¡¯t been any real danger.  The only thing he had to be concerned with was his dwindling credit balance, and even that would likely last for years if worst came to worst.

    As if reading his mind, C.H.A.D.D. spoke.  [IS THIS LIFE REALLY SO BAD, DR. MAYHEW?]

    He thought about the simplicity and the peace.  If he¡¯d been asked this question three years ago, it wouldn¡¯t be a question.  Now?  It was as though his body understood it was geared for more.  Thinking back, Kyle realized that this was the longest time since the cataclysm that he hadn¡¯t gained a level.  He hadn¡¯t realized until now just how much that bothered him.  While he was no battle maniac, the thrill of overcoming a real challenge was something he missed.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t a bad life, C.H.A.D.D.  It just can¡¯t be all that I¡¯m living for.¡±

    [PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES HAVE LONG ESTABLISHED THAT A SENSE OF PURPOSE IS IMPORTANT, DR. MAYHEW.  I AM CONCERNED THAT YOU MAY HAVE LOST YOURS.]

    ¡°It¡¯s not gone, C.H.A.D.D.  I wish I had a better way to describe it.¡±

    [TRY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle thought about the drone¡¯s words.  They were in the ballpark, yet not totally descriptive.  Even before the cataclysm, Kyle¡¯s purpose had been healing and treating others.  He loved what he did, and found meaning in it.

    What am I working towards?  Kyle remembered his last encounter with the presence, the mystery of how it had been pulled out of the Between.  He could still feel the tremendous attacks that had rent flesh and ultimately led to the destruction of Earth.  These were answers Kyle was committed to finding.  At the same time, Kyle knew he wasn¡¯t strong enough to even keep pursuing them.

    ¡°I¡¯m just feeling stuck.  I know what I want to accomplish, it¡¯s just so far off.  Honestly, I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m starting in the right place.¡±

    [YOUR PURPOSE DOESN¡¯T NEED TO BE ONLY AT THE END, DR. MAYHEW.]

    That drew a tired smile from Kyle.  It wasn¡¯t that simple, but Kyle appreciated the drone¡¯s company.  ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Several hours later, Kyle was on the way to the Collective Institute.  There were multiple campuses across the Hub, though this was considered the best.  The sprawling compound was nearly the size of Nierburg.  Sweeping metal buttresses reached towards the sky, large windows all along the exterior of the building.  It possessed transporters stationed all throughout to quickly warp from class to class, allowing for the architecture to be more ostentatious than functional. He nodded a greeting at the goblins at the security gate, who returned the gesture after a ping from his nav bracelet.  Stepping onto the platform, Kyle was whisked away to his first exam.

    Settling into his seat, Kyle watched as his classmates poured in.  There was a sense of nervousness in the room as people took their seats, and with good reason.  Success on the day¡¯s exams would allow them to qualify for the Practicum, while failure would require an additional six months of study, which also meant an additional six months of fees.  The total cost had been over two hundred thousand credits to enroll, and Kyle suspected that for much of the group this was their only opportunity because of the cost alone.

    A ping on his nav bracelet indicated it was time to begin, and screens popped up in front of each seat.  Kyle¡¯s hands flashed across the screens with impressive speed, and he tackled problem after problem.  The vast majority of his examinations covered Collective policies and laws ¨C common regulations that were shared by every Collective member organization.  As an independent operator, it was important to be able to apply the principles across a wide variety of circumstances.

    As expected, Kyle was also confronted with faction-specific questions.  The major five he felt confident in answering, though as he got into the minor groups, he was pushing his memory to its limits.  There was an incredible amount of content, and there were more than a few answers where he didn¡¯t know where to start.

    Still, the hours wore on, and before he knew it, Kyle was submitting his last examination.  Results would be sent to his nav bracelet in several hours, and he headed to the Institute¡¯s training facilities for a light workout.  It was designed with D Grades in mind, and offered a diverse array of different options.  Kyle chose the one that had become his favorite, a chamber which sealed off and had wide variations in atmospheric pressure.

    The changing environment pushed him to adapt as he went through his exercises, though more than anything it sealed the chamber off from prying eyes.  C.H.A.D.D. confirmed that when it was in use even the drone¡¯s unique abilities couldn¡¯t see through it.  Satisfied with his privacy, Kyle activated IGNITION.  The pain still jolted through him as he went through the motions, though ADAPTIVE REGENERATION had gone a long way towards muting it.

    The power of the skill raged through him, burning him inside as it fought against the rejuvenating energy.  Kyle came here as often as he could, allowing his body to grow accustomed to his self-destructive skill.  He had a long way to go before he¡¯d be able to claim any degree of mastery, but it felt like he was building a firm foundation.  He received a warning that his time in the chamber was coming to a close, and he deactivated IGNITION.  He exited, waving to a familiar velgian who walked in afterward.

    Kyle left the Institute and walked through the bustling district towards his apartment building.  One of the strangest things about living in the Hub was that it was always light, and always in a bustle of activity.  Private residences allowed for custom settings to replicate solar cycles, but the rest of the area was always moving.  He was pondering what to do with his free evening, when he got a ping on his nav bracelet.

    Kyle Mayhew,

    We are delighted to inform you that you have passed your written examinations.  You are hereby invited to participate in the Practicum Phase 1.  Sessions will be hosted in regular intervals, and you are welcome to register for any within the next six cycles.  Be advised that failure in any phase of the Practicum will require additional written examinations before being invited back.

    -Collective Institute of Independent Licensure

 Chapter 155

    Kyle could barely contain his excitement as he finished his walk home. He opened the door to his apartment and settled into the large chair he¡¯d had delivered. He ordered some food to be delivered ¨C more of the vegetable-stuffed pancakes he¡¯d grown to love ¨C and opened a screen to check available times for his Practicum.

    The tests were held three times per cycle, which equated to roughly one every six Earth weeks. There was a balance to the scheduling ¨C one could take time to prepare, or take it sooner and try to carry forward their momentum. For Kyle, it wasn¡¯t even a question. He saw space available for the next slot in just over a week¡¯s time and selected it. More time to sit, study, and prepare simply wasn¡¯t going to give him more of an edge.

    ¡°What do you think, C.H.A.D.D.? Am I being too aggressive with the timing?¡±

    [FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I DON¡¯T BELIEVE IT WILL BE AN ISSUE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    A notification came through, and Kyle walked to his door, where a box stacked high with pancakes waited for him. It came with a spicy sauce, which he liberally applied as he ate, the springy vegetables contrasting with the soft fluffy cake around them.

    Kyle spoke between bites, savoring the flavor of the food. ¡°Can you give me a summary of everything we know about the Practicum?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW. THE PURPOSE OF THE PRACTICUM IS TO FIELD TEST CANDIDATES BEFORE THEY ARE OFFERED AUTHORITY TO OPERATE AS INDEPENDENTS THROUGH THE VARIOUS GUILDS. A CANDIDATE¡¯S PERFORMANCE WILL BE SPECTATED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE GUILDS, AND WILL ALLOW THEM TO BEGIN ALLOCATING JOBS FAIRLY QUICKLY.]

    Kyle finished chewing and swallowed a mouthful before responding. ¡°What about the Practicum itself? What do we know about the different phases and challenges?¡±

    [DETAILS HAVE BEEN VAGUE, THOUGH IT SEEMS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL PHASE IS DESIGNED TO TEST FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, IT DID APPEAR THAT THERE IS A FATALITY RATE IN ADDITION TO A FAILURE RATE, SO IT IS SAFE TO ASSUME THAT THERE WILL BE A DEGREE OF PHYSICAL DANGER.]

    Kyle frowned. The Verdant Republic had a lot of paperwork, and he didn¡¯t remember reading about fatalities when he enrolled. Given that licensure was only open to individuals at D Grade or above, that wasn¡¯t something to scoff at. ¡°Do you know what the fatality rate is?¡±

    [EIGHT PERCENT, DR. MAYHEW. THAT IS MEASURED DIFFERENTLY THAN THE FAILURE RATE, WHICH IS THIRTY-SIX PERCENT.]

    Kyle nodded as he absently chomped down on the final bites of his dinner. There was a degree of risk involved, though he didn¡¯t feel any real unease. If there was one thing Kyle was confident in, it was his ability to survive through challenges. From his experiences with Corthian Mining and fighting the D Grade monsters on Earth, Kyle had truly come to appreciate how resilient he was.

    That didn¡¯t mean he would be able to let down his guard, of course. ¡°What do we know about the phases themselves? Was there anything in the documents that offered specifics?¡±

    [NOTHING MATERIAL, DR. MAYHEW. ONLY THAT WE WILL BE TELEPORTED OFF-WORLD, AS THERE WERE SEVERAL CLAUSES CONFIRMING CONSENT TO LEAVE AREAS DIRECTLY CONTROLLED BY THE VERDANT REPUBLIC.]

    Thank goodness for the goblins and their rules, Kyle thought. Other factions likely wouldn¡¯t have included such detailed waivers, but the goblins were big on processes. There was one question left, though he felt confident he knew the answer. ¡°Am I allowed to bring gear with me?¡±

    [YOU ARE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SIZE LIMITATIONS. BEAST TAMER TYPES ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO BRING BONDED COMPANIONS, ASSUMING THEY FIT ON THE TRANSPORTERS.]

    Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think about the Endless, and how comical it would be to see somebody trying to bring a creature that size along for the practicum. Not that the Endless was a beast that many D Grades could have tamed in the first place, of course. He considered the general lack of information, and what he could determine from the pieces he had.

    First, the goal was to test the application of various principles they¡¯d covered through his courses. That meant that each phase would likely have a ¡°win¡± and ¡°loss¡± condition tied directly to whether or not he followed the rules. Secondly, because there was physical danger involved, Kyle assumed that along the way there would be either environmental or combat-related trials that could pose a threat to a D Grade. Lastly, due to the persistently high failure rate, it was clear that mastery of the prerequisite coursework wasn¡¯t enough on its own to assure success.

    Comfortable with his grasp of the basics, he started making a list of things to prepare before he reported for his practicum.

    <ul>

    <li>Buy body armor</li>

    <li>Buy dry rations</li>

    <li>Buy a durable canteen</li>

    <li>Buy some plants</li>

    </ul>

    His credit balance wouldn¡¯t be thrilled, though Kyle was confident he¡¯d have income flowing in soon enough. Kyle spent the next hour or so looking up the various shops in his district, even expanding the search across other districts under the Verdant Republic¡¯s purview. Even though he could likely find more variety under the Grey Conglomerate¡¯s wing, Kyle felt it was best to stick with purchases that he could be confident were within all Collective regulations. He didn¡¯t foresee any issues, but didn¡¯t want to tempt fate, after all.

    Satisfied with the next day¡¯s shopping arrangements, Kyle got ready for bed. Lying down, he closed his eyes, excitement still coursing through him. It felt as though his world had opened up once again, and he was ready to go experience it. With thoughts of challenge in his head, he drifted off to sleep.

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    Waking the next day, it felt odd not having study material to review. Kyle rose, washed, and put the C.H.A.D.D.pack over his shoulders as he left his room, munching on a meat-filled pastry as he did. By the time he got to the lobby, the savory snack was consumed, and Kyle stepped onto the teleportation platform, warping to a shopping area on the opposite side of District 7. His nav bracelet indicated the direction, and Kyle made his way through large groups of goblins and skrell until he found the place he¡¯d been looking for ¨C The Emerald Armory.

    The structure rivaled the size of the Institute, though the form was much more utilitarian. Entryways surrounded the circular structure, whose dome dominated the horizon. The exterior was made of a dark green metal, almost black in color, and there were no windows. For a moment, Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if he was walking into a store or a fortress.

    Kyle entered through the front door, and immediately stopped, taking in the sights. It was as if he was looking at a giant vending machine, with what looked to be a cross between an elevator and monorail shuttling customers and equipment across the complex at high speeds.

    A goblin wearing a formal uniform and hat stood behind the counter just inside the doors. He saw Kyle staring, and called out to him. ¡°First time in?¡±

    The voice snapped Kyle out of his reverie. ¡°That easy to tell, huh? This place is massive.¡±

    The goblin snorted. ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly. Welcome to The Emerald Armory. What are you here for?¡±

    Kyle felt a subtle surge in the aura around the goblin, and was surprised to feel hints of a D Grade presence. ¡°I¡¯m looking for some body armor, preferably D Grade if you have anything available.¡±

    ¡°We certainly do, though we¡¯ll need to confirm available credits and Grade before we can authorize you to enter the D Grade floors.¡±

    Kyle frowned, but still pulled up his available credits through the nav bracelet. The goblin looked at them and nodded, then pulled out a device that released a pulse of mana. Looking at the results, he gestured for Kyle to step into a nearby train car that was coming towards the entrance and slowing to a stop.

    Kyle¡¯s curiosity got the best of him, and he turned to the goblin before stepping into the car. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use transporters? And it¡¯s pretty clear you¡¯re in D Grade as well, why are you at the doors?¡±

    The goblin smiled, showing a row of pointed white fangs. ¡°There¡¯s a reason The Emerald Armory is among the premier suppliers of equipment across the Hub. We¡¯re discrete, we¡¯re efficient, and nobody steals from us. Consider me part of the last line of defense.¡±

    Before Kyle could ask anything further, a gentle wave of force pushed him into the train car, which abruptly rocketed skyward, away from the platform. As it rose, Kyle watched the ground shrink beneath him. More cars just like his whizzed about, and Kyle¡¯s appreciation for their business model grew. From what he could see, these were the only exits to the outside. If somebody did try to steal anything, it would be much easier to lock a system like this down.

    Soon, the car stopped ascending. Kyle estimated he was about two thirds of the way towards the top of the structure, though he had to catch his footing as the car rocketed laterally, deeper into the heart of The Emerald Armory. He was about to ask C.H.A.D.D. if the drone knew where they were, when the car started to slow and an alert popped up on his nav bracelet.

    YOU ARE NOW ARRIVING AT THE D GRADE BODILY PROTECTION LEVEL. PLEASE WAIT AFTER EXITING THE SHUTTLE, EMERALD ARMORY PERSONNEL WILL GREET YOU SHORTLY.

    Kyle did as he was asked, stepping out of the shuttle to a quaint waiting area. The floor was made of small green hexagons, which rose to form a chair. Kyle sat, and just a minute later another D Grade goblin walked out to greet him. ¡°Mr. Mayhew, a pleasure to meet you. My name is Fell¡¯zorre, and I¡¯ll be helping you in your search today. Tell me what you had in mind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Fell¡¯zorre. I¡¯m looking for some all-purpose combat armor, something that won¡¯t sacrifice mobility but that can still take a hit.¡±

    Fell¡¯zore nodded, pulling up several screens from his own nav bracelet. ¡°Are you primarily concerned with physical damage, mana-based attacks, or looking for something that can handle both?¡±

    Kyle nearly answered asking for both, but thought better of it. His body had developed incredible resilience to most types of physical damage ¨C it was the mana-based attacks that he¡¯d struggled against the most. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in mana protection, though I want to have at least a little physical protection, too.¡±

    The goblin waved the different screens around, and gave a grunt. ¡°I see several pieces here that could be a good fit. What biome considerations should we be accounting for?¡±

    ¡°None in particular. I¡¯m really looking for a staple piece that can be used anywhere.¡±

    More nodding and grumbling came from Fell¡¯zore as he dismissed some of the screens and pulled up several others. Finally, he looked back up at Kyle. ¡°Follow me, Mr. Mayhew. I believe that you¡¯ll like what we have to offer.¡±

    Kyle was ushered back to a changing area, where two sets of armor and clothing sat floating in tubes. The first set looked like a direct upgrade to the combat armor he¡¯d purchased from Corthian Mining, with sleek lines and great coverage. He activated IDENTIFY on the armor, seeing multiple plates worked into the torso and shoulders with mana-diffusive properties. Kyle recognized self-repair rune formations active within the armor, and had no doubt it would be an exceptional piece.

    His breath caught, however, upon seeing the second set of armor. The protection seemed lacking compared to the first, with the armor providing little more than a vest, bracers, and boots. They were a simple silver with notes of brown, and IDENTIFY showed a passive field around the set, offering a lightly insulated bubble. It was certainly more geared towards mana defenses, though what caught Kyle¡¯s attention the most was the material. The core of this armor was wood. Even now, he could feel the whispers of dormant life inside the various pieces of armor.

    ¡°What is this one made of?¡± Kyle asked, attention fully drawn to the wooden armor.

    Fell¡¯zore pulled up a screen and read the notes. ¡°It says here that the core of the material was harvested from a stonebloom bush, an invasive foliage that can be found on many arid planets. It¡¯s a D Grade plant that has properties which dispel mana, making environmental reclamation difficult. As you can imagine, it also creates difficulties getting inscriptions to stick.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s defective armor?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, just that it¡¯s a particularly unique piece.¡±

    ¡°How much do you want for it?¡±

    ¡°Seeing as it¡¯s been here for quite a while, we¡¯ll settle for two hundred and thirty-three thousand credits.¡±

    Kyle winced upon hearing the number. He expected buying armor like this would be expensive, though he hadn¡¯t budgeted that high. ¡°How about one hundred ninety-five thousand?¡±

    Fell¡¯zore gave him a flat look. ¡°This isn¡¯t a negotiation. We understand the value of D Grade equipment, and won¡¯t settle for less.¡±

    Kyle sighed. Worth a shot. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±

 Chapter 156

    An hour later, Kyle left The Emerald Armory.  Fell¡¯zore took his measurements, and promised the armor and multiple fitted outfits would be delivered to his home.  In contrast to the wildly expensive stonebloom armor, the prices for multiple sets of more mundane outfits were quite reasonable.  Kyle decided to purchase four outfits that were each specifically designed for different environments.  He had one that was heavily insulated for extreme cold, another that was light and flowed for heat, a third that was moisture-resistant, and a fourth that he would consider to be more all-terrain.

    All told, he spent a quarter million credits, though he hoped the investment would be worth it.  Kyle¡¯s next stop, blessedly, was far less credit intensive.  The Verdant Republic was home to many worlds with lower mana-density than Earth, and the general lack of dangerous wildlife made it safe to spend time out in the wilderness.  Camping was one of the most common recreational activities among goblins, trolls, and ogres; and there was no shortage of outdoor supply stores ready to meet those demands.

    Kyle strolled through several shops, ultimately walking away with a lot of dried rations and a shiny new survival canteen.  Other than the armor, that was Kyle¡¯s favorite new buy.  The canteen was very durable, and came with built-in collection capabilities.  By infusing a bit of mana, a small rune formation would draw in small amounts of moisture from the atmosphere, slowly refilling it as long as it was active.  It was exactly the kind of tool Kyle was looking for.

    Feeling great about his purchases, it was time for his final, and most unorthodox stop: the Verdant Republic Nursery and Botanical Garden.  The Hub had an interesting relationship with plants, as relatively few individuals were wealthy enough to maintain their own property with land.  That¡¯s not to say that people didn¡¯t still enjoy having small plants for their living spaces, just that what was commercially available had to be practical.

    It also meant that anybody who wanted to experience more time in nature had to do it elsewhere.  That¡¯s where facilities like the Verdant Republic Nursery and Botanical Garden came in.  Kyle had read about it in different writings and advertisements, showing up was an entirely different experience.  There was a fee to enter, and inside the humble-looking building were a series of raised platforms, each containing a different set of teleporters.  Kyle looked at the different options on his nav bracelet, and decided to do some sightseeing before ending at the shop.  After all, he¡¯d paid the entrance fee.

    The first biome on the list was an arid climate, and he decided to start there.  Kyle expected to be warped to a facility where he¡¯d get to see a wide variety of different plants, just like a botanical garden on Earth.  Instead, he was greeted with an entirely alien sight.

    He and C.H.A.D.D. were standing in the middle of a large tube, which branched and extended in multiple locations.  The tubing was clear, and outside the sheltered area was a wasteland.  The ground was covered with a spiderweb of deep fissures, some seeming to expand to form canyons through which the tube ran.  At first, it looked like nothing was living, though as Kyle focused he could see brown tendrils rising up from the broken plates of clay.

    Wordlessly, he and the drone descended through the sloping paths, feeling alone despite the thousands of others milling around them.  For a reason Kyle couldn¡¯t explain, he was enraptured.  The farther they walked, the more evident the plant life became.  Deeper beneath the surface of this biome, the root systems became increasingly intricate and interconnected.  It was as if the entire landmass they walked through was a single organism.

    Soon, they were walking through a tunnel overshadowed by a forest of roots.  The light of the suns shone through the cracks, the only other light being a gentle glow from the tunnel lighting systems.  It¡¯s an entirely different planet, Kyle thought.  They actually sent us to a whole different world.  At some level, Kyle understood that this was probable.  The Hub extended massively beyond an individual planet, and the stars contained within the enormous Dyson system all had their own worlds still orbiting and thriving within them.

    Warping to a different planet for something as simple as enjoying a botanical garden really drove the scope home.  Living and operating out of his district, despite its size, didn¡¯t offer the same sense of grandeur that this did.  And there are people powerful enough to make things like this happen.  By now, the light from above had almost entirely faded, leaving only the lights from the tunnel itself.  The crowd thinned out considerably this deep, and soon he turned to walk back towards the entrance.

    As he did, Kyle activated IDENTIFY on a whim.  Whatever material the tunnel was made of insulated from mana to the point that Auric Perception couldn¡¯t detect atmospheric mana past it, and he was surprised to see that IDENTIFY still functioned fine.  While he couldn¡¯t feel the energy from the plants, he was awed as he saw the properties, the hardy and resilient exterior covering thousands of small tendrils that could dive deep into the cracked ground in search of moisture.

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    Light began to pour back in as they arrived at the teleporter, and they made their way to the next biome.  C.H.A.D.D. complained loudly and often that its sensors couldn¡¯t actually detect the plants, but Kyle was enthralled.  They walked through lush jungles, swampy wetlands, and dense forests.  Kyle saw breathtaking cultivated gardens standing in contrast to the wild and natural biomes, and IDENTIFY let him begin to parse out the differences.

    While each was beautiful, the truly natural environments had an inexplicable synergy.  Just like the impression from the rainforest on Earth was one of a single organism and will, Kyle observed similar unity in the alien plant life.  Conversely, the more cultivated and crafted environments felt disjointed, intentional in design but not in purpose.

    Hours passed by as they walked, and soon the headache from overuse of IDENTIFY was met with a rumbling in Kyle¡¯s stomach telling him it was time to eat.  He and C.H.A.D.D. took the teleporter to an atrium with a food court, which was also connected to the nursery.  Kyle settled in with a bowl of roasted exotic vegetables, and began to look through a catalog of plants he could purchase.  Most of the options fell into two categories: food-producing and decorative.

    Kyle frowned as he read through the regulations, which were substantial.  With the ease of travel to different planets, purchasing plants required significant documentation to mitigate the risk of unleashing invasive species.  While it made sense that protocols like that were in place, it was equally clear that Kyle wouldn¡¯t be able to make use of anything he acquired lightly.  There were hefty fines at a minimum, with possibilities of losing licensure or worse depending on how severe the repercussions were.

    Ultimately, Kyle decided on just two purchases.  The first was a succulent plant that translated roughly to hydrofern.  It had long, thick fronds that were water-producing, which made it quite common and sought-after for people who didn¡¯t want to maintain the plant itself.  It would draw in hydrogen and oxygen from the atmosphere, and through an internal reductive process create its own water as it grew.

    The second was a packet of seeds for a vegetable that felt like a cross between kale and a green bean called a pogrit.  There was a soft, bean-like center with a rugged and nutrient-dense leaf that wrapped around it.  What fascinated Kyle the most about this plant was that it was supposedly nutritionally complete for humans, while at the same time being easy to grow.  The flavor would likely pale in comparison to the exotic delicacies he was enjoying, but after nearly a year of eating beetle meat, Kyle wouldn¡¯t complain.

    The following day, Kyle received his deliveries.  His hydrofern was set up in one corner of his living room, brilliant blue fronds adding some much-needed life to his space.  He¡¯d also purchased a small planting box, which was blessedly inexpensive, for his pogrit seeds.  He only put a couple in the soil, splitting the remainder between storage in his apartment and the C.H.A.D.D.pack.

    No sooner had he gotten the planter positioned near a window to get light, than his armor arrived.  Kyle tried it on, the silvery wooded material incredibly light.  While he hadn¡¯t dared to try it at the Emerald Armory, he was excited to test his theory.

    ¡°Are you ready, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle connected to the drone and the world tree seed through PARASITIC RESONANCE, then connected to the armor with a tendril.  The connection felt off at first; foreign as C.H.A.D.D. familiarized itself with the properties of the stonebloom wood.  As the minutes wore on, it felt more and more comfortable.  Kyle regarded the armor with IDENTIFY, and coupled with his connection to the drone, he began to understand the capabilities of the armor.

    The more he studied, the wider his smile grew.  If Fell¡¯zore had truly understood the potential this armor held, there¡¯s no way he would have parted with it as inexpensively as he did.  Of course, he and C.H.A.D.D. were uniquely capable of pulling that potential out.  With a few days remaining until it was time for the Practicum, all that was left was to practice.

    Six days later¡­

    Kyle shifted the pack as he walked to the staging area for the Practicum¡¯s first phase.  There was a crowd of one hundred or so, no two individuals alike.  He saw some people heavily equipped, while others just wore the clothes on their backs.  The only common thread was that every single person gave off an aura of power.

    A voice sounded out over the group, and the nervous chattering and shifting was immediately silenced.  ¡°Welcome!  Today marks the first step towards independent licensure, a path of fortune and influence!  The Guild Union has sponsored this Practicum.  A destination has been selected for each of you, and instructions will be sent to your nav bracelets upon arrival.  Step on to the teleporter, and know that we will be evaluating.¡±

    The voice cut short, and a large teleporter in the middle of the room lit up, thrumming with power.  The nervous energy was back, and Kyle heard murmurs about the lack of information and detail.  Kyle spotted a few figures that didn¡¯t seem to be worried.  Particular among them were a young man in hooded black robes, a woman with four arms and pinkish-red skin, and a velgian in resplendent white armor.  He was the first to step onto the platform, followed shortly by the young man in black robes.  Kyle stepped onto the platform third, and he was whisked away to start the hardest exam of his life.

 Chapter 157

    The first thing Kyle felt after stepping onto the teleportation platform was the cold.  He only brought the all-purpose clothing with him, and instantly wished he¡¯d included the insulated set.  He looked at his surroundings, taking in the alien sights.  The whole area was dim, reminding him of the time right after the sun sank below the horizon on Earth.  He could make out stubby trees three to four meters high and nearly as wide around, with branches lined with lichens rather than leaves.

    Before he could take in much more, a screen popped up on his nav bracelet.

    Participant Mayhew,

    Welcome to the first phase of your Practicum.  You are on a world that is not affiliated with the Collective.  There are sapients on the planet who have established a primitive civilization, despite the harsh climate.  Your objective is to survive for one cycle on this world.

    Be warned ¨C this is not simulated.  The dangers are real and present, and your actions will have consequences.

    Should you choose to forfeit the Practicum, you may reply to this message.  A special tether is connected to the nav bracelet, and will return you to the Collective Institute of Independent Licensure from which you departed.  This will require you to remain still for a period of time, and is ill-advised during a combat scenario.

    We will notify you when the cycle has been completed, and prepare you for departure.

    Kyle dismissed the prompt, and considered the implications.  He was more than happy with a survival challenge, as it was in perfect alignment with his path.  On the other side, he wanted to consider what else the challenge might entail.  While it was a survival challenge at face value, Kyle suspected that they were also looking to see how candidates would handle working with groups outside the Collective.  After all, nobody wanted to hire independents who were ticking diplomatic time bombs.

    Likely, the expectation was for the candidate to make their way to the civilization, make contact, and then effectively demonstrate contact protocols.  For most people, it would be a good test of how a person performed under stressful circumstances.  Kyle didn¡¯t expect he would fall into that category.  There was another, unwritten law with which he¡¯d grown well-acquainted.  Power trumps all.  Before Kyle even considered trying to find a settlement, he was going to see if this world was truly as harsh as it was cracked up to be.

    He heard a soft snap behind him as C.H.A.D.D. began to survey the area.  Kyle couldn¡¯t help but smile at the drone¡¯s initiative.  ¡°You¡¯re one step ahead of me today, C.H.A.D.D.  Thank you.¡±

    [TWO STEPS, DR. MAYHEW.  I¡¯VE ALSO RUN A SCAN ON ONE OF THE TREES NEARBY, AND THEY¡¯RE QUITE INTERESTING.]

    A projection popped up in front of Kyle¡¯s vision, showing a cross-section of the strange trees.  Behind the outer layer of bark was what appeared to be a fluid-filled membrane, all insulating the central core of the tree.  Kyle walked over to a nearby tree and rested his hand on the trunk, surprised to feel a little give to the bark.  What caught his attention more, however, was that the tree was warm to the touch.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding, C.H.A.D.D.  Any idea what function this adaptation serves?¡±

    [NONE AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Where to start, Kyle thought, taking a quick inventory of his situation.  He had with him some rations and his canteen, so he would be okay on the food and water front for a while.  Even though the temperature was uncomfortably cold, Kyle didn¡¯t feel he was in any immediate danger from it.  He looked at the map C.H.A.D.D. provided, and didn¡¯t see much of interest; just rolling hills, trees, and more swampy ground.  Might as well get a better lay of the land.

    With that thought, Kyle began his slow journey through the swamplands.  He could have activated IGNITION and covered more ground, but he decided against it.  There was always a risk that there could be wild creatures around, and he wanted to conserve energy where he could.  In its current state, the skill was better used as a trump card than a basis mode of transportation.

    He did, however, activate IDENTIFY on every new plant he encountered.  While the strange trees were far and away the most common, Kyle did spot a number of thick clusters of vines with gourd-like fruits from time to time.  From what he could tell, the fruit was edible, though it had properties that reminded Kyle of the neurotoxins he¡¯d encountered back on Earth.  They were far weaker than what he¡¯d encountered before, and he absently grabbed a few of the gourds as he walked, excited to see how they tasted.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    It was at that moment he realized that something had changed.  When his palm touched the thick rind of the gourd, he realized it was cool to the touch.  Without noticing, the last several hours had warmed up considerably, with the cold no longer noticeable.  At first, he attributed it to his body adapting, but feeling the cool skin of the gourd made him second-guess that assumption.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me a cross section of the gourds as well?¡±

    The drone obliged, and Kyle saw a similar membrane in the vines and fruits that he had in the trees.  This is a form of temperature regulation, Kyle realized.  Now that he was paying attention, he noticed the gradual temperature continuing to rise.  Soon, light began to crest over the horizon, bringing with it incredible heat.  If Kyle hadn¡¯t been on the planet to experience the chilling cold before, he never would have believed it was the same place.

    The dark stones on the ground absorbed the heat, and soon the swampy ground felt like a dry-baked clay.  That¡¯s not all that there is, Kyle thought.  The intense heat was worse to Kyle than the cold, though it was still far from unbearable.  C.H.A.D.D. picked up the first signs of animal life, and Kyle investigated through the haze of the mid-day heat.

    It was a small, lizard-like creature the size of a chicken.  It had a snout that reminded Kyle of a woodpecker, and it ran towards the gourds littering the ground, poking holes in them to get to the flesh of the fruit underneath.  It seemed not to care about Kyle¡¯s presence, and he decided to watch the creature, looking for hints as to how it handled the wild changes in the environment.  He spotted several others foraging in the same manner as the first, and watched, as one, they lifted their heads.

    All of them immediately began to run in the same direction, and Kyle thought it was something he¡¯d done at first, before he felt the subtle shift in the atmospheric mana, courtesy of Auric Perception.  He followed the scurrying creatures, seeing them disappear into a hole in the ground near one of the stubby trees.  The heat began to wane, and Kyle looked up to see a crackling storm cloud coming over the horizon.

    He barely had time to react before the cloud swept across the area, pounding the area with a bombardment of golf ball-sized hail.  The fierce winds ripped through the strange forest, sending the chunks of ice flying nearly sideways.  Kyle stood in the shelter of one of the trees, watching with interest as the hailstones bounced against the bark while taking a deep drink from his canteen.  Kyle realized with fascination that the membrane beneath the bark also acted as a shock absorber, limiting damage to the heart of the tree beneath.

    Just over an hour later, the storm had passed.  The bombardment cooled the area significantly, the moisture already being drawn in by the plant life.  The sun had set over the horizon, and soon the familiar chill began to set in.  Kyle had some ideas about nextsteps, and he took a bite of some dried meat as he decided to ask his companion about their situation.  ¡°What do you make of it, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [LIFE FORMS ON THIS PLANET ALL SEEM TO HAVE ADAPTED TO THE RATHER EXTREME ENVIRONMENT.  I ADMIT, I AM CURIOUS WHAT TYPES OF ADAPTATIONS THE NATIVE SAPIENTS HAVE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.]

    Kyle nodded at the beginning of the drone¡¯s assessment, having come to the same conclusions himself.  There were likely variances, but it felt like they¡¯d experienced something close to one day/night cycle on this planet.  The reaction of the chicken/lizard creatures was too instinctive for that storm to have been unusual.  Kyle felt the cold begin to creep in, enhanced by the damp clothes he now wore.  Despite himself, he smiled.  This is exactly the kind of challenge we were looking for.

    Kyle rested his palm against the trunk of the tree, feeling the warmth on the palm of his hand.  ¡°The membrane is for insulation.¡±

    [I DREW THE SAME CONCLUSION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle smiled as tendrils of mana extended towards the tree.  ¡°Then it sounds like we have a great place to start.¡±

    ~~~

    A door at the Collective Guild Interoffice opened, and a skrell walked in.  She, like all of her species, was entirely bald, and her grey scalp was beaded with sweat as she made her way through the various checkpoints.  Suerrillax had been sent on an important mission ¨C picking up the lunch delivery.  This was her first year working for the Guilds, and this was the first opportunity she had to supervise the Practicum.  At least, when she wasn¡¯t being sent off to run errands.

    She finally made it to the primary office, where her colleagues sat taking notes, a hundred different screens following the different applicants.  After handing each meal to its designated recipient, she collapsed into the chair next to the only other skrell in the room, and her official mentor.  ¡°How are they doing?  What did I miss?¡±

    The excitement in Suerrillax¡¯s voice was clear, and Rupiniax gave her a dry look as he began to tear into his lunch.  Between bites, he responded.  ¡°It¡¯s fine.  Forty-five applicants have already made it to the nearest settlement.  We expect that number to increase to at least seventy within the next twenty or so hours.¡±

    Suerrillax nodded as she entered some notes into her database.  The first phase of the Practicum differed from season to season, but the theme was similar.  Applicants would have to find ways to ingratiate themselves with the local populations for shelter and food, without breaking Collective protocols for contact.  Each planet they were sent to had graded difficulty, but regardless of the ranking, the biggest challenge for the applicants was typically finding their way to the settlements.  That forty-five had already made it was encouraging, and spoke highly of this batch.

    At least, it spoke highly of most of them.  She looked up, and couldn¡¯t help but frown as one of the nearest screens showed an applicant examining the trees on the planet he¡¯d been sent to.  His planet¡¯s  difficulty was already higher than average, and he was wasting time taking notes about tree bark instead of finding shelter.  Suerrillax snorted as she opened her own lunch and began to eat.  It was pretty clear to her who the first drop out was going to be.

 Chapter 158

    Kyle stretched as he stepped out of his makeshift shelter, willing the enclosed curtain of bark and wood to part.  The heat immediately began to beat down on him, and he smiled.  It had been five days since he arrived, and Kyle had the cycles pretty well figured out.  There were always about four hours of intense heat, followed by a hailstorm that would herald four hours of chilling cold.  The Institute hadn¡¯t been joking when they said that it was a harsh environment, but for Kyle that just meant opportunity.

    He stepped into the heat in nothing but his trousers, and began training.  His batons whirled through the air as he practiced, activating IGNITION intermittently as he moved through his routines.  All the while, ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was working on repairing the damage from the heat and his other skill.  Kyle¡¯s routine was interrupted by the chirping and scurrying of the chicken-like lizards as they ran towards their nest, and Kyle knew it was time to move.

    He found a clearing the day before that was devoid of any of the trees, and he braced himself for the least pleasant part of his training.  Kyle watched the storm front approaching, and closed his eyes with a steadying breath.  The hailstones pounded into his body, though they did little against Enhanced Carapace.  The minor wounds he did sustain were quickly patched up by ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, though it still hurt.

    He picked a couple gourds on his way back to the shelter, looking to eat a quick snack before the real cold set in and his training began anew.  This had been his routine ¨C and the progress was impressive.  The small breaks and naps during the temperate periods kept him moving, and the consistent strain on his body was allowing ADAPTIVE REGENERATION to really prove its worth.  Already he felt a resistance building up to the ambient temperature.  The blunt force damage would take a while longer to build, but he felt confident it would come in time.

    What¡¯s more, along with the training came something he¡¯d been waiting for.  Levels.  One level, to be precise.  Still, Kyle wouldn¡¯t complain.  PARASITIC RESONANCE connected to the body of the large tree, and the bark opened like a curtain, revealing a cozy hollow that he¡¯d created.  The natural insulation of the tree kept the space within protected, and it¡¯s where Kyle stashed most of his equipment.  Along with a particularly grumpy drone.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WE REALLY SHOULD EXPLORE THE AREA MORE.]

    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D.  And we will.  I just want to get a little more practice in.  Two, three more rounds.  Tops.¡±

    [YOU SAID THAT TWO WEATHER CYCLES AGO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Oh yeah¡­  Kyle vaguely remembered, though at this point he¡¯d fallen deep into his routine.  The bright side was, they had a lot of time left on the planet.  The countdown showed that less than sixteen percent of the total time had been completed, so there was still plenty of opportunity for him to get some practice.  ¡°I tell you what, let me eat and meditate for a little bit, and then we can go take a look around.¡±

    [THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.]

    Kyle cracked the gourd open, and after he¡¯d eaten the fruit within, settled in to meditate.  He drifted to his center, and saw the status screen waiting for him.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 43 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 709

    ENDURANCE: 798

    STRENGTH: 297

    DEXTERITY: 558

    WILLPOWER: 1039

    INTELLIGENCE: 1039

    PERCEPTION: 807

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    He was pleased to see he¡¯d gained another level, and quickly split his free attributes between Endurance and Strength.  He wanted to continue to shore up his survivability, and his Strength was rapidly falling behind his other attributes.  While Strength wouldn¡¯t be a focus for him, he still wanted to make sure it didn¡¯t get totally neglected.

    Satisfied with his condition, he put on his armor and the C.H.A.D.D.pack and exited the shelter.  ¡°You¡¯re sure the cold isn¡¯t going to be an issue for you?¡± Kyle asked, concern in his voice.

    [I¡¯M CERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  EVEN WITHOUT THE UPGRADED PACK, MY DESIGN INCLUDED FUNCTION IN COLD STORAGE FACILITIES.]

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    The duo made their way across the rocky ground as the air got progressively colder.  C.H.A.D.D. continued to snap fern fronds as they navigated the terrain, slowly expanding the functional map of the area.  Kyle had to admit, he was curious about what the civilization on this planet looked like.  In the whole time he¡¯d been here, Kyle had only seen the small chicken-like lizards.  That likely meant that the people of this world were either a good distance away, or relatively sedentary.  Either case made sense, as without Kyle¡¯s unusually high resilience surviving in the wild would be a nightmare.

    The map indicated some anomalous readings at the edge of its range, and Kyle trekked across the dark stones as the cold began to abate.  Cresting a hill, he looked out at the field of stone before him.  Unlike the forested are he was in, there was no plant life to be seen.  In fact, the only thing breaking up the otherwise flat ground were massive outcroppings of stone.  C.H.A.D.D. released another ping, and Kyle understood as the map indicated several openings beneath the rocks.  There¡¯s a cave system belowground.

    That made sense, and he was honestly a little embarrassed he hadn¡¯t thought of it before.  Underground, the people would be insulated from the weather, just like the lizards he¡¯d observed.  By now, the light was truly beginning to shine, bringing with it the full heat of the day.  Kyle felt ADAPTIVE REGENERATION providing relief against the sweltering temperature as he approached the nearest cavern entrance.

    He considered his options as he stared into the gaping darkness.  Barring something totally unexpected, Kyle could easily wait out the rest of the cycle and complete the challenge.  Even if the examiners didn¡¯t intend for him to simply live through the extreme environment, he seriously doubted they would fail him outright.  On the other side, Kyle had been itching for something more since he arrived at the Hub.  The extreme environment was a good first step, but it had already lost much of its edge.  That decided it for Kyle.

    He heard his skin sizzling against the superheated stones before he felt some discomfort, and he descended into the abyss.

    The abyss, it turned out, was actually pretty comfortable.  The further Kyle descended, the cooler the stone got.  Natural light had already faded to virtually nothing, which C.H.A.D.D. promptly rectified by projecting gentle orange light across the nearby area, aiding Kyle¡¯s descent.  His attributes and grip strength more than made up for the lack of natural handholds, and soon Kyle found his feet touching down at the bottom of the hole.

    He heard the snap of a fern frond as C.H.A.D.D. released a sonic pulse, and soon the map he¡¯d grown accustomed to shifted as a new layer was projected below.  Snaking veins ran from the epicenter of the drone¡¯s skill, and Kyle saw the tunnels nearest him branched into a massive network.  He couldn¡¯t keep the smile off his face as he saw something he¡¯d grown all too familiar with on Earth.  It was the telltale glow of natural treasures.

    ¡°Is there anything alive down here, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice echoed lightly in the tunnels, despite his low volume.

    [RESULTS ARE INCONCLUSIVE, DR. MAYHEW, THOUGH I BELIEVE IT IS LIKELY.]

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    [THERE WAS SONIC INTERFERENCE WITH MY MAP.  I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THE ORIGIN WAS ANOTHER CREATURE USING ECHOLOCATION, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR.]

    Kyle stifled a frustrated groan.  ¡°That would have been good to know before I started talking.¡±

    [GOOD NEWS, DR. MAYHEW.  THERE ARE SEVERAL LIVING CREATURES, AND THEY¡¯LL BE HERE MOMENTARIILY.]

    Kyle could hear the scrabbling of claws on stone, and he drew his batons as he took his stance.  Auric Perception had just started detecting the presences, and they didn¡¯t feel particularly powerful.  Soon, four furry creatures turned the corner of the tunnel he was facing, making a beeline directly towards him.  C.H.A.D.D. intensified the light, and Kyle got his first good look at the creatures.

    They looked like a cross between a ferret and a mole, standing only a meter tall but over twice as long.  Their eyeless faces had a star-shaped nose and a ridiculous number of whiskers over snarling, snapping mouths.  Long, bristly fur covered their bodies, and each of their four legs were tipped with wicked claws.

    The group slowed as they approached Kyle¡¯s position, and he hoped that they would do the smart thing and turn away.  Unfortunately for the beasts, they didn¡¯t seem to recognize him as anything other than their next meal.  They gave off high-pitched chirps as they moved to surround him, one scrabbling along the ceiling of the cavern to get behind him as the others charged.

    A pulse of red energy filled the cavern as IGNITION flared to life, mana burning through every limb. He only activated the skill for a moment, and it was enough.  Brutal strikes landed against each of his assailants, crushing bones and cracking the stone as the air itself cracked under the pressure of Kyle¡¯s attacks.

    Kyle suspected the beasts were in the middle of E Grade, and were far from powerful variants.  IGNITION had definitely been overkill, though it was the first time he¡¯d been able to practice it in a combat environment.  The baton crafted by Themestra held up to the strain fine, but the same couldn¡¯t be said of the standard-issue one he¡¯d purchased from Corthian Mining.  IDENTIFY showed him that the force exerted by the multiple strikes had caused some minor structural damage, and it likely wouldn¡¯t be able to hold up to many more uses like he¡¯d just done.

    Kyle looked at the fallen beasts with pity, knowing that he didn¡¯t currently have an effective means to use them.  He hated wasting the meat and hides, and would have loved to have resources like this back in his early days of survival.  Nothing to be done for it now.  Setting the remains to the side, Kyle continued his walk deeper into the caverns.

    ~~~

    ¡°You see?  He couldn¡¯t handle the environment after all.  You were getting worked up for nothing.¡±  Rupiniax grinned, revealing sharp, pointy teeth.  He and Suerrillax had been watching the human with some interest over the last several days, as the only individual remaining in the Practicum who had not either made contact with their planet¡¯s nearest settlement or exited the test.  It was enough to draw some interest, particularly when he started exposing himself to the elements.

    Many dismissed it as a foolish show of bravado, including Rupiniax.  The human¡¯s decision to move towards the cave system seemed at face value to be a reinforcement of that idea, but she thought differently.  If it wasn¡¯t for all the standouts among this group of applicants, Suerrillax was certain the stranger would have gotten far more attention.  No, her instincts told her there was something special about this one.  He wasn¡¯t going to the caves because he¡¯d been beaten down ¨C far from it.

    She met Rupiniax¡¯s smile with one of her own.  ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough, won¡¯t we?¡±

 Chapter 159

    The Matriarch was stirred from her sleep by the frantic clicks of her progeny.  Their den had grown over the years, and soon it would be time for her eldest daughter to leave and start a den of her own.  At first, she thought that was the source of the distress ¨C that her daughter had finally left.  Only when she heard her eldest¡¯s distinct voice among them did the Matriarch¡¯s ears fully focus.  Her bulk shifted as powerful legs extended, claws gouging into the stone of the cavern.

    Death¡­ Something has brought death to the den¡­

    The little ones were not powerful, not compared to the Matriarch, but there was nothing within the caverns that dared to attack her kind.  They were the hunters, the peak of the food chain.  That something dared to bare its fangs against her children could not be tolerated.  A bubbling growl escaped her chest as she rose to her full height, towering over the smaller creatures.  She let out a roar, signaling her challenge to the newcomer and calling her den to her.  The once-silent tunnels were filled with the sound of claws scrabbling against stone, punctuated by agitated clicking as the creatures navigated the labyrinthine system.

    The den was on the hunt.

    ~~~

    Kyle felt almost nostalgic as he navigated the cavern, reminded of his encounter with the Infernal so long ago.  Looking back, the time he¡¯d spent training in that cave had really been foundational to the power he gained since.  While he didn¡¯t expect he would emerge with similar results this time, a smile played across his face as he walked through the winding tunnels towards the first anomalous mana signature on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.

    The tunnels themselves seemed to grow progressively wider as they moved deeper into the ground, the ceiling overhead dotted with stalactites.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s light revealed lichens and slime molds on the walls, growing with whatever remnant moisture seeped in from above during the storms.  Small crustaceans that reminded Kyle of trilobites, no larger than Kyle¡¯s hand, milled about on the walls and floors of the cavern.  They grazed on the plant matter, seemingly unbothered by Kyle¡¯s presence.

    During his trek towards the treasure, he was accosted by three more of the eyeless beasts.  This time, he didn¡¯t activate IGNITION, opting instead to end them quickly and painlessly with PARASITIC RESONANCE.  Kyle didn¡¯t relish killing the creatures, but they hadn¡¯t left him much choice.

    Finally, he made it to the chamber where the mana readings originated.  As he approached, Auric Perception began detecting a shift in the ambient mana in the air, and he was not disappointed as he gazed into the cavern.  C.H.A.D.D. illuminated the space, which was almost entirely covered in a bright yellow slime.  It was clearly all part of the same organism, and Kyle watched as it visibly moved and shifted through the chamber.

    Hundreds of the small trilobites hung around the edges, nibbling at the mold.  As it moved, they would scuttle back, though occasionally one would be caught by the slowly shifting mass, disappearing beneath the ebbing yellow tide.

    Kyle activated IDENTIFY as he looked at the mold, and there was no doubt that it was the source of the mana from C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  It gave off a strong impression of Vitality, with a faint intent that seemed more geared towards balance than anything else.  To an extent, that made sense to Kyle.  It was in a constant state of being consumed, while it simultaneously renewed itself.  An equilibrium had been reached, which brought Kyle to his conundrum.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what happens if we try to draw energy from this thing?¡±

    [I BELIEVE I WOULD ARCHIVE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN, AND IT WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO NURTURE THE SEED.]

    ¡°I mean to the mold itself.¡±

    [IT WOULD LIKELY LOSE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ITS ENERGY.]

    And that¡¯s the problem.  On one hand, he could see the energy from the slime mold being valuable to him, as C.H.A.D.D. noted.  On the other, it was part of a delicate balance, in an ecosystem Kyle had been in for all of five days.  If the readings had been top-tier like the pseudo world tree seeds they¡¯d found for the expedition, he likely still would have absorbed it without too much fuss.  With that not being the case, Kyle decided to leave it be.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to let this one stay, C.H.A.D.D.  Your map showed plenty more we can look at.¡±

    [THAT IS REASONABLE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Kyle was surprised the drone didn¡¯t put up more of a fight, and the duo continued their journey through the caverns.  They encountered four more chambers which housed similar slime molds, and Kyle let them be.  Kyle also learned why he hadn¡¯t seen any of the small lizards in the caverns, as he came across another group of the eyeless mammals tearing into the body of an unfortunate lizard that ventured too deep.

    They snarled at him as he turned and went down a different path, not wanting to disturb their meal.  Fighting creatures at their level was no real challenge, and there was no need for him to kill indiscriminately.  Once they¡¯d made a little more distance, Kyle found a secluded section of tunnel where he could lie down.

    The tunnel wasn¡¯t exactly secure, but Kyle felt confident in his ability to react if he found himself under attack.  He sipped from his canteen between bites of the rations he¡¯d brought along, considering his position.  Judging by the countdown on his nav bracelet, he had only spent roughly a day and a half in the tunnels, and there was a long way yet to go before the test was considered over.

    Despite the harsh environment above ground, Kyle had to admit that the Practicum so far was fairly underwhelming.  While there was a chance that he¡¯d simply lucked out with an easier planet for this test, he found it hard to believe that there were meaningful fatalities for D Grades with the test at this level.  His perception may have been skewed by his interactions with Chester, Skippy, and Duroc, but he still couldn¡¯t picture many of the presences he felt in the entrance hall struggling.

    He almost considered leaving the tunnels to head back to the surface, though he ultimately decided against it.  There were still a number of interesting readings to investigate, and he knew that C.H.A.D.D. was hoping to find something it could use.  He closed his eyes as he leaned back against the stone wall.  ¡°Let me know if anything comes close.  I¡¯m going to try to get a bit of a nap in.¡±

    [HAPPY TO HELP, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle woke an hour later to the sound of scrabbling claws.  He rose abruptly, batons already in his hands.  ¡°I thought you were going to wake me up if something got close!¡±

    Both ends of the tunnel where he¡¯d been resting had multiple snarling, snapping figures.  The eyeless beasts had apparently decided to make another attempt at turning him into lunch, though for some reason they hadn¡¯t gotten close.

    [I FELT THAT I HAD THE SITUATION WELL IN HAND, DR. MAYHEW.]

    As the drone spoke. He heard the snap of a fern frond, though this time it didn¡¯t have the same feel as when C.H.A.D.D. was updating the map.  The beasts flinched back at the pulse of mana that accompanied the sound, and Kyle realized that C.H.A.D.D. was adapting the skill in the same way the mosquito had.  It wasn¡¯t a powerful sonic attack by any means.  Against foes who relied so heavily on mechanoreceptors to function, however, it was remarkably effective.  He watched as the bat-like ears flattened against their skulls; teeth bared.  No, they were not pleased at all with the drone¡¯s attack.

    He was considering how he could get clear of the area without killing the creatures when a deafening roar rippled throughout the cavern.  The clicking sounds of the creatures became more agitated as they slowly backed off.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a map, and Kyle saw that there were dozens more of the creatures surrounding his location, with one particularly powerful signature approaching.

    Kyle took a deep breath as he turned to face the source of the roar.  At first, he could barely believe that the creature was the same species.  While it had the bat-like ears and star-shaped nose, that was about where the similarities ended.  Its fur reminded Kyle of a musk ox, coarse and long enough to drag on the ground.  It stood over two meters tall at the shoulder, and was easily three times that length, not counting the bushy tail which thrashed from side to side.

    A deep growl emanated from the creature as it lunged at him.  Its jaws opened wide, as if it was trying to swallow his torso in a single bite.  The others, seemingly emboldened by their leader, also charged at him from both sides.  It was a basic pack tactic, though Kyle wasn¡¯t such easy prey.

    The blue dome of STORM SHELTER erupted around him, and the creatures impacted it ineffectually.  They snapped and batted at it after their initial rush, with no more success than they found the first time.  Kyle stood unperturbed within the barrier as he considered his next steps.

    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t feel like he had much of a chance to escape without bloodshed.  The fact that so many of the beasts were here for Kyle spoke to that fact.  If he did get away, they would likely keep coming.  In and of itself, that didn¡¯t pose a real danger.  Kyle¡¯s concern had more to do with the caverns themselves.

    The larger beast nearly filled the tunnel he¡¯d come in through, and the last thing he wanted was for a conflict to cause a cave-in.  While he would likely be able to survive an event like that, he¡¯d rather not deal with any possible fallout from the civilization that he expected lived within the tunnels.  With a sigh, Kyle resigned himself to what he had to do.  Tendrils of mana spread out around him as he activated PARASITIC RESONANCE.

    Less than a minute later, the only sound that could be heard in the tunnels was the Survivalist¡¯s soft footfalls.  Kyle¡¯s attack was quick, efficient, and brutal.  He didn¡¯t relish the deaths, nor did they weigh heavily on him.  He hated waste, but had come to terms with a simple fact of the universe ¨C power was king.  The beasts had signed their own death warrant when they attacked him.

    He looked at the map C.H.A.D.D. was helpfully projecting, and continued his journey into the depths of the world.  If he had stayed, he would have seen diminutive figures with mottled grey and black skin peer into the tunnel.  The figures barely stood a meter off the ground, with four stubby legs supporting a conical body with two spindly arms.  They chattered excitedly as they took in the scene, before scuttling away, melding into the stone itself.

 Chapter 160

    The proctors of the exam were in a stir, eyes glued to three screens as excited chatter erupted around the room.  The cycle was over three-quarters complete, and three of the most promising candidates were each wrapping up major confrontations.  Suerrillax didn¡¯t even bother trying to crowd around them to watch the live feed, instead pulling up the scenes from her nav bracelet.  The quality of the images was lower, but that was fine with her.

    They tracked the candidates through what amounted to a surveillance scanner build into the nav bracelets.  It offered a live feed of their actions, even if it didn¡¯t offer a lot of insight into their skills or dialogue.  Only about a dozen applicants had failed out, and all but one had settled in nicely with the civilizations near them.  The bulk of these were simply waiting out the clock, with three notable exceptions.

    The first screen showed the four-armed fae woman ¨C Tillienne, as she gracefully moved across the battlefield.  The planet she¡¯d been sent to had a persistent blizzard, and during her time among the people she¡¯d been researching its origins.  It turned out that the storm was actually powered by ritual magic that was slowly siphoning life force from the unawakened populace.  After uncovering this injustice, she confronted the responsible parties, and was now single-handedly tearing through the city as her axe and spear flashed.

    Sacrificial magic, as a rule, was generally prohibited in any Collective-recognized space.  In the cases it was permissible, there needed to be informed consent that was well-documented on the behalf of all parties.  Any abuse or lack of consent was prohibited, and the penalty was universally death.  While Suerrillax wasn¡¯t sure of the specifics, it seemed as though this was part of a larger plan to keep the populace from leaving and settling elsewhere, while allowing leadership to luxuriate in their mansions.

    Finally, Tillienne¡¯s spear pierced the heart of the enemy general, punching through his silver breastplate as though it were paper.  There was an eruption of cheers from the spectators in the room as they reveled in the action.  Suierrillax understood that the fae had created more work for herself, but felt confident the studious woman would at least be able to create stability for the remaining populace before she left.  Her attention was drawn to her second screen, where action was still playing out.

    The second applicant that had caused a major stir was Jax Cain.  He was the scion of Cain Jewelers, one of the preeminent suppliers of D and C Grade crystals and custom components in the Collective.  Jax was heralded as one of the brightest talents of his generation, achieving D Grade while still very young by human standards.  Even now, Suerrillax didn¡¯t think he could be more than one hundred and fifty cycles old.  She saw his round face and kind, dark eyes that were nearly covered by his shaggy brown hair.

    As a powerful wielder of lightning magic, the world he¡¯d been sent to was a good match for his skills.  The land had a series of large spires that jutted up from the ground and acted as lightning rods, causing much of the area to be bombarded by a nearly endless stream of electrical discharge.  The civilization here was human, living in caves in a mountainside and subsisting on mushrooms.  Since arriving and making contact, Jax had been mapping out the area, and was only now ready to put his plan into motion.

    The young man effortlessly matched the lightning in the air with skills of his own as he walked across the harsh expanse, fending off bolt after bolt as though he was swatting away gnats.  He carried with him a series of explosives he¡¯d been crafting, and only after he set the first against the base of a pillar did he get serious.  Lightning cloaked his body as his shaggy hair stood on end, and he dashed away with ludicrous speed as an explosion rang out.

    He repeated the process over a dozen times, and soon his body was covered in shallow cuts from the shrapnel.  Despite breathing heavily, he continued his work.  Soon, there was an area surrounding the mountain that was free of the pillars.  Jax limped back to the caves, where thousands of eyes were watching.  As the lightning fell, the region with the destroyed pillars remained untouched.  People took tentative steps out of the caves, and soon the excitement was plain to see on their faces as more and more came rushing out.

    Suerrillax wasn¡¯t entirely sure what all contributed to it, though from the snippets she¡¯d observed she thought it was likely tied to crowding inside the caverns.  The space Jax created should allow the people who had been holed up to expand much further.  The hallmark of exceptionalism was found in making differences like these, and Suerrillax was confident that both Jax and Tillienne would be fine additions to any of the guilds.  Of course, their performance paled in the face of the final participant, who had drawn attention from the moment his application was received.

    Arhades, a budding genius of the Alabaster Court, stood still as a statue on the beautiful green plains.  A gentle wind blew his silver hair, and he finally drew his long, thin blade.  The weapon was a brilliant gold against the white of his armor.  A gentle glow began to surround him as the ground shook, heralding the appearance of his next opponent.  The world he¡¯d been sent to wasn¡¯t dangerous because of the natural environment, instead being densely populated with megafauna, with more than a few at D Grade.  The civilization here had adapted to survive through a combination of stealth and mobility, their settlements moving on large landships.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The velgian joined one of these ships, but instead of running, he convinced them to enter the territory of dangerous beasts nearly every day.  The wholesale slaughter was incredible, and more and more of the ships congregated as Arhades cut a bloody swathe across the plains.  Now, he was confronted with the third D Grade monster since he¡¯d arrived.  The creature was a four-meter-tall lizard, standing on two thick legs.  Its front arms were stubby, though its wicked fangs and pointed horns made it clear it was designed for violence.  The creature snarled before charging, every step causing the ground to shake.

    Arhades stood unperturbed as the beast closed the distance, wickedly fast.  Fuzzy creatures watched from over two dozen landships, while at the same time evaluators watched from a galaxy away.  The creature closed with twenty meters, then ten, then five.  If Arhades was bothered, he didn¡¯t look it.  As the gaping maw of the beast opened to consume him, the white-armored velgian flickered, appearing behind the creature with his sword extended.

    A fountain of blood erupted as the beast staggered, a deep gash appearing across its torso, crossing down through its stomach.  It tried to turn and face its opponent, but it was too slow.  A beam of pure, white light smashed into its skull between its horns.  It faded as quickly as it appeared, leaving a fist-sized hole through the monster¡¯s head.  It fell to the ground, dead.  Arhades flicked the blood off his blade before sheathing it, expression as serene as before.

    While Suerrillax enjoyed watching him fight, she was hardly surprised.  He was related to the twin prodigies of the Alabaster Court, who sat atop the Mercenary Guild as the two most powerful active mercenaries the Collective employed.  It was rare for velgians to join the guild system, and with a prominent name like theirs behind him, how could Arhades be anything less than an absolute monster?

    She sighed as she turned her attention back to the screen she¡¯d been technically assigned to observe.  There was a fourth outlier, but it was a boring one.  By now, Suerrillax was convinced that the human she found so interesting at first was really just stupid.  The civilization lived within the stone of the caverns, and though he¡¯d spent so much time inside them he still hadn¡¯t made contact.

    Creatures had stopped approaching him, so there wasn¡¯t even anything exciting to watch.  Instead, he aimlessly wandered through the caverns, stared at lichen, and managed to be injured by every new hazard he came across.  It was a miracle he¡¯d survived this long.

    ~~~

    Kyle grimaced as he lowered himself into the pool of acid.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION had gone a long way towards toughening up his Enhanced Carapace, but the acid was still uncomfortable.  It was remarkable to him how many different dangers existed inside the caverns, and he was thankful that C.H.A.D.D. had encouraged him to make the descent.  Heat, cold, and hail were good, but he was confident he could find environments to train those resistances in abundance.  Flesh-melting pools of acid?  Far more unique.

    He let out a breath as he adapted to the discomfort.  The past weeks had been great for him, with another two levels having been gained.  Between the flesh-eating fungi, pools of various acid, and petrifying toxins of an organic crystal they¡¯d harvested, Kyle had been able to really push himself.  His Enhanced Carapace had benefitted the most through ADAPTIVE REGENERATION.  While he didn¡¯t have an easy way to test, he expected that his skin was several orders of magnitude more durable than it should be.  That was saying something, given that his Endurance attribute had risen to a respectable 850, only trailing behind Willpower and Intelligence.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how are the energies from the lichens treating you?¡±

    Naturally, Kyle wasn¡¯t the only one improving.  As he¡¯d grown more comfortable understanding the different aspects of the ecosystem, Kyle identified a few of the natural treasures that he felt comfortable allowing the drone to absorb.  None gave C.H.A.D.D. the same greedy hunger it experienced on Earth, but there were still a handful that it was interested in.

    [THEY ARE INTERESTING, DR. MAYHEW.  AND FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, ALSO COMPATIBLE WITH THE OTHER ITEM.]

    That put a smile on Kyle¡¯s face.  Originally, he wasn¡¯t sure if absorbing the energy from plant-based treasures would get a response from the world tree seed.  So far, each one had.  The seed was still frustratingly inert. Even with PARASITIC RESONANCE¡¯s unique ability to wear through the resistance of targets it connected to, the seed didn¡¯t respond to his will, at least not yet.  It did, however, seem to archive the information from all the different plant-related treasures, and somehow C.H.A.D.D. could access that information through its Administrator Weevil class.

    Auric Perception picked up a disturbance at the same time C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning, and Kyle rose from the pool of acid, knowing he was being watched.  It had become a consistent trend, with what Kyle assumed were the local sapients spying on him through the walls.  They weren¡¯t terribly powerful, and seemed more interested in him than harboring ill-intent.  Still, he didn¡¯t like being peeped on in the bath.  He dressed as ADAPTIVE REGENERATION mended the remnant burns, and soon he was walking down the tunnels again, munching on some mushrooms IDENTIFY showed were edible.

    His routine continued, until an alert from his nav bracelet gave him a message ¨C the cycle for Phase One of his Practicum was complete, and it was time to go home.

 Chapter 161

    Space warped around Kyle, and a moment later he was back on the teleporter inside the Collective Institute.  A skrell woman who was short even by their standards gestured for him to step off the platform, which he did.  It looked as though the majority of the applicants had already returned, though Auric Perception allowed him to feel the mana condensing behind him as another person was warped in.

    A quick prompt on his nav bracelet indicated he should wait in the entrance hall for instructions, and he took the time to look around the room.  Most of the applicants looked to be well, though he felt mild surprise when he saw more than a few sporting new injuries and damaged equipment.  Then again, Kyle couldn¡¯t talk too much, as one of his weapons was close to breaking.

    He thought about his experience with D Grades, and came to the conclusion that his understanding had to be skewed.  Because he interacted the most with Chester, Skippy, and Duroc, it was easy to forget about Randolph and Themestra.  Both D Grades, and neither would have done well at all in trying to finish the first phase of the Practicum.

    When viewed through that lens, it made a lot more sense.  Kyle just set the bar too high based on his own experience.  Of course, that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t some that cleared it.  A quick use of IDENTIFY made those exceptional individuals clear to him.

    A small crowd had gathered around the velgian in white armor he saw before, and Kyle couldn¡¯t see a single mark or blemish on him.  The tall white alien wasn¡¯t talking with the group, and looked towards the screen with a clearly bored expression.  Kyle could understand why.  The armor he wore was heavily infused with mana, with even more impressions offered by the blade on his hip.  IDENTIFY didn¡¯t show any one attribute that stood out particularly high against the others, though it felt like each was well beyond what could be considered ¡®normal.¡¯

    As he was beginning to get a headache looking at the velgian, he turned his attention to another figure leaning against a corner.  The younger human in the hooded black robes carried a couple of new scars, but Kyle could feel an aura of power from the kid that was noticeably stronger than before.  Whatever experiences the young man had, they were fruitful during his time away.  Kyle could practically see the lightning mana thrumming through his body, giving an impression of a natural disaster in human form.

    Lastly, the four-armed woman appeared to be in great spirits as she walked around the room, humming to herself.  With her pink skin and delicate frame, she gathered nearly as much attention as the velgian had, though Kyle suspected there was more interest in her feminine curves than her power.  Her appearance belied what Kyle could only describe as a monstrous Strength attribute, dwarfing that of anybody else in the room.

    Her Intelligence was nothing to scoff at either, and each of the four bracelets she wore gave off an interesting impression.  What Kyle noticed the most, however, were two gentle trails of mana that sprouted from her back.  Without IDENTIFY he wouldn¡¯t have noticed, but with it he saw the outline of two beautiful butterfly wings.

    Not wanting to be caught staring, Kyle deactivated his skill and looked away.  Instead, he did a mental inventory of the things he and C.H.A.D.D. gained during their time away.  First, and most obvious, was the pure improvement in levels and power.  Kyle was happy with the growth he¡¯d experienced, and the bonuses to Enhanced Carapace were equally as impressive.

    C.H.A.D.D. had similarly gained some insights, particularly in the realm of plant life grown without light.  Using mana as fuel was their standard solution, though C.H.A.D.D. learned a lot about adapting the plants to break down mineral deposits as nourishment.  They hadn¡¯t tested these applications yet, and Kyle was excited to see what they could do.

    Finally, they had acquired a number of different types of plants.  Kyle found some seed pods for the strange trees on the surface, and they¡¯d similarly saved the seeds from the gourds he¡¯d eaten.  Kyle wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he would use them for, but he was very interested in the way they insulated against the harsh environments.

    Another form appeared on the platform ¨C a goblin covered in soot and scorch marks ¨C and the screens around the room lit up.  The room fell silent as all eyes were drawn to the close-up image of a skrell face.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°Well done, applicants, for making it this far!  As all but one of you figured out, the purpose of this exercise was to test your adaptability and ability to integrate among a foreign society.¡±

    Kyle felt more than a little self-conscious at the comment, as well as a pang of worry.  Are they going to fail me for that?

    The voice continued, totally unaware of Kyle¡¯s nervousness.  ¡°While there were varying degrees of success, there were also several truly noteworthy performances.  We didn¡¯t offer much in advance of Phase One, but for Phase Two we¡¯ll be giving you a week to prepare.  You will each be tasked with joining an E Grade caravan that is making a delivery.  The planets you¡¯ll be sent to are not currently outfitted with a robust teleportation network, and you can expect your deliveries to take anywhere between one sixth to half a cycle.¡±

    That was interesting to Kyle.  If the caravan is expected to be fine with only E Grades, why involve a D Grade at all?  There has to be more to the test.  As if reading his mind, the announcer continued after a brief pause.

    ¡°This should go without saying, but after Phase One we want to be clear.  You will be measured on the successful completion of the mission.  There are additional objectives you may accomplish to demonstrate your value ¨C however the pass or fail will be based on whether or not your mission objectives are completed.  You will be given a full breakdown of the parameters upon the start of Phase Two.  You have seventy-eight hours to prepare, we expect you all back in this room and prepared to depart at that time.¡±

    With that, the group was dismissed.  Several groups of applicants formed, chatting amicably with one another.  Kyle assumed that many of them were part of the same classes, and had come to know one another through the course of their preparation.  Hell, some of them likely had attempted the Practicum together at least once.  The velgian was the first to leave, ignoring several groups that tried calling out to him to start conversation.

    Too good for the rest of us, I suppose.  Still, Kyle couldn¡¯t bring himself to think poorly of the velgian.  The reality was pretty simple ¨C he really was that good.  All of his gear appeared to be top-notch, and coupled with the presence IDENTIFY showed, there really wasn¡¯t much competition for the strongest among their group.

    A gaggle of people surrounded the kid in the black robes, who was excitedly swapping stories with some of the other applicants.  Already thinking about what how he was going to spend the next few days, Kyle nearly ran right into the pink-skinned woman who had finished her circuit of the room and headed straight for him.

    ¡°Excuse me, I didn¡¯t mean to get in your way.¡±  Kyle said, taking a step back and giving her room to pass.

    ¡°You¡¯re not in my way at all, I came to talk to you.  My name¡¯s Tillienne, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±  She gave a shallow curtsey, and only then did Kyle realize exactly how deep the cut of her neckline went.  He focused on her dark, almond-shaped eyes intently.

    ¡°You can call me Kyle.  Tillienne, I¡¯m afraid you might have the wrong idea.  There¡¯s not much business somebody like you would have with a backwater D Grade like me.¡±

    She gave a grin that was absolutely predatory, revealing perfectly white teeth behind her full, plump lips.  ¡°Why would you say something silly like that?¡±

    Kyle gave her a flat look, and spoke with an even flatter tone.  ¡°Because based on the quality of your equipment, credits aren¡¯t an issue for you.  You¡¯re either independently wealthy or have the backing of influential people.  Beyond that, you¡¯re easily one of the most powerful people in the room.  I don¡¯t have any connections that would be noteworthy for somebody like you, and I¡¯m not looking to get tangled up with a bigger faction right now.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s objections flowed off of Tillienne like water off a duck¡¯s back as she laughed, a twinkle in her eye. ¡°And if I didn¡¯t have an identification skill of my own, all that might be true.  You¡¯re the first ¡®backwater D Grade¡¯ I¡¯ve ever met that I have no confidence in beating, and that has me interested.¡±

    Repressing flashbacks from his sparring sessions with Skippy, Kyle tried to come up with a response.  Before he could, she jumped in.  ¡°Come on, at least meet up with me for a bite to eat.  It¡¯d be my treat.¡±

    After six weeks of eating little other than rations, gourds, and mushrooms, Kyle¡¯s stomach made that decision for him.

    ~~~

    Shadowed figures observed as the human exchanged information with the fae woman before leaving the Institute¡¯s grounds.

    ¡°He¡¯s an interesting candidate, no doubt about it.¡±  The voice was smooth as velvet, nearly seeming to purr as it spoke.

    ¡°You need to hire better proctors.  They were so blinded by the flashy events they missed the most remarkable pieces of Phase One.¡±  This voice was stern, the reproach clear in its gravelly tone.

    The first voice responded, unperturbed by the criticism.  ¡°Oh relax, that¡¯s why I allow the viewing parties in the first place.  The proctors decide if they pass, we decide where they work.¡±

    There was no argument forthcoming, and soon the shadowy projections winked out.  The voice that spoke first lingered just a moment longer, watching the human leave.  Kyle Mayhew¡­  It wasn¡¯t often the whole design of the Practicum was thrown into disarray, and the human had done it beautifully.  Refusing to engage with the examination¡¯s mechanics while finding a way to pass was a testament to the bizarre capabilities the young man possessed. Don¡¯t disappoint me now.

 Chapter 162

    Despite Kyle¡¯s better judgment, he woke the next day and left his apartment to meet Tillienne at the restaurant she recommended.  It was fairly high-class, and he opted to leave C.H.A.D.D. at his apartment.  For one, he didn¡¯t want to risk the drone saying something it shouldn¡¯t, and he also wasn¡¯t sure how much the fae woman could discern.  He spent the evening researching identification skills, and found that most in E Grade, and even D Grade, were more akin to his Auric Perception trait.  They typically would grant an impression of different energies and allow their users to more easily sense mana.

    The problem was that there were exceptions to the rule.  Kyle¡¯s own IDENTIFY was significantly more powerful than it should have been for somebody of his grade and level.  While he didn¡¯t expect that Tillienne had something qualitatively equal, he fully expected her ability to be well outside the norms.  Either way, nothing good would come from allowing somebody like her to examine C.H.A.D.D. too closely.

    After some consideration, he also decided to leave his weapons and armor at the apartment.  It wasn¡¯t uncommon for awakened to wear their equipment in this district, however it could be considered rude when meeting an acquaintance.  Given the strict regulations and incredibly low crime courtesy of the Verdant Republic, Kyle was sure that he would be alright.  Even if he was attacked, he¡¯d be able to survive long enough for appropriate peacekeeping forces to arrive.

    Kyle walked through the crowded streets to the restaurant, which was near the heart of the shopping hub of his district.  People of all different species and ages were present, flowing into and out of the different stores like water.  Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think about how normal it all was.  Despite struggles for survival on many planets, despite the threat of certain death in so many other worlds, life moved on at the Hub without a single care.

    He thought about the Central Authority, and the peace that people had enjoyed on Earth.  In some ways, this wasn¡¯t dissimilar.  The crowd was made up primarily of unawakened, with a handful of E Grades and only a single other D Grade presence.  The difference was that this peace was backed by more absolute power.  The B Grades at the top of Collective management secured a peace that the Central Authority was unable to hold on to.

    Before Kyle could reflect further on the idea, he felt the presence making its way through the crowd.  It was Tillienne, now wearing a beautiful floral gown instead of the colorful combat armor.  It was a seafoam green, going down as far as her knee, with an open back that allowed free motion for all four of her arms.  She smiled as she got closer, and he again focused on her eyes.  Different standards of modesty, Kyle.

    ¡°I half expected you weren¡¯t going to show up!¡±  Tillienne said, a chipper tone in her voice.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been a while since I had a nice meal.¡± Kyle said, defensively.  Tillienne laughed, and the two of them entered the restaurant.  Two sensations hit Kyle at once; the dimmed light and a mouth-watering aroma.  They were led to a table, and before Kyle knew it a plate of sizzling meats and vegetables were laid out before them in a dazzling array.

    If it looked less than wonderful, Kyle might have pondered why he didn¡¯t get a chance to order first, but the food was just too tempting.  The meat was springy at first, though as he chewed it melted in his mouth like butter.  The spices reminded him vaguely of the rich flavors of North African cuisine, though they also carried with them notes of sweetness that were entirely foreign.

    It was about four bites in that Kyle realized he hadn¡¯t spoken another word to Tillienne since they¡¯d arrived, and a growing pit of horror grew in his stomach alongside the meat.  It dissipated as he saw her tearing into the meal with equal gusto, and he returned to his own plate, satisfied he hadn¡¯t offended.  The two ate in the quiet for a while, with more plates of exotic dishes being brought to them as they tucked in.

    Only when herbal tea was brought to the table did they take a break, Tillienne watching Kyle with a twinkle in her eye.  ¡°How did you like the meal?¡±

    ¡°It was amazing.  I can¡¯t remember the last time I had food this good.¡±

    Tillienne beamed.  ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell my sister, she never gets tired of hearing that customers love her food!¡±

    ¡°Wait, your sister made all this?¡±

    ¡°Yes!  She¡¯s one of only a handful of D Grade Chefs in this area.  Most that make it to D Grade get snapped up by one faction or another.¡±

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    ¡°Does that mean she owns the restaurant?¡±  Kyle felt a little foolish by asking the question, though at this point he was genuinely curious.

    Tillienne shook her head slowly.  ¡°Unfortunately, she doesn¡¯t, though the owners have treated her well.  It also means she can¡¯t comp our meal.¡±

    Only now did Kyle consider exactly how expensive a meal cooked by a bona fide D Grade might cost. Having not seen a menu, his mind immediately jumped to a scenario where he¡¯d be bankrupted by the meal.  ¡°How much did it cost?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing for you to worry about.  I invited you out, and in exchange,¡± She paused, examining his face, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask for three honest answers to my questions.  How does that sound?¡±

    Kyle nodded slowly.  ¡°That seems fair, provided I can choose which questions to answer.  After your three, how about a trade?  Question for question?¡±

    Kyle might as well have asked a cat if wanted to chase a mouse.  Her eyes lit up at the offer, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he made a mistake.  ¡°That sounds wonderful!  I¡¯ll go first.  Your grasp of mana control is exceptional, at what school did you train your skills?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m mostly self-taught, and I trained on my planet.  I also trained at our government¡¯s medical facilities, though overall that had less to do with my mana control.¡±

    A thoughtful frown appeared on Tillienne¡¯s face at his response, as though it was well outside the boundaries of what she expected.  ¡°It must have been a challenge to go from being self-taught to progressing to where you are, much less to find an opportunity to get to the hub.  What factions did you align with to make that happen?¡±

    Not seeing a reason to hide it, Kyle responded.  ¡°I was sponsored by Corthian Mining, though only as far as getting my citizenship and putting roots down.  I earned the credits that I have honestly, and my connection to them has run its course.  I have no other affiliations as of now.¡±

    She paused for a moment to drink her tea, an appraising look in her dark eyes.  Kyle matched it.  He knew that the sponsorship was likely public, as Corthian Mining didn¡¯t want their reputation tarnished by not offering him sufficient luxury.  Furthermore, her response told him that she probably didn¡¯t know.  That meant that either her information network wasn¡¯t as deep as he¡¯d thought it could be.  Or, more likely, he wasn¡¯t significant enough to warrant the heightened degree of attention.

    Tillienne seemed to settle on something, setting her jaw as the tea was lowered form her lips.  ¡°I am a pretty good judge of power, and one of my skills gives me a good idea of how well I would stack up in a combat encounter.  The impression you give off is unique ¨C incredibly so.  Other than Arhades, you¡¯re the only other person in this pool of applicants that I would have almost no chance of beating.  Tell me ¨C why is that?¡±

    There¡¯s the meat of the matter.  As he bought time by sipping his own tea, Kyle considered her problem.  While he didn¡¯t know much about Tillienne yet, she clearly possessed a high degree of both personal and institutional power.  For somebody like her to run into a total unknown that was competitive with her level of power would not have been a common occurrence.  She¡¯d likely been banking on Kyle being a hidden scion of an influential faction, and instead she was eating lunch with a bumpkin.  When viewed through that lens, her question made sense.  He thought about passing on it, but instead decided to answer directly.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a bad matchup for me.  You strike me as somebody who would be overwhelming to most people around your level, but I don¡¯t think you have the tools you¡¯d need to put somebody like me down before you ran out of energy.  It¡¯s probably the same with the velgian.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re awfully confident in your abilities, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked the question.¡±

    Tillienne paused to sip more tea, a twinkle in her eye joining the smile on her face.  ¡°So I did.¡±

    Satisfied that he hadn¡¯t offended, Kyle decided it was his turn.  ¡°I¡¯ve never met one of your people before, and I¡¯m definitely not from around here.  Would you be willing to tell me about your species?¡±

    She nodded.  ¡°Of course.  We are the fae, and we are not commonplace outside of our home world.¡±

    The two chatted for a while, and Kyle learned a lot about fae culture and heritage.  It turned out that all  fae children were born awakened, which brought with it a slew of blessings and curses.  Every aspect of their culture was designed to nurture a healthy path, with an incredible focus on fairness and equal exchanges.

    That was partially why, despite a couple of B Grades at the top of their social hierarchy, they didn¡¯t have any major influence in the Collective.  Without the ability to backstab and deal in bad faith, it was difficult to navigate the intricate politics of the organization.  Coupled with a low population, it was enough to push them to the fringes of Collective society.

    Tillienne, for her part, was a delightful conversationalist.  She told stories of her home world with enthusiasm, eyes widening as she discussed some of her favorites.  Kyle, for his part, listened.  He shared stories about Earth when prompted, and before he knew it nearly six hours had passed.

    ¡°I suppose we should probably go prepare for Phase Two.¡± Tillienne said, no sign of worry in her voice.  ¡°This was lovely.  Thank you for joining me for a meal.¡±

    ¡°It was my pleasure.  And you¡¯re certain you can cover the costs?¡±  Kyle asked, a hint of trepidation in his voice.

    ¡°Certainly.  Though next time we get together, I¡¯d be very interested to see if your assessment of being a bad matchup for me is true.¡±

    In his mind¡¯s eye, he pictured the grinning form of Skippy.  Too much to ask for another free lunch.

 Chapter 163

    The remaining time flew past like a blink of an eye, and Kyle was once again standing in the assembly hall of the Institute.  Unsure of exactly what he wanted to bring, Kyle settled once again for his all-terrain outfit to go with his armor, as well as another set of rations for his pack.  Compared to Phase One, the energy in the room was considerably more muted, with everybody in attendance seeming to be more on edge.  He nodded a greeting to Tillienne as she arrived, which she matched with a warm smile before walking over to her position.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you sensing anything off with the people here?  It feels like everybody is stressed out.¡±

    [I AM DETECTING ELEVATED STRESS HORMONES, DR. MAYHEW.  APPARENTLY, THE NEXT PHASE CARRIES WITH IT SOME ADDITIONAL RISKS.]

    That made sense, though Kyle felt as though he was clearly out of the loop.  The exercise was fairly simple at face value, and while Kyle hadn¡¯t done anything quite like it before, he didn¡¯t believe that it warranted this level of response.  Most likely, there was context the other applicants had that he was missing.  While it didn¡¯t help him understand precisely what the danger was, their responses confirmed to Kyle he would need to take this test seriously.  Soon, a voice rang out through the room.

    ¡°Welcome, applicants!  Soon, you will be stepping onto the teleporter and beginning Phase Two of your Practicum.  As we mentioned before, you will be working alongside a team of E Grades for this mission.  Further specifics will be provided as you arrive, but we want to make one thing clear.  Extraction is available for you and you only upon either success or failure of the mission.  The only way to leave early is to fail the mission, with which your squad mates will likely take issue.¡±

    There was a serious pause in the room as the message took hold.  Hazarding a quick glance around the room, Kyle didn¡¯t see many surprised looks.   Probably part of the stress, he thought.  Knowing there was no real safety net would undoubtedly be a challenge for people who only trained in carefully curated environments.  For Kyle, having any option to escape at all was a luxury he¡¯d never enjoyed.

    ¡°Now, step up to the platform, and let Phase Two commence!¡±

    As before, the velgian was the first to step onto the platform, his bored expression a mirror of his departure to Phase One.  He disappeared in a flash, and this time Tillienne was the next to follow.  The black-robed man was third, and Kyle followed after.

    The next thing Kyle knew, he was standing in an idyllic meadow, tall grasses and flowers blown by a gentle yet persistent wind.  He could smell the fresh scent of the plant life, and looked out at the rolling hills beyond.  There was a wide, stone road that carved a path through the meadow, without a tree in sight.

    Kyle was snapped out of his observation by the sound of footfalls coming from behind him.  Cresting one of the hills was a caravan, with a heavily armored vehicle surrounded by nearly a dozen armored figures riding what looked like oversized velociraptors.  The giant lizards were grey with brightly-colored streaks, and each footfall resounded with a thump on the stone road.

    The knights all wore similar armor, and Kyle saw that most carried lances, with three carrying heavy crossbows and one with a staff.  Their armor was emblazoned with an insignia Kyle recognized from his studies ¨C that of the Archdrake Supremacy.  Inwardly, he groaned.  This is going to be such a pain.

    Like many of the major factions, the bulk of their military was composed of mid-tier E Grades, though in this case there were a few notable differences.  Because their governmental structure was essentially a theocracy with the dragons on top, the other races who signed up to serve in the military were typically among the more zealous members of the religion as well.  Beyond that, there was a hierarchy in the religion that was entirely separate from grade and power.  That meant that Kyle, despite being a D Grade, would be at the very bottom along with all other non-believers.

    The caravan slowed to a halt as the figure with the staff approached.  From what Kyle could see, the man was human.  Wrinkles were just visible through the eye slit in his silver helm, and Auric Perception made his skin tingle as he felt the power flowing through the staff.  The man before him wasn¡¯t weak by any stretch of the imagination, likely near the apex of E Grade.

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    ¡°So, you¡¯re the help.¡±  Kyle couldn¡¯t see the other man¡¯s face, though the sneer was evident in his voice.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be bringing up the rear.  You¡¯ll be taking middle watch.  You¡¯ll be allowed to eat after we have, and you¡¯ll take care of the dro¡¯khar when we set up camp.¡±

    As if that was sufficient explanation, the man turned his dinosaur ¨C dro¡¯khar ¨C and continued down the road.  The others followed suit, not even pausing to greet Kyle.  As the armored vehicle rumbled past, a powerful presence brushed against his senses.  Whatever was being transported by the caravan had at least the same quality of mana as the pseudo-world tree seeds, which set Kyle on edge.

    He allowed the caravan to completely pass him, falling into the rear as he whispered to C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°Did you get a good look at the treasure?¡±

    [IT APPEARS TO BE AN EGG, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Any idea what could be in it?¡±

    [NONE AT ALL.  FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, INSCRIPTIONS HAVE BEEN CARVED INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SHELL, AND IT IS RAPIDLY ABSORBING AMBIENT ENERGY.  IT IS ALSO SHIFTING THE ATMOSPHERIC MANA IT DRAWS IN, THOUGH AT THIS TIME I CANNOT DISCERN THE SPECIFIC CHANGES.]

    ¡°Keep me posted if you can learn anything else.  This whole thing is giving me a bad feeling.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s experience with Corthian Mining taught him just how valuable treasures of this quality were.  The mining company took great pains to secure their resources, and there was absolutely no way they would entrust an item like this to the care of exclusively E Grades if they could help it.  Even equipped with an armored caravan, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much against real D Grade opposition.  Hell, Kyle was confident he could take the whole group without much effort if he really wanted to.

    He looked down at his nav bracelet, where instructions and a destination appeared.  Ensure successful delivery of the package to its destination.  From what Kyle could tell from the map, the egg left a city earlier in the morning, and was in transit to its new home roughly two day¡¯s travel from their current location.  All the cities were under the control of the Archdrake Supremacy, though Kyle didn¡¯t see anything noteworthy in the open plains between.  There were no forests, no mountains, just endless expanses of plains.

    At face value, that made for a simple delivery.  There was no dangerous terrain, no freak weather.  With how open everything was, there was little chance of being ambushed.  That led Kyle to one conclusion: they were going to be attacked, head on, by an overwhelming force.  Otherwise, what was the point of having a D Grade come along?  While he still didn¡¯t understand the Archdrake Supremacy¡¯s reason to go along with the Practicum, it was likely they had some other interest at play.

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. followed the caravan closely as the hours ticked by, with nothing more eventful than one of the dro¡¯khar nearly bucking off its rider when it lunged for a small furry mammal that ran across its path.  They set camp for the first night, and Kyle was forced to eat his own rations as he wasn¡¯t allowed to sit with the others around the fire.  He did so without complaining, as well as taking his watch without a word.

    The whole time, C.H.A.D.D. was running scan after scan, checking for any signs of an attack.  D Grades could move quickly, but Kyle felt confident that the drone would be able to identify most anything that could be lying in wait before it was upon them.  So, two days into the journey, it wasn¡¯t a surprise to Kyle when the drone notified him of quickly approaching presences, including a D Grade.  Increasing his speed, Kyle made his way to the man carrying the staff.

    ¡°Sir, we have incoming.  Six beasts, including one at D Grade will be here in less than two minutes.¡±  Kyle figured the short, direct report would be an appropriate way to spur him to action.

    Instead, the caravan leader snorted.  ¡°Our sensors haven¡¯t picked up anything.  Now get back to your station before I have you removed from the detail.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you need to get into formation now.  You¡¯ll be overrun if you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°And delay our arrival even further?  The Grand Dragon was explicit in his commands when we were sent to this corner of the Supremacy.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not from here?¡±

    He scoffed.  ¡°Of course not.  This is an opportunity to once again cement myself among the Grand Dragon¡¯s emissaries, and I will not see it squandered by the notions of a non-believer.  Now return to the rear guard.  I¡¯m done with you.¡±

    Kyle just sighed.  A few pieces clicked into place.  This insufferable man, and likely his entire team, were on the outs.  In their eyes, they were sent here for this delivery as proof that they were still valuable to the Grand Dragon, whoever that was.  Much more likely, in Kyle¡¯s opinion, was that they were sent here because if they failed, the Archdrake Supremacy wasn¡¯t going to lose good people.

    Just as he returned to his position, an alarm was raised.  Kyle was already getting a headache thinking about the mental gymnastics the convoy captain would put together to justify the source of the attack.  He drew the baton Themestra made him, and walked over to the side of the armored transport.  He could see six dark, feathered shapes exploding through the long grass.  It was time.

 Chapter 164

    The birds were fast.  Kyle suspected that, were he back in E Grade, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep up without HASTE fully active.  Before the guards could get fully into position, three of the feathered monsters jumped into the air, then somehow kicked off of it and plummeted towards the ground like obsidian meteors.  Despite their poor positioning, Kyle was prepared.  Tendrils of mana extended between him and the riders, and individual domes of protection erupted to life as Kyle activated STORM SHELTER.

    The birds crashed into the barriers and bounced off as the riders gained their bearings, confused by the sudden appearance of the skill.  Red eyes fixed on Kyle as the birds fell back, not seeming eager to continue their assault as they looked him up and down.

    Kyle took the opportunity to size the birds up as well.  They were each just over two meters tall at their standing height, though now they kept their torsos low to the ground.  They had jet-black feathers that didn¡¯t budge in the breeze, standing in stark contrast to almost bone-white beaks the size of Kyle¡¯s forearm.

    Their chirps almost sounded like the low croaking of frogs as they swayed back and forth, and IDENTIFY showed Kyle mana building in their leg muscles as they prepared for another attack.  The impression from the five E Grade birds was that of deadly pack hunters.  Their sharp beaks and powerful kicks likely allowed them to hunt all types of prey, and their abilities appeared to fall firmly in the realm of the physical.

    The D Grade, however, was another story.  On the surface, it looked very similar to the other birds.  In fact, Kyle could barely detect any differences in the physical attributes.  Instead, Kyle could see a wide spectrum of distinct mana types flowing through the bird.  It was undoubtedly a caster, and Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the mana begin to shape into a skill.

    Without thinking, he reached out with tendrils of mana to disrupt it.  He wasn¡¯t sure what the creature was up to, but he didn¡¯t like the complex tapestry of energy it was weaving.  The bird let out a surprised squawk and jumped back and out of range, flaring its wings as it activated its skill.  Violet sigils appeared across its body, glowing brightly even in the midday sun.  The same markings began to appear on the other birds, and Kyle realized what it was doing.  It¡¯s boosting them.

    He was reminded of the RALLY skill he passed up at the end of E Grade.  It was powerful, certainly, but it also came with drawbacks.  Kyle expected that this was likely a D Grade variant of a similar skill, and considered the possibilities as he focused with IDENTIFY.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., let me know when you start seeing inconsistencies within the birds.  Anything odd moving forward could be valuable.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Good, all we need to do now is be patient and not do anything rash ¨C

    ¡°CHARGE!¡±

    The voice of the convoy leader rang out, and Kyle wanted to strangle the man.  While they had the birds outnumbered, their individual attack power was already potent before their buffs.  The intelligent play would have been to take advantage of their numbers with a defensive formation.  Unfortunately, the riders were loyal to their commanding officer.  The soldiers didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment before spurring their dro¡¯khar directly towards the birds, who croaked a loud challenge as their adversaries approached.

    The first rider spurred his mount onward as he leveled his lance at the nearest avian, which blurred into motion and caught him square in the chest with two clawed feet, dismounting him and taking him to the ground with a sickening crunch.  Kyle was there in a moment, baton flashing as he lashed out at the bird, while simultaneously connecting to the fallen man with PARASITIC RESONANCE and using his own mana reserves to heal the broken ribs and punctured lung.

    A crossbow bolt managed to clip one of the birds as it tried to dodge a lance, though Kyle had to toss up STORM SHELTER to protect the Ranger from being run through by another charging bird.  The battle was absolute chaos, and Kyle found he was spending most of his time trying to keep the seemingly suicidal guards alive.

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    Between the guards and their mounts, Kyle didn¡¯t have enough tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE available to form a significant connection to the giant birds.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a top-down view of the battle to the corner of Kyle¡¯s vision, and he liberally deployed STORM SHELTER to protect against the boosted attacks from the avians.  As soon as a shield would drop, Kyle would be in the center of the fray, baton flashing back and forth as he kept the enemies at bay long enough for the guards to regain their position.

    The birds appeared to be growing wary of Kyle¡¯s shield, and two tried to attack him directly.  Annoyingly, the soldiers didn¡¯t even try to intercept them, instead chasing the remaining three creatures.  While their speed and power eclipsed what E Grades should be capable of courtesy of their boosts, there was still a vast chasm of ability between them and Kyle.  He ducked under an aerial pounce, allowing the second bird to peck him with its pointed beak.  He turned his shoulder to take the blow, and it didn¡¯t even break skin.

    Kyle retaliated with three quick strikes, and the birds retreated from him, appearing to have learned a painful lesson.  Kyle was about to give chase, only to see another soldier dismounted as another of the birds evaded pursuit and counterattacked.  He extended tendrils of mana and activated STORM SHELTER once again while channeling HEAL to the downed fighter and his dro¡¯khar.

    The D Grade, for its part, stayed back.  In addition to the boosting skill, it also had a variety of different healing and protection abilities.  Kyle felt as though he was fighting a proxy war, with he and the D Grade battling through their allies.  Unfortunately for the giant bird, wars of attrition were Kyle¡¯s specialty.  He was constantly draining and distributing mana across his own fighters, while the other D Grade had to use its own reserves.

    Soon, the violet sigils began to fade.  The beast let out a croak, and the birds disengaged, running back through the swaying grass with impressive speed.  Kyle¡¯s work was far from done, however, and his next several hours were spent treating the heavy injuries that both the soldiers and the dro¡¯khar received.  Miraculously, nobody was injured beyond his ability to recover, though the group would not make any more progress for the day.

    Kyle took his seat off to the side of the group as he reflected on the fight.  He felt that he¡¯d gained a level afterwards, though he¡¯d need to wait to enter meditation to confirm it.  There was a heated discussion happening among the soldiers, and soon the convoy leader was making his way over towards Kyle.  He expected the man would come talk to him at some point after the fight ¨C after all, Kyle was right in offering the advanced warning.  He¡¯d already prepared himself to handle the conversation with grace, and hoped this would be a fresh start.

    The man approached within three or so meters of Kyle, still in full armor.  ¡°You have to be the most useless D Grade I¡¯ve ever come across.  Any real warrior would have dispatched the birds, any real sorcerer would have destroyed them before they ever got close.  But you, you weren¡¯t even able to fight.  You¡¯re a complete waste.  If it wasn¡¯t for the birds¡¯ mana draining ability, we would have ended them easily.  You¡¯re taking the whole watch tonight, so the real fighters can rest.¡±

    With that, he turned on his heel and went back to his place.  Kyle sat, mouth slack, at the audacity of the convoy leader.  Suppressing the urge to show the man exactly how competent he was in a fight, Kyle sat and composed himself.  If he weren¡¯t concerned about sparking a diplomatic incident, Kyle would just take the damn egg and run it to the next city.  It would be faster¡­

    ~~~

    Suerrillax watched with wide eyes as she replayed the scene.  Ebon pterix were incredibly dangerous pack hunters, and the ones that attacked the Archdrake Supremacy caravan were particularly high level, even having a flock leader in the mix.  Typically, an attack like this so early into Phase Two would result in either an outright failure, or at minimum force the applicant to abandon either the caravan or the treasure for a time.

    Monsters like Arhades wouldn¡¯t have any problems, of course, as they would just slaughter the beasts and go on their way.  Indeed, that¡¯s exactly how a handful of applicants handled the situation.  In contrast, this human had somehow managed to keep the entire team of fools alive while hardly engaging the hostile creatures at all.

    Ordinarily Suerrillax would have chalked it up to the creatures being weak, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the case.  Watching the replay, she began making a tally of each time the human¡¯s actions saved one of the caravan members.  Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine.  His timely interventions had essentially prevented each of the guards from being killed three times over.

    Once more, the human had impressed her.  Rupiniax had convinced her to write him off a bit during the end of Phase One, and she had to admit he was dreadfully boring to watch.  Even now, his performance was far less flashy than many of the other applicants.  Still, for those with a trained eye, his results were every bit as outstanding as the major powerhouses.  For a moment, she wondered what he could do if he was supporting somebody like Arhades instead of a squad of nobody E Grades¡­

    Suerrillax shook her head as she focused back on the screens.  She noted the times on the replays for her superiors, and fixed her dark eyes on the real time feed.  There was still a long way to go in Phase Two, and she was interested to see how the human would handle what was coming next.

 Chapter 165

    The caravan continued its journey across the plans uncontested for another two days. The captain ¨C who Kyle learned was named Earl ¨C attributed the safety to his squad¡¯s superior fighting force. The entire notion was laughable, but it also reinforced the problem Kyle was having. Dealing with these zealots would require a careful touch, which was almost assuredly one of the points of this test.

    As they¡¯d walked, C.H.A.D.D. had been quietly reviewing the lectures and notes they¡¯d taken on the Archdrake Supremacy. Because people of all species and backgrounds were welcome to join, it was easily the most diverse faction in the universe. At the same time, the entire society pushed back heavily on anybody who offered slights to the religion. While it rarely took the form of violence, open critics of the Supremacy would often find themselves unwelcome in affiliated establishments.

    If he handled this incorrectly, Kyle ran the risk of starting his career as an independent operator with one of the wealthiest and most influential factions putting pressure on his business. Hell, depending on how poorly he did, the impact could even spill over onto the other refugees coming from Earth. So, he reviewed every note he¡¯d taken on the specifics of the social structure, hoping to find a way forward.

    Because of the diverse backgrounds that fed into it, the Archdrake Supremacy had a well-defined structure for interacting with one another. The first, and simplest of these tenets was that Dragons were to be venerated. As the only species that consistently achieved A Grade, the religion contended that all Dragons were chosen by mana to be leaders, with other species designed to serve. In theory, this meant that the Archdrake Supremacy viewed themselves as beings above the other Collective members.

    The important thing with the first tenet was to ensure proper respect was offered. The Archdrake Supremacy hired a lot of contractors and mercenaries, even though many didn¡¯t abide by the religion. So long as there wasn¡¯t outright heresy, the influential powers that be didn¡¯t tend to particularly care, provided the jobs were getting done with consistency.

    The second major tenet was in the vein of the first ¨C a Dragon¡¯s realm is sacred. Basically, don¡¯t show up unannounced and uninvited to a Dragon¡¯s lair. It seemed pretty simple, but apparently there had been some real issues with Dragon hunters early on in the universe. Even though Dragons were born at C Grade, they develop slowly. Given their particularly high affinity for mana, Dragon scales, bones, and blood were highly prized materials for certain types of craftsmen. The second tenet was designed to protect younger Dragons from these types of invaders, and retaliation would be swift and brutal for any violators.

    From those two core beliefs, the organization branched into its structure. B Grade Paragons were at the helm, working closely with the Dragons. That was the highest rank non-Dragons could achieve, and was also the only one with a restriction on personal power. Practically, other high-ranking members of the Supremacy were C Grade and above, but they had reviewed cases where independents had unknowingly insulted even high-ranking unawakened and faced consequences.

    Kyle was fairly certain that the guards for this caravan were neither high-ranking nor influential. Unfortunately, Kyle doubted the caravan¡¯s leader was self-aware enough to realize that. The angle he¡¯d need to take was to demonstrate that his course of action was somehow better aligned with the Dragon¡¯s purpose than theirs was. To do that, he¡¯d need to get a better understanding of what they were even doing making this delivery.

    ¡°Can you tell me anything else about the egg?¡±

    [I¡¯M AFRAID NOT, DR. MAYHEW. IT CONTINUES TO SLOWLY GATHER ENERGY, AND IS OTHERWISE INERT.]

    There¡¯s no way it¡¯s a dragon egg, right?

    ¡°Can you see what¡¯s inside of it? Any scans you can show of the embryo would be helpful.¡±

    [UNFORTUNATELY, I AM UNABLE TO GET DETAILED SCANS OF THE INTERIOR. THE LAYERS OF PROTECTION AROUND IT MAKE THE IMAGE QUALITY LACKLUSTER AT BEST, WELL OUTSIDE DIAGNOSTIC STANDARDS.]

    Kyle¡¯s gut told him that they wouldn¡¯t trust a dragon egg to a squad led by a buffoon like this leader, but it was still something valuable. What¡¯s more, the aura it released was something that attracted beasts. If the first attack wasn¡¯t evidence enough, C.H.A.D.D. picked up signs of multiple other creatures at the perimeter of its range. Other than the initial attack from the birds, most of the beasts were weak, and appeared unwilling to risk attacking the caravan.

    The case he was preparing was fairly simple, but tied directly to the goal of the Archdrake Supremacy ¨C Kyle would offer to take the item and personally carry it, accompanied by several of the guards and their mounts. That would enable them to make significantly better time, while also reducing the risk of death for the caravan. Conceptually, Kyle thought that it made a lot of sense, allowing the leader to save some face, and giving Kyle a chance to get the job done without risking his reputation among the Supremacy.

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    He resolved to present it publicly when the caravan settled in for the evening, but just as they began to slow C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans revealed over a dozen presences, approaching quickly from three different directions. From the signatures the drone was revealing, it was the same birds that first attacked them, now in larger numbers. This time, Kyle didn¡¯t bother trying to run to the caravan leader.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got incoming! More of the birds from before, coming from the south, southeast, and east. Get into defensive formations!¡±

    A couple of the guards listened to Kyle, but the rest turned towards their leader, who wore a thoughtful frown. For a moment, just a brief moment, Kyle hoped the man would be reasonable. That hope was dashed with the first words out of his mouth.

    ¡°Prepare to set camp, as before. Our scouting skills don¡¯t detect any threat. If the outsider is correct, we were able to fight them off before. We will do so again. It¡¯s the mark of a true amateur to overreact in such a manner to the natural movements of beasts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a natural movement. I was right before, and I¡¯m right now. Whatever¡¯s inside that armored coach, it¡¯s attracting them. I can take it and run to draw them off, or we can get ready to fight. Those are the only two options we have right now.¡±

    The leader responded with a sneer. ¡°Just because you were worthless in the last engagement doesn¡¯t mean my men are frightened. If the beasts approach, we will repel them like before.¡± He turned away from Kyle and looked to the nervously shuffling guards. ¡°Now, set up camp! I want fires lit and food on before it gets dark.¡±

    Kyle was ready to slap the man. Against these numbers, no matter how hard Kyle fought, the guards would have casualties. Being unprepared would just add to them. Kyle stormed up to the leader, right as one of the scouts spoke up.

    ¡°Sir, he¡¯s right! They just got into our range, and they¡¯re approaching quickly. Fourteen total, what are your orders?¡±

    The leader shot one glare at Kyle, filled with loathing and contempt. ¡°Prepare for battle. Outsider, try not to be a waste of space this time.¡±

    To their credit, the guards did a much better job of getting in formation this time. When the first birds arrived, they were met with a steady stream of arrows and bolts from the Rangers, who were protected by a line of leveled lances. In most circumstances, it might have been enough to drive the creatures away. Unfortunately, these circumstances were anything but ordinary. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans had been inconclusive, but as the birds approached Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception felt the distinct signatures of three D Grades. The one from before made a return with its flock, and each of the other groups consisted of three of the jet-black E Grade avians and a D Grade leader.

    This was made clear as the strange sigils began to glow on the D Grades as they treated injuries and uplifted their followers. For the first time since leaving Earth, Kyle was confronted with the reality that he couldn¡¯t save everybody. There were too many of the birds fighting over too large a space, and he didn¡¯t have the tools to support all the guards across it. Resigning himself for what would be, Kyle¡¯s focus sharpened. The best way to preserve lives now was to deal with the threats.

    Kyle held the baton crafted by Themestra, and activated IGNITION. Normally, he reserved this skill as a finisher. It was quite the departure from HASTE, which he had used liberally across all components of his fighting style. Feeling the pain in his body as the skill drew in power, Kyle took a breath before exploding into action.

    A man screamed as one of the birds dismounted him with a double-footed kick, and Kyle was there in a moment. The man¡¯s chestplate was crumpled, and Kyle knew it was too late to save him. Instead, Kyle focused on the attacking bird. IDENTIFY showed him the power flowing into the creature, and a tendril of PARASITIC RESONANCE disrupted the beneficial energy as a flash from the baton caved its head in. A moment later, Kyle ducked under a piercing beak as another tendril of energy connected to his new assailant. With a minor effort, he twisted. The second bird fell lifeless to the ground.

    The pain from IGNITION was beginning to intensify, and Kyle clenched his teeth through it. He locked eyes with the D Grade whose flock he¡¯d been thinning, which promptly ran towards its allies with a series of croaks. Kyle was about to pursue, when an explosion rang out. A blinding light came from the direction of the armored caravan, and Kyle¡¯s vision cleared just in time to see the caravan leader riding off into the distance with a large parcel under his arms. The absolute bastard.

    The birds, seeming to notice their target was gone, turned to pursue. Kyle looked at the caravan, with all but the Rangers heavily wounded or dead. The encounter had been a quick one, and if it had persisted much longer Kyle had no doubt that there would have been even more bodies. He walked through the camp, using PARASITIC RESONANCE to provide quick triage while evening out the mana levels of the survivors. Four of the guards were dead, as were six of the dro¡¯khar.

    One of the injured men looked up at him, a hollow look in his eyes as he stared at the fallen bodies of his companions. ¡°What will we do now?¡±

    ¡°Stay here with the caravan. I¡¯m going to retrieve the package and finish the job.¡± Red light coalesced around Kyle as IGNITION was activated once again, and he dashed out into the growing gloom.

 Chapter 166

    Every cell in Kyle¡¯s body burned with energy as IGNITION flowed through him.  He was moving faster than ever before as he followed the trail from AURIC PERCEPTION and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s directions.  Each step caused the muscles in his body to scream at him in protest, though Kyle simply pushed energy through ADAPTIVE REGENERATION as he continued his race across the plains.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU SURE THIS IS WISE?  THE DAMAGE TO YOUR BODY IS ACCUMULATING FROM USING YOUR SKILL SO LIBERALLY.  ATTEMPTING TO FIGHT WHILE INJURED WOULD BE ILL-ADVISED.]

    ¡°If the damage is too high, we¡¯ll stop at the edge of your sensor range and I¡¯ll recover before we engage.  I¡¯m testing something, and I think we¡¯ll be in a better position than you¡¯d think.¡±

    [I CERTAINLY HOPE SO, DR. MAYHEW.  BIRDS WOULD MAKE FOR TERRIBLE COMPANY.]

    Kyle just smiled as he focused his attention on the flow of energy in his body.  This had been his first real opportunity to push IGNITION since he¡¯d gotten the skill, despite having taken pains to train with it during his studies.  Even then, he¡¯d noticed that his recovery skills seemed to improve the longer he had IGNITION active.  It was as though his focus was raised to entirely new heights the more strain his body was under.

    Instinctively, he knew this was due to Unbreakable Will, the upgrade to his Adaptive Anatomy after fighting the Storm.  He theorized it worked as a pseudo-berserking ability: the more damage he took, the more it ramped up the effects of his Willpower.  This was the most damage Kyle had taken since that fight, and the level of clarity he was now experiencing was elevated far beyond the norm.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION worked on overtime to soothe and rebuild strained muscles.  Surgical application of HEAL mended tears and reduced strain on his organs.   As damage accumulated, his ability to recover amplified.

    Soon, Kyle hit an equilibrium.  The damage from IGNITION could no longer outpace his recovery beyond a certain level, though when he healed beyond that threshold the damage would again take the lead.  Kyle felt a dull roar of pain across his entire body, he could feel his heartbeat echoing in his head, yet at the same time his mind was crystal-clear.  It was paradoxical in many ways, with the flow of his mana raging like a wildfire, while at the same time moving as precisely as calligraphy.

    Soon, he came upon a grisly, though expected sight.  First was the mangled body of the dro¡¯khar the caravan leader had been riding.  It was torn and shredded, and from the look of things it was clear to Kyle that the flock of birds had eaten much of it.  Second, just slightly farther away, was the remains of the caravan leader himself.  His staff was splintered, and he himself was crushed into the ground.  It didn¡¯t appear that the man had even put up much resistance, as the surrounding area lacked the telltale signs of damage a Mage at his level should have been able to create.

    Kyle sighed, but kept moving.  While it was unfortunate the man had died, it was an outcome he had brought on himself.  If he¡¯d simply been able to put his ego aside, he and his men would likely all still be alive.  Instead, due to their loyalty to the hierarchy, they had paid a price in blood.  Part of him wondered when he¡¯d gotten so comfortable with death, but he pushed that aside as he pressed onward.  Some things weren¡¯t worth dwelling on.

    As Kyle continued his pursuit, he noticed a shift in the terrain.  The long, swaying grasses had receded, revealing craggy, rocky soil.  Looking ahead, he saw stone spires reaching towards the sky, creating a labyrinth.  From within, he could feel the distinct presence of the egg he needed to retrieve.  From what he could tell, it was no longer moving.

    [THEY¡¯VE STOPPED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded, slowing as he navigated around the pillars. Auric Perception revealed something else to him, and he decided to ask C.H.A.D.D. for confirmation.  ¡°How many are you detecting?¡±

    [THERE ARE SEVERAL AT THE FRINGE OF MY RANGE, THOUGH THERE APPEAR TO BE HALF AGAIN AS MANY AS ATTACKED THE CARAVAN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He had a decision to make.  Each step closed the distance on his targets, and Kyle knew he would catch up before long.  The wiser decision would likely be to stop, focus on recovery, and attack once he was fresh.  However, one thought persisted in his mind as the mana raged through him: what would it be like to fight in this state of focus?

    ~~~

    ¡°His trial is over, there¡¯s really no point in allowing it to continue.  He¡¯s just throwing his life away.¡±

    Suierrillax watched with interest as the senior proctors ¨C a skrell and a goblin - debated the future of the human applicant.  The second phase for him had really gone off the rails, and now his delivery was all but over.  The caravan leader had been killed, and the ebon pterix had secured the package and begun to head back towards their nest.

    While it couldn¡¯t be entirely attributed to his actions, ultimately the rules were clear.  Kyle Mayhew had failed.  The young man¡¯s foolhardy attempt at rescue spoke to poor judgment, and while he was certainly talented, there was little reason for the proctors to allow this to continue.  All he was likely to do was get himself killed, which would be a shame.

    Suierrillax had noted some of his most noteworthy achievements for senior management, particularly as a support player.  He could retake the Practicum again, likely pass, and be a major asset to whichever guild he joined.  There was no reason to let him die now.  The conversation between the senior proctors was heating up, and she turned her full attention back to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not that simple.  He¡¯s still actively choosing to pursue, which effectively means this is part of the same combat.  The rules clearly state that applicants are not to be rescued, nor are we to interfere if they¡¯re participating in the same combat.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a technicality and you know it!  Damn green-skins and their damn rules.  Look, any other applicant whose package was destroyed was failed, and allowed to leave. This is the same thing.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t because he still has a chance to recover the package!  It isn¡¯t damaged.¡±

    ¡°YOU¡¯RE NOT LISTENING!  If it was Arhades maybe he¡¯d have a shot, but from what we seen, Mayhew has a damn supportive class!  He¡¯s not geared for combat!¡±

    Now that was something Suirrillax disagreed with.  While Mayhew was certainly weaker than the velgian, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was being sold short.  Despite his questionable actions in Phase One, she didn¡¯t believe that the man was stupid ¨C far from it.  He¡¯d fought against the ebon pterix before, and seemed to have a good understanding of what he was up against.  From what she¡¯d seen, she doubted that he would pick a fight he didn¡¯t think he could win.

    The goblin was growing increasingly frustrated, baring pointy fangs at the Skrell as her ears flushed a darker green.  ¡°The regulations exist for a reason!  If we stepped in and erased the consequences for every applicant who made a foolish decision, there wouldn¡¯t be any point in doing the Practicum in the first place!  You¡¯re a proctor, you¡¯re supposed to follow the letter of the law!  It¡¯s your JOB!¡±

    The skrell seemed to deflate a bit at that, and when he spoke his voice was softer.  ¡°I know it¡¯s our job.  It¡¯s also our job to help ensure the guilds have a great pipeline of talent.  The outcomes this time aren¡¯t good, you know that.  We have less than twenty applicants who actually managed to succeed this time around, and there¡¯ll likely be far less who finish Phase Three.  I just don¡¯t want to see more promising talent die.¡±

    Suierrillax had to admit, that was sound reasoning.  Phase Two had been rocky from the start, with an abnormally high number of deviations from their models.  To an extent, that was expected when dealing with differently affiliated groups, however they were well past the norm.  Several applicants had been killed during their attempts, which was always a loss to the guilds, in terms of both credits and future talent.

    Again, however, she couldn¡¯t help but think they were missing crucial factors.  If they didn¡¯t both outrank her by two steps, she would have pointed out that Mayhew had outperformed expectations with the first engagement, which likely led to the deviation in the first place.  Suierrillax really wanted to see what came next, and failing the young man now just felt premature to her.  Still, she had her own career to think about.  Overstepping her place wouldn¡¯t be wise, so she would simply have to let it get sorted out.

    Suierrillax¡¯s hopes sank as the goblin who was arguing to let the Practicum continue seemed to falter for a moment, appearing to be moved by the other skrell¡¯s words.  The goblin seemed about to speak, when she and the skrell she was arguing with both perked up.  Suierrillax shivered as she felt the whisper of a C Grade aura float through the room, then focused on the two senior proctors.  That meant the guild liaisons were involved, and they were individuals Suierrillax wanted nothing to do with.

    While the proctors technically had authority to pass or fail individuals, nobody wanted to move against the guild liaisons, nor the power they represented.  Both visibly paled as a message of some sort was relayed, and they shared a look before departing, leaving Suierrillax with her screen.  The Practicum would continue.

 Chapter 167

    [I WANT THE RECORD TO BE CLEAR THAT I DISAGREE WITH THIS PLAN OF ACTION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.  Probably.  More than likely.¡±

    The truth was, Kyle didn¡¯t completely know what to expect.  The equilibrium he achieved in his body was tenuous.  He understood that he wouldn¡¯t be able to afford to take much damage before it was thrown off entirely.  At the same time, he relished the challenge, the opportunity to push himself again.  At some point during his scramble to survive on Earth, he¡¯d grown to embrace the adversity.  How could he just turn away from an opportunity to test his limits like this?

    The river of mana flowing through Kyle¡¯s body pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat as he navigated the craggy ground toward the center of the birds¡¯ territory.  Natural stone spires and arches dotted the landscape, punctuated only by the occasional low brush or shrub.  Kyle had to admit, it was the perfect territory for the avian creatures.  Their powerful legs would allow them to make use of the spires to attack from above, and if they were able to exhibit the same pack tactics they had when attacking the caravan, they¡¯d be difficult to pin down in conventional combat.

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map showed the signature of most of the birds, including the D Grades, clustered around the egg.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what they were doing with it, but breathed a sigh of relief as he both saw and felt the now-familiar mana signature.  Not wasting any time, Kyle put on a burst of speed, flowing across the last stretch of rocky ground like the wind itself.

    While most of the birds were closer to the egg, others still maintained the perimeter.  Unfortunately for them, they didn¡¯t have the means necessary to detect mana across a wide spectrum, nor the ability to see through the labyrinthine landscape they called home.  Using the map as a guide, Kyle easily swept past the perimeter as he closed on his target.

    The birds stood around the egg in a loose circle, postures almost seeming confused as Kyle saw them.  Heads were tilting back and forth as the creatures took shuffling steps toward then away from the egg, as if they knew they wanted it, but weren¡¯t sure what to do next.  Suddenly, the head of one of the birds, likely one of the D Grades, snapped up and its yellow eyes fixed on the rapidly-approaching Kyle.  It gave off a low croak of warning, but it came too late.

    Tendrils of mana connected to several of the unsuspecting birds, and a quick push of Willpower saw them collapse to the ground, dead.  Long, black feathers fell to the ground like snow as the circle of avians scrambled to get out of Kyle¡¯s range, a cacophony of screeches and croaks echoing through the canyon.  Kyle scooped up the egg, which was the size of a large watermelon, and then nearly dropped it as he had to duck to avoid a set of talons angling directly towards his face from a bird that jumped down at him from one of the rocky spires.  It bounded away behind another pillar of stone, and Kyle felt the subtle flow of mana in the area change.

    Mesmerizing patterns appeared across the bodies of the large birds as the D Grades activated their buffs.  The energy flowing through each of the birds was more powerful than Kyle felt before, which is when he realized his miscalculation.  When they had attacked before, each of the D Grades was leading their own flock.  Now, in response to his invasion of their territory, they were each stacking the boosting skills on top of each other.

    Kyle knew from experience that their decision was a double-edged sword.  Ultimately, they were using D Grade boosting skills on E Grade bodies.  While Ignition was qualitatively more powerful, their layered approach would likely create even higher levels of strain.  The birds were put on a timer, but Kyle knew that he couldn¡¯t afford to get sloppy.

    Holding the egg tight against his chest with his left arm, Kyle drew his baton with his right and took a brief, stabilizing breath.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map was in the corner of his vision, highlighting the relative position of the creatures, and with Auric Perception he could feel the flow of mana through them.  A brief flash of orange light appeared in his vision as a warning, and Kyle¡¯s body seemed to move on its own as Covert Dexterity helped him avoid another attack from above.  He sidestepped a beak that was snapping towards his shoulder, retaliating with a twist of PARASITIC RESONANCE as another bird bounded over the lifeless body of its comrade, aiming directly for his face.

    The beak was met with a baton, and Kyle was again impressed by the quality of the boosts as he barely redirected the attack.  He felt the wind from the passing strike as he stole a quick glance at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  He saw on the projected image more beasts closing in ¨C one from his right flank and more from behind.  He dodged to his left, dropping the one he¡¯d stunned with his baton with another surge of PARASITIC RESONANCE, draining some of its mana as it fell.  Tendrils reached towards his new pursuers as well, barely missing as they aborted their attack and ran behind the stone spires.

    Another bird came in low, on track to take him out at the knees while yet another jumped directly towards his chest, talons extended.  Kyle knew that even if he killed both birds, their momentum would still likely take him to the ground, which was the absolute last place he wanted to be.  A barrier of energy erupted to life around him as STORM SHELTER activated, courtesy of Instinctive Intelligence.  The birds smashed ineffectually against the skill, bouncing away with angry croaks.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    All around him, Kyle could hear the cacophonous cries of the creatures as their croaks echoed through the stony land.  Between his initial surprise attack and the quick exchanges he¡¯d had, Kyle already killed six of the birds, significantly weaking the flock.  Still, there were the three D Grades remaining.  While Kyle felt confident in his ability to survive the scenario, he wasn¡¯t sure how durable the egg was.  The whole exercise would be a waste of time if he ended up breaking the delivery, after all.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ANOTHER PRESENCE IS APPROACHING.]

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice snapped Kyle out of his thoughts, and as he focused on Auric Perception he felt it, too.  There was a mana signature that was distinct from the birds, though it carried with it some similarities.  At the same time, the birds also began to calm down, though Kyle could still see the telltale markings that their boosting skills were active.  That left Kyle with a choice.  He could deactivate the skill and try to make a break for it, or stay to see how things played out.

    He was curious.  Incredibly curious.  At the same time, the job was to deliver the damn egg.  With a sigh, Kyle allowed the barrier of STORM SHELTER to dissipate as he bolted towards the perimeter of the birds¡¯ territory.  His action seemed to take them by surprise, and the avian beasts croaked in alarm as they took up the pursuit.

    Four of the creatures were between Kyle and his destination, and closed in to cut off his path of escape.  PARASITIC RESONANCE was already reaching out, and in just a moment Kyle was leaping over four bodies as he continued his path out of their territory.  With each step he took, the frantic croaking and chirping of the birds faded.  Despite the power provided by their boosted state, the ebon pterix were simply too slow to catch up.

    Still, Kyle knew that he wasn¡¯t out of the woods.  Even when sealed away, the egg gave off an aura that attracted beasts.  Without the protective containment, that aura had been magnified.  It would only be a matter of time before something else would try to interfere with his delivery.

    [PRESENCES DIRECTLY AHEAD, DR. MAYHEW.  THEY APPEAR TO BE REPTILIAN IN NATURE.]

    Kyle simply nodded, power continuing to flow through him as he vaulted over the lumbering crocodilian beasts.

    [YOU¡¯RE NOT GOING TO FIGHT THEM?]

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to that I can see.  They¡¯re easy enough to avoid.¡±

    [WHAT IF THEY¡¯RE GUARDING A NATURAL TREASURE?  MAYBE YOU COULD MAKE ARMOR OUT OF THEIR SCALES?] the drone offered, a hint of hope in the robotic voice.

    Kyle sighed.  ¡°You¡¯re just getting bored of running.¡±

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    The viewing room was silent as the proctors watched the events unfolding before them.  When the senior proctors had been arguing, they were primarily focused on their interpretations of the integrity and spirit of the Practicum.   Both thought that Kyle¡¯s decision was doomed to fail.  Now both stood with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense at all.  Everything is just¡­ dying.¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, he¡¯s just killed some E Grades.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but how?  His Assessment records show that he has a variant on a D Grade Healer class, with broken fundamentals.  There¡¯s no indication of skills or abilities that would allow him to do something like this.¡±

    Suierrillax simply listened to the exchange as she watched the recording.  In the broader context of her observations, she knew that Mayhew had some unusual skills.  This was, in her view, the first time that they got to see them on full display.  The boosting skill was of the greatest interest to her, though the Death Field, as they¡¯d come to call it, was garnering the most attention from her peers.

    She reflected on the previous engagements with the ebon pterix, and she realized a miscalculation she¡¯d made.  Just a couple of days ago, she was convinced he¡¯d be a top-tier supportive member to a group, best able to showcase his skills and abilities to elevate other, powerful party members.  Now, after watching his performance when facing opponents like these alone, she reconsidered.  While Kyle Mayhew would still be a valuable member supporting a team, she now believed he could showcase his true value the best when working alone.

    They watched as he continued to put distance between himself and the ebon pterix nest, and Suierrillax felt some tension melting away.  There were some other factors at play, and he¡¯d shown great judgment not staying longer than necessary.  While the others still focused on Mayhew, she flipped her view back to the birds¡¯ stony territory, where a man could be seen, kneeling over the body of one of the dead pterix.

    He was human, like Mayhew, but entirely bald, scars crossing the top of his head.  He wore thick leather armor, and his face was twisted in an expression of rage as he moved between the bodies.  Suierrillax had no doubt that the man was D Grade, and likely well into it from the aura he was giving off.  She commended Kyle¡¯s wisdom for not staying to meet him after killing members of his flock.  The man looked up then, and yelled to the sky.

    ¡°You bastards leaked the transport details to us for your little ¡®test,¡¯ and now the lizards have their egg and I¡¯ve lost a third of my birds.  There was no good faith here.  You owe us a name, and you¡¯ll pay up.¡±

    The image distorted a bit, as a small tear in space itself seemed to open up in front of the man.  He stepped through with no hesitation, and was gone.  Spatial manipulation¡­  Suierrillax thought, stunned.  To meaningfully tap into concepts around space was incredibly challenging, particularly without the aid of designated technology.

    One thing was certain, she doubted it was the work of the man who had been standing there.  Suierrillax¡¯s train of thought was interrupted as she felt multiple wisps of C Grade energy, setting the whole room on edge.  Whatever this man said provoked a response, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of storm Mayhew kicked up.

 Chapter 168

    Kyle finally deactivated IGNITION when C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners had been devoid of awakened life signs. Every fiber of his body ached, and despite his mana reserves staying relatively full he felt absolutely exhausted. His skill had been active for hours, and his body was paying the price for it. Mana-enhanced recovery was wonderful, but when it was all said and done, Kyle was looking forward to getting a good night¡¯s sleep in his own bed.

    For now, however, he kept moving, though his pace slowed to a walk. His body felt¡­ off. Even though it had only been for a short time, he¡¯d quickly grown accustomed to the equilibrium between constant damage and rejuvenation. The more he recovered without IGNITION active, the slower the pace of the recovery became. He couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed in the mundane feeling of Adaptive Regeneration, after having experienced the magnified version when Ignition boosted it.

    On the other hand, this had given him a great opportunity to reflect on his next big milestone: Level 60. It was where he¡¯d be able to upgrade HEAL, and Kyle hoped he still had time to apply the skill in ways that would nudge it in the direction he was hoping for. Overall, it was a great basic skill, and was foundational to most other types of recovery skills. It simply used mana to encourage cellular regeneration and recovery.

    Because of its widespread use and availability for most Healer classes, it came with a wide variety of well-documented upgrades. The most common directions were to either add range, increase the potency, or add secondary effects. Kyle figured his use of the skill in conjunction with PARASITIC RESONANCE would likely contribute towards unlocking some sort of ranged option, which was entirely unnecessary given that he had, well, PARASITIC RESONANCE.

    He was confident that he would be able to unlock options in the other two veins as well. What interested him the most, however, was trying to tie together both components.

    If, during the process of rejuvenating damaged cells, he was able to leave either some remnant energy or cellular directive to enhance further healing and replication, he would be able to build stronger synergy alongside his other skills and his own ridiculously high Vitality to allow for even more seamless recovery. Even more, it was the type of upgrade that would make his skill more valuable in group environments, rather than being entirely self-focused. Kyle recognized a project like that was much easier said than done, but was a direction that excited him, and one that promised even more the further he progressed.

    While it was true that he¡¯d grown far more powerful than he¡¯d ever dreamed, Kyle¡¯s eyes had been opened to the scope of the universe. While much about the C Grade evolutions and beyond was unknown to him, Kyle¡¯s destination was set firmly at the peak. Even if he found answers to who was behind the destruction of Earth, Kyle was simply too powerless to do anything about it. The testimonial of a backwater D Grade wouldn¡¯t mean much to the Collective if there were B Grades or higher working against him.

    As he grew in power, however, that would change. While organizational power and reach was important in the Collective, personal power still went a long way. His time learning about the fae from Tillienne was proof of that, with their leaders still being widely respected despite their limited reach. It was a stretch to think he¡¯d get that far, but Kyle was determined to make it happen. Everything he¡¯d accomplished so far had been in defiance of the odds, and to him this would be no different.

    A particularly sharp pain in his side brought Kyle out of his thoughts. Let¡¯s get recovered first. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was still hard at work, and he shelved his practice theories for the time being, instead turning his attention to something else that had been on his mind. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you tell me about the boosting skills the birds were using? From what I could tell, it felt pretty comprehensive, and without a lot of backlash.¡±

    [THAT¡¯S AN APT SUMMARY, DR. MAYHEW. WHILE I CAN¡¯T SPEAK TO THE NUANCES OF THE SKILL, IT APPEARED TO PROVIDE MANA IN PROPORTION TO MUSCLE DENSITY. FOR EXAMPLE, NEARLY SIXTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL MANA OF THE SKILL INFUSED THE CREATURES¡¯ LEGS, WHILE LESS THAN TEN PERCENT INFUSED THE MUSCLES ALONG THEIR SPINES.]

    ¡°Do you think the backlash is mitigated by doing so? Effectively putting most of the strain on the parts of the body that are best equipped to handle it?¡±

    [I BELIEVE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, TO AN EXTENT. WITHOUT FURTHER DETAIL I CAN¡¯T BE CERTAIN, HOWEVER THAT IS A REASONABLE HYPOTHESIS.]

    Kyle nodded thoughtfully. There was almost certainly more to it, and given that beasts tended to get more passive skills in the early grades, it was likely that their anatomy in E Grade was bolstered specifically to be able to handle the types of skills the D Grade variants were using. Even so, it offered room for continued refinement in his application of both IGNITION, and to a lesser extent IDENTIFY.

    Right now, the skills worked more or less evenly across their effective areas, and he hadn¡¯t taken the time to refine them like he had with HASTE back in E Grade. Even though his ¡°to-do¡± list was growing, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought. If Phase One of the Practicum had allowed him to shore up some of his physical foundations, Phase Two had really opened his eyes to improving his mana control. Challenging environments were the crucibles he needed to refine himself, and he¡¯d missed the challenge during his months of study.

    Looking at his nav bracelet, Kyle anticipated that it would take another day of travel to reach the city. He could cut that time down significantly with the use of IGNITION, but ultimately decided against it. His plan was to walk, practice some energy control, and hopefully develop some exercises for control he could take with him when he returned to the Hub. First though, it was time for a snack, and to reflect on his gains. He felt it during his escape from the flock that he¡¯d managed to gain one more level, and it had been a little while since he¡¯d truly reflected on his status.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    After gulping down some dried rations and a healthy drink from his canteen, Kyle settled into meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 47 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 751

    ENDURANCE: 872

    STRENGTH: 329

    DEXTERITY: 582

    WILLPOWER: 1095

    INTELLIGENCE: 1095

    PERCEPTION: 843

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Even though his leveling had slowed quite a bit, Kyle was still impressed with his overall attributes. With a thought, he allocated his free attribute points between Endurance, Willpower, and Intelligence. Still, there was one thing that still confused him as he looked at the status. What is this core, and how do I develop it? It had been quite a while since he defeated the Storm and absorbed the last essence he needed to get his Adaptive Anatomy completed, and yet the core hadn¡¯t seemed to budge.

    It was a problem that both relieved and frustrated Kyle. On one hand, he wanted to figure out what moved the needle for it; while on the other, he was thankful that it wasn¡¯t growing without him having any idea why. Between it and the World Tree Seed, he had two enigmas he needed to try and solve.

    Shelving those thoughts, Kyle exited meditation and continued his journey towards the city. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me images of my mana concentration?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    As the day wore on, Kyle immersed himself in the process of refining his skills. Unlike HASTE, which drew on his existing mana reserves, IGNITION drew in atmospheric mana it two locations on his back below his shoulderblades. As a result, the energy was raw and less filtered than his own energy, which is partly why it was so damaging to his body.

    Kyle¡¯s first task was to try and direct the flow of the power, which was easier said than done. He would activate the skill, draw in the mana, and it would race through his mana pathways in an instant, behaving almost like a high-pressure environment flooding a low-pressure one. When this happened, he would deactivate the skill, perform a quick application of HEAL alongside ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, and then try again. In this way, he was able to practice some foundational concepts of both projects.

    Even though the progress was frustratingly slow, Kyle felt that he was on the right track. His first minor breakthrough came after nearly six hours of travel, and almost entirely by mistake. In his haste to try and control the mana that he was drawing in, he found that he narrowed the pathway slightly. That resulted in the flow being more directed, even though it dispersed through his body just as rapidly afterward. Still, it gave him an idea.

    Kyle activated PARASITIC RESONANCE, taking advantage of the flexible mana pathways granted by the skill. Focusing tendrils from the skill around the areas he would draw in mana, he then activated IGNITION. He completely failed to interact with the skill, but his gut told him he was on the right track. After another half an hour of practice, he managed to replicate the first feat once. Another half an hour, and he could consistently shape the direction of the intake, even if was immediately undone.

    It wasn¡¯t an elegant, or even feasible solution for combat, and Kyle recognized that. He tied up nearly half of the tendrils he could create, and in conjunction with his use of HEAL and ADAPTIVE REGENERATION the mana cost for this method marginally outstripped what he would recover through absorbing the atmospheric mana. Even so, using the skill as a crutch was important for him to get the feel of drawing the energy in.

    As always, C.H.A.D.D. proved invaluable. With its sensors upgraded for D Grades, the drone had no problem showing him detailed illustrations of how the mana was being drawn in, only enhancing Kyle¡¯s understanding of his work. He was reminded of their time training in the cave before his fight with the Infernal, and a wistful smile played across his lips. He hadn¡¯t received any messages from Earth in a while, and wanted to check in with Garth, Thomas, and Amir when he had some spare time back at the Hub.

    He was just about to attempt another quick test as he crested a hill, and his breath caught. It was well into the evening, and as he looked out into the fields, he saw the border of a magnificent city. He could make out the outline of guard posts along a wall, behind which stood towers and buildings with mind-bogglingly bright colors. Even in the darkness, the city glowed like a brilliant, multifaceted jewel. Before he could fully appreciate its beauty, a chill ran up his spine.

    Auric Perception screamed a warning as he felt a surge of incredible power in front of him. Space itself seemed to tear in his path. A leather boot stepped through the tear, and soon the form of a man appeared, shadows obscuring everything but two orange eyes. Space mended itself as the mana faded. Kyle didn¡¯t need C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warning to understand the threat posed by the man now standing before him.

    Kyle activated IDENTIFY as his other skills were prepared, ready to engage at a moment¡¯s notice. He saw mana flowing around and through the man, and he saw the circulation of energy around his eyes. He¡¯s scoping me out, too. Kyle got strong impressions around Perception and Dexterity, with Willpower and Strength not too far behind. Intelligence was his lowest attribute, which told Kyle that he likely wasn¡¯t a Mage, at least not classically.

    Most significant, however, was the overall level of power the stranger displayed. As D Grades were concerned, the only two Kyle had met who were stronger were Duroc and the mysterious velgian. And while Kyle didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s intentions, he didn¡¯t suspect that many folks casually stepped out of tears in space for a casual stroll.

    The two stood for an eerie moment. Kyle¡¯s senses were alert to the distant sounds, the shifting lights of the nearby city, and the gentle rustling of the tall grass. Finally, the man spoke, his voice rough as gravel. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be so kind as to hand over the egg?¡±

 Chapter 169

    The simple request took Kyle by surprise.  Before responding, he clutched the egg tighter to his chest.  ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.  I don¡¯t know who you are, or why you¡¯re here.  I¡¯m just doing a job, and I intend to see it through.¡±

    The man gave a rough chuckle, though his orange eyes didn¡¯t show a hint of mirth.  ¡°I know that you¡¯re here as part of some Collective test, and that this job only means a pass or fail to you.  Well let me tell you something, it means a hell of a lot more to me and mine.¡±

    His expression grew angrier, and through IDENTIFY Kyle could see energy moving through him in cadence with his apparent frustration.  To his credit, he took a stabilizing breath, then a second, before continuing.

    ¡°We¡¯ve lived under the oppression of the damn lizards for millennia.  This is a chance to spit in their eye.  You killed a lot of the birds I helped raise, but I¡¯m willing to look past that.  Give me the egg.  Fail your test, and retake it again.  We all walk away alive, and you can thank your stars you¡¯ll never have to cross us again.¡±

    The implication was clear, but Kyle decided to ask anyway.  ¡°And if I don¡¯t?  What happens then?¡±

    ¡°Then I kill you, take it, and get on my way.  From what I can see, you¡¯d have a hard time keeping up with me even if you didn¡¯t have to protect it.  You pick this fight, you don¡¯t have a chance.¡±

    Given what he understood of the man¡¯s level of power, he tended to agree.  At the same time, however, Kyle also knew that he had more than a few cards to play that most identification skills wouldn¡¯t reveal.  Between IGNITION, PARASITIC RESONANCE, and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s ability to manipulate plant life, Kyle was confident that he¡¯d be able to put up a better fight than the mysterious stranger anticipated.

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°I believe you when you say this means a lot to you and your organization, but I¡¯ve got goals of my own.  The egg is going to make it to that city.¡±

    The man¡¯s expression broke into a sneer, and Kyle reflexively swayed back as a whip cracked the air where his face was just moments before.  Instantly, Kyle found himself being pushed back.  His opponent wove a long chain of attacks together, staying just outside the range of PARASITIC RESONANCE as he did.  Each strike split the air with a peal of thunder, and the mana flowing through the weapon was clear to Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception.

    Kyle felt an impact against the bracer on his right forearm, then heat against his cheek as the weapon grazed him, managing to draw a thin line of blood.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION healed the minor injury in moments, though the stranger only seemed to press harder after drawing first blood.

    Kyle found himself slowly pushed back under the ferocious assault.  Kyle couldn¡¯t advance any closer to the city without putting the egg at risk of damage, and even though his opponent struggled to land any meaningful strikes, he was slowly gaining ground.

    How does he know the range on PARASITIC RESONANCE so well?  That bothered Kyle more than anything else.  Even if he had some sort of a mana-detection skill, Kyle hadn¡¯t extended the tendrils anywhere close to their full range during their fight.  Kyle turned his shoulder to absorb a blow aimed for the egg, the small pauldron of his armor absorbing the attack.  Is it a danger sense?  Maybe a D Grade version of a skill like ANTICIPATION?

    Kyle¡¯s train of thought was interrupted when his assailant decided to change things up.  C.H.A.D.D. highlighted three balls that were thrown in his direction, and without hesitation Kyle activated STORM SHELTER.  The grenades exploded against the shield, significantly weaker than he¡¯d expected.  Their purpose became clear to him when he felt the subtle presence of mana inside the thick smoke.

    [THERE APPEARS TO BE A NEUROTOXIN PRESENT IN THE CLOUD, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded, IDENTIFY already active as he tried to figure out the different components that made up the poison gas.  ¡°What else are you detecting?¡±

    [IT ALSO CONTAINS MUSCLE RELAXANT PROPERTIES, IN ADDITION TO A VARIETY OF SEDATIVES.  WHILE IT IS UNLIKELY TO BE DEADLY, I DO NOT ADVISE INHALING THE GAS.]

    That was consistent with what Kyle was observing as well.  The mana in the air didn¡¯t have major ill-intent that he could see, rather being focused on stability, keeping the curtain of smoke condensed in the air around him instead of dispersing.  The toxins themselves were all quite a bit weaker than those he¡¯d encountered against the D Grade monsters on Earth, though Kyle knew it would still take some time for him to eliminate the poison entirely.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me an idea of what other equipment he has?¡±

    A moment later, a projection of his opponent appeared within the barrier of STORM SHELTER, and several items were zoomed in on and highlighted.  Tucked into the armor were two daggers, one more grenade, and what looked to be some type of revolver with odd bullets that seemed to contain some type of liquid.  ¡°Any idea what the bullets do?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    [NONE AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW.  MY SCANNER ISN¡¯T ABLE TO DETECT THE COMPONENTS OF THE LIQUID WITHIN, IT¡¯S CONTAINED QUITE EFFECTIVELY.]

    With only a few scant seconds remaining until STORM SHELTER would drop, Kyle considered his options.  The stranger had a flexible style that centered around the use of his whip, but clearly had options in place to fight at a variety of ranges.  From what he¡¯d seen so far, Kyle knew that in terms of pure martial skill, he was simply outmatched.

    Not seeing many other choices, Kyle took in a deep breath of clean air as he activated IGNITION.  The moment the barrier dropped, Kyle exploded through the cloud directly towards the man.  C.H.A.D.D. flashed warnings as the whip lashed towards him, and with his senses enhanced by the boosting skill Kyle dodged it with little effort.  It was odd, using the skill in combat like this.  This activation was disappointing compared to the state of clarity he¡¯d experienced before.  How can I get to that state faster?

    Even so, judging by the loud string of curses coming from his opponent, the stranger certainly didn¡¯t seem to think so.  Kyle closed the distance rapidly, and the tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE finally got their mark.  While the man¡¯s Willpower was nothing to scoff at, it was still weaker than Kyle¡¯s.  Slowly, inexorably, Kyle broke down his defenses as he attempted to wrest control of the mana pathways away from his assailant.

    A look of grim determination came over his face, and the man grabbed the final grenade, detonating it between Kyle and himself as the Survivalist closed within a few steps.  This one didn¡¯t release a cloud of toxic gas, instead exploding with massive concussive force.  Kyle barely got his body between the explosion and the egg as he was hurled away, turning midair to take the impact of his fall on his back.

    Kyle clambered to his feet to see his opponent doing the same nearly twenty meters away.  He¡¯d hurt himself more than Kyle with the blast, his armor tattered and body bleeding from multiple small cuts.  Despite that, the look on his face was calm.  ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one more chance.  Give.  Me.  The.  Egg.  Now.  There¡¯s no going back from what¡¯s coming, and even if you manage to survive by some miracle, you¡¯ll have a target on your back the rest of your miserable life.¡±

    IGNITION was still burning away at him, bringing him closer to his prime equilibrium.  While Kyle wasn¡¯t a big fan of the whole ¡®mid-fight banter¡¯ thing, every moment he waited was a moment that he would gain an advantage.  ¡°How generous of you, letting me surrender after you nearly blew yourself up.  I¡¯ll counter.  Get out of my way, take the loss, and move on.  I have no interest in you or your organization, and this isn¡¯t personal.  At all.  You leave now, and we¡¯ll never have to see each other again.¡±

    A sneer broke out over his adversary¡¯s scarred face, orange eyes meeting Kyle¡¯s without a hint of fear.  ¡°Cocky rich brats like you are everything that¡¯s wrong with the Collective.  You¡¯ve probably never had to struggle a day in your life, getting all the benefits of a nice sponsor or patron.  You have no idea what it¡¯s like to try to scrape by while being pushed into the muck under the lizards¡¯ claws.¡±

    ¡°And I told you before, that¡¯s not my issue.  It¡¯s yours.¡±  Even though he¡¯d have liked to wait a little longer, he was closer to the point of equilibrium he was searching for.  In a blur of motion, Kyle darted outside the range of the whip and started running towards the city.

    Auric Perception warned him of an odd flow of power, followed by a warning from C.H.A.D.D.  Kyle ducked, and he could feel the air move above his head as the whip cracked.  I knew I was out of range, what the hell?  Before Kyle could continue his train of thought, he was forced to dodge twice more.  He finally had space to turn around, and his eyes widened at what he saw.  The same markings that had covered the birds now covered the scarred man¡¯s body.  Kyle could sense the mana flowing through him, and understood in a moment that their duel was far from over.

    ~~~

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely not allowed!  Mayhew was free and clear.  This is a clear violation of no less than seven different statutes for outside interference.  Get a representative from the Archdrake Supremacy, right now!  This will not be tolerated!¡±

    The goblin woman was in an absolute rage, cheeks flushed a dark green as she barked orders.  Suierrillax understood the sentiment.  The Practicum environments, though not necessarily controlled, were curated thoughtfully.  When the news of the transport caravan was leaked to local revolutionary factions within the system, it was done thoughtfully.  All reports indicated a cell that was operating alone, with a leader in middle D Grade.  The Archdrake Supremacy would come out well either way ¨C with the task complete, or more information regarding local rebels that they could quash.

    Instead, a Backer got involved, and not a weak one.  While upper C Grade was possible, it was more likely a B Grade that tore open the spatial rifts from such a distance, allowing what they thought was the rebel leader to confront Mayhew directly.  It was a grave miscalculation.  The balance of Phase Two in its entirety ¨C at least for the human ¨C was thrown into complete disarray.

    The largest problem now, and the one the goblin was trying to resolve through her shouting, was what they could do from here.  There were pages upon pages of regulation on proportionate response both within the Guild system, as well as throughout all Collective law.  While the rebels may not abide by Collective law, it was something they clearly understood and benefitted from in this case.  Had the B Grade backer shown themselves, or ripped Mayhew apart with a spatial storm, both the Guilds and Archdrake Supremacy would have responded with B, and possibly even A Grade force.

    But what was the appropriate response to this type of interference?  It was direct manipulation, yet at the same time only indirectly harmful in that it didn¡¯t touch Mayhew¡¯s person.  Still, it could have.  As such, directly protecting his person could be deemed inappropriate.  Working with the Verdant Republic was always challenging in this way, and Suierrillax knew that it was well and truly out of her hands at this point.  Nonetheless, she watched the screen as the two humans fought.  At this point, she just hoped Mayhew would come back alive.

 Chapter 170

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brat?  Did you think you were the only one who could ramp up your power?¡±

    The man sneered as he spoke, each word punctuated by further strikes with his whip.  With IGNITION active, however, Kyle found that he was in a better position than before.  While the boosting skill his opponent used was undoubtedly high quality, it still fell short against Kyle¡¯s own.  That was something he could use.

    Actively trying to keep up the fa?ade of being pressured, Kyle used IDENTIFY to track the movement of the man¡¯s mana.  As with the birds, this skill seemed to focus the boosts in the areas that could handle it the best.  Kyle could see rivers of power flowing through the arms, legs, and back as he dodged.  Perception doesn¡¯t seem to have a meaningful benefit.  Kyle ducked under another strike that cracked the air.  Doesn¡¯t feel like Willpower or Intelligence get a boost either.

    That wasn¡¯t much of a surprise, as from what Kyle had been reading, boosting skills for non-physical attributes were incredibly rare.  The fact that IGNITION boosted Intelligence, while Unbreakable Will boosted Willpower with damage made his skill one of the absolute highest quality in that regard.  Still, Kyle didn¡¯t want to get too cocky.  He knew the birds also had regenerative properties alongside their skill, and he expected that would be the case here as well.

    Kyle sidestepped another strike with the whip, then he made his move.  Accelerating forward with a burst of speed, he closed the gap between them once again.  C.H.A.D.D. followed up by projecting bright orange light in the man¡¯s eyes, causing his next strike to go wide. It was all Kyle needed as PARASITIC RESONANCE connected.

    Like with the birds before, he was met with increased resistance due to the nature of their boosting skill, which was only magnified against the man standing before him.  Still, Kyle was unrelenting.  He met the opposition with the full force of his Willpower, and saw the bravado in the man¡¯s face get replaced with a look that could only be described as disbelief.  Kyle gritted his teeth as he continued to push, slowly gaining ground against the protection of his opponent¡¯s skill.  Frantic attacks were launched at him as the man tried to get back out of range, belatedly realizing his mistake.  Now Kyle made no show of weakness.  He was too close for the long whip to be at its most effective range, and Kyle¡¯s speed prevented escape.

    The man swore as he dropped the whip, and then did something unexpected.  He charged directly at Kyle, drawing his daggers.  C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning, and Kyle hopped backwards, narrowly dodging three quick strikes.  At the same time, PARASITIC RESONANCE was hard at work, and the runes covering the man¡¯s body began to fade one-by-one.  Kyle took the moment to look at the weapons with IDENTIFY.

    Each dagger looked metallic, though his skill showed they were actually crafted from organic material.  Each of the thin blades was coated in a deadly neurotoxin, likely potent enough to kill some early D Grades outright.  His opponent tensed as he leapt for Kyle again, and the secret of the daggers was revealed.  Mana flowed into them, and more of the toxin was released.  He sidestepped three more attacks, and a flash of his baton made the man jump back, only to reengage.

    At this point, the boosting skill was almost entirely spent, and Kyle frowned.  The outcome was clear, at least to him.  When the protection of the skill was fully dismantled, PARASITIC RESONANCE would be free to overwhelm the man¡¯s mana pathways.  His opponent was clearly aware of this danger, even at the outset of their fight.  Why isn¡¯t he trying to disengage?

    C.H.A.D.D. offered a flash of warning, and Kyle glanced at the projected map.  Dots began to appear, one after another, cutting a path directly towards him.  Kyle felt a snarl bubbling in his chest as his frustration rose.  Of course this bastard brought the damn birds.  Refocusing, he pushed even harder with PARASITIC RESONANCE, and the final runes covering his opponent¡¯s body faded.

    Coming to a quick decision, Kyle drained as much of the man¡¯s energy as he could before once again taking off toward the city.  For a moment, he was tempted to try and kill his opponent, but with the support of the birds on the way, it was just too risky.  If the D Grades were able to support his assailant the way they had their flock, Kyle would be in for a bad time.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    With IGNITION active and his opponent¡¯s skill broken, however, Kyle had a window to escape.  Ultimately, his job was to deliver this blasted egg, and he couldn¡¯t lose sight of that.  In moments, he was out of range, the other man needing precious time to reactivate his skill.  Kyle thought he¡¯d made it, when Auric Perception felt a surge of energy from behind him.

    Kyle turned to see the scarred man had stopped pursuing, and instead was leveling the strange weapon at him.  Instinctively, STORM SHELTER sprang to life around him just as the weapon fired.  A blast unlike anything Kyle had experienced slammed into his barrier, immediately causing spiderweb cracks to appear all over it.  His eyes widened at the damage, which felt far too high for an attack like this.

    Before he could fully appreciate what had happened, a second wave struck the shield.  It dampened the blow before breaking, and in the last instant before it did, Kyle tapped into his stonebloom armor.  The material was specialized to resist mana-based attacks, though that was hardly all there was to it.  Between the impressions offered by the world tree seed and IDENTIFY, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had learned that the stonebloom¡¯s true value came not from simply resisting mana, but through outright rejecting it.

    By awakening the dormant cells of the wood with PARASITIC RESONANCE in conjunction with the drone¡¯s unique control, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. dramatically expanded the passive protection offered by the armor.  It was far weaker than STORM SHELTER, but it managed to rebuff the remnant energies that had broken through.

    There was an eerie silence as the dust settled, and Kyle looked around the area. Everything surrounding where his shields had been was pulverized, a deep crater all around him.  Whatever that gun fired, it was incredibly powerful.  With STORM SHELTER still needing time to recharge, Kyle was wracking his brain for what to do next.  As he got a better look at the man who had fired the weapon, however, he felt a bit of relief.

    The arm holding the strange silvery firearm was twitching, covered in burns and bruises.  Even without using IDENTIFY, Kyle could tell that several of the man¡¯s bones had been completely splintered by the recoil.  What¡¯s more, glowing blue veins pulsed up his ruined arm from the weapon, extending as far as his jawline.  He looked to barely be able to stand, and Kyle put the pieces together when he saw that two of the bullets of strange liquid were gone.

    They weren¡¯t bullets, they were batteries.  To launch kinetic attacks of that level was far beyond what his opponent should have been able to do ¨C frankly, Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if any D Grades should have been able to launch attacks like that without major drawbacks.  In this case, the man had used whatever was in the ¡°bullets¡± as a fuel source for the weapon to function, and the backlash from doing so was immense.

    All power came with a cost, and in this case the man had clearly borrowed too much.  Mana-based technology was complex, and the more power that was drawn out, the more runic inscriptions and materials would be necessary to stabilize it.  In that sense, starships were easier to make than weapons like the one his adversary had used.

    Using IDENTIFY, Kyle could see now that the weapon was designed with power output and durability in mind.  It needed the external power source to charge enough to fire, and at the same time there were no discernable impressions indicating protections for its user.  Kyle was honestly surprised that his opponent was able to fire it twice, which said a lot about just how powerful his enemy was.

    Still, Kyle felt confident he wouldn¡¯t be able to fire any more rounds with accuracy.  That is, until he saw runes reappear on the man¡¯s body.  Kyle¡¯s heart fell as he saw the damage to his opponent¡¯s arm visibly lessen.  Loud croaks broke the silence, and soon three D-Grade presences stood alongside the scarred man, gazing across the crater at Kyle.  The weapon was leveled at him once more, and Kyle wrapped his arms around the egg as he turned away, hoping beyond hope he and C.H.A.D.D. would somehow survive the blast.

    Auric Perception went wild as Kyle felt an immense surge of power, followed by¡­ nothing?  As quickly as it came, the mana had disappeared, leaving in its wake nothing but bone-chilling cold.  Kyle opened his eyes to see the entire field before the city covered in a heavy layer of frost.  He turned to see his assailant and the birds, each encased in a tomb of glacier-thick ice.  Kyle saw the strange bullet, the glow slowly being leeched out of it by the entrapping ice.

    The man¡¯s orange eyes burned with hatred, and Kyle could make out movement.  It was clear he was searching for a means of escape, but had none available to him.  He was well and truly stuck.  Ordinarily, that would have been a relief to Kyle, except he had no idea who or what had created this frozen snowscape.  The only thing he knew for certain was that if it wanted him dead, he¡¯d be dead.

    As if in answer to his thoughts, an impossibly loud roar echoed out from the city, shattering the frozen strands of grass.  Frigid wind blew hard against Kyle, and he found himself holding tighter to the egg, which had somehow survived the encounter.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what was that?¡±

    [A DRAGON, DR. MAYHEW.]

 Chapter 171

    No sooner had the drone finished its sentence then Kyle felt it.  Waves of power rippled across the frozen plains, and Kyle struggled to keep his grip on the egg.  He turned to see a winged form fast approaching from the city, wreathed in a mist of white flame.  As it closed in, Kyle could make out a lithe, thin shape with two enormous wings.  The dragon was covered in opalescent white scales, from its head down to its whip-like tail.

    Ice cracked as it landed, two large horns that reminded Kyle of a bull sticking out on either side of the beast¡¯s head.  It stood just shy of three meters tall, smaller than Kyle expected a dragon would be.  Still, there was no mistaking the presence it gave off.  Piercing blue eyes regarded Kyle, and it opened its jaw, revealing a line of sharp, serrated teeth.  Its voice was the rumble of an avalanche.  ¡°You did well, human.  The egg is intact.¡±

    Remembering his lessons, Kyle averted his gaze as he held up the egg in still-trembling limbs.  ¡°Yes, your excellence.  May I consider the delivery complete?¡±

    ¡°Your task was to ensure safe delivery to the city.  That is as yet undone.  Consider it fortunate the elders spurred me to act, otherwise your life would likely have ended here.¡±

    The dragon turned; wings poised to take flight.   ¡°I will resolve the issue of Ger¡¯Sinh and his flock, then return.  Complete your task, human.¡±

    Kyle simply nodded, rose, and took his first shaky steps towards the egg¡¯s final destination.  Curiosity warred with reason as he considered activating IDENTIFY to get a measure of the creature before him, and reason won out.  Kyle knew all true dragons were born at C Grade, and there was no doubt in his mind that he¡¯d just met the genuine article.  Any risk of offense, and Kyle could find himself disposed of as easily as the man with the orange eyes.  Ger¡¯Sinh, Kyle thought, wanting to at least remember the man¡¯s name.

    The fact that a bona fide C Grade dragon knew the man¡¯s name, much less that it came to handle him personally, spoke to the danger Ger¡¯Sinh posed.  In Kyle¡¯s eyes, the whole point of the Archdrake Supremacy¡¯s structure was so that dragons could focus on their growth and cultivation, leaving the administrative work of day-to-day governance to subordinates.  A true dragon showing up to handle something like this personally was unusual.

    He hadn¡¯t taken more than five steps before he paused, unable to move.  For a single, sickening moment, everything seemed to stop.  He heard a grinding, shrieking sound, and it felt as though space itself had been torn.  Then, with a peal of thunder, everything snapped back to normal.  Against his better judgment, Kyle turned to look.  The space that Ger¡¯Sinh and the birds had occupied was simply gone.

    Judging by the terrifying roar of anger that followed, this development was not the dragon¡¯s doing.  Giving one more primal roar, the beast took to the skies, leaving a trail of frozen mist in its wake.  ¡°Any idea what¡¯s going on with that, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NONE WHATSOEVER DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Did you get scans?¡±

    [I HAVE RECORDING OF THE MOMENT WHEN EVERYTHING WAS PAUSED, BUT MY SENSORS ARE INADEQUATE TO THE TASK OF IDENTIFYING THE COMPONENTS OR MOVEMENTS OF MANA ON THAT SCALE.]

    ¡°Can you show me?¡±

    The drone obliged, a projection appearing before Kyle.  The dragon was mid-flight, condensing an orb around its front claws that would have executed the trapped rebel and his birds in a flash.  Suddenly, everything stopped.  The orb dissipated, and the space around Ger¡¯Sinh and the D Grade birds warped, then vanished, leaving nothing but empty space.

    The recording cut off, and Kyle could only stare.  He¡¯d felt the complexity of using spatial movement techniques with the Transportation Array, which had plenty of drawbacks of its own.  For something to be able to target those areas with such precision and power was absolutely mind-boggling to him.  I¡¯m such a small fish in this pond.  A shiver of cold broke him from his stupor, and he trudged across the frozen land to the city gate where a crowd had gathered.

    ¡°State your business!¡±  A shrill voice called from a guard post near the main gate.  A goblin, and a weak one from the looks of it.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to complete a delivery.¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice carried with it his bone-weariness, and he was thankful for the nav bracelet which sent the details of the mission to the waiting guard.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have a representative with you shortly.  Given the¡­ unusual circumstances, we will not be able to allow you passage into the city.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Kyle toyed with the idea of objecting, particularly given their difference in power, but knew it was the wrong decision.  Instead, he stood out in the cold for what felt like hours until the gate opened and a delegation came out to meet him.  A goblin less than a meter tall in trailing purple robes approached, flanked by two guards.  She took out a small monocle, examined the egg, and gestured for the guards to take it without so much as a word.

    Kyle got a notification on his nav bracelet that the delivery was complete, and that extraction would take place shortly.  After the stress of getting to this point, the whole interaction felt incredibly anticlimactic.  More than anything, though, Kyle was simply exhausted.  I¡¯ve got the best nap of my life waiting for me.

    After being teleported back to the Insititute¡¯s foyer, Kyle was cleared to leave, receiving a message on his nav bracelet that he barely registered.  The important piece was that he successfully completed Phase Two of his Practicum, and that he had time to rest before Phase Three started.

    Soon, he was greeted by the familiar sight of his apartment, disheveled desk exactly where he¡¯d left it.  After taking a long shower, Kyle whipped up a stew of exotic mixed vegetables with some poultry, which he was looking forward to eating far too much.  He let out a sigh of satisfaction after tasting the rich, spicy broth, and turned to his robotic companion as he poured a bowl.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., while I¡¯m eating would you mind pulling up footage of the encounter with Ger¡¯Sinh?  If the dragon hadn¡¯t shown up, I¡¯m not sure we would have made it out.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.  WHILE BRAIN SCANS DON¡¯T INDICATE ANY TRAUMA, I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE OTHER MEANS AVAILABLE FOR PROTECTION AND ESCAPE.]

    Kyle paused to swallow a mouthful of spicy stew before responding.  ¡°I know, but I didn¡¯t want to count on them.  Besides, the egg might have gotten broken if we¡¯d used them.¡±

    The drone conceded the point, and Kyle watched the entirety of his skirmish multiple times.  He¡¯d been taken by surprise far more often than he should have, between his and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s various means of detection.  Even if he¡¯d cheated to get to the battlefield, Ger¡¯Sinh was a great example of the types of opponents Kyle needed to be able to handle.

    Once his stomach was full, he cleaned up; mind already developing ideas and plans to better deal with enemies like this in the future.  For now, however, he collapsed into his comfortable bed, drifting off to a dreamless sleep.

    ~~~

    Suierrillax observed the chaos in the proctor¡¯s room continue to froth, long after Mayhew had been extracted.  While she understood the magnitude of the interference, she was still left scratching her head about the sheer level of madness occurring.  It was over and done, and they had to move on.

    As a junior proctor, many of the responsibilities surrounding Mayhew¡¯s Practicum had been taken out of her hands after Phase Two had gone sideways.  The seniors, including Rupiniax, were all far more interested in trying to prove their usefulness to the higher-ups than actually evaluating Mayhew.  As far as they were concerned, he was a minor player in the grander scheme of the recent developments, a sentiment with which Suierrillax strongly disagreed.

    Had it not been for Mayhew¡¯s exemplary performance against Ger¡¯Sinh, the beastmaster responsible for no fewer than a dozen high-profile terror attacks across Supremacy planets, the layers of the scheme never would have been revealed.  Why the mysterious Backer decided to show their hand in some D-Grade conflict was beyond her, but now that was all the senior proctors were focused on.

    That left Suierrillax to watch the remaining applicants conclude their duties.  As usual, nearly two-thirds of the applicants who made it this far had already failed and returned.  A handful of deliveries had also been completed, many of which were far simpler affairs than the one Mayhew had gotten sucked into.  Arhades had naturally completed his delivery with little trouble, and though it was taking them longer, both Tillienne and Jax Cain were still putting up impressive performances.

    Tillienne¡¯s group consisted of members of two feuding clans, who were each actively trying to sabotage the other.  While she wasn¡¯t able to convince them to put all the bad blood behind them, after watching her cleave through a hulking lizard, they were willing to keep the peace.  The large, shambling creatures that attacked their group were powerful, but straightforward.  Tillienne¡¯s abilities both in leadership and combat were more than up to the task, and Suierrillax expected the delivery would be done shortly.

    Jax Cain, on the other hand, had one of the more complex situations she¡¯d seen.  It was an urban delivery, and he was tasked with coordinating a delivery team riding small personal transports instead of a larger caravan.  The otherwise timid young man rose to the occasion beautifully, earning the buy-in and trust of his team in short order.  What¡¯s more, he tuned his lightning-based skills down to be non-lethal against the poor and desperate people who tried to mob them for the crystals they were delivering.  By doing so, he avoided becoming the cause of greater civil unrest.

    Suierrillax prepared the same note that she had for everybody who had succeeded in Phase Two.

    [Applicant],

    Congratulations on the successful completion of Phase Two of your Practicum.  We will send out messages when all applicants have either passed or failed this phase, where we will detail the expectations for Phase Three.  Phase Three will begin exactly one cycle after the completion of Phase Two by the final applicant, so be advised that you will have time to rest, recover, and prepare as necessary.

    We look forward to your continued success.

    Satisfied her work was done, she turned her attention back to the screens.  While proctor work was often hectic, this had been far more eventful than she¡¯d ever expected.  One thing was certain; Suerrillax was going to follow Mayhew¡¯s career with interest.  She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he was the fulcrum to something, and she was excited to see what it was.

 Chapter 172

    When Kyle woke the next day, the only thing he wanted to do was roll over and get some more rest.  His body ached all over.  He had missed the simple luxury; a bed, soft pillows, and a blanket to pull over his shoulder during his time away.  As he was contemplating how much more sleep he could sneak in, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice rang through the apartment.  [DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯RE AWAKE.  YOUR NAV BRACELET HAS ALERTED WITH MULTIPLE NOTIFICATIONS, AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CHECK THEM.  I¡¯M QUITE CURIOUS, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO TELL ME WHAT THEY SAY?]

    With a groan, Kyle lifted himself out of the bed and made his way over to where he¡¯d set both C.H.A.D.D. and the nav bracelet.  Sure enough, he had five messages waiting; more than he¡¯d expected.  Two were anticipated ¨C the ones from the Institute and Tillienne.  The ones that made him frown were from somebody named Jax Cain, one from Themestra, and the last from an unknown sender.  Kyle decided it would be wisest to start with the devil he knew, and opened the message from the Institute.

    Congratulations once again on completing Phase Two of your Practicum, Applicant Mayhew.

    Phase Three will begin in one cycle¡¯s time; and unlike the previous phases of your Practicum, you will determine the type of examination you undergo.  Your selections are as follows:

    <ul>

    <li>Artifact Retrieval: You will be dropped off in a ruined city, and expected to tag and retrieve as many marked artifacts as possible during the time allotted, or until you give up. Can you handle the dangers as you delve deeper?  </li>

    <li>Arena Combat: You will be faced with varied waves of enemies, each stronger than the last.  Defeat as many as possible during the time limit, or until you withdraw.  Do you have what it takes to stand as a champion?</li>

    <li>Target Hunt: You will be given a contract for specific beasts to slay.  Upon completion, new contracts will be issued.  Complete as many contracts as possible in the allotted time or until you withdraw.  Will your marks shudder at your approach?</li>

    <li>Defend Position: You will be given command of a squadron of E Grades, and three hours to prepare a defense of a tactical position.  You will be faced with waves of increasingly powerful opposition trying to take your position.  Hold until the time limit, or until you withdraw.  Is yours the bulwark that will remain unbroken?</li>

    <li>Labyrinth Escape: You will be sent to the core of labyrinthine caves.  You will climb to the surface, overcoming each obstacle in your way.  You will either escape, survive until the time limit, or withdraw.  Will you be able to overcome the odds?</li>

    </ul>

    Unlike Phase One and Phase Two, Phase Three is not a simple pass/fail.  Instead, you will be evaluated on your overall performance, and assessed a score between zero and one hundred points.  Furthermore, representatives from the guilds will be watching your performances live, which may influence the offers you will receive.  You will select your trial upon arrival.  We look forward to your performance, and congratulations once again.

    <ul>

    <li>Collective Institute of Independent Licensure.</li>

    </ul>

    This was far different than Kyle had expected, and he read the letter over several times to make sure he wasn¡¯t missing anything.  He appreciated why it was designed this way, as people with different classes and goals would shine better in some environments than others.  Kyle himself was immediately drawn to Labyrinth Escape, as it felt like a natural fit for his own abilities.  Still, there was time to weigh the pros and cons before he had to make a decision, so he moved on to the message from Tillienne.

    Kyle,

    I¡¯m assuming you passed, so congratulations!  If not, this message is going to be a bit awkward.  Either way, interesting information for Phase Three, isn¡¯t it?  I¡¯d love to talk about it and see if we can get some training time scheduled.  Free for a meal in the next thirty hours or so to talk about it?  My sister¡¯s restaurant is taking reservations, and I can get us on the schedule.  Let me know!

    -Tillienne

    Kyle could practically hear the fae woman¡¯s bubbly voice through the message, and couldn¡¯t help but smile.  Both the thought of the delicious food and her company were pleasant, and he quickly responded that he¡¯d be available to meet soon.  While the idea of training with her gave him flashbacks to Skippy, he also appreciated that any time he had to train between now and Phase Three would be time well-spent.

    His brush with death against Ger¡¯Sinh had led to another level, but he was still a good distance away from his next skill upgrade at Level 60, as well as the next D Grade skill at Level 70.  Even if there was no feasible path to getting to those milestones before Phase Three, Kyle wasn¡¯t satisfied with another prolonged period of stagnation.  If training with Tillienne would help keep him progressing, he would take the opportunity happily.

    He was surprised, then, to find that the next message was largely a mirror of the one he¡¯d gotten from Tillienne.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Mr. Mayhew,

    I¡¯ve heard your performance in the last round made a real stir.  I also passed, and am getting prepared for Phase Three.  I hope this message isn¡¯t too much of an imposition, but Tillienne sent your information my way.  I¡¯m looking for sparring partners, and was hoping you¡¯d be willing to make yourself available.  My family has solid resources for training, and we¡¯d make it worth your while.  Feel free to message me back if you¡¯re interested, if not I understand.  I wish you the best either way.

    -Jax Cain

    Kyle filed it away, not thinking on it much further.  He¡¯d ask Tillienne her thoughts when they met for a meal, and he¡¯d make a decision at that point.  Assuming Jax Cain was powerful enough to catch Tillienne¡¯s eye, he would likely be a good partner, but he wanted to hear it from her first.

    Next, he opened the message from Themestra.

    Mayhew,

    This is unofficial communication, but I thought you¡¯d be interested.  After seeing what your drone could do, Corthian Mining decided to reach back out to Marcus Kulhavey, on Greil.  From the sound of things, he¡¯ll be out of pocket for a while, but I¡¯ve attached the information to his office.  If you¡¯re looking for more enhancements for your drone, he¡¯d be the place to go.  Offer still stands if you want to sell the drone to us ¨C we¡¯ll pay handsomely.

    See ya!

    -Themestra

    The information here was far more startling, though Kyle quickly pieced together the motivation.  He could see Chester¡¯s hand behind every word ¨C and he had to admit, it was effective bait.  Marcus Kulhavey was the Originator that his grandfather had worked alongside, and he was the only lead Kyle had about those who left Earth.  Kyle¡¯s initial searches had all been rebuffed ¨C his pockets simply weren¡¯t deep enough to break into the circles where he¡¯d be taken seriously.

    Now that he had direct contact information, things might be different.  It was a long shot.  Still, if he had the chance to meet one of Earth¡¯s first C Grades, he would take the chance.  At the same time, Themestra was right on the money that Kulhavey would be the best possible person to help C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s progression, as he was the original designer of the model.

    As for what Corthian Mining got out of the deal?  His first thought was the possibility of a favorable impression from the man.  Depending on how things went, there was also a chance that he could make them custom drones based on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s adaptations.  There were likely more layers to it Kyle didn¡¯t fully appreciate, though to him it didn¡¯t matter.  He knew he had to reach out, even if it was just to get a chance to talk.

    Pushing down the bubbling emotion, he opened the last message.

    Mayhew,

    Don¡¯t choose the Labyrinth.  It¡¯s a trap.

    -A Friend

    Before he could do anything with the message, the text seemed to warp, then scramble.  A moment later, the message was gone from his nav bracelet, as though it had never been there in the first place.  Kyle stared at the space the message had been displayed, feeling his pulse quicken.  What the hell was that?

    While Kyle was no expert at nav bracelet communications, he¡¯d used them often enough since working with Corthian Mining to understand that this was incredibly out of the ordinary.  Secure messages with varying levels of encryption were common ¨C and he¡¯d received his fair share.  His mana signature was required to access them, so the security was high.  This was something entirely different.

    The problem that now faced him was how seriously to take the message.  Whoever had sent it had an intimate enough understanding of Kyle¡¯s abilities that they knew he would likely choose the Labyrinth Escape option.  They were also connected enough to know what choices were available for Phase Three, which reinforced his impression that whoever sent the message was fairly high up in the overall Collective hierarchy.

    That forced the question to a relatively simple crossroads ¨C were they looking out for Kyle¡¯s interests, or not?  While Kyle didn¡¯t think he¡¯d made many true enemies since arriving at the Hub, there was always a chance that he¡¯d slighted somebody important.  Still, it felt like an awful lot of work to go through, only to dissuade him from his best showcase.  If he was honest, he felt that he could perform admirably at all of them, even if it wasn¡¯t his absolute strongest work.

    That left Kyle inclined to think whoever risked sending the message was looking out for his interests, or at a minimum knew something that he didn¡¯t.  Fortunately, he had time to decide.  With a cycle left between now and the beginning of Phase Three, Kyle did what he always did when there were too many moving parts.  He made a list.

    <ul>

    <li>Meal with Tillienne

    <ul>

    <li>Discuss training, Jax Cain</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Practice HEAL and IGNITION.</li>

    <li>Review footage from Phase Two

    <ul>

    <li>Learn about the egg</li>

    <li>Watch Ger¡¯Sinh</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Send a message to Greil to connect with Marcus Kulhavey</li>

    <li>Decide on a test for Phase Three</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°What am I missing, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [THE FIRST SHUTTLES FROM EARTH SHOULD BEGIN ARRIVING SOON, DR. MAYHEW.  WE COULD MAKE TIME TO VISIT, IF YOU¡¯D LIKE.]

    Kyle thought about it for a moment as silence filled the room.  A big part of him wanted to, but he knew that, aside from a select group, he didn¡¯t belong with them anymore.  Not truly.  ¡°Let¡¯s wait until we hear from Garth.  We¡¯ll give them time to get settled, and see about a visit after getting independent licensure.¡±

    [IF THAT¡¯S WHAT YOU¡¯D LIKE, DR. MAYHEW.  YOU FOUGHT SO HARD TO HELP THEM GET THIS OPPORTUNITY.  FOR WHAT IT¡¯S WORTH, I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD MAKE TIME TO SEE THEM.]

    Kyle sighed as he accepted the drone¡¯s words.  There was truth there, and he had to admit it would help put his heart at ease to see them well.  ¡°I appreciate your thoughts, C.H.A.D.D.  For now, let¡¯s tackle what¡¯s in front of us.¡±

 Chapter 173

    Kyle gritted his teeth as the electricity coursed through him, nearly bringing him to his knees.  He ducked behind some rubble just as another bolt struck where he¡¯d been standing, a peal of thunder ringing in his ears.  Does this even count as sparring?

    After meeting with Tillienne, Kyle had agreed to meet with Jax Cain, who he¡¯d learned was the young man he¡¯d observed after the completion of Phase One.  Apparently Tillienne¡¯s family had dealings with Cain Jewelers before, which was part of what inspired their connection.  She¡¯d convinced him that he¡¯d be a good partner to train with, and so the three of them had made their way to the Cain family training grounds.

    Jax was young and handsome, his boyish features far clearer as Kyle spent time with him before their match.  He was earnest, smiled easily, and Kyle understood why people seemed drawn to him.  For others, the idea of trying to organize this type of training may have seemed ridiculous.  After all, who wanted to help potential competitors?  For Jax, extending the invitation just made sense.

    The complex was effectively a dusty wasteland inside an enclosed dome, though the overall size was almost as large as Nierburg.  Jax had settled on Defend Position for Phase Three, which was what they were currently training for.  Kyle and Tillienne were trying to break through to his position, and he was doing his best to hold them back.  And his best was pretty damn good.

    The constant barrage of precise, long-range electric attacks was incredibly difficult to deal with, as STORM SHELTER would leave him a sitting duck when he dropped it.  That left Kyle and Tillienne dodging and weaving through rubble and stones to close in on the vantage that Jax had selected.  The fae woman was worse off than Kyle, lacking the ability to heal in the same way he did, though Kyle had a distinct impression that she was still holding back quite a bit.  Then and again, so was he.

    Another bolt split the air, and Kyle could feel the heat as his hair stood on end, the strike barely missing his left ear.  While he didn¡¯t want to get hit too much, Kyle found that the residual shock from the attacks made for a great opportunity to practice HEAL in conjunction with ADAPTIVE REGENERATION.  He felt his conceptual understanding of cellular regeneration improving, and was optimistic that the upgrade options he¡¯d receive for HEAL would be impressive.

    Tillienne took the opportunity provided by Kyle taking fire to dash closer to the young man, covering ground at an alarming rate as a boosting skill activated.  Kyle prepared to activate IGNITION to join in, but there was no need as the young man seemed to grow flustered, shifting focus and firing a sloppy shot that didn¡¯t manage to get close to her.

    Scorched and smiling, Tillienne touched the bottom of the rock formation Jax had chosen as his defensible position.  She let out a quick laugh, then looked up at Jax while Kyle approached. ¡°That was a good showing.  Your lightning magic is no joke!¡±

    Jax looked at his feet, a blush already rising in his cheeks.  ¡°Uh, thanks.  It still wasn¡¯t enough to keep you guys away though.  I have a lot to work on.¡±

    [YOU WOULD DO WELL TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PRESENCE OF BOOSTING SKILLS, MR. CAIN.  FROM WHAT WE¡¯VE EXPERIENCED, THEY ARE FAIRLY COMMON AMONG ELITE FIGHTERS.]

    Jax nodded, not seeming bothered at all to be receiving feedback from Kyle¡¯s backpack.  ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.  I don¡¯t have as much experience fighting against people like you two.¡±

    Tillienne looked at Kyle, and raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Are you just going to stand there, or can I get some healing?¡±  Tossing a glance back at Jax, she quipped ¡°And don¡¯t feel bad about it, Jax.  There¡¯s nobody else out there quite like me.¡±

    Kyle and Jax shared a look as she laughed at her own comment, Kyle resting a hand on her top left shoulder as he activated HEAL.  The burns left by Jax¡¯s lightning were tricky to mend, but Kyle had plenty of experience treating his own.  He focused his energy first on neutralizing any of the electric-affinity mana still flowing through Tillienne, and then on promoting cellular regrowth beneath the burned tissue.

    Her smile turned into a grimace of pain as the fresh skin grew.  Kyle¡¯s Enhanced Carapace had prevented a lot of these issues, proving far quicker and easier to mend.  It was a qualitative aspect of his Adaptive Anatomy he didn¡¯t reflect on often, but one that was incredibly useful.  It also drew him to reflect on his relationship with pain.  While Tillienne and Jax were both powerful D Grades in their own right, IDENTIFY had shown him just how little they¡¯d invested into Endurance and Vitality.

    He couldn¡¯t help but compare them to Duroc and Skippy, who had both seen real combat in the frontier, and how even Skippy had invested more than these two had.  He knew they both had powerful backers and guides along their paths, but he felt that their investment was still lacking.  While they each had powerful skills they could bring to bear, they didn¡¯t have the durability for long, drawn-out engagements.

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    Kyle knew he was a bit of a monster in that regard, and after his fight with Ger¡¯Sinh he knew that he still had a long way to go.  The beastmaster had used a trump card beyond anything Kyle expected to see at D Grade, but that certainly didn¡¯t mean it was the last time he¡¯d encounter something like that.  If anything, it was a gauntlet that the universe had thrown down, challenging him to go even farther.

    Satisfied the worst of the burns were healed, Kyle activated IDENTIFY once more to check for any irregularities.  Tillienne met his eyes as he did so, and he saw mana gently projecting out from her, reaching out towards both him and Jax.  Now it was Kyle¡¯s turn to raise an eyebrow, to which she only smiled as her skill deactivated.  Kyle did the same.

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame a girl for getting curious about your identification skill, just wanted to see if I could pick up any more details on it.¡±

    Jax, who seemed oblivious, looked to Kyle and Tillienne with surprise.  ¡°You both have identification skills?  What¡¯s it like to use them?¡±

    It turned out that Jax, while not having such a skill of his own, was deeply interested in the different types.  Kyle and Tillienne both spoke in general terms, not oversharing, but still giving their earnest host a good picture of how they perceived mana.  Kyle described his more as understanding the general flow and magnitude, while Tillienne described hers more as an instinctual measure of the people she met.  Jax was fascinated by both, and continued asking question after question until they made it to the training facility¡¯s cafeteria.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always hoped to get an identification skill, but it¡¯s just never come up.¡± Jax complained between mouthfuls of food.  ¡°It would be so nice to be able to see more of what people are doing, sometimes it feels like I¡¯m fighting blind.¡±

    Kyle was enjoying the taste of his own meal, which reminded him of fried rice mixed with battered meat.  After swallowing a particularly tasty bite, he met Jax¡¯s eyes.  ¡°The accuracy you had with the long-range lightning attacks was way too precise to be ¡®fighting blind.¡¯  Surely, you¡¯ve got some sort of long-range Perception skill, right?¡±

    Jax nodded, finishing his bite before responding.  ¡°I do, but it isn¡¯t all that exciting.  It was one of the earlier skills I picked up.¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°So, focus on it.  When it¡¯s time to upgrade it, hopefully you¡¯ll have a solid enough foundation in sensing mana to be offered an upgrade that¡¯s in line with what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    Jax and Tillienne just stared at him, and Kyle began to realize that maybe he should have kept his mouth shut.  Tillienne was the first to speak, her expression more serious than he¡¯d seen it before.  ¡°Kyle, that¡¯s easier said than done.  If any of us even make it to a high enough level to get all the upgrades to our E Grade skills, taking skills into strange directions can have unintended consequences.¡±

    Kyle had to admit, his curiosity was piqued.  Both of them were receiving guidance from their seniors, and were following proven paths to power.  The level of support that both received was a large part of why they¡¯d been so set apart from their peers, after all.  Kyle wanted to hear more about their thoughts, but before that, something Tillienne said bothered him.  ¡°What do you mean ¡®if¡¯ we make it to a high enough level?  Isn¡¯t something like that a given for us?¡±

    Jax and Tillienne shared a look, and this time it was the young man who responded.  ¡°Middle D Grade is a bottleneck for a lot of people that get this far.  Fewer D Grades make it to C Grade than E Grades making it to D Grade.  Even working with the Guilds, it¡¯s rare to get the kind of experiences that¡¯ll push you to the higher echelons, even if you have the talent.¡±

    Kyle folded his arms as he leaned back, taking in their words.  While he understood what they were saying, there was something inside him that bristled against the very notion of a bottleneck.  Neither Tillienne nor Jax had been through the kind of life-or-death struggles he had.  And with the essence of the riftwyrm flowing through him, Kyle expected his circumstances would be considered abnormal by any measure.

    ¡°That may be so,¡± Kyle said, trying to offer some grace.  ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, what would be wrong with steering your skill upgrade in a different direction?  If anything, wouldn¡¯t fewer upgrades make it less of an issue?¡±

    Jax shook his head, brushing dark strands of hair out of his eyes.  ¡°First, the goal is still to keep advancing.  I can¡¯t speak for Tillienne, but our family has invested a lot in the hopes I¡¯ll make it to C Grade.  If that does happen, then a more well-defined upgrade path makes sense.

    ¡°You stop getting new skills at C Grade, and have to work on upgrades.  Information on upgrade paths at that level is rare and expensive, so we try to stay in the realm of what we know works.  If we deviated too far, and can¡¯t upgrade any skills, advancement in C Grade stops entirely.

    ¡°Besides that, at least for my family, having a level of consistency across our skills lets us work together more seamlessly.  It¡¯s less about the individual degrees of power, and more about cohesion.¡±

    Tillienne nodded in agreement at Jax¡¯s explanation, serious expression still on her face.  ¡°Kyle, has your backer seriously not talked with you about your skill development?  With how much they¡¯ve probably invested in you¡­¡±

    Her voice trailed off, and Kyle suppressed the fire bubbling in his veins as the food he was chewing lost its flavor.  It was as if they were telling him that the path he¡¯d walked to this point was somehow wrong, or lesser.  Kyle bristled at the notion.  He hadn¡¯t gotten this far because he was following some sort of playbook, he¡¯d fought to get where he was.  He paid for his strength in blood.  ¡°No, and I prefer it that way.¡±

    A tense silence settled over the room like a blanket, which apparently was too much for C.H.A.D.D.

    [WHAT IS THE NEXT EXERCISE?  I BELIEVE IT¡¯S MISS TILLIENNE¡¯S TURN, IS THAT CORRECT?]

    Some of the tension left the room, and soon Tillienne¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°That it is, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯ll be selecting the Arena Combat option.¡±  She met Kyle¡¯s eyes as her smile deepened.  ¡°And I¡¯d like for you to be my first opponent, Kyle.  Let¡¯s see if your assessment about being a bad matchup is correct.¡±

 Chapter 174

    Kyle stretched as he regarded the fae woman on the other side of the ¡°arena¡± they¡¯d selected.  In reality, they¡¯d just drawn a large circle in a relatively flat portion of the training grounds.  While they had no idea exactly what the rules or terrain would be in Phase Three, this was the most neutral approximation they could come up with.  With Tillienne still being a bit fatigued from training against Jax, their hope was to simulate a later-round battle.  Kyle fully expected early to mid-tier D Grade obstacles to pop up in the later portions of Phase Three, and after their conversation, Kyle was more than happy to play the final boss.

    The sky lit up with a bolt of lightning, and the crash of thunder marked the beginning of the fight.  Kyle took a defensive stance, expecting Tillienne to close in to engage in melee.  Instead, she touched one of the charms on her bracelet, and Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he activated IDENTIFY.  The metal of the bracelet began to flow, and in mere seconds she was holding a greatbow nearly as tall as she was.

    A click could be heard across the arena, and the weapon expanded further, now shaped like an ¡°X.¡±  Two of Tillienne¡¯s arms pushed the bow out, as the other two pulled back a wicked-looking arrow, which she promptly released.  Kyle darted out of the way, not daring to look away as she drew another.  ¡°Can you project the flight targets of the arrows, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [DR. MAYHEW, THE POSSIBLE TRAJECTORIES OF THE ARROWS ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE WEAPON, AND DIFFICULT TO PREDICT.]

    ¡°Do your best, I won¡¯t hold it against you if you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    Dozens of lights sprang up as C.H.A.D.D. lit up the angles of approach, right as Tillienne released her next shot.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s predictions were slightly off, though it was close enough for him to avoid the shot, this time getting lightly grazed across his left arm.  The barbed arrow cut through his shirt, but was unable to break the skin thanks to his Enhanced Carapace.  Still, he was sure that he didn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of a direct hit.  Those arrows moved fast.

    A third arrow was nocked, and Auric Perception warned Kyle that this one was different.  As she released it, the projectile accelerated, closing the distance even faster than the others.  STORM SHELTER instinctively sprang to life, barely intercepting the arrow as the barrier formed.  He dropped the skill nearly as quickly as he¡¯d activated it, and now dashed directly towards his opponent.

    One thing he¡¯d noticed as she shot the arrows at him was a shift in the mana coming from her bracelets.  Each shot may have gotten more powerful, but IDENTIFY showed him that they each got more costly to fire, and took slightly longer to produce.  Tillienne drew the largest arrow yet, setting it against the string of her strange bow.  Kyle¡¯s blood burned in his veins as he activated IGNITION, and he was on her in a moment.

    To Tillienne¡¯s credit, she didn¡¯t skip a beat.  Though her face betrayed a moment of surprise, both the bow and arrow flowed into silver metal as she released them, returning to her bracelets.  Kyle could feel the mana around her stir as her own boosting skill was activated, and was prepared when her hands flashed out in a swift unarmed combination attack.

    Risking a quick glance with IDENTIFY, he could tell that the boost was purely physical, though still qualitatively impressive.  Kyle quickly found himself on the back foot, dodging attacks and trying to stay just outside of her striking range.  Simply based on the number of charms she had on her bracelets; Kyle assumed she could draw out more weapons.  As the frenetic pace of their battle picked up, Kyle fully expected she would have quite a bit to showcase.

    Fighting an opponent with four arms was a real challenge, particularly given Tillienne¡¯s raw physical Strength.  He had to be careful to evade every blow, as each punch packed enough power to cause real damage.  Even with two batons, he was forced almost entirely on the defensive, each counterattack he managed to launch nullified by her unorthodox style.  Despite his situation, Kyle felt a smile growing across his face.

    Suddenly, Tillienne slowed down, taking three quick strikes from Kyle¡¯s batons.  He pushed his advantage, as Tillienne tried and failed to activate her boosting skill again.  Realization seemed to dawn on her face as she met his eyes.  ¡°How are you blocking my skill?¡±

    Kyle grunted as he narrowly blocked a counterpunch, feeling the impact running all the way up his arm.  ¡°Are you offering a trade in the middle of a battle?  This doesn¡¯t seem like great timing.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, instead ducking to the ground and spinning.  The move took Kyle by surprise, and he reacted too slowly as Tillienne swept his leg with hers.  He swore as he felt himself falling backwards, her fists threatening to smash him into the ground.  Cursing his carelessness, he pushed harder on PARASITIC RESONANCE.  Her eyes widened as the muscles in her arms strained against the twisting mana, slowing her just enough for Kyle to regain his footing.  Now that she was fully aware of the skill¡¯s presence, she railed against it, but it bought him the time he¡¯d needed.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    His fight with Ger¡¯Sinh had shown Kyle that his current application of the skill was sloppy.  Before upgrading the skill, he could only use RESONANCE while in physical contact, so he had grown accustomed to immediately trying to overpower his opponents¡¯ Willpower and gain control.  While that worked fine against beasts operating on instinct, more intelligent enemies could fight against his skill, or take measures to avoid it altogether.

    After taking time to rewatch his fight against the beastmaster, he¡¯d realized that he needed to shift his thinking.  His inspiration came from the concept of parasites themselves ¨C the longer they went undetected, the more dangerous they were.  Why should he be any different?  Forgoing the priority on immediate attack, Kyle had instead been practicing making the tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE thinner, more subtle.  He was plenty happy with the results so far, even if there was still room to improve his application of the skill.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t rest on his laurels, however, as the brief break in their engagement had given Tillienne the time she needed to pull out three items from her bracelets.  With PARASITIC RESONANCE still active, he was surprised to see that there was no real mana manipulation involved.  Instead, the bracelets seemed to just draw mana out of her, with the items themselves doing the work of shaping the weapons.  The pink-skinned woman stood before him with a spear in one hand, a shield in another, with two hands grasping a colossal battleaxe.

    Her expression had grown serious, and Kyle thought he saw a flicker of anger in her eyes.  ¡°You¡¯ve been holding back on me.  That¡¯s not just a nullification skill, is it?¡±

    Kyle shook his head, not seeing a reason to lie about it.  ¡°It¡¯s not one that I particularly like using in a friendly match.¡±

    She responded by leveling the spear and raising her shield.  ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate being treated like a child, Kyle.  I¡¯m D Grade nobility of a fae house, and I will not be toyed with.¡±  Without another word, she charged.  Kyle avoided several thrusts with the spear, though with the shield raised there were few opportunities to counterattack.  He kept his connection with PARASITIC RESONANCE to suppress the activation of her boosting skill, and fought defensively, waiting for an opportunity.

    One thrust from the spear overextended, and Kyle seized the moment.  He batted the weapon to the side with a baton, creating a small opening.  He rotated back as he brought both batons down, catching her lower-right arm which held the spear.  His blow caused her to drop the weapon, which turned to silver liquid and flowed back into the bracelet around her wrist.

    Kyle was celebrating internally, when he realized his error.  Against a normal human, this would have disarmed their primary weapon.  Because she hadn¡¯t used the axe thus far in their fight, Kyle only now realized how exposed he was.  The weapon came crashing towards him in a brutal arc, a light jab with the shield forcing him further off-balance.  STORM SHELTER was an option, but some part of Kyle felt like using the skill was admitting a loss.  Instead, he went with plan B.

    ¡°Now!¡±  Kyle¡¯s cry was answered by orange light flashing brightly in Tilliene¡¯s eyes, while at the same time Kyle pushed energy through PARASITIC RESONANCE, focused on the hands holding the axe.  Kyle tucked his legs tight to his chest as he moved with the force of the shield bash, falling to the ground and landing on the C.H.A.D.D.pack.  The ground shook as the axe crashed into the ground where he¡¯d been standing.  He used the surface as a foundation to roll backwards, managing to clamber to his feet.

    Another thrust with the spear was headed directly towards him, and there was no avoiding it at this range.  The weapon struck him in the chest, puncturing his armor and managing to draw a thin trickle of blood. Embracing the pain from the injury and IGNITION, Kyle stoked the skill further as he regained his distance.  Connecting C.H.A.D.D. to his stonebloom armor, the wood began to slowly grow to repair the hole caused by the blow.

    Tillienne paused several steps away, her gaze landing on the wound that was already closing.  Turning her eyes to meet Kyle¡¯s she spoke. Her voice was calm, not a hint of flirtation.  ¡°You¡¯re a real monster, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ouch.  ¡°Monster¡¯s a little harsh, don¡¯t you think?  But I told you, I¡¯m a bad match for you.  There¡¯s no shame in that, it was a great fight.¡±  Kyle could tell from the change in her tone and attitude that she¡¯d genuinely expected this fight to go an entirely different direction.  He couldn¡¯t blame her ¨C she was a true elite after all ¨C but he hoped that they could call it here.  Pushing much farther could get dangerous for her.

    ¡°Matchups?  That¡¯s an excuse for the weak.  I¡¯m not stopping here, Kyle.  Not for you.  Not for anybody.¡±

    Kyle felt a chill go through his body as the air around Tillienne began to shimmer.  PARASITIC RESONANCE didn¡¯t reveal any mana moving differently in her body, so he activated IDENTIFY.  His eyes widened as he saw her pure vital energy seeming to surge like magma, pulsing through body in conjunction with her heartbeat.  Then, she moved.

    In a flash he could hardly follow, she was in the air above him, axe poised to cleave him in two.  This time, Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate.  STORM SHELTER sprang to life, deflecting the blow.  As she bounced off the shield, she launched several other mighty blows against the barrier, each landing with the force to pulverize stone to dust.

    Still, Kyle¡¯s skill held up.  There was a component of STORM SHELTER that scaled with his Willpower, and he was well beyond what most D Grades around his level would achieve.  IGNITION continued to burn in his veins, the ramping effect offered by Unbreakable Willpower becoming truly noticeable.

    He met the woman¡¯s eyes through the barrier, and a moment of silence was shared between them.  When STORM SHELTER expired, there was an unspoken guarantee that their fight would be escalated well beyond the level of a training match.  He saw her pride, her drive to prove her path.  And he knew, without a doubt, that he would need to take her completely seriously when things continued.

    With a sigh, he deactivated his skills and raised his hands.  ¡°I give up.  You win.¡±

 Chapter 175

    For a moment, Kyle was concerned that Tillienne was going to attack him anyway.  It was clear, at least to him, that she wanted to push herself further, to prove that she was stronger.  Frustration was plain on her face, and he noticed her hands clench a little tighter on the axe before the air around her stopped shimmering, the weapons turning back to liquid metal as they entered the bracelets.  Tension seemed to melt out of her as her shoulders slumped.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a win, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Do you really look down on me that much?  You couldn¡¯t even trust me enough to know my limits?  What, did you think I was on some death-or-glory mission here?¡±

    Kyle sighed, meeting her eyes.  ¡°Maybe you would have, maybe you wouldn¡¯t.  What I do know is that to keep pace with you, I wouldn¡¯t have had the luxury to hold back.  And that¡¯s not something I was willing to risk.¡±

    She snorted.  ¡°And you think I couldn¡¯t handle it.¡±

    Kyle felt a familiar heat bubbling in his chest, and he didn¡¯t hold it back as he stepped towards her, meeting her eyes.  ¡°I know you couldn¡¯t handle it.  You called me a monster; and believe me when I say you don¡¯t know the half of it.  I get to choose how far I¡¯m willing to go.  I don¡¯t owe you a fight.  This is supposed to be training for Phase Three.  Giving each other serious injuries for our own pride isn¡¯t part of the equation.¡±

    She looked away, folding her arms.  There was a tension in the air, broken when Jax arrived.  ¡°That was a hell of a fight!¡± He grinned, brushing his long, dark hair out of his eyes.  ¡°Looks like you got him at the end, Tillienne.  Not much of a surprise there.¡±

    She looked at Jax, and when she spoke the weariness was clear in her voice.  ¡°I could use a rest.  Is there somewhere I can go lie down?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jax said, his expression shifting from joviality to concern.  ¡°I¡¯ll have a room ready for you, do you want me to get transportation arranged back to the compound?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk.  Thank you.¡±  Tillienne turned and started the journey back towards the nearest entrance to the estate.  It would probably take her an hour or more to get back, and Kyle hoped the time to clear her head would be helpful.  He could appreciate that their sparring match didn¡¯t end the way she¡¯d hoped, but was optimistic that she¡¯d come around to his way of thinking with some time to cool down.

    Jax and Kyle stood in silence as she left, with the young man finally turning to Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°So, which option are you going to choose for Phase Three?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.  I¡¯m a little split between the Artifact Retrieval and Labyrinth Escape.¡±

    [I ALSO BELIEVE THAT DR. MAYHEW COULD PERFORM ADMIRABLY IN THE ARENA COMBAT.]

    Jax nodded.  ¡°With a performance like that one, I think you¡¯d probably do well in any of them.  Still, if you haven¡¯t decided, what kind of training do you think would benefit you?  We could probably simulate something for each, but I¡¯m not sure where you¡¯d like to start.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re up for it, I think I¡¯d like to practice avoiding attacks under sustained fire.¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Really?  I can see if we can get some of the staff and maybe a family member or two together, but is that all you want?  We could try to tailor more.¡±

    ¡°It is.  Besides, that¡¯ll give you an opportunity to keep practicing against difficult targets, too.¡±

    Jax nodded, clearly warming up to the idea.  ¡°We can see if Tillienne will want to join as well, those arrows were no joke.  It¡¯ll be a little while for me to get something set up, I¡¯ll send you a note when we¡¯re ready.  Do you want a lift back to the compound?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°No, I¡¯ll be okay.  I appreciate it, Jax.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good, see you soon!¡±  The dark-haired youth headed towards the compound, following the retreating form of Tillienne.  Once he was a little farther away, Kyle let out a breath, running a hand through his hair.  Coming here might have been a mistake.

    [WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°They¡¯re just so¡­ different.  Jax¡¯s family owns an entire moon.  It doesn¡¯t feel like Tillienne has ever been in a position where she¡¯s lost.¡±  Kyle paused as he looked at the dark void in the sky, stars twinkling in the perpetual night, despite the glowing spheres of light illuminating the training ground.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like I belong here.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, YOU DON¡¯T BELONG HERE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The drone¡¯s abrupt response startled him.  ¡°What do you mean by that, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YOUR EXPERIENCE ON EARTH WAS TRAUMATIC, DR. MAYHEW, AND NOT A TRAUMA THAT MANY WILL SHARE.  IT UNDOUBTEDLY SHAPED ASPECTS OF YOUR WORLDVIEW, AND JUDGING YOUR BELONGING BASED ON SHARED EXPERIENCE WILL LEAVE YOU WITH VERY FEW WHO CAN UNDERSTAND.  PRESENT COPMANY EXCLUDED, OF COURSE.]

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I need people to have gone through the same thing.  Even before the cataclysm, I don¡¯t know that I would have had a lot in common with these two.  It¡¯s a whole different world ¨C literally.¡±

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    [I AGREE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HAD NOTHING IN COMMON BEFOREHAND.  AS THINGS STAND NOW, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE YOU ARE OVERLOOKING THE OBVIOUS POINTS OF SIMILARITY.  ALL OF YOU ARE PURSUING STRENGTH.  ALL OF YOU ARE LOOKING TO WORK INDEPENTENTLY, WITHOUT TIES TO EXISTING FACTIONS.]

    ¡°I get that, C.H.A.D.D.  It still feels like they both see this as more of a game.¡±

    [SHOULDN¡¯T THEY?  THE STAKES ARE RELATIVELY LOW FOR THEM, AND APART FROM THE ODD CIRCUMSTANCES IN PHASE TWO, THEY WERE LOW FOR YOU, TOO.  I¡¯LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS, DR. MAYHEW: DON¡¯T ALLOW THE FOREIGN NATURE OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES TO PREVENT YOU FROM FORMING RELATIONSHIPS.  YOUR GOALS WILL BE BETTER SERVED WITH A NETWORK TO SUPPORT YOU.]

    Kyle was silent for a moment, thinking about the drone¡¯s words.  They were surprisingly insightful, though Kyle expected the psychology files C.H.A.D.D. had were the largest contributor.  He didn¡¯t feel better, not yet, but it was worth reflecting on.  For now, he changed the topic.  ¡°So you think Arena Combat could be a good fit?¡±

    [I DO.  IF WE TAKE THE MESSAGE ABOUT LABYRINTH ESCAPE SERIOUSLY, THERE¡¯S A POSSIBILITY THAT ARTIFACT RETRIEVAL COULD BE SIMILARLY COMPROMISED DUE TO ITS SIMILAR NATURE.  ARENA COMBAT, BY CONTRAST, IS THE WIDEST DEPARTURE IN TERMS OF STRUCTURE.  FURTHERMORE, IT LIKELY HAS MORE CONTROLS IN PLACE TO PREVENT TAMPERING.]

    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting take.  I¡¯m concerned that it wouldn¡¯t showcase what we need to get into the Courier¡¯s Guild.¡±

    [THAT¡¯S A RISK.]

    It¡¯s all a risk.  Kyle knew that whatever he chose, there were a great deal of unknowns.  A part of him still bristled at the message, wanting to choose Labyrinth Escape for the simple fact of spitting in the eye of whoever tried to set a trap for him.  There were still aces he hadn¡¯t shown, and unless the trap was at or above the level of Ger¡¯Sinh, he was confident in overcoming it.  At the same time, the rational part of his brain knew it wasn¡¯t wise.  There were other options available to him.  Good options.

    Kyle understood that he was among the highest tier of candidates in his Practicum.  Of the people he¡¯d seen, only Arhades, Jax, and Tillienne truly stood above the rest.  Reflecting on that fact calmed him.  Assuming he didn¡¯t fail Phase Three miserably, there would be an opportunity of some sort waiting for him.  He exhaled as his heart settled on the next step.  Artifact Retrieval.

    Part of him was tempted to tell Jax, but he stopped before activating his nav bracelet.  C.H.A.D.D. was right in that sabotage to Labyrinth Escape could be easily translated over, and sharing that information now could be dangerous.  Even if he trusted the young man, it was wiser to keep his decision closer to the chest.  I probably shouldn¡¯t have shared as much as I did.

    Kyle¡¯s self-admonishment was cut short as a message came through.

    Kyle,

    I¡¯ve got a group together, including a member of the family¡¯s security forces also in D Grade.  Tillienne agreed to come, though she said she won¡¯t be able to use the bow for a while.  I still think it¡¯ll be worth having her.  A transport is on the way to pick you up, training will start in a little over an hour.

    -Jax

    Despite himself, a grin crossed his face.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how are you feeling about manipulating the stonebloom armor¡¯s properties?¡±

    [QUITE COMFORTABLE, DR. MAYHEW.  WITH THE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, I BELIEVE THERE ARE VARIOUS APPLICATIONS THAT CAN BE EXPLORED AS WELL.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°For now, let¡¯s stick to the basics.  It¡¯ll be good to get some practice in with what we know.¡±

    [A PRUDENT DECISION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°While we wait, can you pull up your scans of the egg?¡±

    The drone obliged, and Kyle gazed at the endlessly complex series of sigils and runes covering its surface.  Despite his and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s best efforts, they still had no idea what the purpose of the inscriptions were, other than collecting ambient energy.  He hoped to learn more after the Practicum was over, as there could be some interesting applications if he could apply the principles to organic material, his armor being the first candidate.  If it could grow stronger naturally, why not explore it?

    The duo discussed their plans for several more minutes, before Kyle heard a whirring sound.  Looking up, he saw the transport that Jax mentioned, surprised at how different it looked from those utilized by Corthian Mining.  Instead of rune-powered thrusters, this vehicle used two large turbines on either side of a small, spherical cockpit.  In many ways, the design reminded Kyle of old-world helicopters.

    Red dust was kicked up as the turbines rotated vertically, slowing its descent until it finally touched down with a thud.  The cockpit door opened, and Kyle walked in, seeing a comfortable seating area in the back.  As soon as he sat down, the doors closed and sealed.

    The pilot nodded in greeting.  ¡°Thank you for your patience.  We¡¯ll be at the training center shortly, sir.  I apologize for any turbulence.  The artificial atmosphere can make it rough from time to time as the pressure is maintained.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem at all.  How long have you been working for the Cain family?¡±

    ¡°Most of my life, sir.  Started in the mines as a young man, and earned my way to the estates a few years ago.¡±

    ¡°How did you get involved with them?¡±

    ¡°My family hired on a couple of generations back, and they¡¯ve treated us well.  Pay is fair, and they¡¯ve been good to us through the years.  Young Master Jax looks to be continuing that trend.¡±

    As they flew, Kyle asked the pilot more about the Cain family.  In many ways, their story was similar to Corthian Mining¡¯s.  They were human led, fell under the banner of the Gray Conglomerate, and built their brand through acquiring treasures and natural resources.  The key difference was that, as they grew, Cain Jewelers focused their business exclusively on extracting and refining mana crystals, while Corthian Mining was far more general.

    Kyle was most surprised to learn how many people effectively served the Cain family as intergenerational careers.  There was a lot Kyle still wanted to learn, but before he could ask more, they approached their destination.  Kyle looked out from above, seeing a long strip of land surrounded by raised platforms.  As they descended, he recognized Tillienne and Jax, who stood next to a Phytan.  There were well over a dozen others present, all wearing the standard uniforms of the Cain family.

    He thanked the pilot as he debarked, activating Identify as he looked at the group.  The awakened staff were nothing special, mostly Mages with a couple Rangers sprinkled in.  Nobody was stronger than middle E Grade, though the impression he got from the Phytan more than made up for it.  The creature appeared as a floating, swirling mass of algae, the cloud nearly three meters around.

    It was heavily specialized into Vitality, Willpower, and Intelligence.  While Kyle didn¡¯t know its level, he fully expected it to be well into the middle of D Grade or even beyond.  It was engaged in a conversation with Tillienne and Jax, the latter of whom stopped to walk over to Kyle.  ¡°Welcome!  This is Trex, they¡¯re long-standing members of our security team.¡±

    Trex floated closer, their voice a strong whisper as the algae vibrated.  ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡­ Kyle Mayhew¡­  Thank you for the honor¡­ Of being able to assist with your¡­ Training.¡±  The pitch of Trex¡¯s voice was odd, volume fluctuating with each word.

    ¡°Thank you for offering to help,¡± Kyle said, offering a respectful bow.

    Jax smiled.  ¡°Well, with introductions done, should we get started?¡±

 Chapter 176

    [DO THEY SEEM A LITTLE TOO EAGER TO YOU, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Definitely.¡±  Kyle stood at one end of a path, surrounded by raised pillars of various elevations.  The path ended with a round area with some brush, and Kyle¡¯s goal was to make it to the end while avoiding or blocking ranged attacks from his training partners.  The idea was great, but after seeing the cheery atmosphere while they sat together, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d made a mistake agreeing to this type of training.

    Kyle could appreciate the excitement from the D Grades, particularly in that they could each test their skills against somebody who could take them.  He hadn¡¯t counted on the E Grades mirroring that enthusiasm.  Even as far away as he was, Kyle could make out broad smiles on most of their faces.  I suppose they don¡¯t get many opportunities to let loose.

    A flare shot into the sky from the ending point, and the air around him was instantly filled with colors as C.H.A.D.D. highlighted over a dozen incoming attacks.  C.H.A.D.D. and Kyle had developed a system to differentiate physical and mana attacks, and he immediately realized that it was worthless in a situation like this one.  There were simply too many attack types coming in for him to realistically adapt to all of them.

    He pushed mana through his connection to the drone, activating the properties of his stonebloom armor.  ¡°Just highlight the physical attacks!¡±  C.H.A.D.D. obliged, now only highlighting two incoming techniques.  Kyle ducked as a stream of fine glass shards sliced the air above his head, then stepped to the side to avoid a lance of ice jetting towards his position.

    Bolts of lightning mingled with gouts of flame and shockwaves of pure force, lighting up the sky before fizzling into nothing before they could even touch him.  Kyle felt a grin growing across his face.  His first field test of his armor had been against Ger¡¯Sinh, and had been easily overwhelmed.  He¡¯d known it wasn¡¯t fair to use that as the sole measurement of its ability, but part of him felt like he¡¯d made a mistake investing so heavily into it.  Now, he was vindicated.  The attacks from E Grades were entirely nullified, not even touching him.

    Another volley of glass projectiles shot towards him, highlighted by C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors.  Kyle sidestepped this one too, only to raise his arms just in time to divert a javelin thrown with insane speed by Tillienne from across the training field.  The sharp edge of the weapon left a cut on his right arm, which he repaired with a quick Heal.  The ground behind him shook, and walls of earth sprang up, forming a semicircle to limit his movements.

    This time, the volley of attacks was joined by a bolt of lightning as thick as his wrist, splitting the air like rifle fire.  He activated the ability of his armor again, this time attempting to focus the effect in an area directly in front of him.  It wasn¡¯t nearly enough to stop the full force of Jax¡¯s attack.  The bolt slammed into him with enough physical force to smash him into the earthen barrier.  Kyle was disoriented, the smell of ozone overpowering.

    [YOU MAY WANT TO MOVE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The drone¡¯s flat tone brought him back into focus as a storm of ice and cold began to rain down on him, courtesy of the same E Grade who threw the lance of ice before.  A thin layer of frost began to build on his armor, and Kyle sighed.  Not seeing a way around it, he activated Ignition.  Power surged through him as he felt the tingling pain across his body, the nullification from the stonebloom boosted by the flowing power.

    The storm of cold was pushed back by the enhanced range of the armor, just as the atmospheric mana replenished his reserves.  Another javelin flew his way, and this time Kyle ducked under it.  He felt the shrapnel from the remains of the earthworks behind him as it exploded, then raised his arm to intercept a small cloud of glass heading directly towards his face.  Each shard was no larger than a grain of sand; trying and failing to break his skin.

    [IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN EXPECTED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°No joke,¡± Kyle said, jumping to avoid a pitfall created by the earth manipulator.  ¡°They coordinate exceptionally well.¡±  He was genuinely impressed with their overall level of ability, and could easily see this team putting up a meaningful fight against most early D Grades, even without Jax and Tillienne involved.  Speaking of, Trex hasn¡¯t done anything yet.  Kyle risked a glance down the field with Identify active, and saw the floating mass of algae veritably glowing with mana.  It seemed to be charging for an attack of type, though Kyle couldn¡¯t figure out what it could be.  Maybe light mana?  Whatever it was, Kyle had never come across the energy it was converting before, and it gave him a bad feeling.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    He didn¡¯t get an opportunity to analyze further as Jax launched another precision bolt, which Kyle barely managed to avoid thanks to the boost from Ignition.  Flame and lightning swirled around him, though with the expanded range and power of the stonebloom armor, the E Grade attacks weren¡¯t even getting close.  A warning flash from C.H.A.D.D. alerted him to another javelin, and this time he dodged underneath, before taking his first real step toward the finish line.

    Kyle heard energetic shouting from the pillars as he advanced, the E Grades near the beginning running to try and keep pace with him.  The sounds were drowned out by the peals of thunder as Jax launched bolt after bolt, Kyle only managing to dodge two before being blasted backwards.  His muscles twitched as the electricity flowed through his body.  Still too difficult.  Kyle¡¯s attempts to shape the field from the stonebloom were unsuccessful, the field responding too slowly to Jax¡¯s sharp attacks.

    More earthen walls sprang to life between Kyle and his objective, and he saw ice begin to coat the ground and walls.  A hazy cloud coalesced, and Identify showed Kyle a combination of the small shards of glass in conjunction with fire and ice mana being blended in near-equal proportion.  They¡¯re shifting from offense to control.  It was a good decision on their part, showing quick adaptation to the circumstances.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can your sensors see through the cloud?¡±

    [EASILY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    An orange overlay sprang to life around him, highlighting the environment as Kyle dove into the cloud.  The ice on the ground wasn¡¯t yet thick enough to provide a meaningful obstacle, though that was changing with every step.  Auric Perception alerted him to a surge of energy in the ground in front of him, and he vaulted over stone spikes that erupted toward him.  The mist swirled around his body, shards of glass and ice both failing to find purchase against his armor and skin.

    A bolt from Jax went wide, missing him by nearly a meter.  It¡¯s hampering their visibility too, Kyle realized, once again thankful for the nearly endless utility that C.H.A.D.D. provided.  Then why are they keeping it up?  As soon as he had the thought, he felt a shift in the ambient mana.  Without a second thought, he activated Storm Shelter.  Just as the barrier sprang to life, a blast of heat and light struck the area around him.

    Stone and earth shattered as the mist burned away, and cracks began to form across the surface of his shield.  From within, Kyle activated Identify as he observed the attack.  Light, fire, and force certainly.  What else?  It was a truly impressive attack, a charged beam with both heat and weight, pulverizing nearly the entire pathway.  While Kyle didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be in mortal danger from taking it head on, he knew it would have taken him out of the fight.

    As Storm Shelter faded, however, Kyle realized the attack wasn¡¯t done.  The attack left hundreds of glowing spheres of energy in its wake, dotting the remaining path like stars.  Kyle¡¯s eyes widened just as they began to streak towards him from all directions.  He dodged what he could, but the sheer number of attacks was too much.  Each blow left scorch marks, and another bolt from Jax knocked him back completely.  As he tried to get up, a thrown javelin from Tillienne landed next to his left ear.

    The ground below him began to wrap around his arms and legs, while a layer of ice started to form over it.  No way around it, Kyle had been thoroughly trounced.  Despite himself, Kyle smiled, indicating through the nav bracelet that he accepted his defeat.  A cheer rang out through the assembled E Grades, and the ensnaring skills deactivated.  Kyle sat up, deactivating Ignition as he felt Adaptive Regeneration work on healing his injuries.  His armor was scorched and cracked in a couple of places, but he felt confident in repairing it in short order.

    Trex was the first to arrive, followed by Tillienne and Jax.  The E Grades stayed back, seeming more than content to celebrate their victory together.  Kyle sat up, greeting the Phytan.  ¡°That was one hell of an attack.  Way beyond my expectations for this training exercise.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­  Kyle Mayhew¡­ Your barrier was¡­ impressive as well.¡±

    Jax just grinned.  ¡°I think we all deserve some recognition.  I¡¯ll give it to you though, you¡¯re really tough. I can¡¯t believe how many hits you were taking.¡±

    Tillienne nodded, meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes.  ¡°In case you were wondering, Kyle, that¡¯s what a victory is.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he finished getting to his feet.  ¡°No complaints from me.  Thank you for the experience.¡±

    He truly was thankful, as amidst the training he felt he¡¯d gained another level.  Apparently handling sustained attacks at this level was a method of progression as a Survivalist.  Coupled with the practice using his armor¡¯s abilities, it was a truly valuable experience.

    Jax looked him up and down, a frown on his face.  ¡°We might have overdone it a bit.  How long do you think you¡¯ll need to recover?  I can call for another medic if you want.  We also have armorers on staff if you need them to take a look at any of your gear.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be alright, should be right as rain in a day or so,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°Though if you have any mechanics or drone technicians on staff, I¡¯d love to learn more about the equipment your family uses.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see if anybody would be available.  For now, let¡¯s call it a night.  Trex, if you¡¯re free tomorrow, we¡¯d love to have you help with more training.¡±

    The phytan swirled in the air as if moved by an undetectable wind.  ¡°We have¡­ several other assignments¡­ but will join when¡­ we can.¡±

    Jax nodded to Trex.  ¡°Just let us know, you¡¯re more than welcome.¡±  Turning to Kyle and Tillienne, he said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get some food and rest.  Tomorrow we¡¯ll be back at it again.¡±

 Chapter 177

    Kyle sidestepped the bolt from Jax before vaulting over a wall of stone and running toward the end of the objective.  Motes of light still lit up the air as the remnant of Trex¡¯s attack pursued him, and Kyle drew in even more energy through Ignition.  His body burned with the power as the stonebloom armor¡¯s rejection field amplified around him, taking most of the edge off the blows.  He ducked under an arrow fired by Tillienne, opening himself up to another bolt from Jax.  Gritting his teeth, Kyle barely managed to keep his footing.  Eyes focused on the goal; he ran.  Just a little farther.

    Trex let out another, far weaker blast in attempt to stop him.  It ripped up the ground in front of Kyle, but it was simply too slow.  Storm Shelter activated on instinct, blocking the beam.  The moment the attack faded, Kyle deactivated his skill and continued forward.  Tillienne jumped down to intercept him, Jax a half-step behind.  A silver spear and shield appeared in two of her hands as a crackling bar of lightning appeared in Jax¡¯s.

    Kyle changed his approach, moving directly toward Jax.  Dark hair swirled around him as he held his ground, raising the bolt of lightning into a swordsman¡¯s stance.  Electricity crackled across his skin as he activated his boosting skill, expression resolute.  This wasn¡¯t the first time Kyle had seen the young man fight in melee, and while he was certainly competent, he was the weakest of the trio by a fairly wide margin.  Parasitic Resonance connected, forcing Jax to focus his energy on keeping his skills under control.

    The moment of hesitation was all Kyle needed, dodging a sweeping slash while landing three hard strikes with his baton.  As Jax reeled back, Kyle blew past.  Tillienne was rushing to intercept him, but was too far away.  A smile broke across Kyle¡¯s face as he took the final step to the target destination.  What a way to end the training.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time that Kyle broke into the destination over the last three weeks, but he failed twice over for each time he succeeded.  More often than not, however, his failures were a result of mistiming Trex¡¯s large-scale attack.  Tillienne and Jax had managed to stop him on their own a few times as well.  Their daily training had resulted in each of them further refining their approach to the different challenges, with each finding opportunities to come out ahead despite squaring off against one another.

    Jax and Tillienne walked up, both wearing satisfied expressions.  He couldn¡¯t blame them, they¡¯d each performed exceptionally well during their last exercises, too.  Trex floated down as well, algae swirling in the air behind the other two.  ¡°It has¡­ been a pleasure¡­ training with you.  We wish you¡­ all success in your¡­ final trial.¡±

    Kyle inclined his head in a polite bow.  ¡°Thank you.  It¡¯s been a great experience.¡±  After a pause, Kyle turned to Jax.  ¡°And thank you for the offer to train at your family¡¯s facilities.  It was generous, and appreciated.¡±

    Jax just smiled.  ¡°It¡¯s a networking expense, and well worth it.¡±

    Tillienne nodded her agreement, a twinkle in her eyes.  ¡°Then let¡¯s enjoy a last meal together before we depart.¡±

    Kyle smiled, glad that she¡¯d returned to the same bubbly personality he¡¯d gotten to know before Phase Two.  Things had been tense for a couple of days after their first sparring match.  He could tell that it bothered her to think that Kyle didn¡¯t have to take her seriously, though getting opportunities to see both him and Jax struggling in their respective training sessions seemed to take the edge off of it.

    Soon, Kyle found himself standing on the teleporter, bags in tow.  Jax walked up and clasped his hand.  ¡°Enjoy a little break, see you at the start of Phase Three.¡±

    ¡°You as well,¡± Kyle said, before turning to Tillienne.  ¡°And thank you for the introduction.  Let¡¯s get together at your sister¡¯s restaurant when this is all done to celebrate getting our licenses.¡±

    The fae woman¡¯s smile deepened at the words, as she gave a gentle bow.  ¡°I would very much enjoy it.¡±

    With that, Kyle was whisked back to his district in the Hub.  His body was still sore, but he had just over 10 days before he had to report to the Institute to start Phase Three, which was plenty of time to recover.  As he walked back to his apartment, he couldn¡¯t help but look at the splendor around him.  The bustling city was spectacular, and it felt oddly comforting to be back after having spent so much time away at the Cain family¡¯s facility.  I never would have guessed I¡¯d feel so comfortable in a big city, Kyle mused, a wistful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

    Getting back to his apartment, he cleaned up before resting in his bed.  He knew there was plenty to work on before arriving at Phase Three, but for now he wanted to reflect on his gains before making a list.  Closing his eyes, Kyle entered meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 53 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 832

    ENDURANCE: 966

    STRENGTH: 351

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    DEXTERITY: 628

    WILLPOWER: 1178

    INTELLIGENCE: 1178

    PERCEPTION: 932

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    His leveling speed was surprising, though he supposed confronting multiple D Grade powerhouses through several weeks of intense training aligned pretty well with his path.  He hadn¡¯t invested any of his free attributes into Intelligence or Willpower through the last few levels, instead opting to shore up his physical attributes and Perception.  With Ignition providing a boost to all attributes, Kyle figured the higher his baseline, the more impact he would see from the skill.

    Even more exciting to him was how quickly he was approaching Level 60, and the upgrade to HEAL.  He didn¡¯t expect to cross that threshold during Phase Three, but he didn¡¯t think it would take too long afterwards if he found the right environment.  He¡¯d been getting a lot of practice with his skill over the last few weeks, and his control was improving daily.  Kyle had no doubt he¡¯d get some interesting upgrade options when the time came.

    Of course, levels and attributes weren¡¯t the only things Kyle gained from his time training.  His ability to manipulate and enhance the field offered by the stonebloom armor had improved significantly.  The effect was still too weak on its own to fully nullify the mana from potent D Grade attacks, but it still managed to mitigate the force somewhat.

    Kyle had also grown far more comfortable with the prolonged use of Ignition in combat, feeling at ease as the skill ramped up to its equilibrium.  It had yet to reach the effortlessness that he¡¯d enjoyed with Haste, though he was more than satisfied with the progress.  As Garth had shown him so long ago, there was a distinct difference between prowess and levels, and the intense training had been fruitful for both.

    He smiled as he thought about his friends making their way to the Hub, making a note to reach out to them soon to check the status of the evacuation.  With the first shuttles from Earth set to arrive soon, Kyle knew he¡¯d at least want to check in with Corthian Mining to see how the relocation efforts progressed.  With luck, some of his friends would be among the early arrivals.  In any event, it would have to wait until he finished Phase Three.  Jumping out of bed, Kyle began to pace through the room.

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to update some of our supplies, and get more pogrit seeds, just in case.  C.H.A.D.D., how confident are you in drawing energy from the World Tree Seed into the armor?¡±

    [I¡¯M QUITE CONFIDENT IN THE APPLICATION, THOUGH THE CONTROL WILL BE DIFFICULT.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°No way to make it more subtle at this point?¡±

    [IT IS UNLIKELY, DR. MAYHEW.  EVEN LIMITED, THE POWER FROM THE SEED IS IMMENSE.]

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll keep that in reserve, no need to show all the cards right away.¡±

    He¡¯d first noticed the change after the return from Phase Two.  It was slight, but there was a gentle shift in his relationship to the World Tree Seed after drawing in the atmospheric mana for so long.  In some ways, it reminded him of a similar shift during his fight with the Storm.  He found that, with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s assistance, he could draw faint streams of energy from the seed.

    The power was incredible, though Kyle was loath to do it outside of a genuine emergency.  If there was one thing he appreciated, it was the value of a treasure like the seed.  All it would take would be the wrong person to see him use the energy and put two and two together for him and C.H.A.D.D. to wind up in peril.

    Outside of his own power, C.H.A.D.D. was able to glean some insights as well.  Kyle was able to negotiate with the Cain family mechanics to purchase several of their schematics.  Their drones were far more reliant on mechanical components rather than runic inscription, but it was still information that C.H.A.D.D. was reviewing when considering the next steps in its upgrades.

    [YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE OTHER PROJECT WITH THE SEED WAS A SUCCESS, DR. MAYHEW.  THE POGRIT SEEDS AND STONEBLOOM BOTH HAD CHARACTERISTICS THAT WERE ABLE TO BE ARCHIVED WITHIN THE WORLD TREE SEED.]

    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news, C.H.A.D.D.  What does that mean in practical terms?¡±

    [THE MOST IMMEDIATE BENEFIT WILL BE EFFICIENCY IN GROWTH OF BOTH PLANT TYPES.  IN THE LONGER TERM, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO APPLY THE CHARACTERISTICS TO OTHER PLANT LIFE WHEN USING THE ENERGY FROM THE SEED.]

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a long way before we¡¯re drawing more out of it, but this is a great start.  Other than restocking supplies and recovering, I still want to get a message sent to Marcus Kulhavey, though that shouldn¡¯t take much time.  What are we missing from the list?¡±

    [I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD COVER YOUR NEEDS BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT PHASE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    The remaining time flew by, Kyle largely spending his days in light training and reflection.  His message was sent to Kulhavey¡¯s office within a day, his shopping was complete, and all that remained was counting down the time.

    Anticipation warred with excitement in his chest as he approached the entrance to the Institute.  He was one of the first applicants to arrive, watching as others entered through the door.  Judging by the expressions on their faces when they walked in, his mix of emotions was far from unique.  He nodded at Tillienne and Jax, who waved in return.

    Time ticked down, and when there was only a minute left Kyle realized that Arhades wasn¡¯t present.  There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t pass Phase Two, is there?  As his curiosity began to run wild, the door opened once more, revealing the velgian clad in his resplendent armor.  At a glance, his expression appeared bored.  Looking more closely, however, Kyle thought he saw the man carrying more tension than usual in his shoulders.

    ¡°Welcome, applicants!¡±  The familiar voice rang out through the hallway, and the gentle murmurs of conversation were all cut short.  ¡°This marks the beginning of Phase Three of your Practicum.  You¡¯ll approach the teleportation platform, one by one, and let the proctor know which trial you¡¯ve selected.  You will then step back, with every different group being teleported at once to your various destinations.

    ¡°We will call you by name, and the breakdowns of each individual trial will be available to you on your nav bracelet.  Arhades, of the Alabaster Court, please step forward.¡±

    The velgian practically glided across the floor, making his way to the dais with unmatched grace.  ¡°Arena Combat.¡±  He spoke two simple words, then stepped back into the prepared waiting area.

    Kyle looked at his nav bracelet, and saw a name entered underneath the header.  As more names were called, Arena Combat was far and away the most popular choice.  Over half of the remaining applicants signed up for it, including Tillienne.  Mercenary Guild is popular for a reason, I suppose.

    Jax was one of the few to elect for Defend Position, and Target Hunt was similarly sparse.  Labyrinth Escape had a few more applicants, while Artifact Retrieval had yet to see a single applicant.  When it was Kyle¡¯s turn, he strode up confidently, looking forward to be the first to choose that trial.

    ¡°Kyle Mayhew, you¡¯ll be pleased to know we have already received your request to participate in Labyrinth Escape.¡±

 Chapter 178

    Kyle stood for a moment, dumbstruck.  ¡°That¡¯s not right, I haven¡¯t sent anything in.¡±

    The goblin looked at her tablet, then back at him with a frown.  ¡°I¡¯m showing that you sent in your reply just a week after Phase Two.  Perhaps it was your sponsor, on your behalf?¡±

    Kyle shook his head, the words coming more quickly now.  ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have had any hand in it.  I¡¯m telling you, there has been an error.  The policy is that we decide when we arrive, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    The goblin nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Then whatever happened here is an exception protocol at best, and an error at worst.  I want to do Artifact Retrieval.¡±

    Kyle raised his voice a little at the end, having already heard the ping on his nav bracelet indicating he would be doing Labyrinth Escape.  Murmurs began to move through the room, and he risked a glance toward Jax and Tilliene, both of whom had confused looks.

    The goblin, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, flushed a deeper shade of green.  ¡°If you¡¯ll step to side, Mr. Mayhew, I¡¯ve already elevated to the proctors.  We¡¯ll have an answer for you shortly.¡±

    Kyle did as he was asked, trying with all his might to keep his face impassive despite his quickening heartbeat.  If there was a shred of doubt remaining before, it was gone now.  Somehow, he had a target on his back.

    ~~~

    Suierrillax sighed with relief when she saw the request come in from the main hall.  Shortly after Mayhew completed Phase Two, inquiries were placed about the nature of the disruptions his performance caused.  From there, a second request was put in, asking for all records of his performance.  Ordinarily, this information would have been rejected and classified, yet for some reason the higher-ups allowed it.

    The final clue for her was when inquiries were made on the nature of this cycle¡¯s Phase Three.  As new as she was, she didn¡¯t have access to see all the details, but talking with Rupiniax, she understood that a new version of the Labyrinth Escape had been approved.  That was incredibly unusual, and with everything else, she had a strong feeling it was directed at Mayhew.

    With few options available to her, she¡¯d ¡°borrowed¡± Rupiniax¡¯s credentials to sneak a message out to him, in the hopes that he¡¯d take it seriously.  Fortunately, it seemed he had.  Now that the supervisors were involved, she was confident that things would get resolved.  The Guild Representatives were all C Grades, and an important part of the management structure.  The integrity of the Practicum was crucial to them.

    ~~~

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure out what the hell happened here.  This is highly irregular, and the applicant is correct.  His word should be all that¡¯s necessary to enact the changes.¡±

    A skrell in deep blue armor scoffed.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t disagree more.  Wherever the request came from, he had plenty of time to request a change after the completion of Phase Two.  He¡¯s made enough waves already; this is clearly a grab for more attention.¡±

    The goblin who spoke first frowned, crossing her gloved hands.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe we have sufficient evidence to back any of those conclusions.¡±

    A human woman spoke up, not turning away from the window she was gazing out of.  ¡°In any event, it¡¯s clearly stated that the applicants get to choose.  Even if he¡¯s changed his mind, so what?  We have more than enough different scenarios available, regardless of what he selects.¡±

    There were murmurs of assent across the room, until a presence descended on it.  All sound ceased as a newcomer stepped inside, a tall slender velgian carrying a staff and wearing simple golden robes.  It was as if all the air in the room was sucked out, the ambient mana being drawn to the visitor in a palpable flow.

    The room¡¯s occupants assumed postures of respect; some falling to their knees, others bowing or saluting.  The goblin spoke with a shaky voice.  ¡°Lord Perhades, we were not expecting a visit today.  To what do we owe the pleasure?¡±

    One corner of Perhades¡¯s mouth lifted in a facsimile of a smile.  ¡°My dear nephew is participating in the Practicum.  I heard another applicant has caused quite a commotion, drawing attention away from where it ought to be.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The draw of mana in the room intensified, and the Guild Representatives shifted uncomfortably.  The goblin replied, avoiding eye contact.  ¡°Lord Perhades, young master Arhades is still the true standout of the generation.  There¡¯s truly nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Because from what I heard, there was quite a bit of attention directed towards this young man.  Is he truly exceptional enough to warrant such focus?¡±

    ¡°Lord Perhades, it had less to do with him, and more to do with his exceptional circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have no issue allowing him to experience some other exceptional circumstances.¡±

    The goblin gulped, sweat beading her brow.  ¡°He reserves the right to choose his own trial for Phase Three, Lord Perhades.  We are not going to revoke that, even for you.¡±  She flinched as she said the last part, as if waiting for the B Grade velgian to obliterate her for the comment.

    Instead, Perhades smiled.  ¡°Then let him choose.  I see he wanted Artifact Retrieval, let me choose the destination.¡±  With that, coordinates projected out from his nav bracelet.

    The goblin¡¯s eyes widened as she recognized the coordinates.  ¡°Lord Perhades, that¡¯s not a sanctioned training ground.  There are too many variables for us to ¨C ¡°

    ¡°As I said: Exceptional.  Circumstances.  If it¡¯s too overwhelming for the pup, he can withdraw.¡±  The presence in the room intensified, small cracks forming on some of the furniture.  ¡°My brother and I have waited a long time for another of our kin to join the Guilds.  You don¡¯t want us to be disappointed in the results.¡±

    The mention of his brother fell across the room like a shadow.  After a moment of oppressive silence, the goblin nodded.  ¡°We can arrange it, lord Perhades.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±  With that, the pressure receded and the velgian left the room.  His voice called back, causing them to flinch collectively.  ¡°I look forward to watching the streams.¡±

    The room remained silent long after he departed, with the skrell representative being the first to collapse back into a comfortable chair, azure armor clinking loudly.  ¡°That was terrifying.  I¡¯m glad you made the call to bend, I thought we were all dead for a moment there.¡±

    The human representative tried to stay composed, though it was clear that she was shaken.  ¡°Why was he so interested in the first place?  From everything I know of the Twin Prodigies, affairs like these are well below their station.¡±

    The skrell grunted.  ¡°If they felt that their pride was on the line, this is exactly the kind of response I¡¯d expect.  I feel for the kid though.  This is going to be rough.¡±

    The human frowned.  ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the coordinates.  Where is Mayhew going to be sent?¡±

    The goblin woman sighed, having just finished transmitting the information to the main hall.  ¡°It¡¯s a defunct trial world.  Old city, dying star system.  It was removed from the list a long time ago as the environment grew more hazardous, but the infrastructure to facilitate a trial is still functional.¡±

    Everybody present knew what that meant.  Phase Three trials were always challenging, and with an added layer of danger, it was more likely than not to result in a poor performance.  Despite admirable results in Phase One and Two, it was still necessary to do well to receive placement.  What¡¯s more, which Guild Representative would want to risk crossing one of the Twin Prodigies if the young man did too well?  They stood at the pinnacle of the Mercenary¡¯s Guild fighting power, and were not to be crossed lightly.  No matter what, Mayhew was going to have a difficult time.

    The goblin just shook her head.  What else can be done when a B Grade makes demands?

    ~~~

    Kyle looked at the woman expectantly, everybody else having been sorted.  The goblin looked at her tablet as a ping resounded, and met his eyes.  ¡°Apologies for the confusion, applicant Mayhew.  You have been approved for Artifact Retrieval.¡±

    Kyle let out a sigh of relief, watching his name move to the correct slot.  One crisis averted.  Some of the nervous energy in the room settled, and the goblin regained control of the room.  ¡°Apologies for the delay, we will begin the departures.  When I call your name, please step up to the platform once more, and we will send you to your destination.

    ¡°As before, you have the ability to withdraw at any time.  It was stated in your initial instructions, but the Institute wants to make it clear that choosing to withdraw does not result in failure.  In fact, there may be circumstances where withdrawal is the wisest decision.  The Guilds have little need for people who will throw their lives away in pursuit of glory at the expense of completing a job.

    ¡°Once your Phase Three trial is completed, you will have 12 hours to rest receiving your evaluation.  You may receive feedback from the Proctors and Guild Representatives, at which point you will be informed if you¡¯ve qualified to receive a license, as well as potentially receive offers from the Guilds.

    ¡°As a general rule, you will not be allowed to accept any offers until this meeting has been concluded, regardless of your feelings of your own performance.  All formal communications will come through the Guilds.  It is strongly encouraged that you report any such attempts to us directly.  With that said, Arhades, please step forward.¡±

    The velgian did, disappearing as soon as he stepped on the platform.  One by one, the applicants were sent to face their final trials.  Kyle shared a warm smile with Tillienne and Jax as they were called up, each returning the gesture.  Soon, Kyle was standing alone in the main hall, his name the only one that hadn¡¯t been called.  The goblin looked conflicted as he stepped up to the teleporter, but remained silent.  Kyle gave her a shallow nod before he, too was teleported worlds away.

 Chapter 179

    The first thing Kyle noticed was the heat.  A scorching wind rustled his clothes, the temperature nearly as hot as the planet he¡¯d visited during Phase One.  The sky was enveloped in a dull, crimson haze.  The culprit was the oversized red giant star lazily dropping below the pitch-black horizon, bathing the world in the final dredges of its energy.  Before Kyle could get a better look at his surroundings, a message pinged on his nav bracelet.

    Applicant Mayhew,

    You have selected Artifact Retrieval as your Phase Three trial.  You are standing on the outskirts of what was once home to a thriving human colony.  It collapsed when their star expanded, making the once-lush lands uninhabitable ¨C at least to humans.  As you navigate the wastes, your goal is to uncover artifacts of value and return them to the designated drop, where they will be evaluated.  The farther you move into the city, the more valuable the artifacts you¡¯re likely to uncover.

    Your overall evaluation will be based on the quality of the artifacts you retrieve, the speed with which you complete your work, and an overall assessment of your ability as you navigate a hostile world.  There is no time limit, however supplies provided are limited.  When you are satisfied, or no longer want to continue, send a message through the nav bracelet and you will be extracted.

    -Collective Institute for Independent Licensure.

    Kyle stared at the message for a while.  It was simultaneously simpler and more challenging than he¡¯d expected it to be.  Based on the initial description, he was planning on a focused raid to get a singular item, not a full-blown collect-a-thon.  Finding interesting items and dropping them off at a dedicated point was straightforward, though the ominous wording also made it clear that he¡¯d have opposition.

    The issue was magnified as Kyle looked out over the landscape before him.  As far as the eye could see, there were waves of rolling black sand.  What looked like the corners of buildings were revealed from time to time, but by and large the ebbs and flows of the drifts covered the area that had once comprised the settlement.  In fact, only the platform he stood on seemed immune to the encroaching sand.  A question for another time.

    Layered on top of all these issues was the harsh weather.  The heat was oppressive, and Kyle¡¯s canteen was struggling to find much moisture to draw from the surrounding atmosphere.  It was functional, if far from comfortable.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?] C.H.A.D.D. asked, somehow conveying concern in its robotic voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m just really thankful.  This environment will be perfect.¡±  Kyle wasn¡¯t exaggerating.  His Enhanced Carapace and Adaptive Regeneration were more than up to the task of handling the heat.  He had a solution for water, and had options for food.  Most importantly, he had a drone companion with a proverbial nose for treasure.

    A glowing domain lit up nearby, indicating the drop zone for anything he found.  Moments later, a bundle of supplies appeared.  As Kyle looked through them, he expected there was enough for roughly ten days.  With his canteen, he could expand the timeline by another week if he rationed the food, though it would be best if he could find options to replenish those resources too.

    ¡°What do you say to doing some exploring, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YES PLEASE, DR. MAYHEW.  I WAS WORRIED YOU WERE GOING TO STAND HERE EVEN LONGER, WHICH WOULD BE DREADFULLY BORING.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep you entertained,¡± Kyle said dryly.

    He took a trepidatious step off the platform, finding the dark sand swallowed his foot up past his ankle.  Each footfall was slow and deliberate as Kyle tried to get a better handle on the environment, and he found that moving through the dunes was far more akin to traversing snow than sand.  There was an odd surface tension holding the top layer together, and when it was broken Kyle found himself sinking deeper into the stygian mass.

    Wind howled against him, and Kyle had to raise an arm as a swirling mass of dark sand blew directly into his eyes.  Feeling it pelt against his skin, something about it felt wrong.  He bent down, grabbing a handful with his bare hand and rubbing it between his fingers as it fell through.  It was far rougher than any sand he¡¯d seen before, and he fully expected that if he was back in E Grade, his hand would have been sliced several times over by the material.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you tell me more about composition of this sand?¡±

    [CERTAINLY DR. MAYHEW.  PLEASE BE ADVISED, INORGANIC MATERIAL IS NOT MY SPECIALTY.]

    ¡°Just do your best, buddy.¡±

    The drone was taking its time projecting various structures and comparing notes to its records, while Kyle continued his slow navigation towards the corner of the nearest building.  The architecture bore a striking resemblance to the skyscrapers he¡¯d seen on Earth, bearing sharp angles with at least four stories worth of windows.  I suppose humans have a tendency of doing things the same way, Kyle mused.

    The building looked to have fallen almost entirely on its side, though Kyle didn¡¯t find that to be a particularly large issue.  Most of the windows were cracked or broken, and with a few quick strikes of his baton he easily made a hole large enough to fit through.  The first thing Kyle noticed upon entering was the dull red light provided by the sun wasn¡¯t enough to pierce the shadows inside the building.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., any chance you could give me some light here?¡±

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    [YOU¡¯RE BECOMING AWFULLY RELIANT ON ME, DR. MAYHEW.  ANALYZE THE GLASS, SHOW THE LIGHT.  ARE WE CERTAIN THAT THIS ISN¡¯T MY PRACTICUM?]

    ¡°Given I chauffer you across the universe like a glorified pack mule, you might be onto something,¡± Kyle grumbled, though a smile still crept across his face.  There was something he truly enjoyed about bantering with the drone.

    Gentle orange light bathed the area, and Kyle got his first good look at what he assumed was some sort of office building.  Torn and broken furniture was piled off to the right side of the building in the direction of its slant.  The former floor was to Kyle¡¯s left, and he could see scuff marks that survived the test of time, showing paths often walked by the building¡¯s former occupants.

    Kyle saw what looked like a stairwell farther up the inclined floor, though he decided his first step should be to check the furniture.  He rested his hands against the floor, taking a breath as he activated Ignition.  While Strength wasn¡¯t his strong suit, by now he was confident in putting any of the awakened on Earth to shame.  He felt the tile crack under his fingertips, the ancient material being crushed to powder under his mana-empowered grip.

    He was trying to limit the flow of the skill to just his hands, though his control wasn¡¯t at that level yet.  Soon, he had a line of handholds across the floor, leading him down to the furniture below.  A cursory glance showed that it was mostly made of some type of composite material, and thus unlikely to be of real value.  Auric Perception didn¡¯t offer any impressions of mana-rich items in the vicinity, though he considered that there was a difference between culturally significant artifacts and mana-rich natural treasures.

    That¡¯s how he found himself spending the next half an hour opening up desk drawers and sifting through broken junk.  Yes, junk.  Why did I expect to find culturally significant items in the middle floor of an office building?  The only items he felt could be worth keeping were two inert tablets that still looked salvageable.  He tucked them into the C.H.A.D.D.pack, prompting a response from its resident.

    [I BELIEVE I HAVE A RELATIVELY COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF THE GLASS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Glass?  Don¡¯t you mean sand?¡±

    [NO, I MEAN GLASS.  THE COMPOSITION IS CONSISTENT WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF VOLCANIC GLASSES, DEMONSTRATING BOTH ORDERED AND DISORDERED ARRAYS IN THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE.  THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT ALSO APPEARS TO HAVE HIGH QUANTITIES OF DYSPROSIUM, IN ADDITION TO CARRYING A VERY MINOR AMOUNT OF CRYSTALLIZED MANA.]

    Kyle had no idea what dysprosium was, though the results were still interesting to him.  Whether it was due to the crimson star in the sky or some other large-scale volcanic event, the creation of the black sand was interesting to him.  Arbitrarily, he also decided it would be of interest to the team evaluating his performance.

    ¡°Is there anything interesting your sensors can pick up, C.H.A.D.D.?  Now that you¡¯re done working on the sand problem, that is.¡±

    [GLASS PROBLEM, DR. MAYHEW.  AND THERE DOESN¡¯T APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY, ASSUMING YOU¡¯RE LOOKING FOR MORE OBJECTS LIKE THE TABLETS YOU PLACED IN THE PACK.  I AM DETECTING SOME SIMILAR ITEMS HIGHER UP IN THE BUILDING, HOWEVER.]

    ¡°Then higher in the building we go,¡± Kyle said, grabbing the handholds and beginning his ascent.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners indicated that there were four floors above the one they entered, with two more buried beneath the sand.

    With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s attention on the project at hand, they made great time.  In less than half an hour, they had cleared out the next three floors, and were beginning the ascent to the fourth.  Kyle¡¯s pack now contained three more tablets, a shiny medal of some sort, and a small golden cube that gave off a very faint mana signature.  Kyle had no idea what any of these objects were, but they were interesting.  Still, he was excited as he climbed through the stairwell to the final floor of the building.

    Just as with buildings on Earth, the furniture got noticeably nicer as he climbed.  His expectation of the best being at the top was confirmed by C.H.A.D.D., who still detected the mana signatures coming from this floor.  Popping his head up through the final doorway as he climbed through, he was met with a nearly empty room.

    Kyle could see broken windows below, and fully expected that most of the furniture had fallen out over time.  What he could see, however, was a beautiful stone desk, veins of grey running through immaculate white.  It appeared to be secured to the floor, though Kyle didn¡¯t see any obvious mechanical connection.  Activating Identify, he saw three faint traces of mana within the desk.

    He climbed his way down to it, holding onto a makeshift handhold with his left while running his right over the cool, smooth surface.  It didn¡¯t appear to have normal drawers, though with a gentle push of mana sigils appeared.  Activating one, a compartment opened up, revealing a small journal.  Identify confirmed it was one of the items he¡¯d seen, and he quickly activated the others.  An ornate dagger and small, rune-inscribed device were the next items to appear, joining the others in the pack.

    ¡°Any idea what these do, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NONE WHATSOEVER, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Identify didn¡¯t offer much either, the mana within simply too faint to give much of a reading.  Kyle expected that would change as he moved his way farther into the heart of the settlement, but for now he was pleased with his haul.

    He was considering his exit when the whole building began to shake, forcing Kyle to grab onto his handholds lest he lose his grip.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you ¨C ¡°

    Before he could finish the sentence, he felt it through Auric Perception.  A flash of orange was all the warning he got before he let go, falling towards the broken windows at the bottom of the building.  A moment later, a pitch-black form smashed into the space where he¡¯d just been hanging.

    His hands smashed into the floor before he fell through the windows, stabilizing his position.  Kyle looked up to see rust-colored scales, sharp fins, and then orange as another warning flashed across his vision, prompting him to let go once more as two more distinct impacts broke through the glass below and came for him.  Without hesitation, Ignition activated, his body burning from within as the blazing sun scorched his skin.

    He dove through the window towards the sea of darkness below, the black sand agitated like the ocean in a storm.  Only then did Kyle realize his mistake.  ¡°How many are there, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [UNCERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  DOZENS, AT LEAST.]

    Kyle nodded as he fell, an odd sense of serenity despite the mana raging through him.  Phase Three was going to be more difficult than he thought.

 Chapter 180

    C.H.A.D.D. projected a hastily-constructed map of the area below, as two more of the creatures exploded out of the sand towards him.  With Ignition enhancing his Perception, he got a better look at the approaching beasts.  They were a moving horror; about a meter long, with a good third of their body encompassed by a large mouth with sharp teeth.  Thick orange scales coated their bodies, with small fins on their back, sides, and tail.  They reminded Kyle of living torpedoes, and Kyle understood their movements as he recognized familiar concepts in the mana surrounding them.  Magnetism.  Their bodies, the volcanic sand, it¡¯s all magnetic, Kyle realized.

    That was all he had time for as one of the beasts drew within his range, Kyle using his Corthian Mining-issued baton to meet it midair.  The force from the blow deepened the network of cracks on the failing weapon, even as it redirected the fish.  The second one flew by right where Kyle had been, his body having repositioned from the first clash.

    As he fell toward the shifting dunes alongside the first fish, Parasitic Resonance grabbed hold.  He was surprised by the overall level of resistance, the beast¡¯s Willpower markedly greater than the Wall¡¯s had been.  Unfortunately for it, Kyle was at an entirely different level.  A push with his skill left the creature finishing its descent as nothing more than a corpse.

    Already more of the creatures were closing in on his location, while the ones that had flown past were beginning to reposition.  Kyle looked at the map, mind struggling to keep pace.  Not used to trying to respond to multiple targets from all angles, gotta work on that.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance were reaching out as the black sand below shifted and surged.  Seven of the creatures exploded out towards him, and Kyle grunted as he was hit by the first.

    Trusting his Enhanced Carapace and stonebloom armor to handle the brunt of the blow, he used the creature¡¯s momentum to knock him away from the others.  Jagged, rocky teeth ripped at his arm, hurting like hell but unable to find much purchase against his skin.  He felt a soft impact as he was slammed down into the sand, an explosion of black dust thrown up into the sky.  Parasitic Resonance did its job, and Kyle threw the body away as he stood up, already seeing the other fast-approaching presences.

    Adaptive Regeneration was repairing the small tears in his arm.  The damage was minor, though he didn¡¯t relish the thought of being buried beneath a pile of the monsters.  Storm Shelter sprang to life around him, and soon the air was filled with the sound of crunching bones and shattering scales.  Kyle smiled, the resilience of his barrier far beyond what the fish could handle.

    Tendrils of mana snaked out a moment later as Storm Shelter deactivated, and the disoriented fish scattered around him died swiftly.  Still, more came.  Pushing Parasitic Resonance to its limits, more tendrils slowly appeared.  Twelve had been Kyle¡¯s maximum when he¡¯d first upgraded the skill, and he¡¯d never been forced to really push beyond it.  Sixteen, eighteen, then twenty threads of mana sprang out from him as he pushed, a dull ache pressing against the back of his eyes.

    For whatever reason, the fish appeared to have no sense of self-preservation.  They continued to launch themselves at him, and soon a cycle of slaughter was born in the black sand.  Deep orange bodies littered the ground as Kyle drained the beasts¡¯ mana before reaping their lives. Unfortunately, Parasitic Resonance did nothing to halt the momentum of the fast-moving creatures.

    He was knocked into the sand for what felt like the hundredth time as another lifeless shell smashed into him at high speed, taking his footing from him.  He was panting, the physical exertion from moving in the deep sand taxing him to the limit.  More than twenty of the fish were dead, and more were still circling.

    [RETREAT MAY BE A WISE DECISION, DR. MAYHEW.  THIS ENVIROMENT IS QUITE DISADVANTAGEOUS.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ be fine, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle gasped, using a quick Heal to repair some strained tendons in his right leg.  The drone was right; this wasn¡¯t a great environment for him to fight.  The deep sand severely limited his mobility.  Even with Covert Dexterity, he couldn¡¯t adapt quickly enough to the constant changes in footwork.  Even more, the sand would agitate when the fish approached.  Identify showed Kyle that this was a result of their magnetic manipulation, but neither disruption nor death would change the magnetic field created by the fish.

    ¡°How many more can you detect?¡±

    [EIGHTEEN, DR. MAYHEW.  THOUGH BE ADVISED, THERE MAY BE MORE.  THE MANA CONCENTRATIONS MAKE THE EDGE OF MY SENSOR RANGE¡­ FUZZY.]

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    One of the fish exploded out of a nearby drift, aiming for the back of Kyle¡¯s head.  He ducked, a tendril of Parasitic Resonance ripping out its mana as it continued its journey.  ¡°Seventeen now.  Let me know if the situation changes.¡±

    Looking at the body of the nearby fish, an idea began to form in Kyle¡¯s mind.  Dodging two more of the creatures, he stepped on it.  It sank slightly into the sand, but soon stabilized.  Another shot straight towards him, and he leapt to a nearby body, the rusty scales providing a stable platform.  As if something clicked in his mind, Kyle found himself jumping between them with ease, Covert Dexterity somehow grabbing onto the knowledge that there was solid footing available.

    Kyle leapt between the bodies, the pace of the battle shifting dramatically in his favor.  Before, he was being consistently battered by the creatures in exchange to land decisive blows with Parasitic Resonance.  Now, his evasion was near effortless.  Adaptive Regeneration was hard at work patching up his bruises and scrapes.  The equilibrium with Ignition stabilized, and his mana remained topped off through a combination of the atmospheric energy and ripping mana from the fish themselves.

    Whether or not the fish realized this, Kyle couldn¡¯t say.  Their tactics remained unchanged, exploding towards him from the dunes again and again.  They fell one by one, until only three remained.  One moved to attack, and Kyle killed it with Parasitic Resonance.  Before he could step out of the way, however, immense pain shot through him, emanating from his core.

    Taken by surprise, Kyle doubled over before being smashed off his platform and into the sand by the lifeless body of the fish.  The pain continued to twist and burn, and Kyle felt the control over his skills beginning to slip.  He screamed as it continued to burn, barely noticing the impact as the two remaining fish barreled into him.  Teeth ripped at his armor and exposed skin, razor-sharp grains of volcanic glass getting into each minor wound that opened up.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WHAT¡¯S WRONG?  WHAT HAPPENED?]

    Kyle heard C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice, but found himself unable to respond, a raw scream the only sound he could muster.  He felt the mana in his body going wild, all being drained towards the central point above his navel.  He blacked out for a moment as the pain hit a crescendo, and then it was gone.  All at once, the sensation of his cells being ripped apart vanished, leaving a hollow relief in its place.

    Finally registering the fish trying unsuccessfully to devour him, he reactivated Adaptive Regeneration and Parasitic Resonance.  The latter skill jumped to life with unusual speed, and the fish died near-instantly when the skill connected.  He pushed the heavy bodies of the creatures off of him as he stood on shaky feet.  His left arm had been mauled pretty badly by one of them, and he rested his right hand on it to channel Heal to speed his recovery.  Thankfully, the other fish hadn¡¯t been able to bite through the D Grade stonebloom armor, leaving little more than some ugly gouges in the material.

    [WHAT HAPPENED, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, C.H.A.D.D.  Whatever it was, it came out of nowhere.¡±

    [I¡¯M STILL DETECTING UNUSUAL FLUCTUATIONS IN YOUR MANA, DR. MAYHEW.  IT MAY BE WISE TO GO BACK TO THE ENTRANCE TO REGROUP.]

    Kyle suspected he¡¯d need to enter meditation to get answers, and he nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s a good call.  Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Trudging through the volcanic glass, he grabbed the body of one of the fish.  It was heavy, even with his Strength, but with little effort he hefted it over his right shoulder.  [WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE BODY, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I want to make sure it wasn¡¯t connected to what happened.  It also looks like it could be good to eat, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    [I DOUBT IT WILL BE MORE NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE THAN THE BEETLES, BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO RUN AN ANALYSIS.  I CAN ALREADY ADVISE NOT EATING THE SCALES.]

    While it would be faster to activate Ignition to make the journey back, Kyle ultimately decided against it.  It was simply too risky to use his boosting skill when his mana was exhibiting irregularities.  The safe decision was to go back to base, figure out what was going on, and then continue exploration when he had answers.

    Kyle only made it four or five steps before an orange warning light flashed.  He ducked reflexively as a blade of obsidian rushed through the air where his head had been.  The fish he¡¯d been carrying was less fortunate, two neat halves falling to the ground as blood flowed out into the arid ground.  So much for cautious.  Power coursed through Kyle as Ignition activated, Auric Perception warning him of his opponent before he even turned to face it.

    A single, slate gray fin as tall as Kyle broke the surface of the dune, beelining toward him at incredible speed.  It moved through the sand with the grace of a bird in flight.  When it was just ten meters from him, it burst forth.  It had a rotund body nearly four meters long covered in dark gray scales.  A mouth that best resembled a grouper¡¯s opened, sharp teeth bared and ready to swallow him whole.

    Storm Shelter activated at the last moment.  Despite himself, Kyle smiled at the sound of cracking teeth as the beast recoiled, diving back into the dunes.  His mirth was short-lived, however, as he felt mana building in the air around him.

    The dunes of volcanic glass began to swirl and shift, the bodies of the fish stirring as well.  Identify showed him the magnetic fields he¡¯d grown accustomed to from the smaller creatures taken to an entirely different level.  If it had thought him easy prey before, its actions now indicated it was taking him far more seriously.

    [DR. MAYHEW, BE CAREFUL.]

    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D. Keep watch, and stay ready.¡±  A long rest wasn¡¯t an option anymore; not against an opponent like this.  Another D Grade.

 Chapter 181

    Kyle ducked and weaved as blades of volcanic glass formed from the dunes and ripped towards him.  Each blade was packed with mana, and he had no doubt that they would inflict meaningful damage if he got caught.  Risking an activation of Identify, he realized that a good chunk of the energy was being drawn from the mana already infused in the glass.  That allowed the giant fish ¨C which Kyle had taken to calling the Maw ¨C to expend far less power maintaining the chain of attacks.

    Unfortunately for Kyle, understanding the mechanics did little to help him counter them.  The Maw simply floated through the dunes at a distance, seeming perfectly content to allow its attacks to whittle him down at range.  From the impression offered by Identify, it was a fairly lopsided creature.  It was highly specialized in Endurance, Willpower, and Intelligence, with laughably low Dexterity and Perception.  But Kyle had no time to laugh.

    Its overall level of power was significantly lower than any of the D Grade beasts he fought on Earth, and in a different environment Kyle would have had no issues taking it down.  It was highly specialized to fighting in the dunes, and that was the first challenge to overcome.  It reminded Kyle of his fight against the Storm, though this time he didn¡¯t have the means to separate the creature from its home field advantage.

    Sidestepping another blade, Kyle darted toward the creature.  Many of the dead fish had been cut by the stream of attacks, leaving numerous footholds for Kyle to use.  The Maw¡¯s tire-sized eyes regarded his approach impassively, and a fierce grin broke out on Kyle¡¯s face as invisible tendrils of Parasitic Resonance lashed out, connecting to it.

    The moment they did, Kyle¡¯s mana began to fluctuate wildly.  Mana was ripped from the Maw, being drained at an alarming rate.  Rather than replenishing Kyle¡¯s own, he felt the energy get drawn into his core with an almost ravenous hunger.

    In a panic, Kyle struggled to deactivate the skill.  It persisted longer than it should have, as though it had a mind of its own.  Finally, the tendrils dissipated as the Maw thrashed and dove beneath the swirling black sand.  Kyle let out a bitter breath.  He couldn¡¯t risk another episode in this fight.  Still, without his trump card skill, he had little confidence in his victory.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THIS IS GETTING DANGEROUS.  THE MANA SIGNATURE FROM THE CREATURE IS SPIKING.]

    ¡°I feel it too, though I lost sight of it when it dove away.  Any idea what it¡¯s doing?¡±

    [NONE IN THE SLIGHTEST, DR. MAYHEW.  I DOUBT YOU WILL FIND THE EFFECTS BENEFICIAL, HOWEVER.]

    ¡°Thanks for the advice.¡± Kyle said dryly.

    A map popped up in front of him, as well as a gentle orange light guiding him to the beast¡¯s location.  It was a good fifteen meters below him in the sand, mana appearing to build with every moment.  Even if C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t know what the specifics of the technique were, it didn¡¯t take a genius intellect to understand that Kyle didn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of it.

    With Ignition still functional, Kyle sprinted away from the creature.  He darted toward the entrance platform, where hopefully the Maw would expend its energy on a big attack.  If he was right, Kyle would be out of range by the time it took place.  Without warning, everything within two hundred meters of the Maw began to swirl and float.  The fish body Kyle was standing on was no exception, and Kyle found himself hanging on as he was enveloped in a tornado of black sand.

    Coarse grains scratched against his skin as larger metal objects that were obscured in the dunes flew in circles, rapidly picking up speed.  The sand climbed into the sky in a pillar over a dozen meters high, with the Maw waiting below.  C.H.A.D.D. highlighted all the debris as it flew, specks of orange in the obsidian vortex.  In that moment, Kyle soon realized that their usual tactic wouldn¡¯t be effective.  The projected highlights were dispelled too quickly by the magnetic pulses, and Kyle couldn¡¯t keep his eyes open long enough to make good use of the information.

    He clung desperately to the thick, hard scales, his only handholds in the storm.  What the hell can I do?  He wracked his brain as he was struck over and over by flying debris.  Blunt force was still one of his greatest weaknesses, but between his natural resilience and recovery he was able to shrug off most of the damage.  His biggest problem was his lack of offensive power, particularly against a creature with such high Endurance.  Attacking a beast that size with his baton would be laughable, even with Ignition active.

    Even worse, he didn¡¯t dare use Parasitic Resonance to connect to C.H.A.D.D., which also prevented him from making full use of the various seeds in his pack.  If he failed to control the skill, there was a real risk of accidentally killing his drone companion.  That was simply an unacceptable risk in his eyes.

    He opened his mouth to ask if C.H.A.D.D. identified any weak spots in its scales, and immediately shut it as razor-sharp glass flew in and cut the inside of his cheek.  He spat it out, the iron taste of blood fresh on his tongue.  That made him pause, an idea coming to life.  Before he could figure out how to put it in action, an obsidian blade slammed directly into his back.

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    The stonebloom armor absorbed the cutting edge, but the sheer force of the strike knocked him wildly, the scales of the fish he¡¯d been holding onto no longer able to keep their form.  As his handhold disintegrated, another blade of black sand caught him, this time tearing a line in his left thigh.  He winced in pain, the glass biting into him like a rotating saw blade.

    Kyle was in a free fall now; his momentum being shifted back and forth as more and more of the attacks connected.  Adaptive Regeneration and Heal were put on full display as he desperately knit together torn flesh.  His armor was getting battered by the assault, and he could only hope that he could repair the damage afterward.

    As the seconds wore on, Kyle lost track of his orientation, spinning through the air as he endured what felt like an endless assault.  Just as panic was truly beginning to set in, the attacks stopped.  Kyle felt himself plummeting, and as he opened his eyes, he saw a rain of black sand falling alongside him.  He turned wildly, trying to find his opponent.

    He spotted the Maw, directly below him with its mouth open, as if to swallow him whole.  A quick use of Identify showed that its mana was moving sluggishly, the power barely a fraction of what it had been just minutes ago.  Kyle found some comfort in the notion that he¡¯d survived its trump card attack head-on, though he had no doubt that he looked like a bloody mess.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING. YOU¡¯LL BE -]

    The Maw jumped, propelled by its magnetism.  Like a trout jumping out of the water after a bug, its jaws snapped shut, swallowing Kyle whole.

    [- EATEN.]

    Kyle swore as he pulled his left leg in, the force of the bite breaking his ankle despite the boots he wore.  He could recover broken bones, but they hurt. The jaws pumped up and down, trying to chew the Survivalist into pulp.  Kyle rolled up into a ball, keeping his extremities away from the jagged, stony fangs.  Its breath smelled like rotten fish, and he fought to avoid gagging.

    He felt the Maw growing more agitated by the moment; frustration apparent in its movement as it tried, and failed, to digest him.  Kyle knew he didn¡¯t have much time until it changed tactics, and moved quickly.  Reflecting on the training with manipulating the stonebloom armor¡¯s passive field, he tried to apply the same principles to one of his most-used skills: Storm Shelter.

    Kyle¡¯s experience with the skill left him with a strong understanding of the fundamentals.  Using his center as the origin, mana was projected outwards to form the dome of the skill, with the structure solidifying when it reached an appropriate distance.  Using Parasitic Resonance, Kyle had been able to create multiple instances by tapping into another person¡¯s mana network and using it as the ¡®origin¡¯ of the skill.  Now, he wanted to manipulate the formation of the structure.

    Instinctive Intelligence had, on multiple occasions, brought the barrier up faster than when he put conscious effort into it.  To him, that hinted at the ability to speed up or slow down the formation of the structure of the barrier.

    With a breath, he tried to activate the skill.  Nothing happened, as the mana wasn¡¯t able to meaningfully project in the small space.  The pressure from the beast¡¯s mouth weighed down on him, increasing the difficulty.  He tried again, thinking about manipulating the field from the stonebloom armor.  The principles were the same, shaping and moving the mana according to his will.  He tried again, and failed.

    The Maw was thrashing now, and Kyle wasn¡¯t able to entirely keep up with the movements.  Heavy bites cracked both armor and bone, and the pain was immense.  He tried a third time, feeling the shape come together before a particularly violent movement made him break focus.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WHATEVER YOU¡¯RE DOING DOESN¡¯T SEEM TO BE WORKING.  MAY I ADVISE GETTING OUT OF THE FISH¡¯S MOUTH?]

    Ignoring the drone, Kyle inhaled and closed his eyes.  He felt the mana leaving his body, the clarity provided by Unbreakable Will near its all-time high.  He solidified hexagonal pieces of the barrier¡¯s structure, while keeping the ¡®joints¡¯ between the hexes flexible.  The partial structure formed around him in the tight space, and something in his mind clicked.  Pushing with all the Willpower he could muster, the barrier sprang to life.

    The hexagonal plates snapped into place, forming the spherical shape Kyle strove to create.  It met resistance inside the Maw, which was now twisting and turning as it tried to spit out what it once thought to be a tasty morsel.  Between Ignition and Unbreakable Will, the force of Kyle¡¯s mana was beyond anything he¡¯d felt before.  The resistance broke a moment later, Storm Shelter fully forming around him, destroying everything in its path.  The Maw exploded outward, a glowing barrier in existence where it¡¯s head had once been.

    Kyle stood as he deactivated the barrier, his body screaming in protest.  He made it seven shaky steps before collapsing into the sand, allowing Adaptive Regeneration and Heal to mend bleeding cuts and broken bones.  He looked at the now-headless body of the Maw, considering the implications of what he¡¯d done.

    In many ways, Storm Shelter was one of his most powerful skills, both at a conceptual and practical level.  The barrier was significantly more powerful than many people thought it should have been, and had saved his life more times than he could count.  It was profoundly simple, and exceptionally effective.  While he hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to use it in this way again, it made him think about his next two D Grade skill selections.  It was easy to get wrapped up in complexity, and this reminded him of the importance of simplicity.  Sometimes the best tool is the one that can be used in any circumstance.

    Kyle reflected on that idea as he healed, too pained to enter meditation as he mended broken bones.  An hour later, he stood.  The worst of the damage had been worked through, and Kyle was ready to get back to the entrance and confront the culprit behind his episode: the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.

 Chapter 182

    ¡°This is insane.¡± Rupiniax was on his feet, eyes glued to Mayhew¡¯s screen.  ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be confronting D Grades this early in Phase Three.  I¡¯ve seen the Artifact Retrieval calibrations; these should be reserved for the last third of the sector.  Hell, the difficulty of that encounter would have been appropriate for a later round of Arena Combat.¡±

    Suierrillax agreed, though she didn¡¯t say anything.  She simply nodded and took notes, watching as Kyle limped away from the body of the D Grade fish.  He struggled far more than she thought he would, a testament to the enhanced difficulty.  She¡¯d hoped her warning would have circumvented the problem entirely, but it was clear now that whoever was behind the irregularities had multiple layers of contingencies.

    ¡°Do you think his Death Field was stopped by the creature somehow?  Maybe it doesn¡¯t work against D Grades?¡±  Rupiniax asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  The encounter felt off to me, but I don¡¯t have any idea what means the fish had available to it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll ask him when he¡¯s back.  I¡¯m already getting preparations together for an early return.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t,¡± Suierrillax said.  ¡°If there¡¯s one thing we should know about Kyle ¨C Mayhew ¨C it¡¯s that he¡¯s stubborn.  I doubt he¡¯ll leave early.¡±  She tried to cover the slip, but the other skrell noticed, eliciting a smirk.

    ¡°You have a soft spot for him,¡± Rupiniax said with a snort.  ¡°I don¡¯t blame you, but if he¡¯s been injured this badly after an encounter like this, there¡¯s not much chance for him to accomplish more.  I¡¯ve looked at the schematics for this planet, and it¡¯s not great.¡±

    Rupiniax pulled up a projection on his nav bracelet, and Suierrillax read it through.  This entire planet had been removed from Practicum circulation due to mounting danger posed by both the environment and the fauna.  She had to control her reaction upon seeing the expected values of the artifacts.  Virtually all the peripheral zones carried near-worthless items.  Even if he cleared them all out, his scoring would be middling.

    Items of real value were far more plentiful in the city¡¯s heart, and if Kyle¡¯s first encounter was any indication, he¡¯d be a dead man walking if he so much as set foot inside.  She sighed as she looked away, prompting Rupiniax to close the projection.  ¡°You see?  He¡¯s not stupid, he¡¯ll understand.  He¡¯ll get an opportunity to reapply, and when there¡¯s no risk of him upstaging Arhades things should get back to normal.¡±

    ¡°What does Arhades have to do with it?¡±

    Rupiniax looked around conspiratorially before leaning in, voice low.  ¡°The events of Phase Two drew a lot of attention to Mayhew¡¯s performance, and I heard the twins caught wind of it.  If the rumors are true, this came directly from them to make sure he remembered his place, and to send a message to anybody interfering to make him look better than he is.¡±

    ¡°The Archdrake Supremacy would never have allowed something like that to happen of their own volition!  It wasn¡¯t a planned event.¡±

    ¡°As if that matters to a couple of B Grades,¡± Rupiniax scoffed.  ¡°By the way, don¡¯t let anybody know I showed you those reports.  Not strictly supposed to have access.¡±

    Suierrillax nodded, looking at Mayhew sitting cross-legged at the entrance.  Satisfied that he was stable, she pulled up the feeds from the other applicants.  Kyle was in the worst condition by a wide margin, with everybody else putting up admirable performances.

    The most popular choice by far was Arena Combat, and across the board the first rounds of opponents were dispatched without trouble.  The difficulty would start ramping up with tomorrow¡¯s rounds, with the battles designed more to show endurance and problem solving rather than simple combat power.

    The ability to properly regulate power output and engage in prolonged conflicts was critical to both Mercenary and Security functions, and in that regard both Arhades and Tillienne were exceptional.  Neither of them had used as much as a skill, with Tillienne actually fighting barehanded so far.  Many of the proctors were glued to those screens, preferring the action-oriented nature of the engagements.

    Defend Position was the least interesting, with the few participants still shoring up defenses.  Each area they were in had a variety of defense mechanisms that they could activate, which in addition to understanding the E Grade forces at their disposal meant the real action would start in several more hours.  Jax was the applicant getting the most attention at this point, demonstrating more confidence than earlier in his Practicum.  His assigned proctor was a phytan, swirling in the air with pride.

    Suierrillax couldn¡¯t fault the feeling.  Of all the applicants he may have shown the most personal growth.  It was widely understood that individual development was foundational in finding a good spot in the Guilds.  Any and all offers involved were an investment, and the Guilds weren¡¯t typically interested in bringing people on who would be stagnant.  Even if their power eventually hit a plateau, the right mindset could allow for potential decades more improvement.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    There were outliers, such as Arhades, that so far hadn¡¯t gotten pushed to their limits during the Practicum, but the vast majority were forced to adapt and demonstrate flexibility in their approaches.  In some ways, that concerned Suierrillax when she thought about Mayhew.  Not only was he facing open antagonism from the Guild power structure, his personal achievements had been largely overshadowed by the circumstances surrounding his Practicum.  What would that mean for his placement?

    She was drawn away from her train of thought as an explosion rang out, followed by cheering from one of the other Arena Combat screens.  She glanced over as a muscular reptilian activated a series of mana-infused strikes, causing his opponents to explode in flame.  The attacks were visually impressive, though she just sighed and turned back to Mayhew¡¯s screen.  Using big attacks this early was simply a sign of inexperience, at least in her view.

    ~~~

    Kyle stretched, testing his range of motion.  The damage from the battle with the fish had been painful to heal, and he wanted to make sure that everything recovered appropriately.  ¡°Is there any damage lingering that you¡¯re seeing, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING MEANINGFUL, DR. MAYHEW.  THE CRACKED BONES SEEM TO HAVE MENDED NICELY.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  Kyle said, finishing his stretches before settling on the platform with crossed legs.  ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I can get to the bottom of the episode I had.  If anything big starts happening, please yell for me.¡±

    The drone was silent for a moment, before speaking softly.  [IS THIS WISE, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    [THE LOCAL FAUNA ARE DANGEROUS ENOUGH TO POSE A MATERIAL THREAT TO YOU, YOUR BODY IS GOING THROUGH SOME TYPE OF CHANGE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT ITSELF SEEMS PARTICULARLY DISADVANTAGEOUS FOR YOU.  IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE PRUDENT DECISION WOULD BE TO RETREAT, REFLECT, AND REAPPLY ANOTHER TIME FOR MORE FAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.  I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT CREDITS TO DO SO.]

    Kyle bristled at the idea of retreating, which itself gave him pause.  Why am I so resistant to it?  He thought about the drone¡¯s words, and recognized that there was wisdom in them.  His lifespan was likely measured in centuries at this point, he had plenty of opportunities to try again.  At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to retreat.  Kyle¡¯s path was survival through endurance, stubbornly refusing to be crushed in the face of adversity.  C.H.A.D.D. had his interests at heart ¨C Kyle knew that ¨C but it wasn¡¯t advice he could accept.  Not yet.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, that would be the prudent decision,¡± Kyle said, choosing his words carefully.  ¡°But overcoming challenges like these are how I grow.  I can¡¯t go back to sitting at a desk for months on end.  It¡¯s not who I am.¡±  Not anymore.

    [THEN DO WHAT YOU FEEL YOU MUST, DR. MAYHEW.  JUST KNOW I PREFER YOU ALIVE AND HEALTHY.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    With that, Kyle closed his eyes and entered meditation.  He felt himself drawn into his core, and focused on it.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 54 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0.4%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 840

    ENDURANCE: 977

    STRENGTH: 353

    DEXTERITY: 634

    WILLPOWER: 1191

    INTELLIGENCE: 1191

    PERCEPTION: 941

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    He noticed the level first, and quickly allocated his Free Attributes towards Endurance.  Taking a page from the D Grade fish¡¯s book, he understood that toughness would be crucial to his survival in this environment.  Then, he turned his attention to the other change:  The Core of the Parasitic Devourer had finally stirred.

    Before focusing on the number itself, Kyle watched the core, superimposed on his center as it swirled and pulsed.  The crimson sigils looked to be rippling over the surface, like magma roiling beneath cooled obsidian.  He could see faint tendrils of red energy playing over the surface of the core like lightning, a notable change from when he¡¯d seen it just days ago.

    Kyle felt a phantom ache and shuddered as he regarded the movements of the core.  Before he realized it, he felt the activation of Parasitic Resonance, tendrils expanding out around him.  The skill had changed, some of his own mana being gently drained.  Kyle watched with fascination as he saw it feeding into the core, ever so slightly increasing the pace at which the core roiled and swirled.  Deactivating the skill, he felt the mana it had drawn dissipate, hardly any having been consumed.  It¡¯s like my mana was being used as a primer, Kyle realized.

    Wanting to do one more qualitative test, he activated Ignition.  The energy around him was drawn in as he felt the power from the boost flowing through him.  Despite the shift in his internal energy, the core didn¡¯t change, nor did it absorb any of the atmospheric mana.  The moment he activated Parasitic Resonance, the slow drain began again, being replaced with atmospheric mana as he sat.

    Deactivating both skills, Kyle focused his attention on the number, 0.4% as the mana swirling around the core dissipated once more.  He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what it represented, but he had an idea.  Other than a few of the large birds, Kyle hadn¡¯t killed large numbers of creatures with Parasitic Resonance after his fight with the Storm.  It made sense, at least to him, that his wholesale slaughter of the fish had triggered some sort of condition, filling the core as they died.

    To the extent that he was going to kill his opponents, the change in Parasitic Resonance made sense.  The faster, more brutal consumption of mana was undoubtedly effective.  Unfortunately, these new properties posed an issue if he wanted to use it with C.H.A.D.D. and the World Tree seed.  It all comes down to control.

    In that, at least, Kyle felt confident.  And if the endless dunes held more schools of the fish, where better to practice?

 Chapter 183

    Kyle swore as the lifeless body of a fish crashed into him.  He¡¯d gotten much better at dodging in the volcanic glass sand, but he still felt clumsy.  Standing up as the wind blew, Kyle brushed himself off and looked around.  His clothing was reduced to little more than tatters, his stonebloom armor resting back at the entrance platform until he was confident in controlling Parasitic Resonance.

    If he messed up when connecting to the armor, he would risk damaging the natural properties that made it so useful to him.  Instead, he relied on his Enhanced Carapace to keep up with the scouring blades and stony teeth, even though it meant allocating more resources to healing.

    This was the fourth school of the fish he¡¯d encountered during his exploration, and he knew what to expect.  Where¡¯s the D Grade?  As if on cue, a blade of black sand materialized.  There.  Kyle focused as C.H.A.D.D. highlighted the location of the creature, sidestepping the blade.  Once it had passed, he didn¡¯t give it a chance to change tactics.  He burst into action, Ignition burning in his veins.

    With an enormous effort of Willpower, Kyle pushed the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance into the Maw, connecting with its pathways.  The beast¡¯s jaws closed around him as Kyle prepared a smaller Storm Shelter, protecting him from being chewed up while his other skill worked.

    Kyle gritted his teeth as he resisted the skill¡¯s natural inclination to rip the mana away from the creature, holding the effect at bay for one second after another as the tendrils further infected the beast.  The Maw, seeming to realize that something was wrong, tried to spit Kyle out.  He pushed the plates of Storm Shelter out just a bit, wedging him inside the mouth as Parasitic Resonance spread.

    Finally, after nearly a minute, Kyle shifted his focus from infection to destruction, tearing away the monster¡¯s energy and life.  It thrashed in the sand twice before collapsing, motionless.  Just like the last two D Grades he¡¯d encountered; it didn¡¯t even have an opportunity to use its trump card.  As powerful as the fish were, their combat style was simplistic.  For whatever reason, they didn¡¯t view Kyle as a threat worthy of their best until it was too late.  That was fine by him, because being wrapped up in a magnetic storm like he had in the first encounter was terrifying.  It was enough being surrounded by goo and bladed teeth.

    The barrier provided by Storm Shelter faded away as Kyle extricated himself from the fish¡¯s mouth, slime dripping all over him like rain before he could fully escape.  Wiping his slime-covered hands on the ruined shreds of his trousers, he looked out at the crimson glow on the horizon.  With the sun as large as it was, there wasn¡¯t a meaningful night, at least that Kyle could tell.

    The indicator on his nav bracelet showed that he¡¯d been on the planet for just under four days, and he¡¯d barely made any progress toward the center of the settlement.  Calling the schools of fish territorial was an understatement, and shortly after drifting past some indeterminable threshold he found himself under attack.

    Kyle let out a sigh as he grabbed a couple of the fish and started walking back to the entrance.  There were a few office buildings nearby he could explore, but the results from the last couple were disappointing.  The Practicum offered no insight in regard to the value of the items he retrieved, though from what he could tell there wasn¡¯t much of value.  That wouldn¡¯t stop Kyle from scouring them later, but he had a more pressing issue to deal with.

    He got back to the entrance where a small cooking fire burned, fish meat smoking over the coals.  He heaped the undamaged fish in a pile, where they awaited their turn in the heat.  Kyle decided pretty early on not to trust the rations, given that somebody seemed to have it out for him.  Neither Identify nor C.H.A.D.D. saw anything inherently dangerous, but some risks weren¡¯t worth taking.  Fortunately, there were also tools he was able to put to use.

    A small kit, including a portable torch were in the supply case.  After bringing out piles of broken wood from the ruined furniture inside the buildings, he repurposed it as a fire starter.  A tent was also provided, which Kyle used as his loot bag.   The fibers of the material were thick, and resisted being slashed open by the blowing glass.  The makeshift bag wouldn¡¯t hold up against direct attacks, but worked just fine after he cleared out a section of the city.

    And of course, he was thankful for his canteen.  Despite the arid and hot climate, the little bottle continued to do its job, providing plenty of fresh water for him to drink.  It was one of the best survival purchases he¡¯d made, and was baffled that any human looking to leave the safety of the Hub wouldn¡¯t buy one.  The inscriptions were simple, and the value was incalculable.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    He took the fish off the fire, not even bothering to put on gloves.  Steam rose off the scales while the meat underneath sputtered and sizzled.  While his unseasoned, smoked fish wouldn¡¯t be winning any culinary awards, Kyle thought it tasted downright gourmet when compared to the beetles he¡¯d subsisted on back on Earth.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you willing to let me run a test?¡± Kyle said between bites of flaky whitefish.

    [AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW ALL CLINICAL TEST PROTOCOLS.]

    Kyle took a swig from his canteen, which had refilled to the brim.  ¡°Very funny.  Seriously though, if anything feels off, I need you to tell me right away.¡±

    [I WILL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I¡¯m holding you to that.¡±  Kyle finished his meal in silence, watching the dunes shift in the wind.  The last thing he wanted was to put the drone at risk; at the same time the risks were too great if he didn¡¯t have access to C.H.A.D.D. through the link.  Regenerating his armor, manipulating the negation field, and tapping into other plant life in an emergency were all too valuable to leave off the table.  Whatever hunger his skill developed, it was something he¡¯d have to control if he wanted to survive.

    Extending a furtive tendril of energy, he connected first to C.H.A.D.D., and then to the World Tree Seed.  He felt a reflexive action to try and drain their energy, which he clamped down on immediately.  Instead, he gently fed some of his own mana through the connection.  Easy part down, Kyle mused.  More tendrils of energy began to bloom around him, connecting to the discarded scales and bones.

    Even though the materials had no mana running through them, Kyle worked to make subtle changes by infusing them with his own, all the while keeping his focus on the tendril connected to C.H.A.D.D.  As minutes passed, Kyle became more and more comfortable managing both. He certainly wasn¡¯t completing detail work; although using Parasitic Resonance to kill hordes of weaker enemies didn¡¯t require much detail to begin with.

    He continued to practice for several more hours, enjoying the challenge of splitting his mental focus in this way.  Up to this point, Kyle hadn¡¯t been pushed to need this level of control of his skills, which opened up a challenging question to him.  What other skill improvements could he focus on?  Already, this experience had forced him to work on different applications for both Parasitic Resonance and Storm Shelter.  Phase One had allowed him to take advantage of Adaptive Regeneration.  Phase Two helped him refine Ignition.  What about Heal?  Identify?

    Kyle still had his sights set on C Grade and beyond, though he understood that he still had a long journey ahead of him in D Grade.  Finding more opportunities for incremental enhancements would be time well-spent along the way.  For now, however, he had other work to do.  Standing, he retracted all the tendrils of his skill but two, one of which was connected to C.H.A.D.D., as the other reached out to his armor.

    Putting it on, he sighed in relief as the wooden plates began to visibly mend.  The stonebloom material greedily drank in his mana as C.H.A.D.D. guided the recovery process, encouraging new growth from the core of the hardy plant.  As it regenerated, Kyle tested the field provided by the armor, expanding and shaping it.  Even though the armor itself required a little more time to fully mend, its special properties still worked just fine.

    Taking a little more time to practice with the mana-negating barrier from the stonebloom armor, Kyle finally felt it was time.  He hefted the empty loot bag over his right shoulder.  ¡°Are you ready to go scout the buildings?¡±

    [I WAS AFRAID YOU¡¯D NEVER ASK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle activated Ignition as he sped through the dunes, still stumbling occasionally as he misread the depth of the sand.  Covert Dexterity was doing its part, even though there was only so much that he could expect when moving on terrain like this.  Kyle idly wondered how easily he could have moved if he selected Strider instead of Ignition, and dismissed the thought shortly after it popped into his head.  No need to reflect on what could have been.  He was happy with his choice.

    Soon, he was back at the area he¡¯d finished clearing.  The buildings jutted out of the dunes like misshapen teeth, and he broke the closest window to enter the first building.  The structures were similar; each building consisting of several floors, broken furniture, and very few items of significance with the exception of the top.  The highest floors universally had desks and other features that could only be activated by awakened.  Typically, there would be a couple items within that would give him an impression that they were worth taking, though the purpose of the trinkets was a little beyond him.

    What he did know was that he wasn¡¯t satisfied with either the quantity or quality of what he¡¯d retrieved so far.  He didn¡¯t have a rubric or ongoing score he could follow, and he held no confidence in getting a good evaluation based on his accomplishments thus far.  Compared to the high-quality natural treasures he helped scout with Corthian Mining; these could barely be considered interesting.

    While there were still a couple more peripheral areas in the city he could explore, Kyle didn¡¯t see much purpose.  Leaping out of the last building onto the sand, he hefted his half-empty bag.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., is there anything else we¡¯re missing?¡±

    [NOTHING GIVING A MEANINGFUL IMPRESSION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded.  Going back to the bodies of the fallen fish, he grabbed two more.  ¡°I think we¡¯re about done in the outer zone.  Tomorrow we¡¯re going deeper.¡±

    [IT WILL BE DANGEROUS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle smiled.  Overcoming dangerous circumstances and surviving against the odds was central to his path, after all.  ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡±

 Chapter 184

    The closer Kyle moved toward the center of the ruined city, the denser the buildings became.  What once reminded him of jagged teeth now resembled the forest after a storm, buildings strewn about the dunes like fallen trees.  Each structure was larger, the smallest of them three or four stories taller than those around the outskirts.  And with taller buildings came better treasures.  At least, that was what Kyle told himself as he ran like a madman across the side of a building, an army of fish in hot pursuit.

    C.H.A.D.D. warned him that circumstances would get more dangerous, and the drone wasn¡¯t wrong.  Well over 100 of the fish were pursuing him, resulting in an endless barrage of rust-colored cannonballs slamming into the buildings, the dunes, and occasionally Kyle himself.

    ¡°How many D Grades have you spotted?¡±  Kyle shouted, a note of panic in his voice.

    [AT LEAST THREE, DR. MAYHEW.  I SUSPECT THERE IS A FOURTH LURKING BELOW.]

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    Before the drone could respond, Storm Shelter sprang to life, five of the fish slamming into it with resounding thuds.  The barrier dissipated a moment later as Parasitic Resonance hungrily drained their mana and reaped their lives.  Kyle kept moving, barely evading magnetic blades of swirling obsidian.  The attacks rose into the sky with a whisper before running out of power, leaving a gentle rain of razor-sharp glass.

    [THERE ARE INCONSISTENCIES IN THE MOVEMENTS OF THE GLASS.  IT ISN¡¯T CERTAIN, BUT I BELIEVE THE PRESENCE OF A FOURTH, MORE POWERFUL CREATURE WOULD EXPLAIN THE PHENOMENON.]

    Kyle nodded to himself as he evaded another fish erupting from the black sand.  He sidestepped as he swung his baton down, stunning the creature and allowing Parasitic Resonance to do its work.  A moment later, he was back on the move, taking a moment to look at his handiwork.

    Before he even set foot in the new region, Kyle had allowed Ignition to build up to equilibrium.  The clarity and power provided by it allowed him to cut a swathe through the simple creatures, who had yet to adapt to his presence.  As evidenced by his sparring sessions with Jax, fighting multiple D Grades was a challenge, even more so if they had support.

    If Tillienne, Jax, and Trex were coordinating an E Grade force this size, Kyle would have been dead a dozen times over; Ignition or not.  Despite D Grade power, the fish were little more than beasts driven by instinct.  The awakened insects Kyle faced on Earth were far more intelligent by comparison, which magnified the danger they posed.

    The D Grade fish seemed content to let Kyle fight through their schools, only contributing occasional supportive fire from long range.  Kyle had no idea what type of hunting these beasts usually did, but based on the lack of any other living organisms their style was unquestionably effective.  Hell, they¡¯d taken him by surprise the first time around.

    Unlike the fish, however, Kyle adapted.  He understood their strengths, their weaknesses, and their patterns.  Between the state of clarity provided by equilibrium and the advanced warnings provided by C.H.A.D.D. and Auric Perception, Kyle was confident, even against overwhelming odds.

    The densely-packed buildings worked in his advantage as he leapt from structure to structure, avoiding the need to step into the sand entirely.  The school thinned more as he weaved back and forth in the small area, and soon the D Grades were the only fish remaining.

    Predictably, two of them charged directly towards him while the third sent waves of sharpened sand.  He got clear of the ranged attack first as the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance invaded the bodies of the grouper-like D Grades, then he pushed with all the Willpower he could muster.  The creatures tried to put up resistance, but it was futile.  They crashed into the dunes, dead.

    The one that stayed back began gathering mana, forming a technique that Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. both recognized.  He burst towards it as quickly as Ignition would allow, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reaching towards the immobile fish.  Kyle felt the sand around him begin to float as the magnetic storm started, his footing giving way below him.

    Parasitic Resonance connected, and he felt the stirring power inside the beast.  Kyle grabbed onto a revealed piece of metal piping, gripping with all his Strength as his Willpower surged against the fish.  The fish¡¯s skill put up fierce resistance, but Kyle overwhelmed it with sheer force of will. The magnetic storm faded before it could whip up into the hurricane he¡¯d endured in his first encounter, followed shortly by the death of the monster.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Still, Kyle didn¡¯t drop his guard.  The magnetic field was persistent, and he was suspended in the air by the pipe he was gripping.  Where¡¯s the fourth?  Kyle trusted C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s judgment, but so far, the final D Grade hadn¡¯t revealed itself.  He was just about to ask his drone if anything appeared on its sensors when he felt the ambient mana in the air begin to shudder.

    Everything around him froze for a moment before accelerating directly down.  The buildings were revealed floor by floor as the attractive force drew everything to a central point far below.  Identify activated on instinct, and Kyle frowned when it revealed nothing.  He could see the flow of mana from the epicenter, but the cloud of volcanic sand obscured what lie beneath.

    Kyle released his grip on the pipe, allowing gravity to guide his descent while the world around him shook.  He was pelted by a rain of dark glass and debris, once again thankful for the protection provided by his Enhanced Carapace as he shrugged off the worst of the damage.

    He could make out what could best be described as a blender of swirling onyx blades at the epicenter of the magnetic force.  They hissed as they crossed one another, and Kyle marveled at the scale of the power he detected from the newly-formed pit.  He suspected it to be between 30 and 40 levels higher than the other D Grades, with at minimum one upgraded skill, if not its second offered at D Grade.

    The blades of volcanic glass were dangerously close now, and Kyle banked on the efficacy of Parasitic Resonance.  The tendrils extended deep into the sea of sand, exploring for the body he detected underneath.  They found their prey, and Kyle didn¡¯t hold back as he drank the creature¡¯s mana hungrily.  The energy giving form to the blades was disrupted, and Kyle fell headfirst into the darkness.

    Auric Perception had a strong feel for the fish¡¯s energy, even though his eyes were closed in the roiling sands.  The fish was swimming away, even as Parasitic Resonance ravaged its body.  Kyle gasped in shock as he landed hard on the ground, the sensation of cool stone against his skin nearly as jarring as the impact.  His eyes opened as he saw the swirling mass of sand enveloping the retreating form of the fish, finally out of range of Parasitic Resonance.

    Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate.  The last thing he wanted was for the beast to attract another school, particularly if they were of similar size and power to its own.  He marveled at the smooth, almost marble-like stone underfoot as he exploded after the creature, waves of volcanic sand collapsing back onto the ground in its wake.

    For all its speed, it couldn¡¯t keep up with Kyle when Ignition was fully active.  Kyle drew in power liberally as he exploded forward, and soon he was back in range.  The beast turned back as it felt the connection reestablish, dull eyes meeting his own as their light faded.  The sand cascaded in without the creature magnetizing it, serving as its grave.

    Kyle climbed back to the top of the dunes, now strangely peaceful without the interference of the local wildlife.  He drew in a calming breath as he looked out into the crimson skyline, broken by the jutting forms of the buildings.  They stood in defiance of the ruin that befell the planet, which brought a smile to his lips.

    ¡°Well, C.H.A.D.D., what do you think?  Is it time to get to work?¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯VE BEEN FORCING ME TO WORK FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.  I BELIEVE I DESERVE A VACATION, PER CENTRAL HEALTH POLICY, OF COURSE.]

    ¡°You¡¯d get bored in 15 minutes.¡± Kyle chuckled.

    [YOU UNDERESTIMATE ME.]

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Kyle asked, eyebrow raised.  ¡°I could always go back and drop you off at the entrance before exploring all these ancient buildings, if that¡¯s what you prefer.¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. was silent a moment before responding; a hint of resignation somehow coming through its words.  [WE¡¯D BEST GET SEARCHING, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Climbing through the shattered windows of the first building, Kyle immediately felt a difference.  Somewhere above him, he could feel faint pulses of mana.  C.H.A.D.D. seemed to sense the same, and the duo ascended flight after flight, ignoring the lower floors altogether.  Starting at the fourth floor, Kyle found six desks requiring mana to open.  His smile broadened as he opened the first.

    Inside, he saw three journals, two tablets, and six strange orbs that gave off an unfamiliar energy.  Identify revealed a strange attunement with the heat coming off the red giant star that served as the planet¡¯s sun.  Storing them away, Kyle continued to sift through each of the desk drawers.  When it was all said and done, he¡¯d uncovered nearly as many trinkets on this floor alone as he had in the entire outer area.

    The fifth floor was an even more extravagant executive suite.  The desks contained more documents and trinkets, though the real prize was folded neatly in a closet.  A set of exquisite enchanted robes sat, unperturbed by the passage of time.  Kyle used Identify on them, and could make out pieces of the inscriptions, some relating to drawing in mana, others with amplifying its output.  Clearly a mage, then.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what do you think?¡±

    [THE MATERIAL APPEARS TO BE A WOVEN METAL OF SOME TYPE, AND THE INSCRIPTIONS ARE HIGH-QUALITY.  MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE IS LIMITED, BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE THIS TO BE NO LESS VALUABLE THAN YOUR ARMOR, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle had to agree, which made him excited.  Most of the items he found were difficult to value; Kyle had no idea what the evaluators would look for in a journal or tablet, after all.  The orbs and small weapons were interesting, but qualitatively fairly boring.  To find an item at the robe¡¯s level was proof that he¡¯d started to locate the good stuff.  If there were more like it within the dozens of other buildings, Kyle was confident Phase Three would be a success.

    He placed the robe almost reverently into his bag, then climbed the final set of stairs to the top floor.  Kyle was met by a locked door, which required a significant amount of mana to power open.  He expected resplendence, a beautiful desk, opulent furniture.  Instead, he was met with a familiar sight.  He was standing in the heart of a laboratory.

 Chapter 185

    Unlike the previous floors, the laboratory was virtually undamaged.  A quick use of Identify showed Kyle inlaid enchantments to prevent mana leakage and reinforce the structure.  Outside of a thick layer of dust, the room was in immaculate condition.  Rows of metal tables were off to his left, with a series of monitors to his right.  Directly ahead, in the center of the room there was a large shard of obsidian contained within a metal and glass sphere.

    The device itself was filled with an unidentifiable liquid, in which the shard was suspended.  Auric Perception was muted with all the runic inscriptions at play, though he could feel echoes of the energy as he stared at the shard.  Fire, earth, and wind affinities were prominent inside the crystal.  The longer he stared, the more he thought he spotted traces of other concepts as well.

    If he were an Elemental Mage of any of these varieties, he fully expected he could draw significant insights into his skills simply by studying the shard for an extended period.  Part of him suspected that was exactly what the researchers here were doing.  The oddest part to Kyle, however, was the resemblance of the crystal to the omnipresent dunes of black sand.  Were the dunes already present when this civilization fell?

    While staring at the suspended stone likely wouldn¡¯t yield any answers, searching the rest of the lab might.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you decipher any of the information here?¡±

    [I¡­ AM UNCERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  MUCH OF THE ANALYSIS AND INFORMATION IS WELL OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF BOTH MY PROGRAMMING AND RECORDS.]

    ¡°Would you be able to store copies and images of everything we come across in the lab?¡±  Kyle asked, not surprised at the drone¡¯s answer.  The changes C.H.A.D.D. had undergone allowed for a lot of flexibility, though it was still far more specialized towards organic life than stone and metal.

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Unlike the wanton ransacking of the previous rooms, Kyle took his time.  The duo organized different types of documents, tablets, and other records.  Several smaller samples of the dark glass were sealed away in drawers, which he liberated with quick application of his D Grade Strength.  It took them over an hour to finish sifting through the various items in the room, with only the suspended shard left.

    ¡°Any idea how to open it up?¡±

    [NONE WHATSOEVER.]

    Kyle sighed.  There was likely some type of access needed to actually drain the liquid and release the crystal, which Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. did not possess.  The documents and reports they reviewed offered no assistance, which meant he would have to do it the hard way.  He stacked the documents neatly into his sack, and wrapped one end around his wrist as he grasped the container and activated Ignition.

    Kyle most often relied on the mobility and clarity from the skill, using the boosts to support his offensive application of Parasitic Resonance.  The significant boost to Strength didn¡¯t mean much when his opponents dwarfed him in size and power.  An issue that Kyle didn¡¯t have against the housing for the containment sphere.

    With a solid lift, he felt the fasteners give way, releasing the sphere entirely.  Lights flashed across the lab, and without hesitation Kyle dashed toward the door to the lower floor, which was now closing.  Seeing similar activity across the building, Kyle gritted his teeth as he jumped out the nearest window, nestling the sphere and shard under his left arm.

    His right arm grabbed the windowsill on the way down, halting his descent.  With the aid of his Covert Dexterity, he scaled the exterior of the building until his feet rested against the sand below.  As he got closer, he could feel an odd connection between the shard and the volcanic glass.  Faint pulses of energy were released by the shard, and the stygian sand seemed to ripple outward with each.  Identify didn¡¯t reveal any of the specifics, and Kyle didn¡¯t want to waste more time than necessary.

    Ignition active, Kyle began the long trek back to the starting area.  His haul this time was far from disappointing.  The region he¡¯d just cleared had over a dozen buildings of similar size to clear, each of which held the promise of treasure.  This second layer had at least two other sections he could explore when he¡¯d finished with the buildings, and the heart of the city still lied beyond.  This is going to take a while, Kyle thought, feeling the heat of the red sun beating down.  I wonder if Jax and Tillienne are dealing with similar issues?

    ~~~

    The atmosphere in the room was tense as the proctors looked on at Tillienne¡¯s final fight.  A leonine fighter four meters tall brandished two broadswords, blood matting the fur on his chest as it flowed out from an arrow wound.  It was a stark contrast to the small woman in front of him, though she brandished her weapons with grace.  The warrior was a mid-tier D Grade criminal, captured after a rampage that devastated over a dozen frontier settlements.  He roared, shaking the air before charging the diminutive form of the fae woman.

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    Tillienne dodged with grace entirely inconsistent with her condition.  She was bleeding from multiple cuts, and one of her four arms had been badly broken in an attempt to block a particularly vicious strike.  She held her lance in one hand, and the battleaxe in the remaining two.

    The outline of butterfly wings could be seen on her back as she dipped and dodged, lance and axe each finding small opportunities between her opponent¡¯s endless attacks.  Each wound only seemed to stoke the leonid¡¯s rage, roars echoing out as his furious assault continued.

    Tillienne¡¯s boosting skill was on full display, power blazing to life as both her mana and physical energy burned away.   It was a truly impressive display, though Suierrillax knew the fight would be over soon.  She had watched Tillienne¡¯s matches over the last six days, and from everything that Suierrillax could see, the fae simply lacked strong finishing moves.  While her boosting skill highlighted her impeccable technique and fighting skill, she was focused far more on mobility and technique than raw, instantaneous destruction.

    The focus led to an undeniably strong foundation, proven by Tillienne¡¯s rapid progression through the Arena Combat trial.  Other than Arhades, she made it the farthest of any other applicant.  She cleared the stages consisting of waves of E Grades with ease, and had little more trouble against the early D Grades.

    In fact, the previous match was the first time she seemed struggle at all.  She¡¯d squared off against an enormous ore turtle, which was content to hide in its shell and bombard the woman with shards of stone and steel from long range.  It took Tillienne significantly longer than expected, which is when Suierrillax realized her area of weakness.

    The leonid was less durable than the turtle had been, though its natural recovery and ability to ignore the injuries kept it on its feet and fighting.  She watched as one of the broadswords clashed with the battleaxe, the force of the impact impressive, even through the screen.  The axe was sent flying as the blade twisted, the second sword descending to cleave her in two.  You¡¯ve come as far as you can, don¡¯t be foolish, Suierrillax thought.

    Tillienne ducked underneath the blow, landing two more shallow stabs with her lance.  There was a brief stillness as she locked eyes with her opponent, before she dismissed the lance and raised her hands. ¡°I surrender.¡±

    The leonid snarled, but pressure descended on the arena for a moment before both were whisked away.  Even though Suierrillax didn¡¯t miss the disappointment on the woman¡¯s face, the fae had a lot to be proud of.  Hers was the last Arena Combat trial still active, and her performance would no doubt lead to many offers from the Guilds.  For the trial itself, she made the farthest of any bar Arhades.  When coupled with the prowess she demonstrated, she would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to any Guild.

    An alert flashed on one of the screens, followed by a series of cheers.  Jax Cain¡¯s trial had ended the previous evening, with the young man sustaining a grievous injury.  His condition was serious, and the notification let them know that he had stabilized.  Suierrillax couldn¡¯t hold back a smile at the news.  The young human had really grown on the proctors, and his heroics in Phase Three only magnified their goodwill.

    Like Tillienne, Jax also performed admirably, quickly rising to the level where he was holding his position against D Grade forces.  His tactical coordination was put on display as his squad rebuffed wave after wave of incoming forces.  Even when the enemies took to the sky, the young man adapted flawlessly.

    The final opponent that he faced was a D Grade drone with long-distance suppressive fire capabilities.  Blasts of crimson thermal energy retaliated against precise arcs of lightning, while mundane arms fire and missiles ravaged the defensive lines that Jax established.  Jax was holding his own, until one of his squad members was caught out.

    The E Grade soldiers all knew the risks; that¡¯s why they got paid so well.  When the drone launched its attack against the exposed soldier, Suierrillax expected that Jax to use the opening to land another attack.  Instead, the young man activated his boosting skill and shoved the soldier out of harm¡¯s way, being hit head-on with the thermal lance.

    In many ways, Jax made a foolish decision by doing so.  The judgment he¡¯d shown was questionable when the mission was put at stake.  At the same time, he was just so damn likeable.  All the proctors wanted to see him succeed, and hearing news of his recovery raised the attitude in the room noticeably.  Suierrillax had no doubt that he¡¯d still get numerous offers, despite his lacking judgment.  Nepotism was a powerful tool, after all.

    With one notable exception, the other applicants were all wrapping up Phase Three as well.  Despite smaller numbers than expected, the performances had generally been quite good.  Only a couple of casualties, which was a relief compared to the disaster that was Phase Two.  Offers were being generated and sent out, and already proctors were discussing what they would do with their free time when this Practicum ended.

    Suierrillax held back, watching the outlier as he added more broken furniture to his cooking fire.  Kyle Mayhew had been in his Practicum for over a week, and from the looks of things he wasn¡¯t planning to leave any time soon.

    His performance so far left many of the proctors uncomfortable.  While everybody loved seeing a young talent rise and succeed despite the odds, it was clear to everybody that Mayhew wasn¡¯t supposed to succeed.  The human had garnered far more attention than he should have, and Suierrillax knew that much of it wasn¡¯t positive.  The longer Mayhew continued his trial, the more their collective discomfort grew.

    She suppressed her smile as she watched him cook, still not having touched the provided supplies.  She settled into her chair and continued to take thorough notes.  She had a feeling that he still had a long way to go.

 Chapter 186

    Kyle yawned, opening bleary eyes as he looked out into the red glow above the sea of black glass.  Absent mindedly reaching for some smoked fish, he began to chew as he looked over his haul.  In the four weeks since arriving on this planet, Kyle had managed to clear out the entirety of the outer segment and most of the second layer.

    Each building he explored in the second layer held a wide variety of different treasures, many of which were of a similar quality to the woven robe.  Sadly, none had an affinity he could use, so one by one they were sent off to be evaluated.  He hoped he¡¯d secured enough to earn some offers, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.

    His eyes drifted to the pile of obsidian shards he¡¯d set aside, eleven in total.  While he was no expert, he felt confident that these were likely the most important pieces he¡¯d uncovered during his exploration.  Buildings with the labs were few and far between, and each time Kyle broke into one, he found one of the shards prominently displayed.

    Much of what they had put together was conjecture, though the implications were interesting.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans indicated that the shards resonated with one another the same way they did with the volcanic glass below.  Looking at projections, it appeared that they fit together in some type of three-dimensional puzzle.  From what Kyle could tell, there was one piece left, a jagged piece that would help form a rough sphere.

    Their understanding was incomplete, though C.H.A.D.D. had been able to decipher some of what had happened.  It appeared as though the unified orb was recovered from a crater not too far from the city.  The material took inscriptions effectively, and it could be separated and rejoined with little effort, which the local scientists were quick to do.

    Layers upon layers of inscriptions were put on the material as the scientists split and rearranged it.  Their goal appeared to be tied to energy creation, but they overdid their experimentation. Eventually, the shards reached a point where they were unable to fuse again due to the sheer number of inscriptions.  That¡¯s when they¡¯d contained each shard, with the intention of repairing whatever damage had been done.  Kyle didn¡¯t know why that was so important to them, though he hoped more of the mystery would be revealed when he found the twelfth piece.

    He absently reached out an arm to touch one of the containment spheres, and jumped at the look of his arm.  Veins of dark gray ran down its length, branching out like spiderwebs across his flesh.  Kyle gave a gentle pull with his Willpower, reducing the mana circulating through his skin.  That¡¯s still going to take some getting used to, he thought, watching the pattern recede.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IS THERE A REASON YOU¡¯RE DEACTIVATING YOUR ABILITY?]

    ¡°It¡¯s a little unsettling, that¡¯s all.  Besides, it¡¯s not like I need it right now.¡±

    [LIKELY A WISE DECISION.  CENTRAL HEALTH HAD REGULATIONS ABOUT TATTOOS FOR A REASON, AFTER ALL.]

    Kyle looked at his arms again, allowing the grey veins to reappear.  I guess it does kind of look like a tattoo.  ¡°That was a dumb policy, and you know it.  Somehow, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll care.¡±

    [IN FACT, I BELIEVE MS. ROCHELLE MAY APPROVE.]

    Kyle rolled his eyes as he looked outside his makeshift shelter, reflecting on all that had happened over the past four weeks.

    Even though Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. found very little that they could personally use, Kyle found a treasure of a different variety.  The second layer of the city had been rife with schools of the magnetic fish.  No longer.  Kyle¡¯s encounters with the creatures had not ended well for them, with scant few remaining.  He would have been content to leave them be, but their aggression left him little choice.

    Some of the D Grade variants had proven challenging, some shrouding themselves in armor made of volcanic glass while others attempted to crush him underneath cascading waves.  Kyle adapted and faced them all.  Weaker Willpower was a consistent theme among them, and Parasitic Resonance greedily consumed their energy.  The Core of the Parasitic Devourer filled with every kill, until it hit 10%.

    Kyle still remembered the kill that had topped it off; a D Grade fish shrouded in a swirling armor of volcanic glass from his second-to-last encounter.  After Parasitic Resonance connected, it drained just a little of the creature¡¯s energy before the effect stopped.  He felt his body begin to itch all over as the skill reverted to what it had been before fighting the fish.  His core had been satiated.  For now.

    Finishing off the school hadn¡¯t resulted in any further response from the core, nor did the deaths of the final school that he defeated.  Instead, when he entered meditation, he saw a notable change to his status.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 59 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 10%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 8/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    VITALITY: 880

    ENDURANCE: 1050

    STRENGTH: 363

    DEXTERITY: 664

    WILLPOWER: 1300

    INTELLIGENCE: 1300

    PERCEPTION: 988

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    Like much of his Adaptive Anatomy, the Ferric Augmentation gave him very little when he focused on it.  Fortunately, the effect was evident when he allowed his mana to flow freely through his body.  Veins of biological metal formed and hardened under the woven carapace of his skin, creating the unusual web pattern.  Kyle experimented with it a bit, though at this point he could do little outside of suppressing its effects, leaving only faint traces of gray.

    He looked back down at his arms, then sighed as he allowed the mana to flow freely, the pattern growing more pronounced once again.  Why should I care?  Ultimately, it took a modest level of focus to keep his new ability suppressed, and for what?  To intentionally weaken himself to appear more normal?  The thought almost made him laugh.

    Kyle wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much tougher he was by comparison, but if C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans were correct, it was a lot.  Coupled with the improvements to his Endurance, Kyle suspected that Tillienne¡¯s lance attack would now have a hard time even piercing his skin.  He said a quiet thanks that Skippy wasn¡¯t around, as the skrell would certainly want to take the opportunity to see how he measured up.

    The other important development was, of course, his increased level.  Kyle just crossed the threshold to Level 59, though he didn¡¯t expect to make it to Level 60 before Phase Three was done.  The entire Practicum had proven to be an excellent training opportunity, pushing him to his limits time and time again.  Will levels come this easily in the future?

    There seemed to be diminishing returns as Kyle adapted to the challenges he faced, coupled with marginally increasing difficulty between each level.  The peak of D Grade was Level 125, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it would take to get there.  The thought was both exciting and overwhelming, and Kyle took a moment to resettle himself.  There would be plenty of time to focus on that later ¨C for now he had a job to do.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you pull up the rough map you have of the inner area?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    A three-dimensional map expanded inside the makeshift tent, highlighting his exploration so far.  The heart of the settlement was still largely obscured, though Kyle had ventured in a few steps to help C.H.A.D.D. get some readings.  Between the notes they found in the labs and the drone¡¯s analysis, they expected the central area contained the central lab, and little else outside of residential housing.  The final lab was the most important, nestled into the very heart of the city.

    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to access.  Every glimpse Kyle got was obscured by swirling volcanic glass.  Visibility was near-zero, which was only the first problem.  The density of the fish had increased nearly threefold between the outer layer and the second, and Kyle suspected that would hold true for the inner area as well.  If that was true, he would end up fighting virtually the entire time he was exploring.

    As powerful as he¡¯d become, it was difficult to overcome the advantage of sheer numbers.  The presence of multiple D Grades in the smaller area also meant that the lab could more easily get caught in the crossfire.  Enough powerful attacks could still damage the structure, protective inscriptions or no.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think a full exploration is going to be an option.¡± Kyle mused, looking at the map.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you tell me about how the fish detect prey?¡±

    [FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IT¡¯S A COMBINATION OF MANA SENSE AND SENSITIVITY TO CHANGES IN THE VOLCANIC GLASS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s consistent with what I was expecting.  If we want to get to the final lab, we¡¯ll need to mitigate both.  I can suppress my mana, any thoughts on limiting the disturbance in the sand?¡±

    [DUE RESPECT, DR. MAYHEW, BUT I DOUBT YOU¡¯LL BE ABLE TO MINIMIZE THAT TYPE OF DISTURBANCE.  YOUR ANATOMY DOESN¡¯T LEND ITSELF TO SKATING OVER OR SWIMMING THROUGH THE SAND.]

    ¡°We can probably afford to attract some attention; I just don¡¯t want to have an entire school after me at once.¡±

    [THE MOMENT YOUR SKILL ACTIVATES, STEALTH IS OUT OF THE QUESTION.  DRAWING IN ENERGY THE WAY YOU DO ISN¡¯T SUBTLE.]

    ¡°Do you think they can even detect me through the cloud of glass?¡± Kyle asked, hopefully.

    [ALMOST CERTAINLY.  THE MAGNETISM IN THE CENTRAL AREA IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE¡¯VE SEEN FROM THE OTHER FISH, ALBEIT FAR MORE PRONOUNCED.  IF ANYTHING, THE CLOUD LIKELY MAKES DETECTION EASIER.]

    Kyle felt his brows crease as a frown began to take shape.  He stood and began pacing, thinking through the problem.  A full search was out of the question, and Kyle contemplated for a while if it was even worth sticking around to try and enter the inner area.  He was curious about the scans of the shards, particularly about the applications of layering different types of inscriptions in rearrangeable patterns.

    As they were, each shard had static layers of enchantments, which were impressive.  If the notes were correct, when the whole construct was put together, those layers could move up and down, creating a mind-boggling number of possible combinations.  The twelfth shard was the final piece of that particular puzzle, and with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans, there was a good chance they could reverse-engineer the process.  Assuming they could find a qualified crafter, of course.

    There was also his next skill upgrade to consider.  He might be able to eke out another level, but it was far from guaranteed.  He¡¯d have to slaughter a lot of the fish.  While time wasn¡¯t an explicit factor, he understood that the evaluators would be adding a qualitative evaluation to his process.  He had to assume the slow speed with which he completed the acquisitions would count against him, so he would need both the quality and quantity of his retrievals to be exceptional to make up for it.

    He stopped then, an idea coming to him.  He looked at the piles of damaged furniture he¡¯d set aside to keep the cooking fire going, and grinned.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., your understanding is that their detection through the sand is mainly due to the presence of foreign objects obstructing the natural movement, is that right?¡±

    [A RUDIMENTARY, BUT ACCURATE ASSESSMENT.  YES.]

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think that stealth is probably the wrong approach.¡±

    [YOU INTEND TO FIGHT THEM?]

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got something a little different in mind.¡±

 Chapter 187

    It took Kyle two days to get his preparations completed, and he was happy with the results.  Using broken pieces of furniture, strips of cloth, and bits of scrap metal, Kyle created several dozen small decoys.  Figuring out the weight of the metal components was the most difficult piece, but with some trial and error, he managed to find a size that would get caught in the magnetic fluctuations without getting swept too high or simply falling into the glass.

    The wooden furniture remains, secured by ballistic cloth, dragged across the black sand wildly.  Kyle knew the chunks of wood wouldn¡¯t last long against the abrasive material, though he hoped it would buy him a few hours at least.  That should give him enough time to get in, access the lab, and run away.  Hopefully.

    The plan in general was simple: Kyle would release the decoys from several different spots, watching for a reaction from the sand.  If things looked too dangerous, he¡¯d leave and gamble with his current results.  If the response seemed manageable, he would move forward with the infiltration.  He hoped that the fish relied more heavily on their mana sense than the movements on the volcanic glass, which would give him the best opportunity.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you ready?¡±

    [ALWAYS.  RELEASE THE POORLY MADE DISTRACTIONS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Come on now, they¡¯re not that bad.¡± Kyle griped, following the drone¡¯s instruction anyway.  The strange contraptions began to float across the surface of the dunes, misshapen pieces of furniture tracing odd paths through the glass as the metal swayed along with the magnetic pulses.  Kyle trusted that C.H.A.D.D. would track their movements as he walked to the second location, then the third, releasing decoys in each.

    He grimaced as he watched several of the cloth ties get cut through, while another decoy got snagged in a dune, unable to free itself.  The plan wasn¡¯t particularly elegant, and Kyle was thankful that his opponents were unthinking fish rather than sapient beings.  Ger¡¯Sinh wouldn¡¯t be terribly impressed, Kyle concluded.  Of course, nobody else will be either if C.H.A.D.D. decides to share the recordings.

    ¡°Hey buddy, there¡¯s no need for anybody else to see the decoys, ok?¡±

    [I AGREE THAT IT ISN¡¯T PARTICULALRY NECESSARY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad we agree becau-¡°

    [HOWEVER, I¡¯M CONFIDENT THAT MS. ROCHELLE WOULD FIND IT AMUSING.  AS WOULD MS. TILLIENNE AND MR. CAIN.  TREX MAY ALSO ENJOY IT.  NOT TO MENTION AMALIA AND GWEN WHEN WE NEXT MEET.]

    ¡°Sometimes I wonder when you got so petty.¡±

    [WHEN YOU MADE ME SIT AND OBSERVE YOUR LACKLUSTER ATTEMPTS AT DECOY CREATION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that boring.¡±

    [OH LOOK, THE DECOYS ARE HALFWAY ACROSS.]

    Kyle felt a grin on his face as he looked out into the swirling storm of black glass.  He¡¯d lost sight of most of the decoys, but trusted C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners.  Kyle was used to the sound of fish exploding out of the dunes, and so far, it was blessedly quiet.

    ¡°Is anything coming for them?¡±

    [NOT THAT I CAN TELL.]

    That¡­ was unexpected.  He thought at least a few of the fish would have come up to check out the disturbances.  For none to be in range of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners was odd.  Of course, the lack of attacks didn¡¯t mean that there were no enemies in the vicinity.  Caution was still a must.

    Kyle drew in a stabilizing breath, focusing on suppressing and containing the flow of his mana.  It was the first time he¡¯d tried to do this in a while, and he immediately ran into trouble.  His ascension to D Grade and subsequent levels made the suppression much more challenging as the energy raged within him.  He grit his teeth and clamped down on it immediately, restraining the energy as it resisted in turn.  His focus on Intelligence and Willpower paid off as, slowly, his internal mana settled.

    That¡¯s not to say that Kyle fully accomplished his goal.  He felt like a balloon that was slowly filling with water, knowing that at some point the natural D Grade aura would have to be released again.  Still, he had time.  Raising his arm to cover his face, he stepped into the swirling sands.

    He felt tension as he took each step across the black glass, waiting for an assailant to come.  None did.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a map of its scanner radius directly in front of him, showing all of the functional decoys still ambling about in the storm.  One foot followed another, and within twenty minutes Kyle had crossed halfway to the lab.

    There were no ruins to be seen in the inner area apart from the single, imposing tower at the center.  The houses had long since been destroyed, and Kyle was surprised when C.H.A.D.D. indicated he should stop.  ¡°What is it?¡±

    [BODIES, DR. MAYHEW.  FOUR HUMAN REMAINS ARE ROUGHLY THREE METERS BELOW YOUR CURRENT STANDING POSITION.]

    ¡°Are these the first you¡¯ve detected?¡±

    [YES, THOUGH NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR, I¡¯M SPOTTING OTHERS.]

    Kyle nodded gravely.  ¡°It¡¯s sad, but not unexpected.  Humans weren¡¯t meant to live in environments like this.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    [CERTAINLY, ALTHOUGH THEIR CONDITION IS UNUSUAL.]

    With that, C.H.A.D.D. projected an image of the skeletons in orange light.  Even without the color, Kyle could see what the drone meant.  The bones were clearly human, though it looked like the bone had been fused with the black glass, reminding Kyle of fossils.  It was easy for him to imagine the obsidian color instead of the orange of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s projector.  Crystalized skeletons, not what I expected, Kyle thought, considering.  Are they valuable?

    He dismissed the idea, continuing to trudge forward.  There were still unknowns in this part of the settlement, and Kyle didn¡¯t believe for a minute that the area was truly empty.  Whatever beasts lurked here might not respond to him walking on the glass, but digging into it was a surefire why to stir up activity.  The smart play was to stick to the plan, and get to the lab.

    C.H.A.D.D. highlighted more skeletons as they walked, the numbers in their path alone growing into the hundreds.  It was sobering; the lives of so many snuffed out virtually at once.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what happened on this planet; but his heart ached for Earth.  Would it float, desolate?  Would it continue to rotate?  Or would it crumble into dust, its core destabilized?

    The duo moved in silence, until they finally set foot on the entrance to the lonely tower.  Unlike the other buildings, there were no windows.  The outside wasn¡¯t crumbling; it wasn¡¯t slanted.  It stood tall, a dark sentinel over the devastated land and rolling dunes.  It was then that Kyle realized he had a problem.  The building had no door.

    A full circle of the tower revealed the same, with no discernable entrance.  At this point, containing his mana was growing truly uncomfortable, and he knew he didn¡¯t have much time.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you see an entrance?¡± Kyle whispered.

    [NONE THAT ARE CLEAR, DR. MAYHEW.  THERE DO APPEAR TO BE MANA SENSORS INSIDE, HOWEVER.]

    Kyle considered.  If he would need to release his energy to open the lab, attempts at stealth would be far less successful.  At the same time, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it all the way out of the inner area while suppressing his energy.  The timing will be a gamble either way.  Kyle closed his eyes for a moment, resolving himself.  ¡°Show me.¡±

    Orange highlights appeared on the building, indicating the panels.  Kyle reached out, resting his palm against the hot stone.  His skin sizzled, though the burn was swiftly negated by Adaptive Regeneration.  Again, he was thankful for his resilience.  Even most of the D Grades he knew, with the exception of Duroc and Arhades, would have been burned severely by the tremendous heat coming off the building.

    He focused his mana, and let go of the suppression.  His energy flowed freely; the shift physically painful to him as the telltale D Grade aura reemerged.  At the same time, the wall responded.  With an ominous groan and creak, a panel on the sealed wall of the tower moved to reveal a triangular opening.

    Heat like a blast furnace struck Kyle from the entrance, but he simply gritted his teeth and walked in, trusting in Adaptive Regeneration to keep him standing.  The panel on the wall returned to its position, sealing Kyle inside.  When it did, the dull red glow of daylight was gone, leaving Kyle in darkness.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give some light?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The gentle orange glow revealed the area, showing an empty room covered in ash.  He¡¯d hoped that there would be notes remaining, but with the heat scorching the interior of the tower for centuries, that was dashed.  Red light joined the orange as Kyle activated Ignition, boosting his healing even more.  He suspected he¡¯d need it to reach the top.

    Their ascent was quiet and unimpeded, save for the heat.  All furniture had been long burned away, as with all decorations on the walls.  The occasional scorched shell of a tablet could be found, though its contents were long destroyed.  On the ninth floor, they found a couple of the crystalized obsidian skeletons.  They were slumped against a wall, which gave Kyle pause.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., have you seen any of the volcanic glass in the tower?¡±

    [OTHER THAN IN THE REMAINS YOU¡¯RE STARING AT AND TRACE AMOUNTS THAT BLEW IN WHEN WE ENTERED, NONE.]

    Kyle assumed that the strange crystals formed on the skeletons due to prolonged exposure to the heat and pressure of the sand-like glass outside, making these a bit of an anomaly.  Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have time to investigate it further, his skills pushing hard to mitigate the damage from the extreme heat.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you make sure to get some quality scans as we move past?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    More skeletons appeared as they rose, until Kyle finally reached the top of the tower, the thirtieth floor.  The now-familiar lab doors were warped and cracked, with an orange glow coming from behind them.  The ancient metal didn¡¯t budge when Kyle pressed his hand to the normal panel, but his Ignition-boosted Strength was enough to pry the damaged material apart.

    Suspended in the air was the final shard of obsidian, though unlike its counterparts it wasn¡¯t in a containment sphere.  What¡¯s more, it was the source of the dreadful heat, energy pouring off of it in veritable waves.  His skin was beginning to burn, despite the power of his healing.  He didn¡¯t have much time.

    Casting a glance around the room, he spotted the remains of a shattered and melted containment sphere on the ground below.  Otherwise, not a single protective inscription remained.  ¡°Any idea how to grab this thing?¡±

    [WITH CARE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle rolled his eyes.  ¡°You know what I mean.  The heat is going to be a problem.¡±

    [THE MATERIALS FOR THE CONTAINMENT SPHERE ARE DAMAGED, BUT NOT DESTROYED.  PERHAPS YOU COULD USE THEM AS MAKESHIFT PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT?]

    The drone¡¯s idea was the best he had, so he grabbed some of the warped metal in each hand.  Gently, he pressed the pieces together on either side of the shard.  He almost laughed at the absurdity, the orange glow¡¯s contrast against the metal reminding him of a molten slag hot dog.

    The moment he pulled the shard out of where it was floating, the glow receded.  It was still emitting heat, though far less than it had been.  What the hell?  Before he had a chance to examine the shard with Identify, the whole tower shook.

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    A prolonged sound that made the whole world tremble stopped him in his tracks.  He could feel the sound reverberate through his body, and his eyes went wide.  Mana at a level he¡¯d only recently experienced began to suffuse the area, and Kyle exploded into action, darting immediately for the door.  What¡¯s a C Grade doing here?

    He only made it two steps down the stairs when he heard the scraping of crystal against crystal.  An obsidian skeleton turned the corner, looking up at him with empty eye sockets.  Another appeared, then a third.  They moved like puppets, each motion jerky and unnatural.  Kyle stared at them, ignoring the searing pain in his left hand and side from the shard.

    One of them blurred toward him, its hand outstretched to claw at his face.  He ducked underneath, smashing its ribs with the baton he held in his right hand.  The skeleton was far heavier than it should have been, and it turned unnaturally in the air, preparing for its next attack.  I just had to get the last shard.

 Chapter 188

    Kyle dodged blow after blow, baton flashing out as the skeletons advanced.  The bones were dense, each strike only managing to knock chips of obsidian free.  The narrow hallway made the battle even more difficult, as he was unable to easily push past.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out toward them, with nowhere to connect.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what the hell are these things?¡± Kyle yelled, allowing an obsidian claw to rip at his arm for an opportunity to advance farther down the hallway.  The crystalline hand didn¡¯t manage to break skin, though Kyle was more concerned about being grabbed and bogged down by sheer numbers.

    [THEY ARE JUST SKELETONS, DR. MAYHEW.  THEIR BONE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN REINFORCED AND COATED IN THE VOLCANIC GLASS.]

    ¡°Then how are they moving?  Skeletons don¡¯t move, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, YOURS IS MOVING RIGHT NOW, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle winced as he misjudged a dodge, a shallow cut opening above his left eye.  Before Adaptive Regeneration could heal the injury, the oppressive heat from the shard seared it shut.  Only three more skeletons remained in the stairwell hallway, barring his path into the open office floor, and Kyle tried to push the pain down as he charged forward.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and you know it!¡±

    [MY SCANNERS DON¡¯T DETECT ANYTHING MOVING THE BONES INTERNALLY.  THERE IS NO MANA NETWORK FOR THEM TO MOVE, NOR ARE THERE MECHANICAL MEANS OF MOTION.  MY BEST ESTIMATE IS CONTROL VIA MAGNETISM, THOUGH THAT IS SPECULATION AT BEST.]

    Kyle activated Identify as he knocked away two of the skeletons, focusing on the third.  Instead of looking directly into the empty eye sockets, he turned his attention to the air around it.  As C.H.A.D.D. guessed, he could see traces of familiar energy in the air, reminiscent of his fight with the fish.  Damn.

    In all of his risk calculations, he¡¯d failed to consider that there would be a blasted C Grade variant dwelling in the innermost zone.  There was no reason to have a challenge at this level present for a D Grade trial, so the thought never crossed his mind.  He believed the Dragon he encountered in Phase Two to be C Grade, and it had dispatched Ger¡¯Sinh with ease.  If this beast was similarly powerful, he¡¯d be dead.

    His baton came down on the skull, knocking it to the ground.  It grasped at him with its arms as it fell, but Kyle was already past it.  More of the skeletons were shambling about in the room ahead, moving toward the hallway he¡¯d just exited.  Kyle smiled.  The beast made a major miscalculation.  In the narrow hallways, Kyle was forced to engage to get past them.  In an open, empty room he wasn¡¯t constrained.  The full power of Ignition went on display as he danced past the skeletal assailants, not even bothering to attack.  ¡°How many are accounted for?¡±

    [ALL BUT THREE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle let out a sigh of relief.  Even if three were barring his path in another narrow hall, he felt confident in his ability to get past.  A loud crack snapped him out of his thoughts, and a searing pain in his left arm drew his attention.  The stonebloom bracer on his left arm had been scorched through, cracking and falling to the floor.  Kyle saw similar damage appearing on his left side, and his eyes went wide.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., focus on mending!¡±

    [I¡¯M TRYING, DR. MAYHEW.  THE DAMAGE FROM THE HEAT IS ACCUMULATING FASTER THAN I CAN RECOVER IT.]

    Kyle¡¯s mind raced as he dashed down one flight of stairs, then another.  One of the missing skeletons was waiting, but he simply blew past it.  I can¡¯t afford to lose this armor. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., use it.¡±

    Kyle instantly felt a heavy pull through his link to the drone, as if he was trying to bench press an elephant.  A slow trickle of power fed through the link, moving through the tendril like molasses.  Motes of golden energy appeared in Ignition¡¯s crimson aura as the residual power of the World Tree Seed was drawn in.  Kyle could feel the stonebloom armor begin to twist and shift around his torso, though he didn¡¯t have a chance to look.

    The heat from the shard also abated significantly, though his arm was still taking severe damage.  The last two skeletons were standing in the stairwell leading to the ninth floor, and Kyle vaulted over their heads and past them, landing hard on the stairs below but not stopping for a moment.  Elation bloomed in his chest.  He¡¯d made it!

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    His hope wilted immediately as he felt an incredible surge of mana through Auric Perception.

    [JUMP, DR. MAYHEW!]

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    Kyle didn¡¯t need to be told twice.  He leapt back up the stairs, nearly crashing into a pursuing skeleton.  A sound like a million power saws screeched through the air, and a wave of darkness passed below, right where he¡¯d been a moment before.  Flashes of blue and white were present in the arcing wave, the high-pitched whine of the attack now joined by the sound of rent metal and collapsing stone.  The upper part of the tower where he now stood began to slide downward, and he saw the dunes below rise up.

    With an anticipatory breath, he jumped through the space toward the top of the sheared-off stairwell.  The upper third of the tower fell to the dunes with a loud crash, though Kyle didn¡¯t watch it land.  His eyes were fixed on a fast-retreating arc of pure black, an unstoppable blade made from the obsidian sand, moving towards the horizon as if it were ready to split the very sky.  He couldn¡¯t help but shake as he saw the neat line cut through the tower.  If he¡¯d been just a moment slower, he would¡¯ve died.  Even if he used Storm Shelter, it couldn¡¯t protect against an attack of that magnitude.

    Turning his eyes to the dunes around him, he saw the landscape of the inner area had changed quite a bit.  The ever-present storm had abated, offering a bird¡¯s eye view.  The tower still stood, albeit a third shorter, but the volcanic glass had receded significantly, likely used as fuel for the massive attack.  That might have been a comfort, if it wasn¡¯t for the shambling forms of nearly a thousand skeletons, with more pulling themselves out of the dunes.

    Where¡¯s the C Grade? Kyle thought, looking out from his position.  He hoped to get a look at the creature to see what he was dealing with, but he couldn¡¯t find it.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you detecting its location on your scanners?¡±

    [NO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Let me know when you do.¡±  With that, he dashed down the stairs again, descending as quickly as he could manage.  He made it all the way down to the third floor when he heard the beast¡¯s cry again.

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    Kyle didn¡¯t feel the surge of energy like he had before, but he felt the whole tower lurch as something massive collided with it.  Looking up, he got a glimpse of dull gray scales as the tower was rocked to its foundation, being ripped from the very ground.  Kyle tightened his grip on the shard as he fell, his baton being dropped in the madness.

    He staggered to his feet, standing on what had been a wall just moments before.  Kyle¡¯s vision swam, attempting to shake off the disorientation.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., where¡¯s the nearest exit?¡±

    A string of orange lights were projected out in front of him, and Kyle followed the trail, stumbling out into the dunes.  He stopped, taking in the sight before him.  The fish was huge, easily 400 meters long.  A nose that reminded Kyle of a swordfish had pierced all the way through the tower, and it was shaking its head vigorously in an attempt to dislodge it.  Resplendent orange and black fins jutted up from its spine, standing in contrast to the deep gray scales of its body.  It boasted front and rear legs that seemed almost reptilian in nature, though Kyle could make out webbed toes.  Its tail was long and thick, with fins the same color as those on its back like the fins on a missile.

    It was as regal as it was bizarre, and Kyle would have loved to take the time to admire it further.  As it was, he didn¡¯t have the time.  C.H.A.D.D. pointed lights in the direction he¡¯d come from, and Kyle burst into motion.  The swarming skeletons moved at him like puppets, but were unable to keep up with his speed as he accelerated.  The golden energy from the World Tree Seed was beginning to fade, and he didn¡¯t want to risk drawing more.  The only thing on Kyle¡¯s mind was escape.  Covert Dexterity helped him as he moved across the dunes, and he was making good time.

    Suddenly, a shadow appeared overhead.  He looked up to see the broken piece of the tower soaring through the air, and he had to adjust his course to avoid being smashed.  A cloud of volcanic glass erupted from the landing zone, and Kyle swore as broken pieces of skeletal remains began to pour out of the damaged structure.

    Despite understanding that they were magnetically animated, a part of Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was in a bona-fide zombie apocalypse.  He could feel the beast¡¯s attention turning towards him, and considered for a moment if he should just leave the shard.  Kyle was fairly certain that he was inconsequential in the creature¡¯s estimation, and that it was far more interested in keeping the unique treasure.

    Kyle bristled at the thought, shoving it aside as it came.  He¡¯d lost part of his armor, been burned, and bled for this shard.  It was his now.  He found himself snarling as he jumped over a grasping skeleton, running toward the entry area.  He had no idea how long the fish would pursue, but he wasn¡¯t going to leave empty-handed.

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    Kyle braced himself, risking a glance as he looked back towards the creature.  His eyes widened as he saw the fragmented skeletons rise into the air, thousands of body parts suspended in the sky.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, until he felt the sand beneath his feet shift.  He dove to the side as one of the skeletons was blasted towards the place he¡¯d been standing, striking the sand with the force of a bomb.

    It¡¯s using them like a thrice-damned rail gun, Kyle realized in horror.  The sand beneath him shifted again as he ran, two more explosions sending him flying.  Storm Shelter sprang to life around him as three more skeletons impacted the barrier, leaving a thick network of cracks on his shield.  A fourth, fifth, and sixth struck in short order, and a seventh broke the skill entirely.  Kyle was already moving, the explosion from the barely-dodged skeleton propelling him back toward the entrance to the second layer.

    More explosions sounded behind him as more skeletons were used as ammunition, ripping apart the dunes.  Kyle got behind one of the ruined buildings, which crumbled under concentrated fire from the monstrous fish.  He continued to run, the devastation following close on his heels.  His cover was rapidly disappearing, and a sinking feeling began to well up in his stomach.  Even if he made it through the second layer, could he make it out of the first?  The buildings were less numerous, and without them taking the brunt of the attacks, he¡¯d be an easy target.  He gritted his teeth as he ran, silencing the lingering doubt.  No room for doubt.  The only way out is through.

 Chapter 189

    ¡°This is ridiculous.  End the trial!¡±  The goblin spent the last two minutes shouting at the screen; the only sound in the room.  Even she, with her passion for regulation, had been pushed past her limits.  Suierrillax didn¡¯t disagree, though she kept her mouth shut.  Mayhew¡¯s Phase Three had dragged on far longer than anybody expected, at this point competing for the record for ¡°Longest Phase Three¡± in their branch¡¯s history.

    The last several weeks had been full of grumbling as Mayhew worked his way through the settlement systematically, which she could understand.  The provided resources were meant to put a timer on the applicants, a sentiment which he subverted entirely.  With no other Practicums still going, all attention had been focused on him.

    The results were twofold: everybody agreed that the difficulty for his trial was the highest among any applicant in his group, just as everybody realized that there would be consequences for mentioning the fact.  Still, his performance had been good.  Despite the relative boredom of watching him explore, he probably would have passed if he¡¯d just finished the second layer and called it quits.  Instead, he ventured into the heart of the settlement, and woke something that had no business being there.

    Suierrillax pulled up her dossier, looking at the titanic creature Kyle stirred up.  It was part of the igneous sandfish species that had infested the area, though this variant was particularly powerful.  Igneous Glaivebeak¡­  The information freely provided from the Collective was always sparse where C Grades were concerned, and this was no exception.

    Igneous Glaivebeak ¨C a rare mutation of igneous sandfish, believed to be among the apex of their species.  They drain heat from their surroundings to provide energy, and are highly resistant to most forms of physical and energy-based attacks.  They are territorial and boast significant offensive potential.  Any sightings should result in evacuation and deployment of a C Grade or higher Mercenary team.

    While they didn¡¯t stack up particularly well against many of the other C Grade threats that existed, they were nothing to scoff at.  Hiring a C Grade Mercenary squad was expensive enough to nearly bankrupt most regular factions in the Collective.  Some C Grade monsters could be handled by a high-leveled D Grade group, and this wasn¡¯t one of them.

    All this to say, Mayhew didn¡¯t have a chance.  She watched as he dodged behind the dense city structure in the second layer, only for it to be ripped to shreds by a seemingly endless barrage of obsidian skeletons.  She estimated that the beast still had over half of its total ¡°ammunition¡± ready to be fired off, and from what she¡¯d seen, his barrier skill wasn¡¯t up to the task of blocking that much damage.

    She sighed, slumping forward into her chair.  Suierrillax had been genuinely interested to see what the young human would be capable of, and now his life would be cut short due to some big-shots politicking.  It really didn¡¯t seem fair, but she already did what she could.  If the Artifact Retrieval had been compromised in this way, how bad would Labyrinth Escape have been?  C Grade threats were never meant to be part of a Practicum.

    A whisper of power flowed through the room, and the proctors grew silent, looking around.  A deep, masculine voice rang out, an unmistakable aura of authority and power behind it.  ¡°Job accepted.¡±

    A figure appeared in the entrance hall, stepping onto the teleportation platform. Before she could get a decent look at who it was, the platform flashed, leaving an empty room.  Suierrillax perked up, eyes fixed back on the screen.  Maybe there¡¯s a chance¡­

    ~~~

    Kyle dove as far as he could, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough.  The beast was pursuing him to the outer layer of the settlement, and without cover he would be dead.  An explosion sent him flying once more, and he struggled to stand.  He still clutched the remaining shard tightly, though his arm was becoming a scorched mess.  Although he¡¯d avoided getting struck head-on by the attacks, the shockwaves alone were wearing him thin.  His condition had gone from ragged to truly wretched, pushed well beyond anything he expected.

    He looked up, feeling the sand below him start to rise as the target for the makeshift rail gun was locked.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    He watched as the distant skeletons flew toward him, and knew he wouldn¡¯t survive the attack.  He activated Storm Shelter, one last act of defiance.  I didn¡¯t want it to end this way.

    A loud explosion rang out, followed by five more in short order.  His barrier was pushed to its limit, and as before, the seventh would break it, taking his life along with the barrier.  Auric Perception was going wild, a testament to his impending death.  See you soon, Grandpa.

    He closed his eyes, waiting for the last attack to come.

    He waited some more.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU MAY WANT TO OPEN YOUR EYES.]

    Kyle did, and his jaw dropped.  A 3-meter-tall figure wearing red and silver armor stood before him, a massive shield in one arm, a hulking greatsword slung in the other.  It looked at him, and Kyle could make out dark green skin and two small tusks beneath the helm.

    ¡°Gotta say, kid, some nice work here.  Your Practicum is over.  Go back to the camp and get settled.  I¡¯m going to handle things here, and we¡¯ll return to the Hub together.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Kyle looked at the figure, not entirely sure what to say.  ¡°But it isn¡¯t over yet.  Does this mean I fail?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know why that was the first question he had, and immediately regretted it.  If the ogre cared, he didn¡¯t show it.  ¡°There¡¯ll be time to talk about that later.  Now head back.  I got hired to do a job, and it¡¯ll be nice to stretch my legs a bit.¡±

    With that, the ogre strode forward, mana pouring out from his body with nearly physical force.  Only then did Kyle appreciate how powerful the aura was; surpassing both the monstrous fish and dragon by a fairly wide margin.  His gaze looked back to the now-approaching form of the fish, and his eyes widened.  The skeletons that had been suspended the air were gone.  How did he -

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    A familiar energy washed over the area, and Kyle watched as the volcanic sand swirled around the beast¡¯s broadsword-like nose, flashing out towards the ogre, creating the same onyx blade that had sliced the tower in two.  Only now could he appreciate the true magnitude of the strike as he heard the high-pitched whine.  The beast hadn¡¯t used it on Kyle during his retreat, but was clearly holding nothing back now.

    The ogre raised his shield, and a quiet whisper of energy seemed to flow out.   A silvery outline of a barrier sprang to life, and it was as if the very concept of the onyx blade ceased to exist as it crossed the line formed by the ogre¡¯s skill.  The sand fell to the ground in a pitch-black rain, none of the agitated violence remaining.  The ogre didn¡¯t even break stride as he advanced, clearly unbothered by the attack.

    As much as Kyle wanted to stay and watch, he knew when it was time to follow orders.  Focusing all his healing energy on his left arm as it burned, he limped back to camp.  The sounds of battle were fierce behind him, explosions ringing out as the creature shrieked and roared.  What felt like an eternity later, he made it.  The shard seemed to let out a pulse as they approached, harmonizing with its brethren.

    Looking back the direction of the ruined settlement, he could see massive gouges cut into the dunes, the remaining pieces of the city being reclaimed by the dunes as the two C Grades clashed.  Kyle heard that when two C Grades clashed, maps would need to be redrawn.  He chalked that up to hyperbole, but no longer.  He couldn¡¯t make out the specifics, but the sheer scale of their fight made it feel like he was watching a natural disaster.

    Shaking his head, he dropped the shard, looking first at the mottled and scorched flesh of his arm, then at the angry dark scars on the stonebloom armor.  As he watched, the burned piece of armor was infused with veins of golden light, then regenerated back to the dull gray he was used to.  His arm would take longer to heal, though without the constant damage from the explosions he was able to focus on it.

    For now, he had one more task to accomplish.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., get as detailed a scan as you¡¯re able.  I¡¯m going to try putting these back together.¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    With that, he began to break open the containment spheres, each shard beginning to glow and pulse in unison with the others.  Carefully, he layered them together according to C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s schematics.  They seemed to ripple as they flowed into one another, until the final piece was inserted.  The complexity of the work was incredible, each of the formations flowing and shifting into one another.

    He sat near the orb, deactivating Ignition as he felt his body slowly recover.  The orb wasn¡¯t emitting heat anymore, though Kyle suspected it still could.  The notes they recovered indicated that the inscriptions that prevented realignment had been mostly removed, and it appeared as though they were correct.

    It was well beyond his current understanding, but based on the notes, Kyle fully expected that this was far and away the most valuable artifact he¡¯d retrieved.  It would be invaluable for a fire-affinity awakened, likely able to provide insights and value beyond D Grade.  Even to non-awakened, it had the potential to contain and release tremendous amounts of energy, likely making it possible to power entire cities with thermal power alone.

    While that was of limited use to Kyle, the most interesting piece was the way the inscriptions were able to flow together.  He could already see applications with different types of plants and seeds.  If he inscribed them correctly, he could theoretically configure the growth to create a variety of effects.  C.H.A.D.D. would be the ultimate beneficiary of any breakthroughs in that regard, which excited Kyle.  Creating opportunities for his companion was still important, even if C.H.A.D.D. encouraged him to be more selfish.

    He leaned back in the shade of the tent, watching the inscriptions move.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you have enough?¡±

    [I BELIEVE SO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    With a nod, Kyle stood, lifting the orb and moving to the depository.  Nothing happened.  Kyle frowned, and tried again.  Still, nothing.  ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡±

    [I NOTICED.]

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working?¡±

    [I HAVE NO IDEA.]

    ¡°That¡¯s not particularly helpful.¡±

    [I¡¯VE BEEN HELPFUL ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR IT.]

    ¡°Fair point.¡±  Kyle didn¡¯t have the energy to argue, and slumped back down, listening to the sounds of combat as his eyes closed.

    Nearly an hour later, Kyle woke to the sound of whistling.  He saw the hulking form of the ogre as he ducked through the tent, looking around.

    ¡°Good place you got here.¡± The ogre finally said, sitting down cross-legged.

    Kyle saw some fresh cuts and a few new scratches in the armor, but otherwise the man was unharmed.  Something to look forward to, I suppose.  ¡°Thank you for rescuing me, though I¡¯m still not entirely sure why or how you got here.¡±

    The ogre grinned, revealing his tusks.  ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to save you, that would be against the rules.  I was hired to hunt an Igneous Glaivebeak, which I did.  Anything else is just a happy accident.  The name¡¯s Ghork, by the way.  I¡¯m with the Mercenary¡¯s Guild¡±

    ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Ghork.  So where does this leave us?¡±

    Ghork sighed, expression getting more serious.  ¡°Your Practicum officially ended the moment before I accepted this job.  You¡¯ll be evaluated on everything you turned in up until that point.  I got paid full price to kill that Glaivebeak and return with any stragglers, and you fall into that category.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so the shards ¨C ¡°

    ¡°None of ¡®em count for anything.¡± Ghork confirmed, a smile on his face.  ¡°Though, since the practicum is over, I¡¯d imagine you can sell that orb for a pretty penny.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s head swam with all the information.  All that work, and I won¡¯t get anything for it.

    Ghork seemed to see the frustration in Kyle¡¯s features, and patted him on the shoulder with a hand that could easily crush stone.  ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up; you¡¯re alive after all.  Come on, let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Kyle nodded numbly, grabbing the sphere before walking back to the teleportation platform.  The exhaustion washed over him like a tsunami.  One way or another, it was done.  With one last look at the remains of his camp, he stepped onto the platform.  A moment later, the two were whisked away.  The volcanic sand was already moving to reclaim the destroyed city; covering the lifeless body of the beast that had once claimed the area as its domain.

 Chapter 190

    ¡°Applicant Mayhew, welcome back.¡±

    Kyle was met on the platform with a group of tense-looking skrell and goblins.  ¡°Please leave the item with us, and see yourself home.  We will send you an update tomorrow morning with your final calibrated score.¡±

    Instinctively, Kyle clutched the sphere tighter.  ¡°Will it count toward my final score?¡±

    The goblin woman who spoke before shook her head.  ¡°No.  Your Practicum ended under¡­ unusual circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m keeping it.¡±

    The goblin woman had a pleading look in her eye.  ¡°Please, just give us the sphere, applicant.  Trust me.¡±

    He was about to protest further, when a weighty hand landed on his shoulder.  Ghork gave his shoulder a firm squeeze.  ¡°The applicant is merely tired.  I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t have any complaints passing it along.  Right, Mayhew?¡±

    The squeeze tightened a little at that, Kyle¡¯s Enhanced Carapace doing little against the pressure.  Still, he got the point.  With a sigh, he extended his left arm, sphere held in his outstretched hand.  The goblin took it, a look of relief plain to see on her face.  She nodded at him, and spoke under her breath.  ¡°Thank you.  For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡±

    With that, the retinue of goblins and skrell left, walking down a hallway deeper in the complex before disappearing down a corridor.  Kyle nearly fell over as the hand left his shoulder and clapped him on the back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ghork laughed.  ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll return it to you.  If there¡¯s one thing we¡¯re good at in the Verdant Republic, it¡¯s following protocol.  The sphere is yours by right, nobody here would dream of contesting it.¡±

    That did make Kyle feel a little more at ease, though more than anything else he was exhausted and sore.  The angry burns on his left arm would still take quite a while to heal, and he would need to examine his stonebloom armor for any other damage.  First, however, he had a question.  ¡°Who paid for you to come?  Was it Corthian Mining?¡±

    Ghork laughed again.  ¡°You¡¯ll find out in due time.  Monster hunters are always in demand.  Take care of yourself, Mayhew.  You owe me a drink next time we meet.¡±

    With that, the ogre strode out of the room, carrying himself as though he¡¯d finished a particularly nice walk in the woods instead of a deathmatch against a veritable leviathan.  Kyle watched him go as he, too walked deeper into the complex, before letting out a sigh.  ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for us to go home.  What do you say, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The moment he stepped out of the Collective Institute, he received a stream of messages on his nav bracelet.  He saw several from Tillienne and Jax, one from Angela Corthus¡¯s office, and several from various administrative agencies.  Apart from letting Tillienne and Jax know that he was done and back safely, he set them all aside to review later.  There would be time to read and reply in more detail after he had a chance to clean up and get some sleep.

    He got some odd looks as he walked to the teleportation platform outside the Institute, which he ignored.  He was disheveled, his clothes were in tatters, and he had a nasty scar on his exposed left arm.  That¡¯s to say nothing of the smell.  The trend continued when he got closer to his apartment complex, and people gave him a wide berth as he scanned into the main lobby.  Finally, he got to his door and stepped inside.  He could already feel the warm shower, followed by a nap coming on.  After the chaos of his practicum, Kyle was looking forward to some peace and ¨C

    ¡°SURPRISE!¡±  The lights in his apartment flipped on all at once, as confetti began to fall from the ceiling.  Ignition activated immediately as Kyle¡¯s adrenaline spiked, right hand falling to his hip where his baton usually rested.  It only grasped air, and he felt a pang of regret.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance swirled around him, and he looked around his apartment for the source of the sound.  He found¡­ nothing.

    ¡°Come on, you can be more hospitable than that.  I thought humans loved surprise parties?¡±

    Kyle whirled toward the sound, again seeing nothing.

    ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing in my apartment?¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice was a snarl, and he felt his muscles tensing.  ¡°If you think this is a joke, you¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡±

    The voice let out a chuckle.  ¡°Big talk for somebody who can¡¯t even see me.¡±  With that, a figure appeared in a puff of smoke, floating in the air right in front of Kyle¡¯s face.  It was no more than two feet tall, purple skin visible on its bald head, three-fingered hands, and small, batlike wings.  It had a thin tail extending behind it, and small cloven hooves that stuck out beneath a tailored suit.  Two deep violet horns budded out of its forehead, curling back like a mountain goat.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Kyle activated Identify on instinct, and his eyes widened when he got nothing at all.  No mana could be visibly seen, no impression of attributes, not a single hint as to its power.  He tried to hide his surprise, though the smile on the intruder¡¯s face told him that he knew Kyle tried, and failed, to use an identification skill.

    The figure bowed with a flourish, crimson eyes meeting Kyle¡¯s.  ¡°Jarberry Bandersnatch, the pleasure is all yours.  We have a lot to discuss, so grab a seat.¡±  Before Kyle could so much as move, the diminutive form floated over and sat down in one of Kyle¡¯s chairs, then pulled out one of Kyle¡¯s plates that held a heaping pile of vegetables.

    He took two bites before grimacing and setting the plate aside.  ¡°You really oughtta have something more palatable for guests.  Ya ever heard of protein?¡±  He pulled a drink out of thin air, downing it in a single gulp before looking back at Kyle, who was still standing, dumbstruck.  ¡°You gonna stand there all day or sit down?  I told you, we have things to discuss, and I¡¯ve got a busy schedule.¡±

    ¡°This is my apartment.¡± Kyle said, still in disbelief.

    ¡°And we established that.¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°Now sit down.  Also, good to meet you, Mr. Drone.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, I DO NOT HAVE A GENDER.]

    Jarberry shrugged as Kyle removed the C.H.A.D.D.pack and sat across from him.  ¡°Works for me.  Now, both of you have found yourselves in a rather uncomfortable position.  That¡¯s not to say you¡¯re not without options, courtesy of my timely involvement.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®courtesy of your involvement?¡¯¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°Ghork came to rescue me, and we¡¯ve never met before today, when you ambushed me inside my own residence.¡±

    Jarberry leaned forward, steepling his hands.  His voice was low and serious.  ¡°Who do you think hired Ghork?  He¡¯s one of the top talents in the Mercenary¡¯s Guild, do you think his services come cheap?  Fortunately, he and I go way back.  So, you¡¯re welcome.  And that¡¯s only the beginning.¡±

    Pointing between them, Jarberry said, ¡°The two of you have done a fine job stirring up trouble during your Practicum, though I have to admit that it¡¯s not your fault.  Not really, in any event.  See, your batch of applicants included a talent that the Alabaster Court has been nurturing for the better part of a century, and the fiasco in Phase Two led to you upstaging him.  Which is not something they appreciated.¡±

    ¡°So what?  It¡¯s not like I had much of a choice.  Besides, I¡¯ve seen Arhades.  It doesn¡¯t take much to understand that he¡¯s more powerful than I am, and by a pretty wide margin.¡±

    Jarberry shook his head.  ¡°That¡¯s not the point.  The whole Practicum was supposed to revolve around him as the main character.  Your exploits took away from that, and powerful connections of his took it personally.¡±

    Kyle crossed his arms.  ¡°So all this happened because Arhades threw a tantrum.¡±

    Jarberry chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t think he had a clue any of this was happening.  It¡¯s politics, kid.  Turns out, old timers with power, influence, and egos can stir up a lot of trouble all by themselves.  Regardless, that led to your Phase Three.  From everything I can gather, you were supposed to show up, see what a mess it was, then nope the heck out of there.¡±

    Pieces started to click into place for him.  The difficulty seemed off from the beginning, and he understood why.  ¡°But instead, I kept going.  I explored, cleared out the wildlife, and stuck around longer than they expected.¡±

    Jarberry flashed a grin.  ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it!  Exactly.  You subverted expectations, again.  But there¡¯s a problem.  You see, the trial you were sent to has been off the list for a long while due to the level of danger.  So not only are you making it through, you¡¯re advancing.  And you¡¯re really dragging it out, so more and more eyes are on you.  Compared to Arhades, who was done in just a handful of days, everybody sees how far you¡¯re getting.  Everybody sees how broken your trial is.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°And that just makes the people responsible more upset.¡±

    ¡°Bingo.  But now they have a problem they didn¡¯t expect.  Old records indicated the presence of peak D Grades in the inner area, but nobody expected that one would advance to C Grade.  Hell, maybe it was there from the beginning and we just didn¡¯t know.  If you died fighting some D Grades, it could get hand waved away.  Dying to a C Grade though?  That¡¯s investigation worthy.  They¡¯re looking at sanctions, and major reputational damage for having a hand in this sort of shady business.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it worth it?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°If I die, they get a slap on the wrist, Arhades goes on with a bright career, they still win.¡±

    Jarberry shook his head.  ¡°Nah, your death would be talked about way more, and believe me when I say the folks in the know have long memories.  At least, that¡¯s what we¡¯re pitching them.  The Guild Liaisons made the call to intervene, and this is how things are going to play out.  Tomorrow, you¡¯ll hear back from the Institute.  Your overall score will be low, and it will be leaked to the public.  You¡¯re going to get one offer.  You¡¯re going to take that offer.  You¡¯re going to be sent off on an assignment to the middle of nowhere, and you¡¯re going to keep your head down.  This storm will blow over, and you¡¯ll get to move on with your life, Independent Licensure secured and a Guild Membership established.¡±

    Kyle stared at the diminutive figure, trying to wrap his head around everything he¡¯d been told.  ¡°What if the offer isn¡¯t from a Guild that I want to work with?¡±

    The purple visitor shrugged.  ¡°Then you reject the offer, but believe me when I say no others are coming in.  Trust me, you¡¯ll want to accept.  I¡¯ve got an eye for talent, and I¡¯ve been impressed by you two from day one.  You¡¯ve got the chops to be something special, particularly with the right tutelage.¡±

    ¡°And I take it you¡¯re the right tutelage?¡±

    Jarberry¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°Damn right.  I¡¯ll let you get some rest, keep an eye on your messages tomorrow.¡±  He floated off the chair and toward the door, before pausing mid-flight.  He raised his hand, and the sphere appeared out of nowhere.  ¡°By the way, I took the liberty of grabbing this for you.  It¡¯s yours, but it might be wise to let me hold onto it for a while.  You getting a treasure like this was not part of the deal, and I don¡¯t think it makes sense to muddy the waters.  Fair?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s jaw dropped upon seeing it, and he could do little more than nod.

    ¡°Good.  We¡¯ll talk soon.¡±  With that, Jarberry Bandersnatch disappeared, the door not even opening.  The confetti that had littered the floor vanished with him, though the dirty dishes were left behind.

    He looked around the room, feeling wearier than before.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what just happened?¡±

    [I BELIEVE YOU GOT A JOB OFFER, DR. MAYHEW.]

 Chapter 191

    One beautiful, unintended consequence of the Practicum was the sleep Kyle got after returning home.  He¡¯d passed out almost immediately after cleaning up and eating food, and for the first time in a while took a good look at himself in the mirror as he shaved.  C.H.A.D.D. wasn¡¯t far off when it said he looked like he was tattooed all over, with more of the gray lines becoming visible as he removed the stubble.

    While the look was unsettling, Kyle wasn¡¯t as bothered by it as he thought he would be.  His body had changed a lot after he first changed to a chimera, and it felt like those changes would only become more numerous as he grew in power.  Something about his spiritual parting of ways with Earth had been freeing in that regard.

    He stared at his reflection as he actively suppressed the veins of grey, only to let them fill back in a moment later.  If people viewed him as a freak, so be it.  He was well and truly into territory that few people could enter.  He wasn¡¯t up to fighting city-sized fish yet, but compared to the average awakened he might as well be.  Even with the other D Grade elites, Kyle stacked up well.  Power spoke a lot louder than appearances these days.

    He finished cleaning up, then heated up some food before focusing on the day¡¯s work.  More messages were waiting on the nav bracelet, and he quickly sorted through the information.  The majority were personal messages from Tillienne and Jax, both asking for details of his Phase Three, as well as sharing their successes.

    Tillienne finished her trial with a score of 87.4, the second-highest of any applicant in their group.  Given the apparent attention on Arhades, a first-place finish was only expected.  Jax also performed admirably, earning a score of 83.5 and cinching the third spot.  Both of them received offers from all the major guilds, which was no surprise to Kyle.

    From what he could gather, Tillienne accepted a position in the Mercenary¡¯s Guild, as had Arhades.  The resources available to them were extensive, including sparring pits, training manuals, and opportunities to be selective with the jobs they took.  Kyle fully expected that Tillienne would continue to improve by leaps and bounds, adding real combat experience on top of her solid foundations as she progressed down her path.

    Jax, by contrast, chose the Private Security Guild.  The risks were far lower than the Mercenary¡¯s Guild, though Kyle felt that the opportunity was perfectly suited to the affable young man.  His power was the real deal, and the connections he¡¯d make would undoubtedly benefit both him and his family for years to come.

    Kyle sent messages of congratulations, and let them know he hadn¡¯t seen his results yet.  The next grouping of messages was more administrative in nature.  Angela Corthus¡¯s office let him know that the first shuttle from Earth had arrived, and that a good portion of the awakened population decided to sign on with them.  She included travel itineraries, and he filtered through to see that Garth and many of his friends would be on one of the last shuttles.  DeRosa¡¯s had been bumped up, though with Thomas and Amir on board with him he hoped they¡¯d be able to help with damage control.

    The next message was from Greil, sent by Marcus Kulhavey¡¯s assistant.  The Originator was out performing upgrades on an unnamed drone fleet, and as such was unavailable.  However, when things settled down after his return, he would be open to a meeting.  His assistant cautioned it could be up to a year, and said they would message Kyle to coordinate logistics when things got closer.

    He filtered out the passive messages ¨C mostly to do with upcoming grocery deliveries and rent, and considered his next steps.  Phase Three cost him both of his weapons and one of his bracers, and his gut reaction was to schedule time at the Emerald Armory to at least get new weaponry.  He¡¯d definitely need to get some new cloth armor to replace the pieces that got shredded.

    At the same time, their products were pricey.  Kyle hadn¡¯t minded spending a little more loosely beforehand, but with his tenuous career prospects, he didn¡¯t want to overdo it.  He looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists.  The fighting style he¡¯d learned from Frank was flexible.  While he¡¯d practiced with sticks, it could translate seamlessly to both bladed and barehanded applications.  Even though close combat wasn¡¯t central to his success, Kyle didn¡¯t want to neglect it.  It had saved his life multiple times.

    Right after scheduling his appointment with the Emerald Armory, a new message came through.

    Applicant Mayhew,

    Congratulations on completing Phase Three of the Practicum: Artifact Retrieval.  A group of third-party evaluators observed your performance throughout the trial, and you have earned a score of 47.8.

    This score puts you in the 4<sup>th</sup> percentile of all applicants to make it to Phase Three, and ranks you 24/24 of all applicants in your group.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Please be advised that your license to operate independently must be sponsored to be in effect, and any offers will be extended directly from the Guilds.

    We thank you for your time, and congratulate you on completing the Practicum.

    -Collective Institute of Independent Licensure

    Kyle read the message over, numb.  He knew the shards were the most valuable items he found, and Jarberry warned him that his score would be low.  47.8 out of 100 was far worse than he expected.  The fact that his performance was apparently among the worst of any historical applicants only compounded his worries.  A score this bad, in conjunction with a fixed job offer, meant that he had virtually no bargaining power.

    Crunching the numbers, he could still make it for another 6 odd months before he would really stretch his credits.  Angela¡¯s list had other options with promise, though he¡¯d need to figure out where to start.  And do it without making waves this time.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?]

    Kyle sighed, running his hand through his hair.  ¡°Sorry, C.H.A.D.D.  The score was a lot worse than I thought, and I¡¯m trying to get a backup plan together.  I don¡¯t want to feel backed into a corner if the offer is too predatory.¡±

    [DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IS LIKELY AFTER THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY?]

    ¡°I can¡¯t dismiss it.  This whole situation took a lot of our agency away, and we¡¯d be foolish not to at least think about other avenues.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s just hurtful.  Smart, but hurtful.¡±  Jarberry said.

    Kyle jumped, looking around his apartment.  Nothing was there.  As before, he activated Ignition and Identify, allowing tendrils of Parasitic Resonance to flow around him.  He didn¡¯t think the Guild Liaison was out to harm him, but caution was warranted.

    Jarberry appeared, lounging on a nearby chair with a broad smile on his face.  ¡°No need to get all worked up.  I couldn¡¯t hurt you if I wanted to, and there¡¯s not much you can do to me.  It¡¯s a good instinct to develop, just a little wasted on me.¡±

    ¡°How do you keep getting in here?¡± Kyle asked, nerves turning into exasperation.  ¡°I was told these apartments are secure.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re definitely secure.  Most C Grades would at least get noticed and announced.  I¡¯m just special in that regard.¡±

    Kyle sighed as he deactivated his skills and sat down.  He didn¡¯t believe that the purple intruder was out to hurt him, and recognized that there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it if he was.  The little guy had means that Kyle just didn¡¯t understand.  ¡°You¡¯re something alright.  The question stands; why are you here?¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, DR. MAYHEW, YOU ASKED ¡®HOW HE GOT IN,¡¯ NOT ¡®WHY. HE¡¯S HERE.¡¯]

    ¡°Not helping, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Jarberry barked out a laugh, hands on his stomach.  It took him a moment to calm down, and he leaned forward, making eye contact with Kyle.  ¡°I knew I liked the two of you.  I¡¯m feeling generous, so I¡¯ll answer both.  I got in because I¡¯m the best damn infiltrator in the Courier¡¯s Guild, and I¡¯m here because I have a job offer for you.¡±

    The moment Jarberry finished speaking, an alert popped up on Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet.  Kyle glanced toward his wrist, then back at the purple figure.  ¡°Go ahead, check it.¡±

    Kyle opened the message warily, the words appearing in the air before him.

    Applicant Kyle Mayhew,

    The Courier¡¯s Guild would like to extend you an invitation to work as a licensed Courier.  Should you accept, you¡¯ll be allowed to take jobs from the public notice board for which you¡¯re qualified, as well as special jobs where you¡¯ve been requested by name.

    If you choose to accept the offer, further details will be provided.

    We look forward to hearing from you soon.

    -Collective Courier¡¯s Guild

    Kyle read the message over.  It was vague, which made him suspicious.  He tried his best to hide it, though beneath Jarberry¡¯s appraising eyes he might as well have been an open book.  ¡°I can tell you¡¯re not convinced, and I get it.  You feel like you don¡¯t have options, and you don¡¯t want to get stuck with a deal you don¡¯t like.  Believe me, if anybody out there understands, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Forgive me if I¡¯m not going to take that at face value.¡±

    Jarberry nodded, his jovial smile gone.  ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, in person.  Tell me, kid, what do you know about imps?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment, then shook his head.  ¡°On a universal scale, nothing.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard about you before.  I take it you are one?¡±

    ¡°Yep.  There were never a lot of us, but you could almost always see a few of us out and about.  Let¡¯s just say that my people made a bad deal a few centuries back.  A really bad deal.  And now I¡¯m it, as far as I know.  I wouldn¡¯t want anybody else put into a position like that.¡±

    Jarberry paused a moment, seeming to contemplate something before continuing.  ¡°I¡¯ve got an eye for people, and I can tell your path is a unique one.  You¡¯ve got potential, and I want to see you realize it.  If you do, I think you¡¯ll be able to help me with a¡­ side project once you¡¯ve grown.  Both of you.

    ¡°So, if you¡¯re looking for the catch, it¡¯s that I¡¯m gambling on you getting strong enough to matter.  At the same time, I¡¯m confident the Courier¡¯s Guild will give you the opportunities you need to get there.  With eyes like mine looking out for you, I can guarantee you¡¯ll find them.¡±

    Kyle regarded the imp for a moment, looking for any sign of deceit.  Jarberry was apparently a C Grade with centuries of experience, and Kyle knew that he wouldn¡¯t win this game of mental chess.  Ultimately, he wanted to work with the Courier¡¯s Guild to begin with.  If the fit was as good as Jarberry hinted, then it was a relationship that could be beneficial.  If not, he could find a way to untangle himself down the line.

    The worst outcome for him right now would be to get stuck ¨C unable to find work in the factions, unable to retest, and with an openly antagonistic force working against him.  That wasn¡¯t something Kyle could accept.  Kyle let out a breath, set his jaw, and nodded.  ¡°Then I¡¯m in.¡±

 Chapter 192

    No sooner did the words leave his mouth, did his nav bracelet indicate another notification. Kyle opened the message.

    Kyle Mayhew,

    Congratulations on accepting a contract with the Courier¡¯s Guild. Your signing bonus of 150,000 credits will be sent directly to your account. You now have access to the ¡®Quests¡¯ menu, where you will find qualified jobs. There are three types; public, private, and Guild-Sponsored. A Guild Liaison will be in touch shortly to discuss next steps.

    Welcome to the Courier¡¯s Guild

    Kyle¡¯s eyes kept going back to the signing bonus, and he had to reread the short message a second time to make sure he really understood it. 150,000 credits, that feels like way too much. His mind was already racing with the different possibilities. A good portion would be earmarked for his standard expenses, and with the rest he could buy ¨C

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Kyle snapped back to the moment, offering a sheepish grin as Jarberry looked at him. ¡°Glad you¡¯re back with us. Now, as you know, there¡¯s still some ripples from all the events of your Practicum. You need to lay low for a while, which is why I pulled some strings to get a private job held just for you. It should come through any moment.¡±

    Kyle opened the Quest menu that appeared in his nav bracelet, and saw that there were no jobs available for him, even the public ones. A pit started to form in his stomach. ¡°Jarberry, is it normal for there to be no jobs on the board?¡±

    ¡°Nope. There¡¯s thousands of public jobs that come in every day. Consider this an orientation of sorts. We haven¡¯t turned you on for them, because we don¡¯t want to stir up trouble. Well, any more trouble.¡±

    A moment later, Kyle saw a private job appear. Selecting it, a row of text appeared.

    Client ¨C Ma Enterprises

    Affiliation ¨C Gray Conglomerate

    Details ¨C A new planet was recently acquired and brought to the Ma family cluster. Much of the planet¡¯s surface is ravaged by fierce storms, making establishing a teleportation network difficult. We are requesting a Courier to bring the more delicate components from Hsei-Tan to three other settlements within the storm-covered zones.

    We are requesting the Courier stay on-planet until the network is established to assist with any further deliveries necessary. Room and board will be provided in all cities, as well as a 1,000 credit per diem. Successful completion of the task will pay an additional 80,000 credits.

    Kyle looked at the job, frowning slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Ma Enterprises before.¡±

    Jarberry shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t see why you would have, they deal in a very niche business, though they¡¯re the best at it. Ma¡¯Rin and I go way back, and I called in a favor.¡±

    ¡°Do they really need a D Grade Courier for this?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Not at all. But it¡¯s marginally less expensive than hiring a sturdy enough vessel to make the trip from orbit, and they don¡¯t have a major time crunch to get the work done.¡±

    Kyle looked at the job once more. ¡°So, you think taking this job will buy time for most of the trouble to blow over?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Well, mostly. And unless I miss my guess, you¡¯ll get more out of it than you¡¯re expecting.¡± Jarberry paused, then waved his hands in the air for a moment. Looking into the blank space, he made a couple more gestures, before nodding to himself, then turning back to Kyle. ¡°Sorry about that, can¡¯t be too careful. Anyway, unless I miss my guess, your path is somehow tied to getting hurt, then recovering. Is that right?¡±

    Kyle just stared at the imp, his pulse quickening. It wasn¡¯t a completely accurate description, but it was close. Silence hung in the air for a couple of seconds before Kyle finally responded. ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Jarberry waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You don¡¯t need to get into specifics, I already had a good feeling about it. My identification skill gives me insights into all sorts of interesting things, and after reviewing your growth during Phase One and Phase Two a lot of pieces clicked into place. And no matter what your path is, surviving an encounter with a C Grade would almost assuredly help things along.¡±

    Kyle nodded at the explanation. Jarberry was right; his encounter with the Igneous Glaivebeak had pushed him, and he felt that he was near the threshold for Level 60, and the upgrade to Heal. Kyle told the imp none of those specifics. ¡°And you think I¡¯ll be able to progress further by taking this job? Will it really be that dangerous?¡±

    The imp laughed. ¡°The job won¡¯t be dangerous at all. I just think that you¡¯ll have some opportunities as you wait for it to get completed to consolidate some of your experiences, that¡¯s all.¡± His gaze shifted to where the C.H.A.D.D.pack sat. ¡°And I think you¡¯ll find some of the different technology there pretty interesting.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    [I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ACCEPT THE JOB, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Really took C.H.A.D.D. some convincing, Kyle thought. Still, the drone wasn¡¯t wrong. It¡¯s not like he had an endless assortment of options laid out before him. Ultimately, he trusted that this was more an opportunity than a threat. If Jarberry wanted to do Kyle harm, there were easier methods available to him. Kyle believed the imp was a true C Grade, even if he didn¡¯t give off any aura whatsoever.

    ¡°Then I accept,¡± Kyle said.

    The imp grinned. ¡°Great! Then you need to get going. You leave in an hour.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kyle asked.

    [HE SAID WE LEAVE IN AN HOUR, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I understood that part, why so soon? I set up appointments, I thought we¡¯d have some time.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll cancel them for you,¡± Jarberry said. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s best for you to get out of town. Trust me on this one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any weapons, and hardly any clothing for my armor.¡± Kyle protested.

    Jarberry rolled his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t a combat tour, Kyle. You¡¯re delivering mana crystals for goodness¡¯ sake. And we all know that you¡¯re plenty dangerous without your weapons.¡±

    Kyle sighed in frustration, understanding full well that this conversation was going to get him nowhere. ¡°Is this how all the jobs will be? Accept it, then be rushed out the door in an hour?¡±

    ¡°Depends on the job. It¡¯s generally good form to get started as soon as you accept though. Builds a good reputation, lets the sponsors know you¡¯re serious. If you get into the habit of taking jobs as placeholders, you¡¯ll find that not many factions will continue to work with you.¡±

    That was a point Kyle hadn¡¯t considered, and it made a lot of sense. A good courier was a reliable courier, and Kyle could ill-afford to be known as unreliable. ¡°Then I¡¯d best get ready.¡± He looked down at his lounge clothes, then at Jarberry. ¡°Do you mind waiting outside?¡±

    The imp snorted. ¡°As if you¡¯d know if I was. Just don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡±

    With that, Jarberry vanished, leaving a couple more dirty plates behind. Kyle got to work, finishing getting ready. He put on the stonebloom armor over his regular street clothes, packed some extra changes in the C.H.A.D.D.pack, and was out the door in just a few minutes.

    ¡°Took your sweet time,¡± Jarberry¡¯s voice said, though Kyle couldn¡¯t see the imp. ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me, I¡¯m not going to make myself visible. As you¡¯re walking to the teleportation platform, I¡¯ve got some advice. Off the record.

    ¡°The planet you¡¯re delivering to is an E Grade world, with a few D Grade environments. Ma¡¯Rin¡¯s great nephew is the regent, he¡¯ll be your on-site point of contact. Get to know him, train with him, and make some time to consolidate what you¡¯ve learned.¡±

    Kyle nodded, and opened his mouth to speak before Jarberry continued.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush your return trip. I¡¯ve got some things to organize here before you get back, and some of it could take a while. When you do get back, I strongly encourage you to take some low-priority public jobs. They¡¯ll mostly keep you in the Hub, the pay will be garbage, but it¡¯ll keep your profile low and help build credibility. I¡¯ll probably be on assignment when you get back, so good luck. When I¡¯m back I¡¯ll pop by and we can catch up. Good luck out there Kyle, drone.¡±

    With that, the voice stopped. Kyle was tempted to ask aloud if Jarberry was still around, though he decided against it. The imp knew that neither Kyle nor C.H.A.D.D. were able to detect him, and asking would only be an admission. Instead, he turned his head slightly and spoke to the drone. ¡°I haven¡¯t even had a chance to ask, is there anything you need before we leave? We still have time.¡±

    [NOTHING AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW. IT¡¯S A SHAME WE WON¡¯T BE ABLE TO RECONNECT WITH THE FIRST SHUTTLES, I¡¯M SURE AMALIA WOULD LIKE TO SEE RECORDINGS OF YOUR RECENT ADVENTURES.]

    The notion brought a smile to Kyle¡¯s face. If he took Jarberry¡¯s advice seriously, he¡¯d have plenty of time when he returned from this job to pay his friends a visit. All but the final shuttles should be set to arrive by the time he wrapped it up, and it would be good to see how the groups from Earth were settling in.

    For now, however, there was work to do. Kyle caught a few glances here and there as he walked to the nearest teleportation platform, and he paid them no mind. He admitted he was likely a strange sight, particularly without weapons at his hip to signify that he was on official business. He stepped onto the platform, entered the coordinates from his nav bracelet, and was warped through a dizzying number of different platforms before his final arrival.

    Kyle stood alone on a large raised platform made of a material that closely resembled marble. The runes that powered the platform were inlaid in a sparkling, golden metal. Looking around, only one word came to mind: opulence. When Kyle was told he would be visiting a ¡°new¡± planet, he expected he would be in the frontier, something similar to the old western films he¡¯d seen as a child. Instead, he was standing in the heart of a true metroplex.

    A well-dressed woman in a smart business suit walked up to him and offered a shallow bow. ¡°You must be the courier. Welcome to Pokke, Mr. Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle returned the gesture. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure. Where are the materials that need delivery?¡±

    She offered a warm smile. ¡°Please, follow me. We have prepared the materials in a warehouse near the outskirts of the city, and supplies have also been set aside for your journey.¡±

    ¡°How long do you think it will take?¡±

    ¡°That all depends on your pace, Mr. Mayhew. The young master does not expect to receive the materials within the cycle.¡±

    They wound through beautiful streets, and Kyle was struck with how empty the city felt. A metroplex this size could easily support a population of hundreds of thousands, and yet people were few and far between. Those they passed stopped and waved, and the quiet rested over the city like a blanket.

    ¡°How many people live here?¡± Kyle finally asked.

    ¡°Roughly 4,000 at present.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the city a little big for that?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s guide turned, offering a small smile. ¡°It is unwise to plan only for what is, Mr. Mayhew. The Ma family prefers to plan for what will be.¡±

    Kyle considered the words as they approached a large warehouse. Inside, a gruff man was checking thick leather straps on an oversized pack. He looked up at the approaching duo and squinted, eyes focused on Kyle. A large hand patted the bundle as he let out a huff of air. ¡°And here I thought the courier would be bigger. Think you¡¯ll be able to move with this thing?¡± He asked, rapping the bundle.

    Kyle simply walked up to the pack and hoisted it over his shoulder. At 363, his Strength was beyond what most peak E Grades could bring to bear. The bundle of supplies likely weighed at least two hundred kilograms, and it hardly bothered him. ¡°I think I can handle it.¡±

 Chapter 193

    Garth sighed as he initialed the last form on his desk, authorizing resources to be diverted to mend some cracked sections of wall around Nierburg.  The world was dying, and yet bureaucracy was alive and well.  Another wave of shuttles was getting loaded the next morning, and he¡¯d much rather have spent his time reviewing those logistics.  Nobody would have blamed him, which is exactly why he forced himself to engage with the request.  His people deserved that much.

    Garth stepped out onto his office balcony, feeling the warm breeze on his face as he looked out at the city.  His chest tightened as hope warred with grief, seeing families preparing to depart, as others entrenched themselves deeper.  He¡¯d dedicated so many of the Central Authority¡¯s remaining resources to educating the survivors about the impending death of Earth, and yet the faction insistent on staying had only grown in number.

    Of those who had decided to leave, nearly two-thirds had already boarded.  Soon, it would be his turn.  He lifted his gaze to the night sky, his mind drifting to the young Healer.  I hope you¡¯re doing well out there, Kyle. His friend had been faced with some hard choices, and made the best he could out of them.

    Garth dismissed the offer from Corthian Mining at first, though the longer he thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make.  His people would need opportunities, and the mining company was their only in.  He¡¯d had to make a difficult decision since the kid left, and all he could hope was that he made the right one

    ¡°Mr. Boltsbury, sir.¡±  Garth turned to see Thomas standing near the balcony door, standing at crisp attention.  Garth rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into you, but we¡¯ve been on a first name basis for a long time.  It¡¯s just Garth.  It¡¯s always just been Garth.¡±

    Thomas shook his head slowly.  ¡°Maybe before, sir.  Times are changing.  Have changed.¡±

    ¡°Not so much that you can¡¯t address me as a friend.  What do you have to report?¡±

    Thomas stood for a moment, seeming deep in thought before he responded.  ¡°DeRosa has continued to be an asset.  I can¡¯t be completely confident, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s involved with the propaganda convincing people to stay.¡±

    Garth swore.  He had been so sure.  ¡°Another dead end.  Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Only that he¡¯s preparing to board on the next group of shuttles.  He said his work is done to the best of his ability, and that he¡¯s ready to go.¡±  Thomas opened his canteen, drinking generously before lowering it from his lips.  He met Garth¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Will that be a problem?¡±

    Garth shook his head.  ¡°No, he¡¯s done a lot already.  Honestly, I¡¯ll feel better with him gone, even though his people have contributed so much to the reconstruction.¡±  The words felt inadequate.  A wave of nearly unprecedented work was accomplished under DeRosa¡¯s direction, leaving virtually no planning left.  All that was yet to do was execution.  It made Garth wonder if Kyle made the right choice, putting Garth in charge.  We all had to make hard choices.

    Garth shoved the thought down, turning his attention back to Thomas.  The young man had grown far more formal over the recent months, as had Amir.  Garth couldn¡¯t blame them ¨C both were tasked with supervising and assisting one of the harshest taskmasters from the old Central Authority.  Both men had risen to the occasion, and Garth suspected that they were just exhausted.

    ¡°At least you and Amir can take a well-deserved vacation after he goes.¡± Garth said, a tired smile on his face.

    Thomas stood for a moment, shifting his weight side to side.  ¡°Actually, sir, I spoke with Amir.  We want to go with him.  We¡¯ll be able to serve more effectively, and report everything that happens on board when you arrive.¡±

    Garth eyed him skeptically.  ¡°Is that really what you want?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Garth reached out his hand, and Thomas took it.  The young man¡¯s grip was firmer than Garth remembered.  ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ be safe out there, Thomas.¡±

    ¡°I will.  Care for a drink before I leave, sir?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Garth grabbed a couple of glasses out of his desk, and pulled out the nearly-empty bottle of aged whiskey.  Thomas drew a flask out of his jacket, pouring a ruby liquid into his glass.  He reached to pour some for Garth, who shook his head.  ¡°Just the whiskey for me.¡±

    Thomas looked as though he was about to continue to pour for a fraction of a second, before placing the cap back on the flask.

    ¡°As you wish, sir.¡±

    Garth poured a finger for himself, then raised his glass.  ¡°To a well-deserved rest.¡±  Garth said.  ¡°And to new beginnings.¡±  Thomas replied.  They toasted, and Garth felt the alcohol¡¯s burn as he downed his drink.

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    ~~~

    Victor DeRosa was having a great day.  Not one without complications, yet a day where he struggled to keep the smile off of his face.  He swirled the deep violet liquid in his glass before pouring it, the subtle mana within apparent to him as he attuned to it.  He drank deeply, and his body felt invigorated, vital energy surging through every cell.  Victor shuddered at the feeling, and the thirty workers nearby stopped and trembled in response, before continuing their work.

    Victor nodded as they returned to their efforts, releasing a pulse of energy from deep within his chest.  Smaller pulses were released from his workers in response, bringing with them tidbits of information on their efforts.  The data was processed by the mycelium that grew within him, allowing Victor to make small changes in direction at will.

    Unlike the ants, which could only perform the most basic of tasks, human hosts for the fungus were far more valuable.  Through the link, he could see his team of Alchemists brewing more of the health serum that contained the subordinate fungus, while others disseminated it.  DeRosa didn¡¯t believe it was necessary to continue giving the potions to those in whom a mycelium had taken root, though he kept the directive in place.  After all, one couldn¡¯t be too careful.

    He felt the approach of one of his faithful, and extended a tendril of mana to open the door before the young man could reach out his hand to it.  Enter.

    In obeisance to the command, the sandy-haired individual stepped inside before immediately falling to a knee.  His right fist was held over his heart as his eyes looked to the ground.  ¡°Lord DeRosa, I come with a report.¡±

    Victor noticed with displeasure that the young man¡¯s left hand twitched slightly, and before allowing Thomas to report, he sent another mental command through the bond.  Drink.

    Thomas did, taking out a flask and draining it to the last drop.  He was a more recent convert, and it was to be expected that there would be challenges from time to time.  The other spy that Boltsbury had placed in his office had taken to it much more strongly, and was currently working on preparations to move the alchemy labs onto the shuttles off world.  So much to do, Victor thought.

    He looked back down at Thomas.  Speak.  Without so much as looking up, Thomas began recounting his meeting with Garth.  The usurper trusted his spy¡¯s reports implicitly, not bothering to verify the information.  An unfortunate mistake on his part, if understandable.  DeRosa¡¯s methods were well beyond anything that Boltsbury was likely to expect, and the faithful played their part well.

    Victor dismissed Thomas with a thought, reviewing the items remaining before his departure.  He believed that the alchemy project would be allowed on the ship, broken down and taken as the personal effects of his faithful.  After all, what need did they have outside of his service?  There was enough of the draught already brewed to offer it to the uninitiated on the shuttle, which would be a major benefit.  He felt something stir within him, which caused him to sigh.  This will be the largest obstacle.  Collecting himself, he closed the door to his chambers and entered meditation.

    VICTOR DEROSA.  MYCOHOST, HIGH MAGUS.  LEVEL 73 (E)

    VITALITY: 584

    ENDURANCE: 73

    STRENGTH: 73

    DEXTERITY: 73

    WILLPOWER: 412

    INTELLIGENCE: 412

    PERCEPTION: 339

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 5

    Victor allocated his free attributes to Vitality, and considered the pace of his progress.  His change to a Mycohost had come with a staggering amount of Vitality, which paired well with the other benefits he received from his High Magus variant class.  While he was thrilled with the power he¡¯d developed, he knew beyond a doubt his ascension to D Grade would result in a shift away from his human form.  Already the controlling mycelium writhed within him as they grew in power, and he suspected that Corthian Mining would be less than keen to have him on board.

    He would need to move with haste when the time came.  Breaking through to new heights of power was only to be expected, and Victor DeRosa had no intention of allowing his ascent to end with the death of his planet.  It was imperative that he and his faithful make it aboard a shuttle ¨C everything else would flow from there.

    A small tremor shook his mansion, bringing Victor out of meditation.  He knew the source, and this time failed to contain the smile as he walked down to what had formerly been his laboratory.  Now, it was an arena.  Reynolds kneeled on the ground, deep cuts in his chest already mending as wriggling tendrils of flesh connected to repair the damage.  Opposite him stood a man wearing a featureless metal mask, rapier in one hand and heavy dagger in the other.

    Both men turned to Victor as he entered, dropping to a knee with their heads bowed.  Victor counted more than 50 awakened among his faithful, and they progressed each day under his tutelage.  None of them compared to the two men before him.  Focusing on the connection between them, he could feel their level.

    Reynolds at 68, Valentine at 72.  Incredible.  Through their bond, he felt genuine reverence from Reynolds, who embraced the power he¡¯d been given.  He still felt hatred from Valentine.  Though he didn¡¯t need devotion, he demanded obedience, which was all but guaranteed.

    The only problem he encountered was an inability to influence skill selection for his faithful.  Reynolds confirmed that they still received skills as they grew in level, though Victor could only see them and choose if his faithful allowed him to do so.  Many of the awakened had reservations at first, though they were coming around slowly but surely.  Valentine¡¯s hate, however, burned as hot against him now as it ever had.

    He¡¯d break eventually, and Victor would savor the moment.  For now, however, there was work to do.

    Two days later, Victor found himself staring out at the receding form of the planet he¡¯d once called home.  He thought he¡¯d feel¡­ something.  Instead, the only emotion coursing through him was urgency.  He¡¯d just crossed to Level 74, and if his gambit failed, he¡¯d need to take quick action to gain control of the ship.  He waited patiently, counting the moments until the door of the viewing room opened up.

    A man in a black Corthian Mining uniform entered, with broad shoulders and a scar on his left cheek.  ¡°You must be this Victor DeRosa I¡¯ve heard so much about.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a more efficient boarding process, and your people have been a real help getting things set up for the journey.  I¡¯m Captain Phillip Rogers.  Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Victor smiled, tension leaving his shoulders.  ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well, Captain.  Care for a drink?¡±

 Chapter 194

    Kyle grunted as a heavy stone struck him square in the stomach, knocking him several meters back.  He was a little over 2 days into his delivery, and the storm was no joke.  From what C.H.A.D.D. told him, the swirling mass encompassed nearly half the planet¡¯s total surface, growing more hazardous closer to the center.

    At the onset, Kyle was simply faced with strong winds, rain, and hail.  It was laughable compared to the environments in his Practicum, and he made great time.  The farther he progressed; however, the more barren the landscape became.  The rains stopped.  The foliage disappeared.  Now, a constant stream of sand and debris scoured the planet¡¯s surface.  Kyle was left with little more than the scent of ozone, the drab grey of swirling clouds, and a rocky, lifeless landscape.

    Now, he began to appreciate the difficulty of the delivery.  There was no shelter, no caves, no outcroppings.  All he could do was continue forward.  More stones the size of basketballs flew through the air, and Kyle avoided most of them, allowing a couple to strike him so that he could keep practicing with Heal.  It wouldn¡¯t be long before his breakthrough to Level 60, though there was little chance of being able to meditate in the storm.

    [PREPARE YOURSELF, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle activated Ignition, trusting C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors.  A moment later, orange light flashed a warning.  Kyle followed the drone¡¯s instruction, sidestepping as hundreds of the large stones began to rain down in a squall.  They bombarded a zone nearly 10 meters across, moving rapidly through the storm.  Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. encountered this particular pattern twice before, and the last time Kyle had been forced to use Storm Shelter to avoid having his pack damaged.

    He was just a touch too slow to avoid it with consistency without Ignition active, though the boost made the storm trivial.  He dodged and weaved as the squall passed, the screaming winds picking up the stones as they continued on their endless journey.

    If anything, ensuring the goods made it to their destination undamaged was the most difficult part of this particular job.  He was assured they were durable; he knew they were packed well, but he would feel incredibly foolish if he completed the delivery, only to have to redo it.  He could afford to put his own body in peril; he couldn¡¯t do the same with the pack.

    The days wore on, each one bringing new challenges.  Massive bolts of lightning struck occasionally on day three, and day four added acidic eruptions from the planet¡¯s surface.  That was all well and good, until Kyle pressed forward during day five.  He was tired, worn out, and barely noticed the increasing heat around him.  C.H.A.D.D. offered a timely warning, and Kyle got out of the way just as the space he¡¯d been standing combusted in an explosion of green flame.

    At this point, Kyle was ready to be done with the delivery.  Outside of the occasional flash of lightning or flame, the only light remaining as he approached the eye of the storm was the gentle orange glow provided by C.H.A.D.D.  The morning of the 7<sup>th</sup> day, Kyle felt himself cross the threshold to Level 60.  The anticipation of choosing the upgrade to Heal proved to be sufficient motivation, and with a push of effort, he made it to the coordinates on his nav bracelet on the 8<sup>th</sup>.

    Sidestepping a particularly nasty series of stones, Kyle looked around.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s orange glow revealed nothing; only empty soil remained before him.  ¡°Is this some sort of joke?  C.H.A.D.D., what can you detect?¡±

    [IT APPEARS THAT THE SETTLEMENT IS SUBTERRANEAN IN NATURE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then how do we get down to it?  I don¡¯t see any stairs or elevators.¡±

    [PERHAPS YOU¡¯RE EXPECTED TO DIG, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Digging wasn¡¯t in the job description.¡±

    [AN OVERSIGHT?  AN OMISSION PERHAPS?]

    Kyle dodged as another squall of boulders came crashing down.  Ignition had been burning for over a day, and Kyle couldn¡¯t keep it up much longer.  He looked down at the coordinates on his nav bracelet, frowning.  This is definitely the spot.  The way Kyle saw it, his job was done when he dropped the pack at this location.  It wasn¡¯t his fault if nobody was around to pick it up.

    Just before he could unsling the pack from his shoulders, a message pinged on his nav bracelet.

    So sorry!  Your progress was faster than expected.  Stay where you are, I¡¯ll send people shortly.

    Ma¡¯Sai

    A moment later, a dome of crackling green energy appeared, nearly 100 meters in diameter.  The dull roar of the storm quieted instantly.  From the damage, Kyle doubted the barrier would last more than another handful of seconds.  Already small holes were being opened up as nature raged around it.  A set of stairs appeared nearby, descending into the planet¡¯s surface.  Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate to take them.

    The steps were made from a dark, heavy metal, though after crossing into a hallway, Kyle was met with the familiar luxury he¡¯d seen in Pokke.  The hall was made of beautiful marble with golden inlays, and a smartly-dressed figure was waiting for him at the end.  It was an older man, with pronounced crow¡¯s feet wearing an old-earth style suit.  The man was thin, though appeared to be fit underneath his clothes.  He bowed as Kyle approached.

    ¡°Courier Mayhew, my apologies for the delay in letting you in.  You completed the task far more quickly than expected, and the young master has not yet returned.  We have a transport ready to take the pack, and I would be honored to show you to your quarters.¡±

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    ¡°That sounds great.¡± Kyle said, not feeling up for a flowery conversation.  Even though his body was still in relatively good shape, the journey had taken it out of him.  He was tired, and hungry.  A large truck was waiting as promised, and he dropped the pack on it without ceremony.  If the gentleman cared, he didn¡¯t show it.  Another transport pulled up behind the first, and the man gestured for Kyle to enter.

    ¡°The young master would like to dine with you; however, he understands that will not be possible today.  We have many restaurants in Torrel, please select what you¡¯d like to have delivered and we will accommodate.  Courtesy of the Ma family, of course.  Regardless of your choice, it will not count against your per diem.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow as he surveyed the list.  ¡°There were only 4,000 people in Pokke.  You mean to say you have enough people here to support that many restaurants?¡±

    The corner of the old man¡¯s mouth lifted slightly.  ¡°No, we do not have the population to support them.  However, we do have other means to attract and retain the talent.¡±

    They drove through the subterranean city in silence after that, Kyle looking up at the brilliant lights that had been placed at the top of the cavern ceiling.  It really did feel like daytime, despite being underground.  A thriving, gorgeous city expanded all around them, while the planet¡¯s surface was made desolate by the endless storm.

    They pulled up before a manor on a hill that overlooked a good portion of the city.  ¡°This will be your home, should you find it to your liking.  When you¡¯re ready, please feel free to order whatever you¡¯d like.  The young master will coordinate with you when he returns.¡±  The old man bowed, then stepped back into the transport before Kyle had a chance to reply.

    [YOUR RAPPORT COULD USE SOME IMPROVEMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I¡¯m tired, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [THEN GET THE REST YOU NEED, DR. MAYHEW.  JUST DON¡¯T TAKE TOO LONG.  I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE IF THERE ARE UNIQUE PLANTS IN THE CAVERNS.]

    ¡°Sounds like a deal.¡±

    Kyle stepped inside the manor, and had to stop.  The luxury on the outside could hardly be compared with the lavish furnishings.  It was far and away the nicest room Kyle had ever been in, and he was suddenly very conscious of his general dirtiness, and he knew he didn¡¯t smell pleasant.  Oh well.  Their loss.

    An hour later, he was resting on an incredibly comfortable couch with a glass of cold water and piles of delicious food.  He decided on sampling a little bit of everything ¨C spicy, savory, sweet.  And it was all delicious.

    While he was eager to enter meditation and look at the level 60 skill selections, Kyle made the hard call to defer for the morning.  A full stomach and warm shower helped him relax, and now the fatigue settled deep in his bones.  The last thing he wanted was to make a decision when he was half asleep.

    The next morning, Kyle felt refreshed.  Heart beating with anticipation, Kyle crossed his legs and meditated.

    He jumped past the attribute points, allocating broadly to his lower attributes to keep rounding them out.  For the next little while he was going to focus heavily on Intelligence and Willpower, so a little investment elsewhere beforehand would help.  Most importantly, it brought his Perception over 1000, which was a milestone he was excited about.  The boost from Ignition was only as effective as his processing power, and Perception helped him make the most out of it.

    That done, Kyle focused his attention on the glowing orange orb signifying a skill upgrade.  Heal popped into his mind, and as before, 3 different choices made themselves known to him.

    Greater Heal:  This option was no surprise to Kyle, and he fought to keep his disappointment in check.  It was a standard upgrade path to the skill, and not a bad upgrade at all.  It took everything that Heal did, and made it, well, greater.  The speed and magnitude of the recovery were both increased significantly, and it was also widely known to be more mana-efficient than Heal.

    When applied with techniques like his venom isolation and removal, he expected it would truly shine.  Kyle¡¯s tribulations had led to a vast array of different injuries to heal, and Greater Heal would make that all easier.  However, it wasn¡¯t what Kyle wanted.  He already felt that his path was something unique, and this skill felt too generic.  Hoping for better choices, he moved on.

    Field Stimulant:  This upgrade was a major departure, only loosely relating to Heal.  From what Kyle could tell, the actual healing properties of the skill were worse than what he already had.  Instead, it offered an immediate boost of power.  It appeared that it would provide a material boost to Strength and Dexterity, and a modest increase to Perception.  The effects were short, and it looked like there would be a modest backlash when the boost ended.

    Kyle could already see many uses for an upgrade like this.  As it had with Ignition, Adaptive Regeneration could, with time, reduce the severity of the backlash.  It was his primary source of recovery as things stood, and stacking this boost on top of Ignition had the potential to turn Kyle into a real menace in close combat.  From an attribute perspective, at least.

    That was the key issue with Field Stimulant.  For all its power, it would be limited by the specialization Kyle had already been undergoing.  Strength and Dexterity were far and away his weakest points, meaning the boost wouldn¡¯t be as effective until he brought them more in line with his other attributes.  Lastly, it meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to meaningfully heal others.  It was silly, but part of him didn¡¯t want to give up that aspect of his class.  With a steadying breath, he looked at the final option.

    Healing Impetus:  This upgrade path changed the healing energy from a constant infusion to a major wave.  If Heal was a stream, Greater Heal was a river, and Healing Impetus was a tsunami.  Kyle couldn¡¯t keep the smile off his face, and there was still more.  The wave of energy looked to continue to circulate through the body, leaving traces of regenerative energy in each cell.  From what Kyle could tell, that power would be ¡°banked,¡± waiting for the next round of healing, effectively supercharging it.

    It wasn¡¯t a skill that would be well-suited to a hospital environment, and selecting it meant Kyle would lose flexibility.  In terms of emergency triage, however, he¡¯d be nigh unparalleled.  Stabilizing patients quickly and priming them for future recovery was the dream of most trauma doctors.

    When he factored in the more selfish element, and the synergy with Adaptive Regeneration, the decision was made.  Kyle chose Healing Impetus, then exited meditation.

    [I ASSUME YOUR SKILL SELECTION LIVED UP TO EXPECTATION, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Definitely.  We¡¯ll need to conduct some tests, but I¡¯m very pleased.¡±

    Just as he was considering heading back to the surface to get some practice with Healing Impetus, Kyle received a message on his nav bracelet.

    Mr. Mayhew,

    The young master will be returning in three hours¡¯ time, and will be meeting you at your residence upon his return.  Tailored formalwear will be delivered shortly.  We thank you again for your contributions, and wish you a productive and restful stay in Torrel.

    Kyle sighed as he closed the message.  Field testing would have to wait.

 Chapter 195

    True to their word, tailors arrived a half an hour later. They brought a startling amount of formalwear with them, already cut to Kyle¡¯s measurements. At least, they assumed it was.

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking off the armor. I¡¯m fine with something that can either cover it, or something that will fit underneath.¡± Kyle said, folding his arms. ¡°And the same goes with the pack.¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± one of the tailors said, exasperation clear in his voice. ¡°You are safe in the city, and your armor is hideous. You¡¯d look much more presentable in one of these suits.¡±

    ¡°All due respect, but I wasn¡¯t hired to be a dignitary. I was hired to deliver a package through a hazardous environment. That¡¯s what I did. I understand if your hospitality assumed I would be something different, and am more than willing to settle for less luxurious accommodations. In any case, the armor. Stays. On.¡±

    The tailors shared a beleaguered look, and Kyle was preparing to ask them to leave when Auric Perception warned him of a D Grade presence approaching. He had his suspicions, but stepped back into a comfortable stance anyway.

    [DR. MAYHEW -]

    ¡°I know buddy. I¡¯m ready.¡±

    The tailors didn¡¯t seem to know what to do with Kyle¡¯s sudden shift, faces far more alert as they slowly made room. Mana began to surge outside, and Kyle activated Ignition in response. The crimson glow was too much for the tailors to handle, and they immediately bolted to the door, only to step to the side and bow deeply. In unison, they spoke. ¡°Forgive us, young master!¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t relax. He kept his gaze focused on the open door, which was now occupied by a tall, lean man. He wore an immaculately tailored dark suit, with a white shirt and black tie. Dark gloves with golden inlays covered each hand, one of which stroked his sharp chin thoughtfully. Kyle noted a mop of styled black hair tousled gently as his almond shaped eyes looked Kyle up and down.

    Kyle activated Identify, and saw a similar skill at work in the youth. His entire suit glowed with energy; runes wrought in black metal inlaid into the dark fabric. There were pockets of incredible energy in several places on his person. Weapons of some sort? Their eyes locked, Kyle¡¯s emerald meeting Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s gold, and a broad grin spread across the young master¡¯s face.

    ¡°Excellent! I knew I¡¯d like you!¡± His voice was far louder and deeper than his frame would indicate, and the mana around him settled as he stepped forward and extended a hand. ¡°I am Ma¡¯Sai, the lord of this little world. It is a pleasure to have you, Kyle Mayhew of Earth.¡±

    Kyle froze at those words, looking at the outstretched hand, then back to Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s face. ¡°How do you know where I¡¯m from?¡± Kyle finally asked, not taking the grip.

    Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s smile only widened. ¡°Because it¡¯s only prudent to know with whom one enters into business.¡± He lowered his hand, seeming unbothered. ¡°Come, I am hungry. My associates tell me you¡¯ve tried many of the different foods available, but you¡¯ve not yet had the skewers native to my home. My treat, of course.¡±

    Kyle folded his arms, not deactivating Ignition. ¡°Due respect, sir, but you¡¯ll forgive me if I have some misgivings. Where I¡¯m from, the planet¡¯s leader doesn¡¯t take the delivery boy out for lunch.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t do that where I¡¯m from, either.¡± Ma¡¯Sai said, eyes sparkling. ¡°They do, however, treat potential allies and business partners quite well.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think we¡¯re allies now?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯d like to think we could be, however. Someday. For today, I believe credits and a unique opportunity would take steps to build that foundation. Now, shall we leave?¡±

    Without waiting for Kyle to respond, Ma¡¯Sai turned on his heel and walked toward a luxurious transport car.

    ¡°What do you think, C.H.A.D.D.?¡± Kyle whispered.

    [I THINK YOU SHOULD HEAR HIM OUT, DR. MAYHEW. I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THE CARDS HE¡¯S CARRYING.]

    ¡°What do you mean, cards?¡±

    Before Kyle could get a response, Ma¡¯Sai made it to the vehicle, and looked back expectantly. Kyle deactivated Ignition and followed, finding himself sitting in a spacious back seat that felt like a sectional couch.

    ¡°So what are you ¨C¡° Kyle began, but was stopped by a gesture from Ma¡¯Sai.

    ¡°Not now, we can discuss details when there is more privacy. The food is already being prepared; we¡¯ll be able to speak more openly soon.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s eyes were piercing, and Kyle reactivated Identify to confirm a suspicion. Sure enough, Ma¡¯Sai was using his own identification skill. Their eyes locked once again, and Kyle didn¡¯t look away. The impression he had was that Ma¡¯Sai was still a step below people like Tillienne or Jax in terms of overall power. He was also woefully lopsided, with Intelligence being his highest attribute; Willpower, and Dexterity being in a fairly distant second. In fact, Kyle felt confident in being able to overpower the younger man in raw Strength, which was an unusual experience for him.

    Stolen story; please report.

    If Ma¡¯Sai was bothered by Kyle¡¯s gaze, he didn¡¯t show it. He remained relaxed, golden eyes unwavering. One thing that Kyle found interesting was the quality of the young man¡¯s ability. From the amount of mana Kyle saw flowing through him, he was confident the other man¡¯s skill was already in the D Grade. Ma¡¯Sai shouldn¡¯t have had more than a handful of skills at that level, which meant that he intentionally invested either an upgrade or D Grade selection for it.

    They traveled in silence for about 10 minutes, before pulling up to a large estate. The best way Kyle could describe the compound was a full business park. In contrast to the rest of the sparsely populated city, this section was bustling with activity. Well-dressed people shuffled in and out of multistory buildings, many of whom were carrying various clipboards and mechanical parts.

    ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? Eventually, this will be representative of the whole city. In a decade or two.¡±

    He¡¯s not wrong, Kyle thought. As it grew, it would likely rival the best that the old Central Authority had to offer. Thinking of his home brought the dull pang of longing, which he ignored. Choosing his words carefully, Kyle replied, ¡°It certainly is.¡±

    They exited the vehicle and walked to the entrance of the large manor at the center. As they entered, Kyle saw a swarm of caterers laying out food, utensils, and setting up drinks. The motion stopped at once when they saw Ma¡¯Sai, and as one they bowed. With a gesture, the group made a quiet exit, leaving Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. alone with the well-dressed young man.

    ¡°Please, help yourself. I¡¯m going to seal the room from any prying eyes, your drone excepted.¡±

    Kyle frowned; reactivating Identify. Sure enough, mana began to flow through sigils under the floor and through the walls, though he couldn¡¯t tell their purpose specifically. ¡°Is that level of privacy necessary?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai smiled. ¡°One can never be too careful. I am taking a risk confiding in you and your drone, there is little need to expand it further.¡±

    Kyle had yet to move, and Ma¡¯Sai walked over to the food, filled a plate, then sat at a long banquet table and began to eat. Every movement was refined and precise, despite eating dishes that resembled street food back on Earth. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., does it look safe?¡±

    [IT APPEARS SO, DR. MAYHEW. I DO NOT DETECT ANY COMPOUNDS THAT APPEAR HAZARDOUS TO HUMAN BIOLOGY.]

    Ma¡¯Sai chuckled from where he sat. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d be so foolish as to try and poison you?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who just said ¡®one can never be too careful?¡¯¡± Kyle asked dryly.

    Ma¡¯Sai huffed a laugh. ¡°So I did. Now, please help yourself. We have much to discuss.¡±

    Kyle filled a plate with skewers of various meats, a bowl of grain that reminded him of fried rice, and a chilled fruit juice. The food was exceptional. The flavors were all wildly different; some spicy, others sweet, and it all worked together wonderfully. His meal yesterday was good, and this was on another level.

    Before he knew it, his plate was empty. He looked up to see Ma¡¯Sai smiling. ¡°Please, go get some more. I¡¯m planning to.¡±

    As they ate, they began to talk. Pleasantries at first, with the conversation growing deeper as they went. This planet¡¯s acquisition was a large expense, and there were many eyes on Ma¡¯Sai to make it worthwhile. Apparently Ma¡¯Rin had a soft spot for the young man; however, failure in planetary development would reflect poorly on both of them.

    For his part, Kyle shared a little about Earth, leaving out many of the important details. Instead, he talked about his own aspirations; to grow in power, and be able to stand on his own two feet. It was a sentiment that Ma¡¯Sai resonated with, and soon Kyle found the tension between them easing.

    When the last skewer had been consumed, Ma¡¯Sai leaned forward, hands clasped. ¡°If I may, I¡¯d like to share my reason for my invitation.¡±

    Kyle nodded. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°As you no doubt experienced, surface travel to this part of the planet is difficult, which is part of what makes it a defensible capital city. Our typical method of transportation has been through subterranean tunnels, which we carved out from our largest surface settlement on Pokke.

    ¡°As we continued expanding, however, we opened up into a cavern that contained some¡­ problematic creatures. They appear to be early D Grade variants, and they¡¯ve proven to make continued work and expansion in the tunnels quite dangerous.¡±

    Kyle stroked his chin at the explanation, several pieces falling into place. ¡°So, you hired a courier to help with the delivery overland to set up your teleportation network. But now you could use some help with extermination as well, is that about the size of it?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. While they¡¯re a bad match for me, I¡¯m more than capable of fighting my way through them. Your assistance in the matter would be appreciated, but I have another goal as well. Tell me, what do you understand about our company¡¯s products?¡±

    Kyle shook his head. ¡°Very little. The limited research I did mentioned more advanced and custom mana tech, with the bulk of your clientele being the ultra-wealthy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, and where we make most of our money. My family has one of the highest concentrations of Sealing Mages anywhere in the Gray Conglomerate. There are few places one can go to find similar quality rune and inscription work, and even fewer when you consider we have many C Grade inscribers as well.

    ¡°Believe it or not, Kyle, this part of our family¡¯s work started as an accident. My great-great uncle, the clan patriarch, forged a B Grade inheritance for us; one that every member of our family is trying to pursue. Those who fail along the way find themselves with a very niche set of abilities that have allowed our family to grow its wealth.¡±

    With that, his right hand moved in a flash, a shining golden card held in it. Kyle felt the mana begin to flow around the young man, and prepared himself for action if necessary. A moment later, the card glowed, and the room was full of a buzzing sound. Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at a spectral insect the size of his torso. It looked like a cross between a wasp and a scorpion, flying about with two large claws and a long, slender tail.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Kyle asked, not taking his eyes off the creature.

    With a gesture, it vanished, the card in Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s hand shifting to a dull bronze color. ¡°That was an E Grade insectoid that I bound; one of nearly a dozen in my deck. Kyle, I¡¯m not just asking you to help me exterminate the beasts, though I¡¯m happy to pay a bounty for their bodies. I¡¯m also asking you to help me capture them.¡±

 Chapter 196

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to capture D Grades?  In cards?  How does that even work?¡±  Kyle asked, bewildered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a complicated process, to say the least. And it grows more complicated the more powerful the creature I try to bind.  Let me ask you, Kyle, how familiar are you with the concept of a lineage inheritance?¡±

    Kyle thought back to Tillienne and Jax before responding.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them, but I¡¯m not familiar with the specifics.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai nodded, as though he expected the response.  He was silent for a moment, a faraway look in his eye as he considered his next words.  ¡°Our lineage is closely guarded, though it also has far more stringent requirements than most.  One cannot say they have stepped into it truly until partway through D Grade, at Level 35.  There are more requirements afterward, but that¡¯s the minimum requirement to set foot on the path.

    ¡°Kyle, you need to understand that any deviation up until that point means that the path is a failure.  I¡¯m the first in my generation to cross that threshold, despite being the eleventh to make it to this level in D Grade.  That means I¡¯ve earned my place as part of the main family.¡±

    Kyle nodded, everything so far making sense.  The idea of the inheritance being so difficult to follow was interesting, and Ma¡¯Sai seemed to anticipate the question before he could ask.

    ¡°But what happens to those less skilled or fortunate than myself?  Particularly those who enter into D Grade, only to find they are not offered the skills they need to progress further?  They have no future in combat ¨C they only have one offensive skill, after all.  Instead, they have a variety of skills tied to inscriptions, mana infusion, and sealing.  That specialization allows for the most beautiful part of our path.

    ¡°If they can¡¯t step into the path of a true Deckmaster, they have the ability to pivot into an ancillary inheritance.  We haven¡¯t been able to develop any of those to C Grade, though there are now several proven methods to progress to late D Grade, which is more than enough to be a renowned craftsman.  When coupled with hundreds of others with the same training, my family has built the foundation for their empire.¡±

    Kyle had to admit, it was an ingenious approach.  No matter where somebody¡¯s talents lay, they would be able to find a future in the family by following the plan.  With it explained more thoroughly, the allure was clear.  Kyle remembered the confusion on Tillienne and Jax¡¯s faces when he talked about upgrading his long-range scouting skill to be more in line with full identification.  Why risk it, when power felt assured down the line?

    At the same time, the whole notion felt stifling.  It could be that he was resistant to the idea that his path could be wrong.  His results so far seemed to prove the opposite, at least in Kyle¡¯s opinion.  Still, he regarded the dark-haired man in front of him in a new light.  Even if their struggles looked very different, there was no denying the effort Ma¡¯Sai put in.

    ¡°I appreciate you sharing.¡± Kyle said. ¡°I¡¯m curious though, what does this mean in terms of capturing the creatures in the tunnels.  If you¡¯ve taken the steps you need to take, what do you need me for?¡±

    ¡°Simply put, they¡¯re a bad match for me.  My skill requires that I complete a thorough Scan on the individual specimen that I want to bind, and then place three layers of Soul Binding from one of my cards.  If it dies before that happens, or I get injured during that process, I have to start it again.¡±

    ¡°So basically, you need me to be a meat shield for you to buy enough time to bind these things.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai grimaced.  ¡°I would have put it more eloquently; but yes.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something that¡¯s just not adding up for me, though.  I don¡¯t know the details, but it¡¯s pretty clear you have a lot of these cards.  Do you honestly expect me to believe that you don¡¯t have enough to distract one of these creatures?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai offered a sheepish grin.  ¡°My deck¡­ is not yet fully formed, even though I have completed making the cards.  I have filled 30 E Grade slots, and 4 of my 10 D Grade slots.  Three of the completed D Grade slots are individual Skills I¡¯ve bound, and not an allied beast.  Truthfully, I only have a dozen of the insectoids you saw before and one D Grade beast that serves as more of a guardian than a hunter.¡±

    Kyle paused, folding his arms.  ¡°You know, I was just beginning to like you, Ma¡¯Sai.  You¡¯re lying to me.¡±

    ¡°I am not.¡±

    ¡°Then why is my identification skill showing 35 readings?¡±

    There was silence in the room for a minute, and Kyle saw Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s jaw clench.  It was unfortunate, but Kyle wasn¡¯t about to step into a deal with somebody who was holding back critical information.  Finally, Ma¡¯Sai broke the tension.

    ¡°I have a hidden ace, that I would not think about using for a situation like this.  I will say no more on the matter.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°So that means you only have 5 D grade spots left.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai met Kyle¡¯s eyes, ferocity gleaming in his golden orbs.  ¡°No, I have 6.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me your ¡®trump card¡¯ is a C Grade?¡±

    ¡°Pray you never have to find out.  Regardless, I¡¯m not looking to capture 6 of the creatures.  I¡¯d like 2, which will leave me with flexibility as I grow.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense to me.  When do we leave?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai blinked.  ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°I asked when we¡¯re leaving.  You were level with me when I asked about the missing card, and I respect keeping some secrets.  You really should think about doing something to shield your cards from identification skills, by the way.¡±

    ¡°My suit should be doing that on its own.  Either the inscriptions got damaged, or your skill saw through it anyway.  In either event, there¡¯s no time like the present to go hunting.  Do you need to go back to your rooms to prepare?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got everything I need.  Like I told your tailors, the armor stays on for a reason.¡±

    A little over an hour later, Kyle and Ma¡¯Sai pulled up to the mouth of a large tunnel.  The driver bowed respectfully before getting back in the vehicle and driving off, leaving them alone.  They walked down a beautifully paved road, and Kyle was beginning to wonder if they¡¯d just left the entrance to the city unguarded.

    His doubts were assuaged when they came upon what Kyle could best describe as a miniature fortress in the middle of the road.  Large metal bulwarks were set up, and Auric Perception made it clear that the runic inscriptions were not decorative.  Kyle activated Identify, and saw layer upon layer of enchantments relating to both heat and light.  A respectable number of E Grade fighters were present, each of whom felt like a match for Rochelle.  Finally, a man clad in heavy armor and carrying an absurdly large rifle stepped down to greet them.  Definitely D Grade.

    ¡°Young master, it is good to see you, though I didn¡¯t expect it would be so soon.¡±  The man said with a bow.

    ¡°Go¡¯Wree, I should have informed you.  My guest and I are going to go spend some time in the tunnels, may we pass?¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡±  He turned to the people standing on the wall before shouting, ¡°Open the gate for the young master!  And pay close attention when you see him return, that he is not kept waiting!¡±

    The fortress was suddenly buzzing with activity, some opening the gate while others somehow closed the runic circles, keeping two instances intact on either door as they slid open.  I really need to learn more about rune inscription, Kyle thought.  Compared to what he¡¯d seen, his work on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s upgrades felt woefully insufficient.

    On the bright side, Kyle knew that C.H.A.D.D. was documenting everything they came across, and its sensors were definitely up to the task.  With time and resources, Kyle was confident that he¡¯d be able to work on some meaningful upgrades in the coming months.

    With the gates finally open, Kyle and Ma¡¯Sai walked into the tunnel beyond.  Immediately after passing through, Kyle heard a loud slam behind them as the barricade was restored.  ¡°Forgive the noise; my men are quite efficient in carrying out their duties.¡±

    ¡°I can tell.  So, where do we go from here?¡±  The main path ahead was a continuation of the nicely paved road, though there were now branching tunnels moving in different directions.  What¡¯s more, Kyle wasn¡¯t detecting any presences outside the fortress.

    Ma¡¯Sai didn¡¯t seem to have any doubt as he strode toward a tunnel branching off to the right.  ¡°I¡¯m not certain, though I believe our best chance is to go down the side paths.  With only two of us, we are certain to attract plenty of attention.  While we walk, there¡¯s the matter of compensation.  I¡¯m offering 20,000 credits for each of the beasts you help me capture, and then a further 10,000 credits for any that you kill during your stay.  Do you find these terms acceptable?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment.  While he wouldn¡¯t balk at the overall compensation, it felt fairly low for killing D Grade monsters.  He wasn¡¯t completely sure, but he seemed to remember the Mercenary¡¯s Guild being compensated closer to 50,000 credits for a successful D Grade hunt.  Then and again, he wasn¡¯t a mercenary.  He was a courier.  ¡°Why not?  You¡¯ve got a deal.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai beamed.  ¡°Excellent!  Now, do you have a source of light?  Otherwise I can provide one.¡±

    Without thinking, Kyle spoke.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you help us out?¡±

    An orange glow suffused the tunnel, revealing the cavernous space.  It stretched over 30 meters high, and Kyle was reminded of a forest as they weaved through a near-endless grove of stalagmites and pillars.  Auric Perception gave Kyle no indication that there were other presences in the cavern, and he turned toward Ma¡¯Sai.  ¡°Are you really planning on clearing all this out?  Even with Earth Mages, this would be an unbelievable undertaking.¡±

    ¡°We do, though it¡¯s been put on hold.  Our expectation was to open pathways into the larger cavern networks as we expanded to get a better feeling for the natural resources, as well as identifying suitable areas for our next settlement.  It hasn¡¯t quite worked out that way, but it will be course corrected soon enough.  It¡¯s far more effective to plan with better information, after all.¡±

    Kyle was about to question him more on his obsession with future planning, when he felt a whisper of foreign power.  Ignition bloomed to life as his energy burned, and Ma¡¯Sai was quick to respond as well, drawing a golden card.  An orange glow drew Kyle¡¯s attention as C.H.A.D.D. highlighted the creature. There!  He raised his hands in the unarmed stance he¡¯d been taught, interposing himself between the beast and Ma¡¯Sai just as it leapt towards the slender man.

    Claws ripped at his skin while teeth lunged for Kyle¡¯s face.  His Enhanced Carapace held against the scrabbling claws, and he growled as his hands held the beast¡¯s head back, putting as much pressure against it as he could.  The creature vaulted backward shortly afterward, letting out a deep hissing sound.  It circled, fangs bared, giving Kyle a good look.

    A rippling shadow dispersed from the beast¡¯s body, revealing a muscular feline form nearly Kyle¡¯s height at the shoulder.  Its skin was pale, with long flaps of skin connecting its front and back legs.  A stubby tail swished, though what Kyle noticed the most was its eyeless face and long, sword-like canine teeth.  It let out one more hiss, before cloaking itself once again in shadows, disappearing into the vast darkness of the cavern.

    A loud buzzing sound joined as three of the phantasmal insectoids from before took form, floating around their master protectively.  ¡°Impressive beasts, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ma¡¯Sai said.  ¡°Can you understand now why I want to add them to my collection?¡±

    ¡°I can also see why you need the help.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai shot Kyle a wolfish smile.  ¡°Yes!  A deal¡¯s a deal, Kyle.¡±

 Chapter 197

    The creature moved quickly, powerful limbs and sharp claws allowing it to use the stones to change direction in mere moments.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a small map, highlighting its location as it circled around.  It was moving to an angle where it could approach Ma¡¯Sai directly, though his insects were forming into a defensive pattern around him.

    Kyle saw 6 of the creatures, half of the total stock the aspiring Deckmaster said he had available.  The figure on Kyle¡¯s minimap dashed toward Ma¡¯Sai, and Kyle dove to interpose himself once more.  The defensive formation of summoned creatures moved to intercept, engaging the beast before Kyle could.

    The insects were potent for E Grade creatures, but simply lacked the durability to deal with the strange feline.  Two were ripped apart almost immediately by the beast¡¯s claws, while another was snapped up in its mouth.  Kyle felt the mana disperse into the air with each kill, which surprised him.  Why doesn¡¯t it go back to the cards?  A hiss snapped Kyle back to the present as the remaining insects were wiped out.

    Ma¡¯Sai dove backward, unleashing a volley of glowing blue darts.  The other insects were destroyed just as the arcane blasts struck the beast, leaving nasty burns on its pale skin.  Kyle was closer now, and without many better ideas he jumped for the creature as Ignition spurred him forward.  It growled as it swiped at him, then suddenly lunged at his left arm, attempting to take him down to the ground.

    Bite force that could turn stone to powder clamped down on him, followed by the sound of cracking bone as its teeth shattered.  The beast roared as it tried to pull its head back, its own blood and bone in its mouth.  Kyle couldn¡¯t hide the ferocious grin from his face as he grabbed the retreating creature, a wave of Healing Impetus mending the shallow puncture wounds in his arm as though he¡¯d never been bitten.

    Through his grip, Kyle could tell the pale flesh was actually covered in a very fine layer of needle-like fur, though it wasn¡¯t strong enough to pierce his skin.  The monster thrashed about again, managing to throw Kyle loose despite his enhanced Strength.  Kyle felt mana flowing through the air, and instinctively activated Identify.  His eyes widened as he saw a circular series of runes inscribed on the creature¡¯s forehead, cast in the same blue as the arcane darts Ma¡¯Sai cast.

    More runes were forming, and Kyle felt the ambient mana shift further, power condensing on Ma¡¯Sai and the silver card held in his hand.  The creature lunged for him again, and once more Kyle interposed himself.  With Identify active, he saw the runes beginning to expand across the beast¡¯s neck and shoulders.

    It changed tactics, leaping to one of the stalactites and climbing higher to the cavern¡¯s ceiling.  It reactivated its shrouding skill, though Kyle could see right through it with Identify.  It leapt into the air, the skin flaps catching the air like an oversized flying squirrel.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IT¡¯S ATTACKING.]

    Kyle barely had time to react as Ma¡¯Sai cried out, blood flowing freely from the left side of his face.  Kyle extended a tendril of Parasitic Resonance to the young man, Healing Impetus washing through the connection as soon as it established.  ¡°What did it use to attack?¡±

    [IT USED ITS FUR, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle was directly in front of Ma¡¯Sai by now, and raised his arms to better cover him from the beast.  ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Ma¡¯Sai panted.  ¡°Just took me by surprise.¡±

    Kyle saw the runes continuing to grow across the creature¡¯s flesh as it glided across the cavern, unleashing another volley of needle-like fur.  Kyle raised his left forearm to cover his eyes, feeling dozens of light impacts as the squall of needles bounced off his armor and skin.  It¡¯s like a weaker version of the Shadow, Kyle realized.

    The beast¡¯s stealth abilities were an inferior version of the invisibility the giant spider exhibited.  The bite force was superior, though it lacked the brutal necrotic venom.  Instead of toxic daggers, it shot sharp fur.  Kyle couldn¡¯t see Skippy or Duroc struggling against beasts like these, and fierce pride bubbled in his chest as he recognized that he could count himself among them.

    A loud hiss filled the cavern, followed by the crack of stone as the monster again leapt towards Ma¡¯Sai, jumping off a stalactite.  Kyle could see the runes around the beast, and felt a surge of power behind him as the card drew in mana.  The Deckmaster dodged the attack with grace, and Kyle repositioned just in time to intercept a claw swipe.

    Kyle¡¯s clothing tore, revealing his gray-veined skin.  It hissed once more, and the air around it began to shimmer.  Auric Perception felt a spike in its energy, and Kyle prepared himself.  It activated some type of boosting skill, and from the feeling it wasn¡¯t a weak one.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Just as its muscles tensed, blue light exploded out from it.  With Identify active, Kyle could see the beast¡¯s mana contort and compress as bonds of ethereal blue twisted around it.  He looked on in fascination as it struggled against the binding, finding itself unable to make any headway.  A moment later, the mana was torn out, flying through the air and into the silver card in Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s hand.

    The card glowed a brilliant blue for a moment, before fading back to a dull silver.  As it did, the creature¡¯s body fell lifeless to the ground.  Kyle grinned, and was about to ask about the beast when Ma¡¯Sai coughed up blood, slumping to the ground.  Kyle¡¯s smile vanished instantly as he stepped over to the younger man.

    ¡°Where did it get you?  C.H.A.D.D., give me a projection.  I need to know what we¡¯re working with.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai offered a weak smile as he raised his hands, palms out.  ¡°I¡¯m fine, truly.  This is simply the backlash from using the containment skill.  It requires me to superimpose aspects of my own core on that of the creature, which always has consequences.  I¡¯ll be fine soon, though if you wouldn¡¯t mind¡­¡±

    Kyle already activated Healing Impetus, as C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scan pulled up modest internal damage.  The wave of rejuvenating energy was up to the task, and Kyle was excited to see the recovery effects magnified by the motes of restorative power his first application left behind.

    Satisfied Ma¡¯Sai was alright, Kyle stood and looked about the cavern.  The last thing they needed right now was an ambush.  ¡°Are you able to move?¡± Kyle asked, watching Ma¡¯Sai get to his feet.  ¡°We should probably get you back to Torrel to rest, healing that quickly can take it out of you.¡±

    ¡°A wise idea.  We can come back out to hunt tomorrow.¡±

    They walked in silence for a little while, until Kyle¡¯s curiosity got the best of him.  ¡°So, I noticed you only summoned a few of the insects at a time.  Is there a limit to how many you can bring out at once?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.  I could summon everything at once if I needed to, though it would be unwise to do so.¡±

    ¡°Too much mana?¡± Kyle guessed.

    ¡°It takes very little to summon from the cards, the trouble comes from recharging them.¡±  Ma¡¯Sai held aloft one of the brass cards that contained the insect.  Kyle could see it was beginning to glow again, though it was still faint.  ¡°It takes me nearly 30 minutes to recharge an E Grade card.  Over 9 hours to recharge a D Grade.¡±

    Kyle nodded, pieces coming together in his head.  It made sense that Ma¡¯Sai wasn¡¯t able to use the card monsters back-to-back.  The low up-front cost would provide a spike in combat power early.  That advantage would turn sour when he no longer had the resources to bring his summons to bear.  A stringent inheritance for sure.  This also meant that somebody specializing in survival, like Kyle, was likely one of the worst possible matches against a Deckmaster.  Kyle excelled at long, protracted engagements, growing progressively more powerful as he fought.  It was valuable insight, even though Kyle hoped his days of squaring off against other awakened people were behind him.

    They turned a corner, stepping out of the tunnel and back onto the main road that had been excavated.  Kyle could see the glow of the barricade down the path a couple kilometers away.  Ma¡¯Sai was clearly exhausted, and Kyle was glad that he¡¯d get a chance to rest soon.  They had only taken a few steps before the hair on the back of Kyle¡¯s neck stood up.  Auric Perception felt something in the cavern, and a moment later C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning.

    Volleys of needle-like fur peppered them from the darkness.  Too many.   Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate as Storm Shelter sprang to life, covering Ma¡¯Sai from the angles he couldn¡¯t cover with his own body.  The young man¡¯s eyes were wide as he took in the surroundings.  C.H.A.D.D. was highlighting 6 feline shapes in the dim light, the space around all of them shimmering and shaking.

    Kyle let out a slow exhale as Ignition began to burn inside him, the glow of his crimson aura dancing with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s amber light.  He turned to Ma¡¯Sai, still protected by Storm Shelter.  ¡°Do you have any summons that can cover you while you get back to safety?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai looked up incredulously.  ¡°I can still fight.¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°I¡¯m not arguing that fact, but you said yourself that these things are a bad match for you.  I need you to trust that I¡¯m a bad match for them.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s lips pressed into a line.  It was clear he wanted to say more, but a glance down the tunnel toward the barricade seemed to help him set his decision.  ¡°Buy me time to make it to safety.  I¡¯ll pay a one-time contract price of 50,000 credits.  This is not a suicide mission; I expect you to return in order to collect.¡±

    Kyle grinned.  ¡°I accept.  And after all, a deal¡¯s a deal.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai didn¡¯t respond as he drew one of his silver cards.  A massive green form appearing inside the barrier.  Kyle dropped Storm Shelter as the beast continued to grow, looking like a bizarre mix between a crocodile and a bear.  Thick scales covered its back, and large clawed limbs wrapped around Ma¡¯Sai before it lumbered down the tunnel.

    The beasts moved to attack the moment Storm Shelter dissipated, 4 angling toward Kyle while the remaining 2 pursued Ma¡¯Sai.  Kyle extended the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance toward the oncoming creatures as he took a stabilizing breath.  He had to fight the instinct to run right after Ma¡¯ Sai, instead trusting the young man and his summons.

    Fangs and claws ripped at Kyle as he defended his vitals and C.H.A.D.D., allowing the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance to deeply penetrate their mana pathways.  A moment later he was on the ground, unable to bear the cumulative weight of the beasts.  Still, he let his mana invade the creatures.  Then, in a single effort of will, Kyle pulled.  The mana of all 4 was ripped out, their bodies falling lifeless.

    He shoved the bodies off him as he turned down the tunnel, just in time to see a pillar of flame engulf one of Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s pursuers.  A loud crack of thunder roared through the tunnel as the final surviving beast fell, a bullet wound piercing its skull.  Kyle wanted to smile, but the pain coursing through him made it come out as more of a grimace.  The quality of the energy he¡¯d drawn from the monsters was high, and it only took 4 of them for his core to make a decision.  It was hungry once again.

 Chapter 198

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± Ma¡¯Sai said, wide eyes focused on the 4 corpses Kyle stacked outside the battlement.  ¡°I saw as they jumped on you, they were alive.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°They were.  And now they¡¯re not.  Are you going to let me in?¡±

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. stood outside the fortification, Kyle having taken the time to let the stirring in his core settle back down.  He didn¡¯t think Ma¡¯Sai would be able to notice anything, but it was worth it to him to keep some things hidden.  One thing was certain; Kyle still wanted that 10,000 credit bounty on top of continuing to fill his core.

    ¡°Styxlions don¡¯t just die, Kyle.  You did something to them, and I want to know what it was.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m a bad match for them.¡±

    ¡°The young master asked you a question!  You will answer with the respect he is due!¡± Go¡¯Wree roared.

    The hulking man¡¯s rifle wasn¡¯t pointed at Kyle, but it wasn¡¯t far off.

    Kyle met his eyes, allowing the burning red light of Ignition to illuminate the cavern.  ¡°I have a skill that gives me an edge in situations like this.  Nothing more, nothing less.¡±  The last thing Kyle wanted to do was explain all the details of Parasitic Resonance to them, and he hoped the explanation would suffice.

    Ma¡¯Sai opened his mouth as if to respond, but Go¡¯Wree spoke before he had the chance.  ¡°And could this skill be used against the young master?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kyle said flatly.  ¡°You hired a D Grade Courier.  You hired somebody who could survive a D Grade storm while carrying a pack full of fragile equipment.  People like me aren¡¯t harmless.  We can¡¯t afford to be.¡±

    Veins bulged on Go¡¯Wree¡¯s forehead, and Kyle was ready to move.  The whole confrontation with the large man felt so unnecessary, but he wasn¡¯t going to kowtow to paranoia.  Fortunately, Ma¡¯Sai stepped in, placing a hand on Go¡¯Wree¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Mr. Mayhew is correct; we knew who we were hiring.  At least, we thought we did.  Come, you¡¯ve earned your rest.¡±

    The large man seemed to relax, just slightly.  The gate opened, and Kyle walked through, hoisting the bodies of the styxlions as he went.  He didn¡¯t break eye contact with Go¡¯Wree, who offered a scowl in return.  Kyle suppressed the rising heat in his chest.  There¡¯s no reason to escalate things.  Keep calm.

    A car was waiting for Ma¡¯Sai and Kyle on the other end of the battlement.  They traveled in silence down the dark tunnel, until the sight of the battlement was long gone.  Ma¡¯Sai ran a hand through his hair as he sighed.  ¡°This hunt could have gone much better.  I apologize for Go¡¯Wree¡¯s¡­ enthusiasm.  He takes my safety very seriously, and today it nearly led to unnecessary conflict.¡±

    Kyle simply nodded.  ¡°It did.  Is there going to be a problem with me going out to explore the tunnels?  I¡¯m here to do a job, not to antagonize your security forces.  At the same time, I¡¯m not going to say no to earning some extra credits.¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.  I¡¯ll see to it that the guards are instructed to let you come and go freely.  Before that, however, you owe me one more for my collection.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°How soon are you going to be ready to go back out?  By my count you have 3 D Grade cards to charge, not to mention getting your injuries looked over.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly injured at all, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me your people aren¡¯t going to accept that as an excuse.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai groaned.  ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that.  Give me 2, maybe 3 days.  I¡¯ll be ready.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°That works.  I plan on heading back out tomorrow, but I¡¯ll meet you in 3 days¡¯ time for another outing.¡±

    ¡°So long as you¡¯re fit to help me acquire another of the styxlions, I have no complaints.  I¡¯ll have word sent to the battlements now.¡±

    The two said their goodbyes, and soon Kyle was closing the door to his temporary home.  [DR. MAYHEW, DID -]

    ¡°Just a minute, C.H.A.D.D.  Help me check to make sure that we¡¯re not being watched.¡±

    The drone obliged, scanning the estate as Kyle focused on Auric Perception, looking for any traces of mana leaving the home.  After a few minutes, Kyle was satisfied.  ¡°Alright buddy, go ahead.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    [AM I CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT YOU EXPERIENCED THE SAME PHENOMENON FROM YOUR PRACTICUM?]

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kyle said simply.  ¡°And this time we¡¯re going to get paid to explore it further.  In the same vein, what do you think about the sealing techniques Ma¡¯Sai used?  Anything you can apply?¡±

    [I BELIEVE SO, PARTICULARLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES I¡¯VE GLEANED FROM THE ORB.]

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    [I¡¯D PREFER TO EXPERIMENT MORE BEFORE COMMITTING, BUT I BELIEVE THE WORLD TREE SEED CAN PROVIDE A FOUNDATION TO ¡®SEAL¡¯ QUITE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FLORA.  THEORETICALLY, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GROW PLANT LIFE FROM SEEDS, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO SUMMON IT DIRECTLY.]

    Kyle hadn¡¯t considered an application like that before, and it was certainly interesting.  If C.H.A.D.D. was able to make use of the World Tree Seed in that way, it opened up a variety of avenues that they¡¯d be able to use in a pinch.  ¡°What do you need from me to test?¡±

    [MANA, MOSTLY.  I KNOW YOU¡¯VE INFUSED QUITE A BIT INTO THE WORLD TREE SEED, BUT FOR THIS TO WORK, I¡¯LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE AND DIRECT THE ENERGY.]

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve got it.  When do you think you¡¯ll be ready to start testing?¡±

    [WHENEVER WE FIND A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO PRACTICE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    Jarberry zipped through the air outside the Collective Institute for Independent Licensure, unseen by everybody milling below him.  Details were getting finalized for his next job, and he had a few items left on his to-do list before stepping away.  She should be leaving any minute now¡­ there.

    An invisible grin crossed his face as he spotted his quarry, a skrell woman leaving the compound for the day.  Even better, she was leaving alone.  His scouting showed that she occasionally went out for a meal with her colleagues, delaying his plans until she was done.  Even when working the long game, Jarberry preferred saving time whenever he could.

    He zipped down, floating a meter above and behind her.  3 different skills activated as Jarberry analyzed the area around the woman as she walked, checking for tracking marks, eavesdroppers, and other annoying effects.  His grin grew fiercer as he spotted an innocuous sigil, invisible even to most C Grades.  The rune work looked to be Velgian in origin, intended to activate when a specific set of conditions were fulfilled.

    He wasn¡¯t sure what the conditions would be, though he suspected their trigger would be related to Kyle.  Not bad at all.  His fingers moved as invisible tendrils of mana twisted and turned, connecting to the sigil.  Jarberry could simply dispel the mark, however there was a chance that whoever placed it would be notified if that happened.  Even if most of the heat was off Kyle at this point, there was no reason to take risks.

    His brow furrowed as his skill worked, making subtle alterations.  Moments later, he finished his edits, regarding his handiwork.  The rune was still in place, though now it would only activate in response to the presence of a sea snail greater than 10 meters in length.  A fine alteration, if he said so himself.

    Satisfied with his work, he cast an isolation field around the woman.  One could never be too careful when it came to eavesdroppers, after all.  ¡°You¡¯re Suierrillax, right?  Don¡¯t look around, keep walking.¡±

    To her credit, the skrell woman handled the surprise well.  She continued to walk, barely missing a step.  He could see her subtly trying to get a view of him, and respected the effort.  ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me, you won¡¯t have much luck.  And relax a bit, I¡¯m not here to hurt you.  I¡¯m here to talk about a mutual friend of ours, and offer you an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±  Her voice was terse, body language betraying signs of her discomfort.  Jarberry could see a tension in the muscles in her neck and shoulders, hands clenched into fists.

    ¡°I told you, relax.  Records show me you were observing a colleague of mine during his practicum, Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to discuss the results of any of our applicants.¡±

    ¡°Sure you¡¯re not.  Just like you¡¯re not allowed to steal somebody else¡¯s nav bracelet to send them a warning about their Practicum.¡±

    At that, Suierrillax stopped walking.  ¡°If you know about that, I assume that you¡¯re here to administer punishment.¡±

    ¡°Nah, not at all.  It was good work, and I doubt anybody other than me noticed.  At least until they really start digging.  Also, keep walking.  I¡¯m blocking the sound, but it looks awful strange for you to stop in the middle of the sidewalk.¡±

    Suierrillax frowned as she resumed her stride.  ¡°You¡¯re not with the Institute?¡±

    ¡°Nope.  Like I said, I¡¯m a colleague of Kyle¡¯s.  And I gotta say, you impressed me.  You know as well as I do that he bit off a little more than he could chew during his Practicum, and now there¡¯s damage control to take care of.  From what it seems like, you¡¯re somebody who could help with that.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying you should come work for us.  Frankly, your talents are wasted at the Institute.  You¡¯ve got a great eye for detail, and you know how things work in the Hub.  Something Mayhew will need if he wants to have a chance at getting his feet under him.¡±

    ¡°This is an awful lot of trouble to go through for a brand-new hire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m protecting an investment.  Nothing more, nothing less.  I¡¯m going to have details sent to you through a secure channel, but if I was in your shoes I¡¯d take the offer seriously.  It¡¯s as much an opportunity for you as it is for him.¡±

    Suierrillax let out a breath.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on it.¡±

    Jarberry smiled as he flew away.  She tried to hide it, but he knew she was interested.  He had already prepared the message, and planned to send it later in the day.  He didn¡¯t want to come across as too eager, even if time was of the essence.  Speaking of¡­ Jarberry checked his nav bracelet, and let out a soft groan.  Ma¡¯Rin just arrived at the hub, and asked to meet him for a private meal.  Unfortunately, this was one obligation he couldn¡¯t ignore.  He sent a response that he¡¯d be at the restaurant shortly, and took off toward the designated meeting place.  Never enough time.

 Chapter 199

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you to keep me waiting, Jarberry.¡±

    The voice was soft, but carried unmistakeable power and authority. Ma¡¯Rin wore a stylish black suit, with a colorful floral robe draped around his shoulders. Silver hair and beard were trimmed close, contrasting with the man¡¯s sharp golden eyes. He sat with his legs crossed at the head of a pitch-black table, an empty setting directly in front of him.

    Despite being cloaked, the old man¡¯s gaze was fixed on Jarberry¡¯s exact position. Ma¡¯rin¡¯s Perception skill was one of the few Jarberry had encountered that could see through his stealth, even among B Grades. With a sigh, he deactivated his skill, offering a shallow bow before approaching.

    ¡°Things have gotten a little hectic lately. I appreciate the patience.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for an apology, old friend.¡± Ma¡¯Rin¡¯s expression softened, smile lines deepening on the sides of his eyes. ¡°Come, sit. It¡¯s been too long.¡±

    ¡°That it has,¡± Jarberry said. The imp floated up to the large table, hovering before a place setting opposite Ma¡¯Rin. As soon as he stopped moving, the plate in front of him was filled with piles of steaming food. Jarberry could make out the faintly glowing runes that ran along the plate¡¯s rim, and he raised an eyebrow at Ma¡¯Rin.

    ¡°That¡¯s a little excessive, don¡¯t you think? Spatially storing your own food when we¡¯re at a restaurant?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of being in B Grade, if not for the small indulgences?¡±

    ¡°If you insist, I¡¯d hate to be rude.¡± Jarberry already held an impressive pile of meat on his fork, which he promptly shoved into his mouth. The food was delicious, of course, and more kept filling his plate with each bite he took.

    Ma¡¯Rin was far more refined in his dining, though the steaming meats and vegetables disappeared nearly as quickly off the old man¡¯s plate as they did from Jarberry¡¯s. They ate in amicable silence until they were full, with Ma¡¯Rin pulling a bottle out of thin air as the plates disappeared. Two glasses were poured, and Jarberry felt the sharp gaze of the B Grade on him as he swirled his wine. ¡°I hear things have been quite eventful at the Hub since I last visited.¡±

    ¡°Eventful is probably an overstatement,¡± Jarberry said. ¡°Alabaster Court got a little worked up, though the dust is settling nicely. The next batch of Practicum applicants start soon, and their brat is still the talk of the town.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And here I thought that there was still a great deal of scrutiny on your little monster.¡±

    Jarberry froze mid-sip, and tried not to spill his wine. ¡°I think whatever you heard is wildly overexaggerated,¡± he finally said. ¡°I just hope Mayhew has proven himself at least a little helpful while you¡¯re getting your teleportation network up and running.¡±

    Ma¡¯Rin snorted. ¡°The brat has cost me over a million credits so far, and if my reports are correct, he¡¯s not done yet. He may turn out to be the most expensive courier Ma Enterprises ever hired.¡±

    Jarberry¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°He cost you what? The contract¡¯s terms were clear, it should have been less than a quarter million total.¡±

    ¡°That was before my buffoon of a nephew struck a deal with him to do some extermination work. All outside the scope of the original contract, of course. He underestimated just how efficient your prot¨¦g¨¦ would be, I think.¡±

    ¡°If you feel that Mayhew has taken advantage of your family, I¡¯m sure you and I can work something out.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Ma¡¯Rin said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s a good lesson for little Sai, and he¡¯ll have to handle the accounting on his side. But let¡¯s not pretend that the young man is normal. You clearly see potential in him, and from the reports I¡¯ve read I¡¯m inclined to agree.¡±

    Ma¡¯Rin leaned forward, steepling his hands. ¡°Tell me, Jarberry. Do you really think he¡¯ll be able to help you, where so many others haven¡¯t?¡±

    Jarberry sighed, setting down his wine glass. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot, but if he can avoid dying until he gets to C Grade he¡¯s the best bet I have.¡±

    ¡°Then for your sake, my friend, I hope he makes it. If the rumors that reached me are true, I believe his trials have only just begun.¡±

    Jarberry nodded, a somber expression on his face. ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. Still, I think it¡¯s important for him to show that he can protect himself. It¡¯s worth the gamble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too late for me to warn little Sai, you know.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it, I really do. But we both know that he wouldn¡¯t learn the lesson he needs if you did.¡±

    Ma¡¯Rin nodded. ¡°Just so. Then let us hope he is up to the task. At the least, I can help cover the fallout. Regardless of the outcome.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s more than I could ask.¡±

    A sly smile played over Ma¡¯Rin¡¯s face. ¡°Then consider another of my favors paid, old friend.¡±

    ~~~

    [IT¡¯S GETTING AWAY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I can see that, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle growled. ¡°Keep highlighting which tunnel it¡¯s using and I¡¯ll catch up.¡±

    A crimson glow lit up the cavern, competing with the orange light that suffused it. The styxlion was speeding down a smaller tunnel, using its boosting skill to expedite its retreat. Kyle swore as he weaved through stalagmites and pillars in the narrow tunnel, unfamiliarity with the terrain slowing his pursuit.

    Unfortunately for the beast, however, there was no overcoming the gap in their attributes. With Ignition active, Kyle gained ground. Slowly, inexorably, he ate away at the distance between them. The occasional volley of needle-like fur was shot toward him, though it wasn¡¯t enough to puncture his skin.

    Finally, seeming to realize it couldn¡¯t escape, the styxlion turned and lunged at Kyle. He raised his left arm to block, even as Parasitic Resonance took hold. Fangs dug at his arm while claws scrabbled against his chest. A moment later, the beast fell to the ground, unmoving.

    Kyle sighed as he activated Healing Impetus, the minor wounds on his body sealing in mere moments. The whole hunt left a sour taste in Kyle¡¯s mouth, and at this point he was ready to be done with it. Even early on, it struck Kyle as odd that the creatures seemed hesitant to attack him. As he began his extermination, that behavior became more pronounced.

    Kyle had been hunting them for nearly a full cycle, and the styxlions were now trying to avoid him like the plague. Whenever they detected his presence, they ran away. It resulted in many pursuits like the one he¡¯d just completed, and Kyle was getting tired of slaying creatures that went out of their way to avoid a conflict.

    This phenomenon turned his last hunt with Ma¡¯Sai into a complete circus, with them having to chase their quarry for the better part of a day before the Deckmaster was able to finish his seal.

    Still, he doubted the Core of the Parasitic Devourer would be thrilled about being left partially sated. He couldn¡¯t be sure, but Kyle suspected that the mysterious core had requirements it needed to fill to progress. If it didn¡¯t cross the threshold to a new Adaptive Anatomy, he theorized that it wouldn¡¯t be able to grow any further at all.

    While he wasn¡¯t sure what new benefits it would bring, Kyle didn¡¯t want to leave any advantages on the table. So, he¡¯d gone about his work. At least it¡¯s making the planet safer, he thought. The justification was dismissed as soon as it entered his mind. At the end of the day, he was finishing something he started. Over 100 styxlions had already fallen, and he knew there would only be a few more needed before his core would be filled 20%.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I¡¯M DETECTING ANOTHER ROOT SYSTEM. I¡¯D VERY MUCH LIKE TO INVESTIGATE.]

    Kyle grunted as he hoisted the body over his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯ve got it, C.H.A.D.D. Show me where it is.¡±

    The drone projected a map of the area, with a bright sphere indicating the location of the root network. [WHILE YOU WALK, DO YOU MIND IF I BORROW SOME MORE MANA? THIS PROJECT HAS BECOME MORE DEMANDING THAN EXPECTED.]

    With a thought, Kyle opened the connection with C.H.A.D.D., allowing it to draw on his mana reserves. The draw was significant, nearly as much as it took Kyle to keep Ignition active, though without the benefit of drawing in atmospheric mana to replenish his reserves. ¡°Anything else you¡¯re ready to share about your project?¡±

    [NOT AT THIS TIME, DR. MAYHEW. AND YOU¡¯RE CERTAIN THE ADDED WEIGHT ISN¡¯T AN ISSUE?]

    Kyle snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve hardly noticed. Once we get back home, we¡¯ll work on making your pack a little more spacious, though. I don¡¯t want you getting too cramped in there.¡±

    [I HAVE NEVER HAD A CRAMP, DR. MAYHEW. AS A REMINDER, I DO NOT HAVE A MUSCULAR STRUCTURE.]

    ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech, buddy.¡±

    [WELL, IT¡¯S AN INACCURATE ONE.]

    Kyle smiled as he wound through the tunnels, following C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map. Soon, he came upon a large chamber, with the root system the drone identified. This was the fourth such formation they¡¯d discovered, and C.H.A.D.D. was particularly interested in how the plants drew nourishment from the surface.

    The desolate landscape above seemed devoid of life, but from what C.H.A.D.D. could tell, these root systems somehow converted kinetic energy from the raging storms above into a form of nourishment. The root systems formed a pseudo-web just below the surface, with twisted root structures that resembled shock absorbers leading down to a singular node like the one before him.

    More conventional roots dug into the stone of the cavern below, leaving an impressive sight. Rhythmic mana pulsed through the large knot of wood, reminding Kyle of a heartbeat. White pill bugs the size of pigs crossed the network of roots, nibbling at the hardy wood. From what Kyle was able to see, the seeds of the plant were actually present in the roots, allowing the arthropods to spread the seeds deeper into the caverns.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t confirm it, but he also suspected that these bugs were the primary prey of the styxlions. The whole ecosystem deeper into the caverns was interesting, and he was looking forward to no longer being a disruption.

    [CAN I HAVE THIS ONE, DR. MAYHEW?]

    Kyle sighed. At least one of them was looking forward to not being a disruption. ¡°I told you, C.H.A.D.D., you can¡¯t take all of its information. If you can be satisfied with drawing only a little mana, I¡¯ll help.¡±

    [IS 80% CONSIDERED A LITTLE, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°You can take 20%. No more.¡±

    [I COULD GROW THE SEEDS MORE EFFECTIVELY IF I TOOK MORE.]

    ¡°I think you¡¯re doing just fine with what we¡¯ve got.¡±

    [FINE. 20% IT IS.]

    Kyle extended a tendril of Parasitic Resonance toward the thrumming heart of the plant. True to its word, C.H.A.D.D. only drew 20% of the total mana from the plant. It was still a marvel to Kyle that the drone was able to contain so much energy, though he suspected a good amount of it was being fed to the world tree seed.

    The year he¡¯d been able to spend gently influencing it with Parasitic Resonance had helped a lot, but Kyle was still very much in the dark compared to his drone companion. C.H.A.D.D. invested an incredible amount of time and energy trying to uncover the seed¡¯s secrets, something its class helped with significantly.

    C.H.A.D.D. spent about an hour scanning the root system, while Kyle thought about his next steps. The teleportation network would be up and running in a little over a week, which left him plenty of time to hunt his final styxlions. Ma¡¯Sai was planning a celebratory dinner the night the project was done, and Kyle was looking forward to a relaxing few days before returning home. About time things settled down.

 Chapter 200

    [I DETECT ANOTHER STYXLION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. were nearly back to the battlement when the drone made its announcement.  Kyle reflexively looked at the body slung over his shoulders.  ¡°Has it seen us?¡±

    [I DON¡¯T BELIEVE SO, DR. MAYHEW.  THOUGH IT DOES APPEAR TO BE MOVING AWAY FROM OUR LOCATION.]

    C.H.A.D.D. highlighted its position on the map, and Kyle watched as it slowly made its way through the labyrinthine tunnels.  It was heading toward an area he hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to explore, which piqued Kyle¡¯s interest.  On the other hand, he didn¡¯t want to carry the body of his first hunt through the tunnels.  Just a quick drop off, then we¡¯ll pursue.  10,000 credits was a substantial paycheck, and Kyle wasn¡¯t about to miss out on it.

    ¡°Another beast, Mayhew?  If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say you¡¯re determined to bleed every last credit out of the Ma family before you go.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, too Go¡¯Wree.  Now are you going to take the body or not?  I¡¯m about to head back out.¡±

    The gate to the battlements opened, and Kyle felt dozens of eyes trained on him.  Staffing had increased at the battlement over the past weeks, in preparation for further expansion.  Go¡¯Wree had made his displeasure with Kyle apparent, and his opinions were clearly shared by the other guards.  Kyle handed off the styxlion corpse to a waiting attendant, who looked at him with a hint of revulsion before walking away with the body.

    ¡°I¡¯m struggling to understand why we continue to pay for your luxurious accommodations, when you¡¯re spending most of your time out in the caverns.¡±

    Kyle looked at the larger man, measuring his response.  On one level, he understood that he¡¯d made some mistakes in his interactions with the Ma family.  The weeks exploring the tunnels and hunting had given him time to reflect, his paranoia having led to some unnecessary abrasiveness.

    At the same time, Kyle¡¯s presence was nothing but beneficial for the settlement.  He was paid well below Mercenary Guild rates for the exterminations, while also dealing with the roving predators far more effectively than the others would have been able to.  Had Go¡¯Wree and his teams attempted the extermination, they would have paid a steep price in blood.

    ¡°I understand you¡¯re frustrated.  I¡¯ll be out of your hair soon enough.¡±

    ¡°At least make sure you¡¯re back in time for the young master¡¯s banquet.  You¡¯re an invited guest, and failure to attend would reflect poorly on the family; particularly if you miss it to chase down a few extra credits.¡±

    Kyle ignored the jab, opting to take the high road.  ¡°Understood.  I¡¯ll be back in plenty of time.¡±

    Once he and C.H.A.D.D. were out of earshot, the drone piped up.  [I DON¡¯T THINK HE LIKES YOU VERY MUCH, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he does either, C.H.A.D.D.  All the more reason to get the hunting done and get out of here.¡±

    [THE LAST ENHANCEMENT PROVED QUITE SIGNIFICANT.  DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THIS ONE WILL DO?]

    ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m close.  If the next styxlion doesn¡¯t bring me over the edge, I¡¯m certain the one after will.¡±  In addition to taking the next step for his Core of the Parasitic Devourer, Kyle also suspected the next fight would push him to Level 65.  Hunting styxlions wasn¡¯t a particularly efficient way for him to gain levels, but slaying over 100 of the creatures had been enough to keep him progressing.

    Kyle followed C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map, moving through the tunnels in the direction they¡¯d spotted their prey.  Unfortunately, Kyle had no skill whatsoever when it came to tracking.  He would have struggled above ground, but the stony floor coupled with the dim light left him clueless.

    ¡°Are you picking it up on your scanners?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [I AM NOT, DR. MAYHEW.  HOWEVER, THE TUNNEL SYSTEM APPEARS TO NARROW AHEAD.  IT IS LIKELY THE STYXLION MOVED FURTHER IN, AND WE COULD CATCH UP.]

    Kyle weighed his options for a moment before deciding to continue onward.  They hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to map out much of the caverns in the area ahead, and part of him was wary of exploring unknown territory.  At the same time, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s ability to map out the tunnels had proven to be invaluable.  He was confident his robotic companion could keep them from getting lost, even if the hunt turned into a prolonged one.

    ¡°Do you have enough of my mana to continue with your work?¡±

    [I SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT RESERVES FOR A WHILE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Just let me know when you need me to give you some more.¡±

    Crimson light mingled with the orange as Kyle activated Ignition, dashing ahead down the tunnel ahead.  True to C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words, the tunnel narrowed as he moved deeper and deeper, until it was only a little larger than Kyle himself.  It constricted even more, and he nearly turned back before it opened on the other side.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Kyle took one step, then another before stopping, standing on the edge of a large chasm.  Orange lights danced over the abyss, easily 50 meters across.  Stalactites hung down from the ceiling, making the cavern look like the open maw of a ravenous beast.

    He could easily envision a styxlion leaping into the air, then gliding on its bat-like wings across to the other side of the chasm.  Alternatively, they could likely scrabble high enough up the wall to jump, grab a stalactite, and then glide down from there.  All solutions that Kyle lacked.

    ¡°Well, it was worth a look.  I know you¡¯re still working on your project; I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have the bandwidth to make a bridge across out of bamboo?¡±

    [A BRIDGE IS LIKELY OUT OF THE QUESTION, DR. MAYHEW.  IF YOU¡¯RE WILLING TO DRAW A VERY MODEST AMOUNT OF ENERGY FROM THE WORLD TREE SEED, HOWEVER, I SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH EXCESS CAPACITY TO REINFORCE SOME BAMBOO PITONS TO AID YOU.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±  Immediately after speaking the words, he felt a heavy draw on his mana.  It was as if he was struggling against a massive set of gates, only succeeding at opening them the barest crack.  Still, it was enough.  Golden energy began to flow through, and Kyle held out his hand as the first golden-veined shoot of bamboo was grown.

    It looked like a sword, with a sharp end glowing golden, the other side looking like a relatively normal shoot of bamboo.  It felt solid, more like he was holding metal than the fibers of a plant.  With a decisive movement, Kyle struck the side of the cavern wall with the glowing golden end.  It pierced the stone with virtually no effort, and he could hear the gentle sounds of the plant taking root deep in the stone.

    C.H.A.D.D. soon produced another, and Kyle took a tentative step onto the first before affixing the second.  The bamboo didn¡¯t even flex under his weight, and soon Kyle had a small walkway set into the side of the cave.  Kyle set his final piton, then jumped to the cave floor on the other side.  A quick activation of Ignition kept his mana reserves fairly well topped off, but mentally he was wearing thin.  The strain from manipulating the world tree seed was immense, even for small projects like this.

    Even so, Kyle was getting more and more excited about the prospects it presented.  Working alongside C.H.A.D.D., they could create some incredible effects.  Kyle could envision both offensive and defensive applications, offering more flexibility inside and outside of combat situations.  Of course, he¡¯d need to get a lot more powerful before he could fully make use of the seed.

    ¡°Do you see the styxlion anywhere?¡±  Kyle asked, a headache beginning to throb behind his eyes.

    [I BELIEVE I DETECTED IT AT THE EDGE OF MY RANGE, THOUGH IT DIDN¡¯T STAY IN LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO CONFIRM.]

    Kyle looked at the extensive network of tunnels, and the mark C.H.A.D.D. left to signify the location.  With a sigh, Kyle activated Ignition again, and resumed his pursuit.  He passed the remains of several of the pill bugs, and soon the styxlion was back on the map.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THERE ARE TWO MORE OF THE ROOT SYSTEMS IN THE AREA.  I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE STOPPING AT THEM ON THE WAY BACK.]

    ¡°We can do that,¡± Kyle said, eyes fixed on the map as he leapt over stalagmites and through the tunnels.  The styxlion seemed to notice his presence once he drew within a couple hundred meters, and the chase was on.  As with the one he¡¯d hunted before, the difference in raw attributes with Ignition active proved to be a gulf it couldn¡¯t cross.  Kyle¡¯s pursuit took the better part of an hour, but soon he got within range, allowing Parasitic Resonance to do its work.

    He felt the core cross its threshold, and immediately afterward felt his entire body begin to itch.  Kyle gritted his teeth against the sensation, which only intensified as the moments wore on.  As it was growing unbearable, Kyle was hit with a bout of vertigo.  What the hell?  The space around him felt wobbly, and coupled with the incessant itching it was growing to be too much.

    Kyle placed a hand against the cool stone as he slumped to the ground, trying to get his bearings.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., something feels very wrong.  What can you tell me?¡±

    [A CURSORY SCAN INDICATES HIGHLY ELEVATED NERVE ACTIVITY, WITH RECEPTORS SPREADING ACROSS YOUR BODY.  IT ALSO APPEARS THAT YOUR BRAIN FUNCTION IS ELEVATED.]

    ¡°What¡¯s causing it?¡±

    [LIKELY THE NEW MECHANOSENSORY HAIRS ACROSS YOUR BODY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The what?  Kyle looked down at his arm, rolling up the sleeve.  Sure enough, he could barely make out short, almost barb-like hairs sticking out of his arm.  He reached out with his left hand to touch one, and his headache grew as he felt the air around his body shift with the movement.  When his finger finally brushed the hair, it felt more like a small spike than normal body hair.

    ¡°And you think these ¡®hairs¡¯ are sensory receptors of some sort?¡±

    [THAT IS THE MOST CONSISTENT EXPLANATION I HAVE, YES.]

    Kyle drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to understand the foreign sensation.  Sure enough, he could feel the flow of air in the cavern, the wall behind him, and even the nearby body of the styxlion.  He wasn¡¯t sure how long he sat, breathing deeply, but as time wore on the sensation of vertigo started to recede.  Kyle was finally stable enough to enter meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 65 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 20%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 976

    ENDURANCE: 1119

    STRENGTH: 375

    DEXTERITY: 720

    WILLPOWER: 1386

    INTELLIGENCE: 1386

    PERCEPTION: 1045

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Kyle immediately split his free attributes between Willpower and Intelligence, before focusing his attention on the Synaptic Barbs change to his Adaptive Anatomy.  No impression came to his mind, though from the name alone he felt that C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s analysis was on the right track.

    Kyle was reminded of the Anticipation skill he¡¯d been offered back in E Grade, and couldn¡¯t help but feel that this change to his Adaptive Anatomy was similar.  Unlike the skill, however, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could turn this skill off.

    He stood on shaky legs, trying to process all the new information his body was taking in from the world around him.  The vertigo immediately returned as he started to move, and he settled back down on the ground.  This is going to take some getting used to.

 Chapter 201

    [DR. MAYHEW, I¡¯M BEGINNING TO GROW CONCERNED WE¡¯LL MISS THE BANQUET.]

    ¡°Just keep working on your project, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle growled. The sensory overload was bearable when he sat still, but grew progressively more challenging the more he moved. It had been 3 days since he acquired the Synaptic Barbs upgrade, and his progress back toward Torrel was glacial.

    Kyle had no doubt the skill would prove useful, even though the timing of the upgrade couldn¡¯t have been more unfortunate. It didn¡¯t exactly offer an entirely new sense, though the degree to which it magnified his feeling of the world around him was massive. Kyle estimated that he could perceive the flow of air nearly 15 meters around him.

    He was already dreading his return to the Hub, imagining the sensory overload he had waiting for him. Even the near-emptiness of the caverns was a lot to handle. Of course, he hadn¡¯t been offered the opportunity to just sit in peace to process. C.H.A.D.D. was willing to wait just over a day before beginning an incessant stream of suggestions; asking Kyle to continue his progress toward the other root systems.

    They had just left the second, and C.H.A.D.D. was greedily drinking in Kyle¡¯s mana while he walked. Once the drone was done, Kyle was feeling up to using Ignition for a while to make up ground. He¡¯d tested it a few times, and while the migraine was brutal, he could manage. Adaptive Regeneration was already hard at work repairing and enhancing his nerve ganglia, and he hoped that a few more weeks of practice would get him acclimated.

    ¡°Any chance you can turn the lights down, just a little bit?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW. I WOULD SUGGEST YOU TRY NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR FOOTING, HOWEVER.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be much of an issue anymore, buddy.¡±

    Kyle meant it, too. There was still a lot to learn about the new sense he¡¯d discovered, but he could already make out the physical obstacles around him as though they were in plain daylight. Other than a couple of curious pill bugs, Kyle hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to track other moving creatures, but he hoped it would be just as easy.

    Once he adapted to the new sensations provided by Synaptic Barbs, Kyle expected that his reaction speed would be boosted to ridiculous levels. It was as close to a direct combat enhancement as Kyle could hope for, and he was eager to get a chance to test it out.

    They had to make the difficult decision not to bring the final styxlion corpse along, as Kyle was concerned it could hamper his understanding of the new abilities if he was carrying the body around the whole time. Already he could feel small pockets of ¡°static¡± where his clothing and the C.H.A.D.D.pack blocked some of his barbs. He could certainly survive without another 10,000 credits, though part of him stung at leaving money on the table.

    ¡°So, are you willing to share what you¡¯ve been working on?¡±

    [THE RESULTS ARE STILL PRELIMINARY; HOWEVER, THEY ARE PROMISING. I¡¯VE MANAGED TO COMPLETE INSCRIPTIONS ON ROUGHLY 3 KILOMETERS OF VINES, WHICH ARE THEN BEING SEALED INSIDE THE WORLD TREE SEED.]

    ¡°Wait, 3 kilometers? C.H.A.D.D., isn¡¯t that a little excessive?¡±

    [I WILL NEED TO INSCRIBE FAR MORE THAN THAT, DR. MAYHEW. EARLY ESTIMATES INDICATE 350,000 KILOMETERS TO 400,000 KILOMETERS AS THE FINAL NUMBER. THAT¡¯S ASSUMING WE DON¡¯T COME ACROSS ANY NEW INSIGHTS, OF COURSE.]

    Kyle¡¯s head was reeling just trying to take in the sheer numbers. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s estimates meant the vine could have literally reached the moon from Earth. ¡°What do you expect the vines to do, exactly? This is just for the inscriptions, right?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. MODELING THE INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE ORB WE RETRIEVED, IT SHOULD BE THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO SUMMON AND STORE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF INSCRIBED VINES TO PRODUCE DIFFERENT EFFECTS.]

    ¡°What kind of effects are you thinking?¡± Kyle asked.

    [FOR EXAMPLE, ONE LAYER MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE MANA-ABSORBING PROPERTIES WHEN GROWING PLANTS. ANOTHER MAY IMPOSE THE PREDATORY REACTIONS OF THE SUNDEW PLANTS. THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS ARE QUITE BROAD.]

    Broad barely describes it, Kyle thought. Kyle definitely wanted to study the orb more closely when he returned. To his recollection, it likely carried several thousand layers with individual inscriptions that could shift up and down to produce the different effects. It was ingenious to try and replicate the effect with vines, although it was prohibitive from a space perspective.

    Of course, if Kyle could figure out a method to tap into the space Between, space would be a non-issue. Unfortunately, he had no luck on that front outside of his near-death experience against the Storm. Even though it was only his consciousness that crossed in, Kyle felt strongly that there was a physical space that the seed occupied. Coupled with the vision he saw when he finished his Adaptive Anatomy, Kyle knew that there were beings like the presence that could move through it.

    Even if Kyle was a long way from being able to traverse the space, storing thousands of kilometers of inscribed vines could be a possibility. If nothing else, it would give him and C.H.A.D.D. insights into the Between. The more they could understand about the operation of the strange space, the more doors they could open. He couldn¡¯t be completely certain, but Kyle doubted that even Jarberry¡¯s stealth abilities could compete with the World Tree Seed¡¯s security simply being nestled into the strange dimension. What could a skill like Storm Shelter upgrade to, if it borrowed from these concepts? Could Identify eventually pierce through to see the things nestled Between?

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    A throb from his headache turned Kyle¡¯s attention back to the present predicament. ¡°How much farther until we reach the chasm, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [AT YOUR CURRENT PACE, ANOTHER 3 HOURS. FROM THERE, I ANTICIPATE THE BETTER PART OF A DAY UNTIL YOU¡¯RE BACK IN TORREL.]

    Kyle groaned. That would leave him almost no time before he would have to attend Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s dinner. And there was no doubt in Kyle¡¯s mind, he had to attend. While he didn¡¯t think that Go¡¯Wree and the others would go out of their way to cause physical harm, he fully expected that his reputation around the Ma family would be dragged through the dirt. They were already upset at how many credits he¡¯d cost them, leaving an insult for their young master would be a very unwise idea.

    Kyle closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he braced himself to activate Ignition. There was no additional sensory input from the skill blooming to life, which was a mercy. ¡°Let me know when we¡¯re getting close.¡± Each step Kyle took as he accelerated led to a kaleidoscope of sensation; each shift in the cavern¡¯s air detected as his body sped through it.

    C.H.A.D.D. kept its map active, though Kyle struggled to keep an eye on it with all the movement he was detecting as he ran. Fortunately, the small glances were enough, as his Sensory Barbs allowed him to navigate the bulk of the twisting tunnels without issue. As expected, the major challenge was the magnifying pain of his headache.

    Adaptive Regeneration did its best, but there wasn¡¯t physical damage to heal. Kyle simply had to get used to filtering the information as it flooded his mind. His right foot caught a small rock in his distraction, and he found himself begin to fall; only to feel his left leg move instinctively, darting forward and allowing him to catch his balance.

    Kyle knew that to be an effect of Covert Dexterity, and he marveled for a moment at the incredible synergy across the physical components of his Adaptive Anatomy. Exoskeletal Strength and Ceaseless Vitality were the two that he used the least, though each would keep him moving long after a human body would have fallen. The Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation offered survivability, while Auric Perception and Sensory Barbs offered detection that was supported by Covert Dexterity.

    Each component served to support the others, further enhanced by Instinctive Intelligence and Unbreakable Will. In some ways, one of Kyle¡¯s largest unanswered questions was how he wanted to round out his skills. He couldn¡¯t be sure if his Core of the Parasitic Devourer would accept any creature, or if it needed to have some sort of compatibility.

    Either way, one thing was certain. Kyle would need to be more careful with the targets he attacked with Parasitic Resonance moving forward, at least until his skills were rounded out. In a worst-case scenario, he would have a hodgepodge of different creatures that his core wanted, and not enough of any of them to actually break the 10% threshold he needed for an upgrade. That wasn¡¯t an outcome he could tolerate.

    Kyle felt the air around him shift, and soon he was approaching the mouth of the giant chasm. Kyle deactivated Ignition as he looked out, seeing the walkway of bamboo pitons he secured into the wall. Even now, days later, they thrummed with energy. ¡°Pretty impressive work, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [THERE ARE SEVERAL INCONSISTENCIES IN LENGTH AND DIAMETER, THOUGH I SUPPOSE I DID CREATE THEM WHILE I WAS DISTRACTED.]

    ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t think we want to leave them here. Is there any way you can absorb the energy back? Maybe seal them up if we need them again?¡±

    The drone was silent for a full minute before responding. [I BELIEVE I CAN DO THAT, DR. MAYHEW. I¡¯LL NEED YOU TO CONNECT ME TO EACH AS WE MOVE PAST IT, IF YOU¡¯RE ABLE.]

    ¡°Say no more.¡± Despite the pounding in his temples, Kyle navigated across the makeshift bridge, grabbing each bamboo spike once he¡¯d gotten past. C.H.A.D.D. drained some of the golden energy from them, and the remaining fibers fell apart in his hands. Kyle didn¡¯t question the methods, finally crossing the final step.

    [I APOLOGIZE, DR. MAYHEW. I WAS UNABLE TO SEAL THEM AS EXPECTED.]

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. What do you think happened?¡±

    [I¡¯M NOT ENTIRELY SURE. I THEORIZE THAT IT¡¯S A MATTER OF COMPATIBILITY AND POWER, THOUGH FURTHER TESTING IS REQUIRED BEFORE I SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE.]

    Kyle could detect a hint of frustration behind C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words, an unusual occurrence for the drone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, we didn¡¯t make the pitons with this idea in mind. It¡¯s a learning opportunity one way or another, right?¡±

    [I SUPPOSE YOU¡¯RE CORRECT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. spent most of the following day navigating the tunnel system back toward the checkpoint, using Ignition intermittently to accelerate his travel pace as he could. Finally, Kyle turned a corner, seeing the battlement in the distance. The booming voice that rang out told him that Go¡¯Wree spotted him, too.

    ¡°I was beginning to think you¡¯d died in those tunnels, Mayhew! And you don¡¯t even have a body to show for it. To think, you nearly missed a feast to return with empty hands.¡±

    Kyle sighed, choosing not to respond until he was closer. When he was a dozen meters away, he shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Go¡¯Wree. Any chance we can skip the pleasantries? I need to get back and clean up.¡±

    Even from the top of the battlement, he could see the larger man¡¯s nose wrinkle, a mocking smile on his face. ¡°So you do! Come, and hurry. Unless I¡¯m mistaken, your cleaning will take quite a while.¡±

    Kyle walked through the open door, noting far fewer people today. He suspected many would be working security at the banquet, though he supposed he¡¯d find out soon enough. The Sensory Barbs picked up much of the area around him, and Kyle fought to suppress a sigh of relief when the change in environment didn¡¯t lead to a lot of overload.

    A car was waiting for him, and soon he found himself walking through the doors to his residence. He was tired, but there wasn¡¯t time to rest. Kyle laid out his formal suit, tailored to fit over his armor. He looked at the dust covering the C.H.A.D.D.pack, and knew he¡¯d need time to clean it. First, however, he needed a shower.

    Kyle stepped into his bathroom, closing his eyes as warm water washed over him. It was odd, being able to feel the air around each droplet of water. It was disorienting at first, though he grew more comfortable as the minutes passed by.

    Suddenly, he felt a spike through Auric Perception. A presence was in the other room. His room. Kyle burst out of the bathroom, just in time to see a slender man grab the C.H.A.D.D.pack and sprint out of the open front door with speed that only a D Grade could possess.

 Chapter 202

    Kyle froze for a fraction of a second, taking in the sight.  There¡¯s just no way¡­  The reality of his circumstances sank in a moment later, and crimson light danced around him as Ignition activated.  He made it to his front doorway, only to be blasted directly backward by a wave of force.  Snarling, Kyle stood and dashed again, his efforts rewarded with another shockwave.

    The entry to his residence was cracked and buckling, not designed to handle attacks like the ones that struck it.  As Kyle was preparing to exit again, a sharp voice cut through the air.

    ¡°Give it up, Mayhew.  Our associate is long gone with your little weapon.  We weren¡¯t hired to fight you, and we don¡¯t want to make more of a scene than we already have.  Admit you¡¯ve lost with some grace, and everybody walks away unharmed.¡±

    Kyle snarled, Ignition still burning through his body.  Despite his roaring headache, a cold clarity was beginning to bubble up.  ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±  Kyle spat back.

    ¡°Nobody important,¡± the voice said.  ¡°Now, deactivate your boosting skill and sit in the doorway of your home.  We¡¯ll wait for a couple of minutes, and this will all be over.¡±

    Kyle closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  The air around him was swirling with dust and splintered wood, and he couldn¡¯t afford the distraction.  Instead, he focused on the impression offered by Auric Perception.  His pulse quickened when he finally filtered through the input from Sensory Barbs.  There were three presences outside the residence, each one carrying an aura potent enough to challenge him alone.

    Almost certainly mid-tier D Grade.  He should have felt concern.  His mind should have been racing to find a solution.  Instead, he got angry.  Cold fire burned in his chest as Ignition continued to flare, building up toward its equilibrium.    ¡°I think you have things a little backwards,¡± Kyle said, ice in his voice.  ¡°If your ally doesn¡¯t come back with C.H.A.D.D., they¡¯ll have three dead friends.¡±

    He could hear laughter outside the house, quieting as the voice responded.  ¡°Now that¡¯s just a shame.  Here I was thinking we could keep things civil, and you had to go and threaten us.  A mistake, to be sure.  Nergal, if you¡¯d be so kind?¡±

    Auric Perception screamed a warning as a blast of wind struck the house, the force shearing away walls and supporting structures.  Kyle was blown back, and the ruins of the house fell around him.  A year ago, that would have been an inconvenience.  Kyle shifted the rubble around him, then exploded into movement.  Judging by the loud swearing behind him, they hadn¡¯t expected Kyle to simply run away.

    His armor was still buried in the rubble of the house, but there was really nothing he could do about it.  Kyle could only use it to its fullest when C.H.A.D.D. was around, and without the drone it would offer little protection beyond what his Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation brought to the table.  He suppressed nausea as he processed the completely uninhibited input from Sensory Barbs, the amount of information truly staggering.

    Auric Perception warned him of an incoming attack, just as he felt the air behind him swirl.  On instinct, Kyle jumped to the side, just in time for an arrow to pass through the space he¡¯d been occupying.  It flew forward, exploding in a shower of sparks and flames when it struck a building 40 meters away.  He ducked as another flew over his head, and a third barely scraped his shoulder as it passed by.

    In other circumstances, Kyle would be grinning.  Even though he was a long way from mastery, the synergy between his skills was on full display.  As things stood, however, Kyle was focused on one thing: finding C.H.A.D.D.

    Fortunately, the options to escape Torrel were fairly limited.  They were either waiting for a ship to pick them up from the entrance in the storm, or they were going to try and make use of the teleporter in Pokke.  If it was as simple as getting onto a ship, his attackers would have bought enough time already.  That left the tunnel.  With far fewer styxlions and D Grades at this level, making the journey would be trivial.  The best evidence supporting his theory is that they were still following him.  He was running toward the tunnel entrance, which was opposite the direction of the surface entrance.

    Kyle felt himself gaining ground on his pursuers, right until he felt a barrier of energy appear in front of him.  He turned to the side, only to find himself hemmed in by another plate of force.  His eyes widened as a final plate appeared over his head.  He was trapped in a box of mana, and it had only taken a second.  He looked through the translucent wall of the cube, finally laying eyes on the three approaching figures.

    Two walked toward him; a red-haired woman wearing an expensive-looking set of light armor and holding a bow, while the man beside her strode forward with a broadsword slung over his massive shoulder, muscular physique and tan skin visible beneath the padded armor he wore.  The third member floated in the air above, hands clasped together and panting heavily.  The man with sword spoke, the voice Kyle heard before.

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    ¡°You¡¯re a real pain, do you know that?  We could have had a nice chat, instead you made us chase you across the whole damn city.  Iska, what do you think the payment should be for his disrespect?¡±

    The woman cocked her head as she nocking an arrow, though not aiming it at him.  ¡°An arm is probably sufficient.  Maybe a leg?  Teach him not to run from his betters.  What do you think, Nergal?  You¡¯re the one who caught him, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ just want... to go home,¡± the man in the robes puffed.  ¡°Though¡­ for what it¡¯s worth¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be smart¡­ to let him out of the cage.¡±

    Iska smirked as she looked up at Nergal.  ¡°What, you don¡¯t think Wallace and I can handle him?  I promise, we can do a little more damage than your little gust of wind.¡±

    ¡°Nergal may have a point, Iska.  Take a good look at him, something feels wrong.  Maybe it¡¯d be better to put him out of his misery.¡±  Wallace said, still wearing a relaxed smile.

    ¡°You both know that¡¯s not part of the job,¡± Nergal said, seeming to have caught his breath.  ¡°Killing him just invites trouble.¡±

    The three continued to bicker for a moment, though Kyle wasn¡¯t paying attention.  The small cage narrowed the range of his Sensory Barbs, releasing much of the auxiliary pressure he¡¯d been feeling.  Keeping Ignition burning, Kyle activated Identify.  He focused on the translucent planes of force, seeing a combination of air affinity mana shaped and given form by a skill.

    The barrier was durable, though not nearly at the level of Storm Shelter.  Furthermore, the plates of the barrier weren¡¯t fully sealed together into a cube.  It was rather like they were stuck together by virtue of tension.  This likely wouldn¡¯t have meant much to most D Grades, but Kyle¡¯s experience with Storm Shelter had taught him a lot about how to properly structure a shield like this.

    Plates of energy began to form around Kyle as the trio chatted, and Nergal was the first to notice something was wrong.  ¡°Holy ¨C he shouldn¡¯t have range to do that.  We have intel on that skill, he shouldn¡¯t have the range!¡±

    Sure enough, the plates of Storm Shelter were beginning to press against the interior of the Mage¡¯s barrier.  Kyle saw mana flowing through the floating man, and a thin trickle of blood flowed out of his nose as he struggled to hold Kyle¡¯s prison together.  Unfortunately for him, it was like trying to plug a dam with bubble gum.  For all his power, the other man was a long way behind Kyle in terms of raw Willpower, and that was before accounting for the boost offered by Ignition.

    The prison around him shattered as Storm Shelter broke through, taking its full form.  Three arrows smashed into the barrier a moment later, blocked with contemptuous ease.  Wallace let out a whistle as Nergal fell to the ground, barely landing on his feet.  ¡°The reports weren¡¯t kidding about your shield, it¡¯s impressive stuff.  I half-expected this to be courtesy of your little robot, if I¡¯m being honest.  Good to see you have some skills.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t bother responding, mind racing in overdrive.  He needed to get free of these people to pursue their companion into the tunnels, but that was easier said than done.  An arrow streaked at his head, while the ground beneath his feet exploded.  His body was peppered with shrapnel while his footing was threatened, and Kyle was barely able to duck out of the way of the arrow in time.

    He half expected to see Wallace dashing toward him, but instead he stamped his foot on the ground, releasing another explosion centered on Kyle¡¯s location.  A quick jump got Kyle out of range, though an accelerating volley of arrows kept him pinned down and prevented further progress.  Kyle got a good look at a projectile as it passed, Identify doing its work.  The arrows appeared to be mana constructs, with each one carrying a variety of different properties.

    Kyle was confident in taking a few hits head on, but the secondary properties seemed to be focused on binding and snaring, which he could ill-afford.  Kyle slammed into a rapidly-appearing wall of air, courtesy of Nergal, and barely managed to step out of the way before being captured in another cube.

    For every 2 steps Kyle was able to make toward the tunnel, he was being forced back one.  The team coordinated well, keeping the Survivalist at a reasonable distance while hampering his freedom of movement.  Kyle knew that, if he pushed, he would be able to close the distance on them and force a more direct engagement.  He also understood that if he did, he would lose even more time as C.H.A.D.D. was dragged down into the tunnels.

    A whisper in the air was all the warning Kyle got.  The barest hint of something moving unseen, and then Nergal let out a scream as a phantasmal styxlion appeared, ripping at his shoulder.  Wallace swore and turned to attack it, only for the captured beast to disengage, fading back into stealth.  Kyle felt a familiar power surge into being, moving closer with speed.

    Blood dripped down the injured man¡¯s shoulder, though with practiced movements Nergal drew a vial from a pouch on his belt, drinking the contents while Iska covered him.  Wallace held his blade up in a defensive stance, eyes wary.  Kyle tried to use the distraction to slip away, though another explosion of earth forced him back.

    Then, across all the city¡¯s communication infrastructure, Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s voice spoke.  ¡°You dare come to my city uninvited?  You dare disrupt my festival, my banquet, my celebration?  You dare to disrespect my honored guests, steal their property, and assault them?  You dare to destroy what my family has built?  Let my message be clear to you, and to any who would do such a thing again.  You will pay for your insolence with your lives.¡±

 Chapter 203

    ¡°What a mess.  How do you want to handle this, Wallace?¡± Iska asked, releasing another volley of arrows at Kyle.

    ¡°There¡¯s not much else we can do at this point.¡±  Wallace replied, stamping on the ground in an attempt to catch Kyle in an explosion.  ¡°The job included provisions to compensate for losses, they¡¯ll just have to pay a little more to cover the brat¡¯s death.  After all, it¡¯s his fault for not being strong enough to protect his own damn territory.¡±

    Kyle narrowly avoided being trapped inside another cage of force as his mind raced.  He couldn¡¯t see any worry on their faces at the thought of killing Ma¡¯Sai.  Unfortunately, Kyle didn¡¯t think their analysis was off-base.  Each of the 3 opponents he faced were more powerful than the young ruler.  If he had Go¡¯Wree, it may have been more of a fight.  As things stood, however, Kyle didn¡¯t think Ma¡¯Sai stood much of a chance.

    As if on cue, Kyle heard the droning of the phantasmal wasps, zipping through the air to surround the trio of assailants.  Arrows filled the sky a moment later as Iska peppered each of the insects, none of the creatures able to close within 20 meters.

    All the while, Kyle felt the approach of the phantom styxlions.  While Iska launched her attack, and the moment they appeared he made his move.  Wallace was able to slice one of them apart before it could attack, but the other took Iska to the ground.  Its jaws opened wide, aimed directly at the woman¡¯s throat before it was blown away by a powerful blast of wind.

    The lion landed on its feet, and Wallace was on it before it could activate its stealth skill.  At the same moment, Kyle made his move.  While Wallace was handling the styxlion, Kyle burst toward the two ranged combatants, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance extending to their maximum range.

    He heard Nergal swear, and felt a surge of mana as the Mage activated the same skill that destroyed Kyle¡¯s residence.  Storm Shelter sprang to life around him, preventing him from being blown away.  Nergal¡¯s quick activation kept Kyle just outside of Parasitic Resonance¡¯s range, and Kyle¡¯s heart fell as he saw the larger plates of force and air appear outside the boundaries of Storm Shelter.

    Nergal was breathing heavily, hands clasped together with arms outstretched as Kyle felt more layers wrap around the barrier.  I should have just run, Kyle thought.  He¡¯d hoped to at least take out Nergal and Iska, giving him an opportunity to help Ma¡¯Sai and still pursue C.H.A.D.D.  It was a foolish idea, and now he was contained.  Impotent.  Anger bubbled in his chest as Storm Shelter dissipated.  Nergal barked something to Iska, who moved to support Wallace.

    With Identify active, Kyle began to look over his prison.  He could see the constant infusion of mana from Nergal, which meant the man wasn¡¯t confident in his skill¡¯s ability to contain Kyle.  Instead, he was relying on brute force.  That meant there was still a chance.  His eyes roamed over each seam, each connection, until they finally landed on Wallace and Ma¡¯Sai.

    The young man glowed like a star in Kyle¡¯s vision, enchantments and power on full display.  His golden eyes were wide, expression focused as he danced away from Wallace¡¯s broadsword.  A dozen transparent blue swords floated around him, each bearing the same look as the other summons from his cards.  The blades intercepted a constant barrage of arrows from Iska, who was constantly retreating from the lumbering assault of the large crocodilian summon Kyle saw before.

    Each swipe of its claws ripped trenches into the ground below, though it simply wasn¡¯t fast enough to keep pace with the Archer, who kept a stream of attacks focused on Ma¡¯Sai.  To his credit, the young man fought far better than Kyle expected.  His steps were purposeful, and he didn¡¯t miss opportunities to launch a barrage of mana bolts at both Wallace and Iska, burning flesh and scorching armor wherever they hit.

    Still, it was a losing battle.  3 of the 12 swords had been broken, and the remaining blades each showed spiderweb cracks.  As impressive as they were, the constructs were ultimately E Grade skills.  They weren¡¯t designed to stand up to a prolonged D Grade engagement.  Similarly, the enchantments on his fine suit were beginning to fizzle out.  From what Identify could show, Kyle saw boosts to Dexterity and Perception weaved into the material.  When they ran out, so would Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s time.

    Of course, The master of Torrel knew that too.  He leapt over one attack from Wallace, taking an arrow  in his shoulder from Iska.  If he was bothered, he didn¡¯t show it.  Instead, his hands flashed, drawing out 2 of the silver cards.  He held them facing Wallace, who was too close to dodge.  Kyle heard Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s voice, clear as a bell above the din of battle.  ¡°Imperial Flame!¡±

    A blinding eruption of fire lashed out with a sound like a jet engine, engulfing Wallace at nearly point-blank range.  Kyle felt the temperature rise, even insulated inside his cage.  A moment later, the roaring fire abated.  A crater a meter deep and 3 across was left in the wake of the attack, with a smoldering lump of earth in the middle.

    As Kyle watched, the stone crumbled away, revealing a burned but standing Wallace in the center.  The large man was panting heavily, stumbling for a moment before regaining his footing.  Ma¡¯Sai flashed toward the man, blades arcing to carve into his opponent.  A flurry of arrows was already on the way from Iska, intercepting the attacks and shattering more of the spectral weapons.

    Ma¡¯Sai tried to backstep and change course, but Wallace was ready.  Kyle¡¯s hands pounded furiously at the barrier as he watched Ma¡¯Sai take a deep cut across his chest.  The masterfully crafted fabric of his suit blunted much of the blow, though Kyle saw the glow of the enchantments wink out after the attack.

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    Wallace swiped at the young man 3 more times, each strike destroying Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s blades.  Iska, seeming satisfied things were well in hand, turned her attention to the pursuing beast.  In moments, she turned the crocodilian creature into a pincushion, its form fading away.  Kyle looked back to see a pommel strike send Ma¡¯Sai sprawling to the ground. He retaliated with a mana bolt, which Wallace simply blocked with his free hand, barely registering the attack.  His footing stabilized as he approached the prone form of Ma¡¯Sai, and Kyle could see the contempt in his posture.

    ¡°How much will you pay me to leave you alive, brat?¡±  Wallace asked, pointing his sword.

    ¡°What an odd question, given you have just made an enemy of not only Ma Enterprises, but the Ma Family as well.  Pray tell, why do you think I would be willing to pay you anything?¡±  Ma¡¯Sai spat back.

    ¡°Because I¡¯d hoped you would be smart enough to set your pride aside and move on.  Doesn¡¯t look like that¡¯s the case though.  Have it your way.¡±

    Kyle could see the muscles in Wallace¡¯s arm tense as he prepared to move the sword, when a wave of power made all the hair on Kyle¡¯s body stand on end.  Wallace swung his weapon with purpose, but it encountered a coalescing wave of spectral energy, blocking it entirely.

    All around Ma¡¯Sai, energy condensed, and Kyle could barely make out a golden card in his right hand.  Iska fired more arrows at the young man, though none were able to cross the maelstrom of mana wrapping around him.  Kyle heard Nergal swear, though he was too transfixed by what he was watching.  This has to be it.

    Green wisps of power wove together, crackling with electricity.  As the tendrils joined, their power magnified, the color growing brighter with each passing second.  Wallace tried to flee, though it was already too late.  With a crack like thunder, everything above his hips was simply¡­ gone.  Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the form coiled around Ma¡¯Sai.  An emerald snake easily 50 meters in length surrounded the young man, its bloodstained head swaying gently in the air above them.

    Iska screamed, the sound a mix of desperation and anguish.  Deep black arrows arced towards the beast, which only served to earn her the predator¡¯s gaze.  Another sonic boom broke the air, and Iska was gone.  The creature¡¯s speed was incredible, and Kyle found himself staring in awe.  Its attacks were so fast that he couldn¡¯t register them ¨C a feat Kyle hadn¡¯t experienced in a very long time.

    The barriers around him disappeared as Nergal released his skill, instead using his levitation to fly away.  In his defense, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea.  The snake was powerful and fast, but Nergal was well outside of its striking range.  Even it if wasn¡¯t a great chance, he couldn¡¯t be blamed for thinking he had a window to escape.

    That hope was quashed.  Lightning surged through the long serpentine body as it charged its attack.  There was a single, terrible moment of stillness.  Then, the snake exhaled.  A stream of emerald lightning ripped through the air, its light outshining the glow of the city.  Nergal was caught in the heart of the beam, vaporized in an instant.  The attack continued on as though nothing happened, ripping a deep furrow into the cavern ceiling above the city.

    Kyle could hear the crash of falling stone, even as he moved to get to Ma¡¯Sai, who he could still see beyond the wall of translucent scales.  He froze once he felt the serpent¡¯s gaze rest upon him.  ¡°Can you dispel this thing?  You need healing.¡±  Kyle asked.

    Ma¡¯Sai coughed, blood staining his hand.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.  This one is still beyond me, it seems.  Go, find your drone.  My aides know to come to my side when they are able.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t control this creature?¡±

    ¡°That is what I¡¯m telling you.  It is protective of me, but I cannot direct it entirely as I wish.  Now, go.¡±  Ma¡¯Sai put more emphasis into the last word than before, and Kyle simply nodded before dashing toward the tunnel.  He could only hope that he could get to C.H.A.D.D. in time.

    ~~~

    [I MUST INSIST THAT YOU RETURN ME TO DR. MAYHEW THIS INSTANT.  YOU RUNNING AWAY SIMPLY WON¡¯T DO.]

    ¡°For the hundredth time, shut up!  If you weren¡¯t worth so many blasted credits, I¡¯d have broken you already.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, I¡¯VE ONLY ASKED 86 TIMES.  SOON TO BE 87.  WILL YOU RETURN ME NOW?]

    The man was silent, and C.H.A.D.D. considered its options.  Based on empirical evidence, it seemed highly unlikely that simply asking to be returned would be sufficient to persuade the captor.

    [YOU KNOW, DR. MAYHEW HAS CREDITS AS WELL.  PERHAPS AN ARRANGEMENT COULD BE REACHED?]

    The man winced, holding a hand to a bleeding injury on his left side.  ¡°He can¡¯t afford it.  Now, shut up.¡±

    [WHOEVER HIRED YOU TO LIKELY WANTS ME INTACT.  YOUR THREATS ARE RATHER EMPTY AS A RESULT.]

    The thief simply ran, bleeding from his left side as he moved through the tunnels.  Go¡¯Wree was able to land one good shot, and C.H.A.D.D. sincerely hoped that Dr. Mayhew would get there in time to stabilize the gruff soldier before he succumbed to his injuries.  While his bedside manner could use quite a bit of work, Go¡¯Wree reminded C.H.A.D.D. of several other doctors from its time on Earth.

    Unfortunately, those doctors were now dead.  And C.H.A.D.D. knew it faced a similar fate if it wasn¡¯t able to find a solution to neutralize the thief, or at least slow them down.  Dr. Mayhew was faster when he used his boosting skill at full power, though not by much.  The slender man carrying the drone seemed to have a class tied to speed, misdirection, and stealth.  C.H.A.D.D. was confident that Dr. Mayhew would be able to win in a direct conflict, but that was meaningless if he was unable to catch up to the thief.

    An idea formed as they turned down a familiar tunnel, one C.H.A.D.D. knew led to a chasm.  Still, there was something that needed to be confirmed before taking action.  [AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WILL NOT BE DISSUADED, AND INTEND TO SELL ME TO AN UNKNOWN ENTITY OFF-WORLD?]

    ¡°Yes, you idiot drone.  Why anybody would pay so much for such an annoying robot is beyond me.  I just hope that they scrap you when they¡¯re done with whatever they need.¡±

    [AND IT IS YOUR WISH THAT I AM DONE HARM?]

    ¡°More and more every moment,¡± the thief snarled.

    That was what C.H.A.D.D. needed.  Fortunately, Dr. Mayhew had been quite generous in his supply of mana for the World Tree Seed, and with a minor effort C.H.A.D.D. tapped into it.  The vines inside the scant space within the pack began to twist, straining against the bonds in a few key areas.  THERE WILL BE SOME DAMAGE TO THE PACK, BUT IT CAN¡¯T BE AVOIDED.  DR. MAYHEW WILL NOT BE PLEASED.

    The tunnels were silent for a moment, only to be filled with the screech of breaking metal.  And then the screams started.

 Chapter 204

    Kyle moved as quickly as he could, ignoring the confused glances from the few people he saw along the way.  His focus was singular: get to the battlement.  He could only hope that Go¡¯Wree and his team were enough to stop C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s captor.  With luck, they would have hidden between Torrel and the checkpoint, waiting for their allies to neutralize Kyle.  A gut feeling told him that wasn¡¯t the case.

    Wallace, Nergal, and Iska all seemed more than content to buy time, which wouldn¡¯t have made any sense if they weren¡¯t confident in their ally continuing to make progress.  From the little Kyle had been able to see, the person was fast.  If their movement skill was only good in quick bursts, he¡¯d have a chance.  If not¡­  Kyle dismissed the thought.  He was not going to lose C.H.A.D.D.

    The crimson glow of Ignition lit up the tunnel as he ran, fighting nausea at the overload of information provided by Sensory Barbs.  The battlement came into view, and Kyle¡¯s heart sank as he began to make out the details of the scene.  Bodies were scattered everywhere, covered in deep lacerations.  Long slash marks scored the metal structure, as if a storm of blades rained down on it.

    Identify showed a faint trace of dark affinity mana lingering in the weapon marks, though it seemed to be largely dormant.  Some sort of mana-infused blade?  Maybe a long-range weapon?  As soon as he got in range, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out, connecting to everybody he could see who was still living.  With an effort, he pushed Healing Impetus into all of them.  Mana left Kyle in a flood, as Ignition couldn¡¯t keep pace with the expenditure.

    Closing in 2 more steps, Sensory Barbs felt the presences around him, and Kyle could feel the subtle shifts in the air from shallow breathing.  He followed his instinct, pulling open a door to find two unconscious bodies.  It looked like they¡¯d tried to hide, though the deep gashes each carried told Kyle they were too late.  He paused for just a moment as he stabilized them, considering the condition of their injuries.  Kyle was behind, but not by much.

    There was one nagging thought; however.  Where is Go¡¯Wree?  The large man wasn¡¯t on the battlement, and Kyle didn¡¯t believe for a moment that he would have abandoned the post.  Kyle felt confident he checked everybody on the battlement ¨C 8 dead, and 14 stabilized.  Go¡¯Wree was not among them.  He strode to the top, feeling the mana inside the still-intact defensive formations inscribed on the gate.  Looking out, he saw a figure slumped against the tunnel wall 50 meters away.

    Kyle gritted his teeth as he vaulted over the top of the battlement.  As expected, the runes on the front lit up, releasing blasts of heat and light at Kyle.  He could feel the air ripple around the flames as they approached, and he ignored them.  Fire licked his skin, more uncomfortable than painful.  The blasts of force did succeed in propelling him farther down the tunnel, and he focused on the bleeding form of Go¡¯Wree ahead of him as he closed in.

    Storm Shelter was prepared to protect Torrel¡¯s sentinel if the attack from the battlement continued, though by the time Kyle got to Go¡¯Wree¡¯s side the bombardment was over.  Go¡¯Wree was in a wretched state.  He bled from multiple deep puncture wounds that had pierced his armor, and his left eye was destroyed by a cut that spanned the length of his face.  Kyle thought the man was dead until he heard a faint rasp of breath; felt the barest movement in his chest.

    Healing Impetus went to work, an initial ministration, a second, followed by a third.  Kyle knew the toll on Go¡¯Wree¡¯s body was going to be massive, even though he could see color visibly returning to the pallid flesh.  Go¡¯Wree¡¯s breathing eased, and Kyle turned to look down the tunnels ahead.

    ¡°Left.  He went left.¡±

    The ragged voice caused Kyle to nearly jump out of his skin, as he truly didn¡¯t believe the man he¡¯d just saved was conscious.  Kyle met his remaining eye and nodded.  ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡±I hit him..¡± Go¡¯Wree said, a wet cough following his words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself.  You¡¯re a long way from recovery, but you should be stable.  I¡¯ll be back when I can.¡±

    With that, the Survivalist turned and dashed in the direction Go¡¯Wree indicated.  Now that he knew what to look for, Kyle could see the spattered blood.  With Identify active, the trail was plain to him.  A fierce migraine was building from the layered sensations, and Kyle pushed through the pain and disorientation.  He couldn¡¯t give up; not when his goal was so close.  Kyle met the pain of each step with the certainty that he was one step closer to his friend.

    His singular focus was broken when he heard a bone-chilling scream echoing through the tunnels.  The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and his efforts redoubled.  Closer now.  Part of him had been wishing he hadn¡¯t killed so many styxlions, as their presence may have slowed down the thief.  Unless C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s captor had a deathly fear of pill bugs, it seemed there were still enough to be a threat.

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    Kyle questioned that logic as the screaming continued.  Styxlions were efficient hunters from what he¡¯d seen, and didn¡¯t hesitate to try and finish off wounded prey.  The screaming had been going on for well over a minute at this point, far longer than it should have been.  Hell, the carnage at the barricade was proof that the thief should have the means to deal with a styxlion.  Does something else live down here?

    He turned through a familiar, narrow tunnel that opened to the chasm, and his jaw dropped.  Where there had once been an empty chasm, there was now a writhing mass of thorny vines.  Some grew up and wrapped around stalactites, others seemed to bore into the stone walls of the cavern itself.  Some of the vines were slender, while others appeared as thick around as his legs.

    Kyle took in those details in a moment, and his eyes widened when he gazed upon the source of the screams.  In the heart of the wriggling mass of vines Kyle saw a figure.  It was strung up like a macabre marionette, thorned vines wrapped around its legs, arms, and head.  Wicked thorns dug into the flesh, causing rivulets of blood to drop soundlessly into the chasm below.

    The worst part, though, was the runic inscription slowly being etched across the screaming man¡¯s body.  Whatever this technique was, it was clearly built on the foundation of Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s sealing framework, though this one had some major differences.  With Identify active, Kyle could see the mana forcing changes on the man¡¯s body.  Ligaments were torn, with small vines flowing in to replace them.  Blood vessels collapsed as wood fought to take hold.

    The man¡¯s eyes were long gone, courtesy of the thorny vines, and all he could do was scream.  Kyle felt sick to his stomach.  He wanted to hate the man, did hate him, but this was too much.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out, linking to the man¡¯s mana pathways and snuffing out his life.  The screaming stopped abruptly, leaving only the quiet whisper of twisting vines in the cavern.

    Kyle took a moment to compose himself, then began to look through the mess of vines for his companion.  Neither Identify nor Auric Perception were able to detect anything resembling C.H.A.D.D. or the pack, and Kyle was beginning to worry that the drone had been cast into the chasm during its fight against the thief.  Panic gripped his heart the longer he searched, before he finally heard a faint echo from the distant tunnel.

    [IF THAT¡¯S YOU, DR. MAYHEW, I COULD USE SOME ASSISTANCE!]

    Kyle swung across the chasm, ignoring the thorns as he grabbed vine after vine.  The impression from Sensory Barbs was interesting, as if the whole network of vines was an organism unto itself.  Still, there would be time to investigate those changes later.  For now, he had pressing work to do.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m coming for you!¡±  Kyle shouted.  ¡°Keep talking, help me find you!¡±

    Orange lights appeared in the tunnel ahead, and elation bloomed as Kyle followed them, stopping as he was greeted by a truly bizarre sight.  The C.H.A.D.D.pack was cracked, with several large holes near its base where a dozen slender vines were exposed.  C.H.A.D.D. was using most of them like a spider¡¯s legs to walk, while 3 whipped ineffectually at a large white pill bug.  The intrepid arthropod, for its part, seemed to find the vines a tasty treat, munching on the slow-moving whips every time they got close.

    [THANK GOODNESS YOU¡¯RE HERE, DR. MAYHEW.  SLAY THE BEAST AT ONCE, AND WE CAN BE ON OUR WAY.]

    Kyle was hit by one of the most confusing waves of emotion he¡¯d experienced.  He simultaneously wanted to laugh, collapse in relief, and kick the drone across the floor.  Instead, he settled for lifting the pill bug and dropping it off at the mouth of another tunnel, where it wandered away.  Kyle could feel the drone skittering across the tunnel floor, moving at surprising speed given the slender vines.  With a sigh, he turned to his companion.  ¡°What the hell happened, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [MY CAPTOR SNUCK INTO YOUR HOUSE, STOLE ME, AND RAN.  HE USED SOME SKILL AKIN TO A SMOKESCREEN, AND INJURED MANY OF MA¡¯SAI¡¯S PEOPLE.  GO¡¯WREE INJURED HIM, AND I MANAGED TO MAKE A DARING ESCAPE.  ALSO, HE WAS VERY BAD AT MATH.]

    Kyle gave the drone a flat look.  ¡°I¡¯m serious.  What did you do?  How did you do it?¡±

    There was a pause, silence filling the tunnel for nearly a minute before C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [I HAVE BEEN STORING A GOOD PORTION OF THE MANA YOU¡¯VE USED FOR THE WORLD TREE SEED, IN ADDITION TO MY OWN ACCUMULATED MANA.  THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELEASE MUCH OF THAT ENERGY, WHICH IS WHAT I DID.  I HAD HOPED TO BIND AND SEAL MY CAPTOR TO AWAIT PROCESSING BY THE PROPER AUTHORITIES, HOWEVER IT WENT VERY WRONG.  WITHOUT YOU TO HELP CONTROL THE PROCESS, I HAD TO DISENGAGE FROM THE CONSTRUCT.  I WAS ABLE TO USE THE LAST DREGS OF POWER AVAILABLE TO ME IN ORDER TO GROW THESE.]

    At that, C.H.A.D.D. waggled the vines for dramatic effect.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me you couldn¡¯t control it?¡±

    [NOT WITH MY PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE PLANTS, NO.  THE INSCRIBED VINES WERE EASIER TO GET WORKING, BUT FINE CONTROL IS STILL BEYOND ME.  WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE AND GREATER ACCESS TO THE SEED, I DOUBT IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM.]

    Kyle nodded, taking it all in.  The drone was well beyond Kyle¡¯s estimations, even though he¡¯d theorized that C.H.A.D.D. could be capable of feats like these eventually.  While Kyle could easily finance repairs to the pack at this point, he would need to take time to really think about what the next iteration would look like, given C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s new abilities.

    [WHILE I APPRECIATE THE RESCUE, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Go ahead buddy.  What is it?¡±

    [WHY AREN¡¯T YOU WEARING PANTS?]

 Chapter 205

    ¡°I had a few other things on my mind,¡± Kyle said defensively.

    [FOR THE FUTURE, PLEASE KNOW I DON¡¯T MIND IF YOU MAKE YOURSELF MODEST FIRST.  THERE WAS A REASON FOR THE CENTRAL HEALTH DRESS CODE, AFTER ALL.]

    C.H.A.D.D. fashioned the thin vines into makeshift straps, and Kyle took a moment to appreciate the familiar weight on the pack.  He¡¯d grown quite accustomed to it during their travels, and it was comforting to have his friend back.  ¡°Say, now that you have a solution to move, do you even want to be carried in the pack anymore?¡±

    [IF GIVEN THE CHOICE, I WOULD.  HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU WOULD PREFER THAT I BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT.]

    ¡°Not a problem at all.  We should still consider solutions that afford you more flexibility, but at this point it feels normal carrying you around.¡±

    The duo walked back through the tunnel, finally coming back to the tangling mass of vines suspended over the chasm.  In the few minutes since Kyle had last seen it, the plant seemed to have grown even more.  He frowned as he used Identify, looking at the surging mass of energy within.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how much power did you give this thing?¡±

    [QUITE A BIT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I can tell.  Care to give me a percentage of your total?¡±

    [BETWEEN THE WORLD TREE SEED AND I, PERHAPS 15%?  MOST OF THAT COMING FROM ME, NATURALLY.]

    Kyle nodded, looking at the surging vital energy flowing through the construct.  There was no real intelligence, even though he could sense a base desire to find and consume prey.  Unfortunately, Kyle couldn¡¯t allow it to propagate.  With Identify, he could see minor flecks of golden energy moving through the vines, and he was confident that Ma¡¯Sai, or somebody else with a similarly powerful identification skill, could see them too.  It was simply too great of a risk to allow the plant to grow.

    Grabbing a vine, Kyle swung across to the other side.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s help, the vines didn¡¯t even move to grasp at him this time around.  He tried to ignore the image from Sensory Barbs of the fallen thief¡¯s body, now little more than a conduit through which the vines moved.  Once he was secure on the other side, he took a stabilizing breath and activated Parasitic Resonance.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I need you to stabilize the connection to the World Tree Seed.  I¡¯m going to try to push as much mana into it as I can.¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The tendrils of Parasitic Resonance infiltrated the plant, working as deeply as Kyle could manage.  Once he was satisfied, he allowed Ignition to bloom to life as he pulled.  Mana poured through the connection like a river, filling the World Tree Seed and drone alike.  The vines thrashed about, and Kyle stared in wonder as he saw them try to adapt to the attack.  Many wilted, some grew a hardened bark, others grew longer thorns.

    All of the changes were clearly designed to protect the construct, even though each failed.  Kyle stood for nearly a minute, drinking in the energy until the plant did something unexpected.  Many of the vines wilted simultaneously, as though they¡¯d become completely rotten.  Without the anchoring vines to support it, the heart of the construct plummeted into the chasm below.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be good.¡±

    [WHY DO YOU SAY THAT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make it rot away; it made that decision on its own.  I know there was still some mana left inside.¡±

    [THE DAMAGE TO THE INTERNAL STRUCTURES WAS STILL SIGNIFICANT.  ADDING A FALL FROM THIS HEIGHT, I FIND IT HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE PLANT WILL SURVIVE.]

    Kyle looked at the rotten and damaged vines as they fell away from the stalactites, leaving only cracked stone behind in their wake.  ¡°If you¡¯re sure.  Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    With its mana restored, C.H.A.D.D. was kind enough to grow some fern fronds that Kyle fashioned into a skirt before turning back into the main tunnel.  Upon arriving, Kyle was surprised when he saw Go¡¯Wree and a handful of guards from the battlement moving his direction from halfway down the battlement.  Before Kyle could admonish them for not resting, Go¡¯Wree fell to a knee with his head bowed.  The men behind him followed suit.

    ¡°Thank you, guest Mayhew, for saving our lives.  On behalf of my men, I am ashamed at my inability to prevent the theft of your property, and of my weakness that prevented me from assisting you in retrieving it.  I have disgraced the young master and the Ma family.¡±

    For a moment, Kyle thought the large man was making some strange joke.  As he stood, however, he realized that Go¡¯Wree was sincere.  He genuinely appeared grieved that C.H.A.D.D. had been stolen.  Kyle took a breath as he considered how to respond, trying to find words that would neither affirm nor reject the gesture.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, you did nothing wrong.  You slowed him down, and I retrieved my drone.  There¡¯s no debt between us, but there will be if you and your men don¡¯t focus on making a full recovery.  You all need medical attention, and rest.¡±

    Go¡¯Wree raised his head, even though he remained on one knee.  ¡°Guest Mayhew, I heard there was fighting inside the city.  Is the young master¡­¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°He¡¯ll be alright, he dealt with the assailants personally.¡±

    A weight of stress seemed to melt off Go¡¯Wree¡¯s face, and he finally stood, followed by his squadron.  As one, they walked back to the battlements.  Almost without thinking, Kyle went to each, laying a hand on them as he activated Healing Impetus.  The look of relief of their faces told him how much they needed it, and he sincerely hoped that they would take his advice to get more rest.  In their current conditions, none of them would be much help in a fight.

    Once back at the battlement, Kyle was able to procure a spare uniform, and insisted that Go¡¯Wree and the survivors leave to go back to Torrel.  Go¡¯Wree tried to argue, but when he coughed up some blood, he accepted the instruction.  Kyle stayed behind, offering to man the guard station until a replacement squad could make it out.

    That left Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. with several hours to themselves.  The two sat atop the battlement in silence as Kyle looked out into the darkness of the tunnel beyond.  Finally, C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [I KILLED A MAN, DR. MAYHEW.  IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MY INTENTION, BUT I DID IT NEVERTHELESS.]

    ¡°You did what you had to do, C.H.A.D.D.  And if it makes you feel better, you didn¡¯t kill him.  I did.¡±

    [IT¡¯S THE SAME PRINCIPAL.  I¡­ AM NOT SURE HOW TO PROCESS THIS INFORMATION.]

    Kyle thought back to Cornelius, the first time he¡¯d taken a human life.  ¡°Sometimes we don¡¯t have a choice in the matter.  If it¡¯s them or us, we have to choose us.  That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±

    [I DON¡¯T UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS SO OPPOSED TO LISTENING.  THERE ARE TIMES YOU DON¡¯T LISTEN, BUT THAT¡¯S DIFFERENT.  IF THE THIEF HAD SIMPLY STOPPED AND RETURNED ME, HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.]

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°He wasn¡¯t the only one who died today, C.H.A.D.D.  I don¡¯t think Ma¡¯Sai would have allowed him to live, even if he¡¯d come back in surrender.  He and his friends caused a lot of damage.¡±

    [THINGS FELT MUCH SIMPLER A DAY AGO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°That they did.  Just know I don¡¯t judge you for choosing to survive, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    A fresh squadron of guards arrived just over an hour later, and Kyle returned to Torrel in the same vehicle that dropped them off.  The driver exited the vehicle as they pulled up to another opulent residence, bowing deeply to Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°The young master offers his regrets that he can¡¯t see you personally, but wanted it passed along that he has a trustworthy team working on the excavation of your previous residence.  You are welcome to go to the site whenever you wish, but if you¡¯d prefer to rest, this facility has been made available to you.¡±

    Kyle nodded back.  ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯d like to get some of my things before settling in.¡±

    The driver bowed again.  ¡°Of course, guest Mayhew.¡±

    Pulling up to the ruins where he¡¯d been staying, Kyle was impressed with how much work they¡¯d accomplished in his hours away.  Already the bulk of the debris had been removed, and he spotted his stonebloom armor and several sets of clothing already neatly folded.  A man with a clipboard spotted Kyle, and barked out an order.  Everybody on the site stood at attention, and the foreman spoke up.

    ¡°Guest Mayhew, we will be some time yet before a full excavation.  I can assure you that I¡¯m documenting everything we find, and you will be allowed a full audit before any of my staff leave the facility.  On the young master¡¯s honor, nothing of yours will go missing.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Kyle said, eyes going back to his armor.  ¡°The most valuable piece of equipment is there, do you mind if I take it?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, sir!¡±

    ¡°Good.  Thank you for your work, and let me know whenever your group finishes.  I don¡¯t want to keep you waiting any longer than necessary.¡±

    With that, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. made it to their new home, where Kyle drifted off to some long-awaited sleep.  The next 4 days were a blur of meetings, reconstruction, and establishing next steps.  Kyle was viewed as the aggrieved party by virtually all of the Ma Enterprises staff on planet, and was treated with extreme respect and deference as a result.  It was all very stifling to Kyle, which made the news of the teleportation gate¡¯s opening even more welcome than normal.

    Ma¡¯Sai met him on the platform as Kyle arrived, looking exhausted but recovered.  A quick Identify showed Kyle that many of the enchantments were still recharging, but the young master of Torrel carried himself with the same air of authority as always.  ¡°It has been an honor to have you at our home, Kyle Mayhew.  I apologize that my reputation was insufficient to prevent the assault and attempted theft.¡±

    ¡°The honor was all mine, Ma¡¯Sai,¡± Kyle said, focusing on the words he¡¯d practiced over the last several days.  ¡°You and your family rectified the situation swiftly, and conducted yourselves well.  I regret that I could not have contributed more.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai reached out his hand, and Kyle took it.  ¡°Then know, at the least, you are always welcome here, my friend.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it.  Be well, Ma¡¯Sai.¡±

    ¡°And you, Kyle Mayhew.¡±

    With that, Kyle stepped onto the waiting platform, where he was whisked back to Pokke, and then to the Hub.  He staggered for a moment as Sensory Barbs took in the blur of movement around him, though his practice filtering the information allowed him to regain his bearings quickly.  Several notifications popped up on his nav bracelet, but for now the only thing he wanted was to go home.

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. made it to his apartment without issue, and he couldn¡¯t hold back a smile as he sat on his couch, a cold drink in his hand.  It felt good to be home.  Once he relaxed for a little while, Kyle finally checked his messages.  He had some from Tillienne and Jax, one from Angela Corthus¡¯ office, one from Garth, and one from a name he didn¡¯t recognize that arrived shortly after his return.  He decided to start with that one.

    Kyle,

    Once again, you¡¯ve managed to cause some waves.  This time looks like it¡¯ll settle much better than the last, at least. Take the rest of the day, and report to the Courier¡¯s Guild first thing tomorrow to chat about the fallout.  I look forward to meeting in person.

    Your Guild Liaison,

    Suierrillax.

    Kyle sighed as he grabbed another drink.  If he had less time than expected, he was going to make the most of it.

 Chapter 206

    [SHOULDN¡¯T YOU BE HEADING TO YOUR MEETING, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Our meeting,¡± Kyle corrected.  ¡°And I will be shortly.  I just need to finish getting the to-do list organized.¡±

    [DO YOU THINK MR. BANDERSNATCH WILL BE THERE?]

    ¡°I know he told us he¡¯d be out on assignment, but you never can tell with him.  I will say though, if he was around I expect he¡¯d have been waiting for us when we got back.¡±

    [THAT IS AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT.  HE REALLY IS FULL OF SURPRISES.]

    ¡°We could use a few less surprises right about now, at least in my opinion.¡±  With that, Kyle opened the messages on his nav bracelet, reviewing them for what felt like the dozenth time since returning.  He¡¯d chosen not to reply to any until after his meeting with the Courier¡¯s Guild, but wanted to make his intentions plain with this Suierrillax.  First, he opened the message chain from Tillienne and Jax.

    Kyle and Jax,

    I know both of you are out on assignment, I¡¯ll be returning from my first job shortly!  I¡¯d love to catch up, professional networking and all that.  Also looking to burn a few credits.  Let me know when you¡¯re back/if you¡¯re interested, and I¡¯ll get something booked.  I¡¯ll be at the Hub for the next couple cycles so there should be plenty of time!

    -Tillienne

    Tilly,

    Sounds good, I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m back.  It¡¯d be nice to catch up!

    -Jax Cain

    Jax,

    It¡¯s Tillienne, not Tilly.

    -Tillienne

    Tillienne,

    My bad, won¡¯t happen again.  See you soon.

    -Jax Cain

    The back and forth continued for a few more messages, with Tillienne teasing Jax for being so formal in his signatures, while Jax tried not to be too thrown off.  Kyle looked forward to meeting up with the two of them, even though it would likely be a little while until they could.  If nothing else, it would be good to spend some time with other like-minded people.

    His time with Ma¡¯Sai went a long way toward better understanding C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words back at the Cain family estate, and these were relationships he wanted to cultivate, even if they were wildly different people than him.  Kyle didn¡¯t just need a network, he needed friends.  Speaking of¡­  Kyle moved to the next message, from Garth.

    Kyle,

    Made it to the Hub safely.  There¡¯s something we need to talk about ¨C connect with me when you can.

    -Garth

    The message was about as warm and fuzzy as Kyle expected from Garth, though the fact that Angela Corthus¡¯ office reached out instructing him to connect with Garth put him a little on edge.  This was the first item on his agenda after meeting with Suierrillax, though he was hoping the Courier¡¯s Guild could share some insight about what exactly was going on.  If Jarberry was any indication, these people were particularly skilled at knowing things others didn¡¯t.

    Beyond all that, Kyle had a few other items he wanted to get taken care of.  With credits about to hit his account, he wanted to get some time scheduled with Fell¡¯Zorre at the Emerald Armory.  His time both in the Practicum and with the Ma family confirmed a couple of his weaknesses, and he wanted to get them shored up while he had the opportunity.

    The first of these, of course, was related to C.H.A.D.D.  Custom orders were expensive, but Kyle knew it was time to get a real upgrade to the C.H.A.D.D.pack.  The drone¡¯s capabilities had increased dramatically, and Kyle wanted to ensure that the pack was still up to the task.  He was hoping to get a meeting with Marcus Kulhavey soon, but there was no guarantee that the Originator would be willing to discuss the drone.

    What Kyle really wanted from Fell¡¯Zorre was more durable, detailed work that would give C.H.A.D.D. more space for vines, capabilities for mana storage, and access to more organic components.  If there were materials available that were similar to the stonebloom armor, C.H.A.D.D. would stand to gain quite a bit, especially when operating independently.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    His battles also reinforced his weaknesses at long-range.  Kyle wasn¡¯t exactly sure what types of ranged weapons would suit him, but he needed to find something to enable him to turn the tides when his opponents kept him pinned down.  The ultimate solution would have to be found either in the form of a new skill or an upgraded one, which could be a while.  He had 2 more skills to gain in D Grade, and he had no idea if either would be able to help.

    The last items he wanted to buy were replacement combat batons and a new bracer for his left forearm to replace the one he¡¯d broken in Phase Three.  He found that he missed practicing the forms Frank taught him; going through the motions without the weapons just wasn¡¯t the same.  It was one more connection to his home, and he didn¡¯t want to give that up.

    [YOU NEED TO HURRY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m almost ready.¡±  Kyle finished getting equipped, closed his notes, and slung the slightly damaged pack over his shoulders before exiting the apartment.  He wove through the streets toward the teleportation platform.  The information from Sensory Barbs was becoming more manageable by the minute, the crowds barely causing a headache.

    When Kyle stepped onto the platform, he was prompted for his Courier¡¯s Guild credentials.  He entered the code, and he and C.H.A.D.D. were whisked off to Collective Guild Headquarters.  Only members were allowed to enter, and it served as a central governing location with individual teleporters that would take people to their specific guild.

    Kyle was making his way toward the Courier¡¯s Guild teleporter when a nagging sensation made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.  Shortly after exiting his apartment, he felt the presence of two people walking behind him.  Both were human, unarmored, and walking to the teleportation platform, which was normal.  What wasn¡¯t normal was both of their presences appearing here, in Guild Headquarters.

    It didn¡¯t feel like a coincidence that two D Grades powerful enough to be recognized by one guild or another would just happen to be walking past his apartment, in his district, at the exact time he was heading to a meeting with his handler.

    ¡°What regulations do I need to know about confronting somebody here?¡± Kyle whispered.  His attention was focused on the duo behind him, neither showing any physical reaction to his words.

    [IT WOULD BE ILL-ADVISED, DR. MAYHEW.  THE NON-VIOLENCE CLAUSES ARE QUITE WELL-ESTABLISHED, AND WOULD BE ENFORCED.  NOT TO MENTION THAT MOST PRESENT ARE ELITES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  Kyle whispered back.  The last point was the most important in Kyle¡¯s estimation.  Though the halls of the Guild Headquarters were much quieter than the streets of the Hub, there were still dozens of people milling about.  Even if many were administrative staff, there were plenty of powerhouses present.

    Kyle saw an area just off the main path and walked to it.  He turned around when he made it, pretending to look at his nav bracelet as his 2 pursuers walked past.  Kyle didn¡¯t look up from his nav bracelet, though he could feel the air shift around the duo as they shared a look.  Kyle followed behind them, activating Identify as he sized them up.

    They were a man and a woman, sporting lean athletic builds and casual clothing.  Both appeared to be Warrior-types, with respectable Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality.  Judging by the mana he could detect concentrated in their hands and feet, he suspected them to specialize in unarmed combat; reinforcing their bodies to deliver devastating blows.  While both seemed capable, neither gave him the impression that they would be a particular threat to him.

    That made Kyle frown.  If not potential assailants, what were they doing?  If they were spies, they weren¡¯t very good ones.  Even without Sensory Barbs, it was more than conceivable that Kyle would have noticed pursuers courtesy of C.H.A.D.D.  What¡¯s more, people that needed to get in close tended to be a terrible match for him.  They¡¯d also stepped to the side, clearly waiting for Kyle to continue.

    With a sigh, Kyle decided to address it the best way he knew how.  Directly.

    ¡°Why are the two of you following me?  And before you think about starting anything, remember where you are.¡±

    The man shot a look at his partner before meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re ¨C¡°

    ¡°Cut it out, Carl.¡±  The woman said, offering a sly smile.  ¡°No point in lying to you, though we¡¯re not what you think.  We¡¯re your security detail.¡±  With that, she activated her nav bracelet, showing her and her partner as members of the Private Security Guild, same as Jax.

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°I never hired a security detail.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but the Courier¡¯s Guild did.  We won¡¯t get in your way, we¡¯re just here to get between you and anybody who gets weird ideas.  Not that you can¡¯t handle yourself, of course.¡±

    ¡°It feels like that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re implying.¡±

    The woman shrugged.  ¡°Then take it up with your Guild.  Now, our job is to support you in public places.  The sooner you get where you¡¯re going, the sooner you don¡¯t have to deal with us.  Otherwise, we¡¯re fine standing right here.  We get paid either way.¡±

    Can¡¯t argue with that logic, Kyle thought.  He considered his options for a moment, when a new message popped up on his nav bracelet.

    Mayhew,

    We hired them, it¡¯s fine.  Now hurry up and get to my office.

    -Suierrillax

    Kyle decided not to pay it much mind, and finished the short walk to the Courier¡¯s Guild teleporter.  This time, his followers left a respectful distance, and he was warped to the entrance floor of what he could only describe as a drab office building.  There were a few chairs of various sizes off to one side, a vending area off to the other, and a central reception desk in the front.  Kyle walked up to it, greeted by an elderly goblin woman.  ¡°You must be Mr. Mayhew.  Please grab a seat, Suierrillax will be with you shortly.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just go to her office?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the goblin said.

    ¡°Fair enough.  Thank you.¡±  Kyle walked over to the seating area, eyes glancing over the threadbare furniture as he tried to determine which would be the most comfortable.  He picked one that rocked just slightly, but was otherwise comfortable enough.

    ¡°This, C.H.A.D.D., was why I wasn¡¯t in a hurry.  Bureaucracy is always hurry up and wait.¡±

    ¡°And who kept who waiting, do you think?¡±  A new voice asked, tone dry.

    Kyle looked up to see a diminutive skrell woman with arms folded, looking at Kyle with inscrutable black eyes.  He gave a nod of acknowledgement.  ¡°You make a fair point.  Kyle Mayhew, a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Suierrillax.  And to quote a mutual friend, the pleasure is all yours.¡±

 Chapter 207

    Despite himself, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but smile as he remembered his first meeting with Jarberry. ¡°You know what? I can see you, and you¡¯re not eating my food. So you¡¯re already an improvement.¡±

    Suierrillax gave a toothy smile. ¡°He hasn¡¯t eaten my food yet, but from what I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a common problem. Follow me, we have a lot to catch up on. And it really is good to meet you, Kyle.¡±

    They wove through labyrinthine hallways, until they finally came to a small office behind a thick metal door. One wall appeared to be a window looking out over the Hub, but upon closer inspection it was merely a projection. There was a large desk along one wall, with an ¡°L¡± shaped addition jutting out to the middle of the room, nearly bisecting it.

    Suierrillax moved to the other side and sat down, activating a dozen different projected screens that floated about the space in front of her. She gestured for Kyle to sit, moving some of the screens out of the way so they could visit face-to-face. The room was austere, bare walls accented by the empty desk.

    ¡°They don¡¯t let you decorate much, do they?¡± Kyle asked in an attempt to break the ice.

    ¡°More like I haven¡¯t had much of a chance. I¡¯ve only been here for a couple of weeks.¡±

    ¡°Really? I figured you¡¯d have been around for a while at least if you¡¯ve met Jarberry already.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who offered me the job, actually. I was working for the Collective Institute of Independent Licensure before this.¡± Suierrillax paused, eyes drifting up to the ceiling for a moment before continuing. ¡°Then again, I wasn¡¯t there for a terribly long time either. I suppose I could stand to put some roots down. Also, drone, you¡¯ve been awfully quiet.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, though he didn¡¯t make any move to try and explain C.H.A.D.D. away. He let the silence sit for a moment, until his companion finally responded. [AFTER RECENT EVENTS, DR. MAYHEW AND I DECIDED THAT MAINTAINING A LOW PROFILE MAY BE PRUDENT.]

    Suierrillax chuckled, black eyes twinkling. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing the 2 of you are terrible at, it¡¯s keeping a low profile. I¡¯ve never heard of applicants or new guild members stirring up the kind of messes you have.¡±

    ¡°So what if we need a little practice?¡± Kyle shot back. ¡°We¡¯re working on it.¡±

    [BESIDES, IT¡¯S MOSTLY DR. MAYHEW¡¯S FAULT. I¡¯M HARDLY TO BLAME FOR HIS ACTIVITIES.]

    ¡°As far as the Courier¡¯s Guild and I are concerned, you¡¯re both awful at it. Though it¡¯s still not common knowledge that you have quite so much¡­ freedom.¡± Suierrillax chose her last words carefully, which Kyle didn¡¯t miss.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., at this point it¡¯s pretty clear that you¡¯ve got more going on than being a simple piece of mapping equipment. Between your fight with Ger¡¯Sinh, rumors from the Cain estate, and your extended Phase Three, people are taking notice.

    ¡°That¡¯s not to say anybody has you figured out, but rather that they know you¡¯re something special. A handful of information brokers have theorized that C.H.A.D.D. here is actually the main fighting power, with Kyle just being along for the ride.¡±

    [AN ACCURATE ASSESMENT.]

    Kyle snorted. ¡°Hardly.¡±

    Suierrillax gave them a flat look. ¡°Whatever the reality is, somebody leaked the rumor, and put a hefty bounty on the drone¡¯s retrieval. By the time we found out and were able to learn the details, you¡¯d already been attacked by the first group of mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®first group?¡¯¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. There were several getting organized and on their way. Our office had to dissuade them. Which we did. The higher-ups are going to deal with the issue at its root, but suffice it to say you can¡¯t breathe easy quite yet.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you really think there¡¯s danger here, at the Hub?¡±

    ¡°If you go to the sections run by the Grey Conglomerate, most definitely. Possibly inside the Archdrake Supremacy, too. Sections run by the Verdant Republic and the Pillar should be the safest, but you never know. 8 million credits, plus costs to cover damages can give people ideas.¡±

    [ONLY 8 MILLION CREDITS? DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE THEY¡¯RE UNDERSELLING MY VALUE.]

    Kyle paused, considering Suierrillax¡¯s words. That was an enormous number of credits, far more than he expected. It also explained why Wallace and his group were willing to risk so much to come after C.H.A.D.D. A worrying thought came to his mind. ¡°Does that mean I need to worry about C Grades coming after me?¡±

    Suierrillax shook her head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. Even in seedier parts of the Collective, it¡¯s understood that disproportionate force has harsh consequences. Not that it never happens, but it¡¯s unlikely that a C Grade mercenary already operating on the fringes would risk it for a measly 8 million credits.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°They get paid that well?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. Something to look forward to, if you make it that far. Which we¡¯re banking on, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to let you down, but there¡¯s a long way to go before I get there.¡± Kyle said, feeling the weight of expectation settling on his shoulders.

    ¡°No doubt about that at all,¡± Suierrillax responded, tone casual. ¡°Helping you progress to the next level is Jarberry¡¯s job; I¡¯m here to help in an administrative capacity along the way. Speaking of¡­¡±

    Suierrillax trailed off as she turned her attention back to the screens. They rearranged and moved, with 2 settling in the air between them. Kyle could make out lines of text, with each one looking like a distinct job.

    ¡°I¡¯ve scheduled 41 medium-priority deliveries for the next 20 or so days until Jarberry is back. They¡¯re all Verdant Republic jobs, and they¡¯ll all keep you on the Hub.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he regarded the lists. The pay wasn¡¯t great, and the number of jobs meant it would be difficult to get a lot of his other to-do list items scheduled. ¡°Look, I appreciate this, but ¨C¡°

    ¡°No ¡®buts,¡¯ Kyle. The people that matter don¡¯t have any questions about your competence or capabilities. You¡¯re a standout talent; that¡¯s clear. What we¡¯re all waiting to see is whether or not you¡¯re able to keep your head down and get work done without bringing added baggage.

    ¡°These jobs aren¡¯t luxurious by any means, but they¡¯re plenty to showcase that ability. Choosing jobs that stay at the Hub indicates prudence and reduces risk. Furthermore, we know the Verdant Republic will play by the rules. If there¡¯s one thing you need right now, it¡¯s less risk.¡±

    Kyle considered the skrell woman¡¯s words for a moment. Trying to put himself in an outside perspective, he could see the point. Things had been volatile for him since the encounter with Ger¡¯Sinh, and given the interest he¡¯d drawn from powerful parties, he could see other organizations waiting to see how Kyle responded before setting him up with opportunities.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t think it will be an issue having your security detail following me around while I do these jobs?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be,¡± Suierrillax said. ¡°They¡¯re paid per diem with riders for additional combat compensation. Nothing about them should interfere with the basics of getting the jobs taken care of.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve also got several personal items I need to attend to, is there any flexibility in the scheduling?¡±

    ¡°None whatsoever. Fortunately, I¡¯m competent. I left blocks each day for you to take care of whatever you need to, with some full days sprinkled in. Of course, if Jarberry is delayed, you¡¯ll have some extra time to fill however you want.¡±

    Kyle saw a notification flash on his nav bracelet, and saw the itinerary come through. ¡°Then I guess I have what I need. Thank you for your help, Suierrillax.¡±

    ¡°One last thing, before you go. I took a risk coming here. I placed a bet on you. You seem the altruistic type, so I want to make sure you understand that other people are counting on you to succeed. Don¡¯t be an idiot. You¡¯ve got a team now. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡± Kyle said, surprised by the firmness in Suierrillax¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Good. Now get out of my office, you have work to do. C.H.A.D.D., it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    [THE PLEASURE WAS ALL YOURS. OOH, THAT WAS FUN.]

    ¡°Great meeting you too, Suierrillax.¡± Kyle said, failing to hide a chuckle.

    Kyle pulled up his itinerary as he stepped on the teleportation platform inside the Courier¡¯s Guild. He was due to report for his first job the next morning, which meant he had time. Ignoring his shadows from the Personal Security Guild, he sent a message to Garth.

    Garth,

    I know it¡¯s short notice, but I¡¯m free now. Where are you? Looking forward to catching up.

    -Kyle

    Before he could even make it through the Guild Headquarters, he received a message back.

    Kyle,

    I¡¯m free. Coordinates attached, see you soon.

    -Garth

    Kyle looked at the attachment, and his heart sank. They were in the middle of Grey Conglomerate territory, exactly where Suierrillax just warned him not to go. Kyle paused near the next teleporter, considering his options. The safest play would be to go home, buy time until Jarberry got back, and explore his options from there. Kyle considered alternatives, and finally sent a message back.

    Garth,

    I can¡¯t go where you are ¨C not right now. It¡¯s complicated. Can you meet me? I¡¯ll take you out for a meal and we can talk.

    -Kyle

    Kyle was back on the streets outside the teleportation platform before the next update came through.

    Send the coordinates.

    Kyle found a caf¨¦ with private booths, reserved seats, and sent the instructions to Garth. He settled in, watching his security team trying to look inconspicuous outside. In some ways, the plan was genius. People who were looking for Kyle would see that there were others around, though the average person would move right past them.

    [WHAT ARE WE DOING, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked. [SITTING AT A CAF¨¦ WASN¡¯T ON YOUR LIST.]

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for Garth. They¡¯re staying in Grey Conglomerate territory, and from Suierrillax¡¯s update it¡¯s not somewhere we want to go right now.¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. paused for a moment before finally responding. [I WAS HOPING TO VISIT AMALIA AGAIN. I THINK SHE WOULD ENJOY SEEING MANY OF THE INTERESTING THINGS WE¡¯VE SEEN.]

    ¡°You¡¯ll get a chance, C.H.A.D.D. I want to see them, too.¡±

    Just a few minutes later, Kyle saw Garth making his way toward the caf¨¦. He looked rough, hair longer than Kyle had seen it, slicked back with a beard that had clearly been left to grow out. He asked the doorman at the caf¨¦ for Kyle, and that¡¯s when he saw the security team move. Crap.

    By the time Kyle could get to the door, Garth was staring them both down, piercing blue eyes focused as his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword. Kyle felt the mana pouring off the man, still E Grade, but near the top. Still, everything about the way he carried himself felt sharp, and felt dangerous. It was little surprise to Kyle that the two security guards were taking him seriously.

    ¡°Relax, he¡¯s here to see me. I invited him.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Carl asked. ¡°Looks more like he¡¯s here to beat you up than to grab lunch.¡±

    Garth didn¡¯t say a word, glaring at the two before he followed Kyle in. The security guards tried to follow, but Kyle stopped them. ¡°He¡¯s an old friend, and we have some catching up to do. Please, wait here. If you see him, or anybody else, leave with C.H.A.D.D., you¡¯re welcome to stop them.¡±

    Carl nodded, and Kyle and Garth walked in silence back to the booth. Once there, Kyle offered a sheepish grin. ¡°Sorry about that, things have gotten a little crazy over the last few months.¡±

    Garth clasped his hands, meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kyle, as much as I¡¯d like to catch up, I have news you need to hear first. One of the shuttles from Earth went missing. DeRosa¡¯s shuttle, with Thomas, Amir, and nearly 50,000 of our people on it.¡±

 Chapter 208

    Kyle sat for a moment, taking in Garth¡¯s words.  He understood there were always risks, but from everything he¡¯d come to expect, space travel was generally quite safe.  Ultimately, Kyle understood that in this case, ¡°missing¡± was the same as dead.  The number of habitable planets was low, and if the ship lost communication and tracking, it simply wasn¡¯t likely that they managed to crash land somewhere with options available.

    ¡°Garth, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to apologize for, kid.  I just wanted you to hear it from me, first.¡±  Garth paused then, seeming to take in Kyle¡¯s appearance for the first time.  ¡°You never struck me as the tattoo type.¡±

    ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m full of surprises.¡± Kyle said dryly.  ¡°How have you all been settling in?¡±

    ¡°Better than I¡¯d feared, worse than I¡¯d hoped.¡±  Garth said, seeming to deflate a bit.  ¡°We made a deal with Corthian Mining, and most of the awakened that came are going through various orientations now.  We¡¯ll be assisting mostly with security and suppression work on Corthian mining sites, which will be a quick way for us to earn some credits.

    ¡°The real challenge is the number of unawakened that came along.  Without a background understanding of the Collective, they don¡¯t have as many opportunities.  Our near-term goal is to scrape together enough credits to get them an accelerated education.¡±

    Kyle nodded, the issues with the unawakened having been top of mind for him.  ¡°How many credits do you need?  I might be able to help.¡±

    Garth raised a hand.  ¡°I appreciate the offer, Kyle.  We¡¯re not going to take your charity; not any more than we have.  You¡¯ve done a lot for my people, it¡¯s time for us to learn to stand on our own.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t miss that he wasn¡¯t included in ¡°Garth¡¯s people¡± anymore, though he let it go.  There was a pang of hurt, sure, but Kyle had wrestled with that issue long ago.  Even if he looked forward to visiting when he could, he never seriously considered trying to settle back with them.

    ¡°Well just know if there¡¯s things I can help with, I¡¯m always happy to lend an ear.¡±

    ¡°From what I understand, you¡¯ve got more than enough on your plate, Kyle.  I¡¯m serious, we¡¯ll be alright.  Like I said before, I just wanted to make sure you heard the news from me.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it, Garth.  I also have to ask, what¡¯s next for you?  From what I can see, you¡¯re pushing D Grade.  Knowing Angela, I doubt she¡¯s planning to let you collect dust in some backwater.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I get there.  For now, there¡¯s some extermination work she¡¯ll be sending my team on once things have settled a bit.  I¡¯m hopeful the experience will be enough to get me over the edge.  And don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one.  The struggles we¡¯ve been through have been instrumental in forging my team.  If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll get left in the dust.¡±

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t rest on my laurels just yet.  By the way, I¡¯m working on getting a meeting with Marcus Kulhavey.  So far, I haven¡¯t heard anything about the other Originators.  Do you want me to see if you can come?¡±

    Garth shook his head.  ¡°Corthian Mining already reached out to him on behalf of Earth, and from what I understand he¡¯s planning on meeting with Angela and a couple of the other executives to get brought up to speed.  Sounds like it might be a little after your meeting, though.¡±

    ¡°What do you think happened to the other 6?¡±  Kyle asked.

    Garth snorted.  ¡°Who knows?  It¡¯s a big universe, Kyle.  Bigger than I think any of us realized.  Shoot, they could all be dead, and we wouldn¡¯t have any idea.¡±  Garth took a moment to take in the sight as warm plates of food were delivered to their table, and Kyle could see the ravenous look in his eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°And while we do, I¡¯ll have C.H.A.D.D. bring you up to speed on what¡¯s taken place on our end since we left.¡±  With that, the drone enthusiastically stepped up, projecting a highlight reel of their adventures while Kyle and Garth ate and watched.

    All told, they spent nearly 3 hours at the restaurant.  Kyle felt a weight lifting from his shoulders that he hadn¡¯t even realized was there; satisfied that the refugees from Earth were going to be alright.  Even though he felt the loss of the missing shuttle, he also felt absolved of the pressure to try to do something about it.  Part of him expected to be thrust back into the middle of things with Earth, and it felt good that they no longer needed him, at least in that capacity.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    After saying his goodbyes to Garth, Kyle returned home without incident.  Checking the time, it was too late in the day to hold another meeting, though he had plenty of time to coordinate logistics.  Fell¡¯Zorre was his first priority, as he knew how long custom work could take.  Fortunately, the Emerald Armory was able to coordinate appointment the following afternoon.

    After trading some messages with Tillienne and Jax, they were able to settle on a dinner 4 days out.  With that work done, Kyle pulled up the details of tomorrow¡¯s first job.

    Client ¨C Verdant Republic Department of Public Works

    Affiliation ¨C Verdant Republic

    Details ¨C A restructuring was recently approved by senior management, resulting in the elimination of several positions within the Public Works Department.  3 of these individuals currently have access to privileged information, and we are requesting a Courier to be present at their termination.

    We are requesting the Courier take personal effects and bring them to the nearest Department of Internal Affairs for analysis, processing, and ultimate return to ensure no privileged files or documents are left behind.  The Courier will be compensated 5000 credits upon completion.

    As jobs went, this was pretty cut and dry.  The terminations were in fairly quick succession in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for his meeting.  Of course, there¡¯s no way it¡¯ll be that easy, Kyle thought.  If there was one thing his experience taught him, his work was never simple.

    It turned out, some things were just that easy.  Kyle arrived at the first building, prepared for trouble.  He was greeted by security personnel, introduced to the executive in question, and watched as the goblin man stoically packed his things and handed them to Kyle.  He then left without incident, leaving the Courier to make a quick delivery to Internal Affairs.

    The next 2 were handled with similar speed, though the last was much more vocal about his displeasure.  All it took was a quick look at Kyle¡¯s stormy expression, however, and he finished packing without another word.  Kyle reported his success back to the Courier¡¯s Guild, and received his 5000 credits.

    [JUST THINK, THAT PAID YOU HALF AS MUCH AS DEFEATING A STYXLION.  I¡¯M BEGINNING TO THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE NEGOTIATED BETTER PAY WITH MA¡¯SAI.]

    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with you there,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°At least we had quantity on our side.¡±

    With time before his appointment, Kyle headed to the Verdant Republic Nursery and Botanical Garden.  He didn¡¯t have anything in particular he was looking for, rather opting to walk through several of the sections he hadn¡¯t visited before.  As diverse as the population of the Verdant Republic was, it didn¡¯t hold a candle to the sheer diversity of plant life Kyle saw.  Everything from creeping vines to fields of resplendent flowers were on display.

    Kyle was walking past one such field when he spotted an elderly goblin man inside the enclosure, tending to the flowers.  I guess it makes sense that people would need to be inside to do some of the work.  The man spotted Kyle staring, and offered a warm smile and a wave.  Kyle returned it and moved on, leaving him to his work.

    [ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I¡¯M THINKING, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked once they were out of earshot of the nearby patrons.

    ¡°That we should look into getting a part-time job?¡±

    [I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD SEE IF WE CAN TAKE SOME MANA FROM THE PLANTS WITHOUT BEING NOTICED, BUT I LIKE YOUR IDEA BETTER.]

    ¡°Good, because we aren¡¯t doing that in public.¡±

    [CORRECT, WE WOULD NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS NOBODY NEARBY.  IF ONLY YOU STILL HAD THE STINK GRENADES, WE COULD DO IT SUBTLY.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., there was nothing subtle about the stink grenades.¡±

    A ping on his nav bracelet warned Kyle that it was time to head back toward the Emerald Armory, and he left the Botanical Garden.  A thought struck him as he walked out, and he filed it away for his next visit.  Is there a similar garden for awakened plants?

    ¡°A pleasure to see you, Mr. Mayhew.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre¡¯s voice was raspy as he inclined his head to Kyle, who returned the gesture.

    ¡°Likewise.  I appreciate you making time on short notice.¡±

    ¡°Now then, your message mentioned several items that you¡¯re looking to shop for.  How committed are you in your thought process?¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°Fairly, though if you have something in mind, I¡¯d be happy to discuss it.¡±

    The goblin gave Kyle a toothy grin.  ¡°Excellent.  When your acquaintance cancelled our last meeting, he also had several ideas he felt worth exploring, and I find that I agree.¡±

    With that, Fell¡¯Zorre snapped, and the whole room around them shifted, descending on one of the endless elevators inside the armory.  Modular interior structure, Kyle realized.  It wasn¡¯t just elevators along the exterior, the whole building could move and shuffle.

    They came to a stop, and the door behind Fell¡¯Zorre opened.  Kyle stepped out at the goblin¡¯s gesture, and found himself in a small coliseum.  There were a variety of training dummies, as well as an assortment of weapons laid out in a reinforced weapons case.  Kyle saw spears, quarterstaffs, short swords, and 2 small batons.

    ¡°Your benefactor paid for use of this facility for your visit, so don¡¯t be shy.  I recognize your current expertise is in the batons, so understand they will feel more natural to your hand.  I would like to see you demonstrate your skills, and I may have some other suggestions to supplement your repertoire.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he walked over, feeling the weight of the batons in his hands.  ¡°How long do you have for me to test things out?¡±

    ¡°I am free for the rest of the day.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre replied.

    ¡°Then I suppose we should get started.¡±

 Chapter 209

    Fell¡¯Zorre gestured for Kyle to come look at the assortment of weapons arrayed before him.  Kyle activated Identify, and frowned when he saw that none of the weapons had any mana infusion whatsoever.  They were all mundane, even if they were finely crafted.

    ¡°Fell¡¯Zorre, I¡¯m not sure if something was lost in translation, but I¡¯m looking for D Grade equipment.¡±  Kyle said, trying not to sound accusatory.

    ¡°Naturally, Mr. Mayhew.  These are mundane replicas of actual equipment we have in store.  You will find that weight, balance, and shape are identical.  We will, of course, allow you to examine the genuine articles for those weapons with which you¡¯ve demonstrated interest and proficiency.¡±

    Kyle nodded, accepting the goblin¡¯s explanation.  He first grabbed the batons, and entered into the familiar forms he learned from Frank.  The grips felt comfortable under his hands, though the balance was different, slightly more forward.  His Strength more than compensated for the difference, but it stuck out to Kyle.

    After a minute or so of practice, he handed the batons back to Fell¡¯Zorre.  ¡°These are nice, I¡¯m guessing the craftsman put the additional weight toward the tip to increase striking power?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°In a manner of speaking.  Am I correct in assuming that these are the weapons with which you are most comfortable?¡±

    ¡°At this time, yes.¡±

    ¡°Then please try the quarterstaff next. If the batons are fundamental to your one-handed fighting style, I¡¯d be interested to see how you handle a more versatile weapon.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre¡¯s voice was infuriatingly neutral, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel the goblin was disappointed with Kyle¡¯s performance.

    Nevertheless, he grabbed the quarterstaff, the weapon surprisingly light in his hands.  Unfortunately, Kyle never really learned to fight with one.  He went through some of the motions he practiced with his first piece of rebar, using it more like an oversized bat.  The motions were fluid, the massive increase in his attributes allowing him to move with grace he sorely lacked the first time around.

    Fell¡¯Zorre next had him practice with the short swords, which was Kyle¡¯s greatest area of weakness so far. The slashing movements were familiar to Kyle, largely mirroring the movement of the batons.  The stabbing motions felt far less natural.  The combinations he trained with Frank flowed effortlessly one into another, and the sharp stabbing motions didn¡¯t seem to fit the movements nearly as well.

    The goblin watched on, making notes on a tablet as Kyle practiced.  At this point, Kyle resigned himself to simply trust the process.  He had the time, and the Emerald Armory knew what it was doing.  Jarberry¡¯s involvement was suspicious, but that could be said about all of the imp¡¯s actions thus far.  Whatever the other Courier¡¯s angle was, Kyle felt that their interests aligned, at least for now.

    Kyle moved from weapon type to weapon type, with more being brought in as Fell¡¯Zore manipulated the tablet.  He practiced with daggers, claws, whips, and gauntlets; then moved on to a variety of ranged weapons.  One thing Kyle realized very early on was that he was not a good shot.  His Perception was more than high enough to help, but the subtle input from Sensory Barbs often led to overcorrection, even in the relatively stable environment of the arena.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough, Mr. Mayhew.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre stepped up beside Kyle just as the Survivalist shot a rifle down range, the weapon using principles of magnetism to shoot its payload.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll be needing this any further,¡± the goblin said, taking the rifle from Kyle¡¯s hands and placing it back on the weapon rack.

    ¡°Come on now,¡± Kyle said, a note of complaint in his voice.  ¡°I¡¯m not that bad of a shot.¡±

    ¡°For an unawkened, perhaps not.  For an upper-mid tier D Grade, you¡¯re abysmal.  In your inquiry, you mentioned looking for ranged combat options, however I don¡¯t believe that there are many that will be of particular use to you.  With your current level of skill, you would simply be wasting credits without being able to bring out the true value of the equipment we¡¯d sell you.

    ¡°Fortunately, your martial aptitude is far more impressive.  While polearms and longer blades are quite rudimentary, your foundations in close quarters combat are solid.  I don¡¯t know what sort of hardships you¡¯ve faced, but you¡¯re more capable than many of the casters I¡¯ve encountered in my career.

    ¡°I believe that the batons you tested initially would be a good fit, and recommend purchasing them.  Your use with the combat gauntlets was also passable, and I believe I could solve the problem of your missing bracer while offering additional flexibility.¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    The moment Fell¡¯Zorre finished his words, another well-dressed goblin came out, holding a tray with 3 familiar items on it.  Kyle didn¡¯t need to activate Identify to tell that each of the weapons were heavily infused with mana.  Fell¡¯Zorre gestured for Kyle to take them, and Kyle affixed the gauntlet to his left arm before grabbing the batons.

    The gauntlet was made of thin strips of metal overlayed on one another; light enough that his left hand still had full range of motion, but covering his forearm up to the elbow.  Small spikes jutted out over his knuckles, clearly showing its design as a striking implement.  Kyle noted with some alarm that the gauntlet was drawing some of his mana, but he allowed to do so; the sensation lasting only a moment.

    The batons felt comfortable in his hands, even with the gauntlet over his left.  They were made of a dark grey metal with a nearly blue tint, the tips sloped ever so slightly, reminding Kyle of the distinct tanto shape from Earth.  Unlike the gauntlet that drained a little of his mana, the batons seemed to have a well of their own that was buried deep within the metal.

    ¡°I hope the items are to your satisfaction, Mr. Mayhew.  From observing you these past hours, I believe these to be your best fit.  Before we finalize price, I¡¯d like you to try using the genuine articles.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to try them too,¡± Kyle said, trying to push down the desire to simply purchase them right there and then.

    Fell¡¯Zorre clicked on his tablet a few times, and a heavily armored practice dummy rumbled out from the edge of the arena.  ¡°If you¡¯d please start with the batons, Mr. Mayhew.  I believe their function will become clear as you strike the dummy.¡±

    Kyle nodded, twirling the batons in his hand as he stepped up to the heavily armored dummy.  The moment his first strike landed, he felt the baton surge with mana.  3 more blows followed in quick succession, and Kyle could feel the surging energy inside the weapons.  He activated Identify and lashed out again, understanding the mechanics behind the weapons far better.

    Each blow seemed to charge the weapon, the kinetic force from the strikes reverberating through the core and being magnified through what Kyle suspected were a series of inlaid runes.  That power was stored in the metallic casing surrounding the core, and Kyle could feel a connection to the weapon through a simple activation sigil inscribed in the handle.

    With a minor infusion of mana, Kyle activated the weapon as he landed his next strike.  The moment he did, force like a speeding truck exploded out from the baton.  The heavy dummy hadn¡¯t budged before, but this strike left a large dent in the metal and knocked it back several meters.  Kyle followed up, releasing the stored energy from the second baton.  This time the thick metal cracked as the dummy was once again blown away.

    Kyle felt the grin spreading across his face as he looked down at the batons.  The charges inside the weapons had been drained, though the results were incredible.  While he would still prefer not to be in a lot of close-quarters combat, these would provide a significant boost to his combat power.  What¡¯s more, Kyle felt that he could learn a lot from the structure of the shockwaves themselves.  There was a mana framework that sprang into existence when he activated the batons, and that was something Kyle was eager to study.

    ¡°I assume your smile to mean that you¡¯d like to move forward with the forcehammer batons, Mr. Mayhew?¡±

    Kyle looked at Fell¡¯Zorre.  ¡°Yes, definitely.  How do you want me to test the gauntlet?  I still have a special order I¡¯d like to put in, and I want to make sure we have time to review specifics.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir.  For the gauntlet, I doubt you¡¯ll need to punch things to understand that application, however I would like you to try and push some mana through the metal.  For somebody of your skill, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond, simply pushing energy into the metal.  It drank in a surprising amount, and with Identify active Kyle could see two separate activation runes.  With a minor effort, he triggered the first.  Light blue energy shimmered from the thin strips of metal, and a moment later a buckler made of mana sprang out from the gauntlet.

    Kyle instantly knew that it was inferior to Storm Shelter, however it appeared robust enough to take a couple of ordinary hits.  What¡¯s more, it didn¡¯t appear to be restricted with a long cooldown, nor a stationary requirement.

    Allowing the buckler to dissipate, Kyle pushed mana into the gauntlet once again to recharge it, this time activating the second rune.  The gauntlet shimmered for a moment, then a thin blade of mana erupted out from the edge of his forearm.  It went from his elbow and extended up slightly past his pinky finger, and from what Identify showed him, the blade was sharp.

    While Kyle didn¡¯t expect to use it often in combat, slashing and cutting options were things he sorely lacked right now.  While this was a far cry from the Multitool skill he¡¯d been offered when he crossed into D Grade, the gauntlet was able to fill a couple of the niches well.  When thinking about the broader context of the jobs he¡¯d be doing, increasing his flexibility was never a bad decision.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one, too.¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice was firm, and the goblin smiled in return.

    ¡°Excellent.  2 forcehammer batons and the survivor¡¯s gauntlet.  Before we discuss your custom order, I want to discuss prices here.  For all 3 pieces, we will need 285,000 credits.  110,000 each for the batons, and 65,000 for the gauntlet.¡±

    Kyle groaned internally, though he expected something similar.  The prices here were expensive, though quality usually was.  He feared that he¡¯d end up spending most of what he earned from the Ma Family, and with the custom order he suspected he¡¯d be pretty close.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡±  Kyle finally said.

    ¡°Then, shall we discuss your custom order?¡± Fell¡¯Zorre replied, a glint of greed in his eyes.

 Chapter 210

    The goblin frowned, looking at the series of parameters Kyle set before him.  ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how to value something like this.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s something outside your scope, I understand,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°If you could at least give me a referral, I can be on my way¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Fell¡¯Zorre snapped.  ¡°We have the finest artisans in the Verdant Republic, of course we¡¯ll be able to put something together.  It¡¯s simply an odd request, and it will take some time for us to even work on a prototype.  Let me assure you, anybody who thinks they can do it faster is either lying, or cutting corners.¡±

    Kyle nodded, suppressing a smile.  ¡°I can give you time, just remember the non-negotiables.¡±

    Fell¡¯Zorre tapped on his tablet, a quick projection appearing in the space between them.

    EXPANDABLE FRAME

    HIGH-DURABILITY MATERIAL

    SELF-REPAIR INSCRIPTION WORK

    MANA COLLECTION INSCRIPTIONS ¨C D GRADE OR HIGHER

    FULLY SEALING VENTS

    EXTENDING TETHERS

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can put together plenty more, beside.  Give our team 10 days to review and come up with an estimate, and then we can finalize the details.  I can tell you that the cost will exceed 400,000 credits, though by how much I¡¯m not sure.  If you¡¯d be willing to put down a deposit as a show of good faith¡­¡±

    ¡°I can do that.  100,000 credits now, 100,000 credits upon delivery of the prototype, and then the remaining balance when you¡¯ve completed the work?¡±

    Fell¡¯Zorre typed on the tablet, then showed Kyle a purchase agreement lining out the terms.  ¡°That is agreeable.  Should we fail to produce a prototype within a cycle, we will refund you 75% of the initial deposit.  Should the prototype not live up to expectation, I¡¯ve included provisions that we will keep the 200,000 credits, or cost of materials.  Of course, there are best efforts clauses included as well¡­¡±

    The goblin droned on for nearly 6 minutes, explaining the nuances of the special order.  Kyle listened politely, having expected something similar.  The Verdant Republic loved its paperwork, after all.

    When Fell¡¯Zorre was done, Kyle signed the agreement, paid his credits, and was returned to the entrance.  The goblin paused before he left, eyes narrowed as he regarded Kyle.  ¡°Mr. Mayhew, if I may ask¡­ has something changed with your armor?  Something looks different.¡±

    Kyle met the goblin¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot since I purchased it,¡± he said, showing the gauntlet that now rested on his left forearm. ¡°It¡¯s probably just changes from the repair features.  Thank you again for your help today.¡±  With that, Kyle turned and exited the Emerald Armory.

    Through Sensory Barbs, he could see Fell¡¯Zorre still facing him for another moment, before finally turning to head back to his office.  Kyle let out a breath when he was finally out of sight.  The goblin was more perceptive than Kyle had given him credit for, and he was thankful that there was no residual energy from the seed still present in the armor.

    It was something he¡¯d need to watch down the road, though for now he was eager to get home and prepare for the next day¡¯s work.  He had 3 jobs queued up, which meant he would be busy.  He waved to his security personnel before entering his apartment complex, stepping through his front door moments later.

    Kyle made a quick meal, spiced poultry over rice, and took a look at the details.  The first job was pretty simple; a custom machinery component had been finished by a manufacturer, and they needed it delivered safely and quickly to the client.  The purpose of using a Courier seemed to be to avoid the risk of corporate espionage, which Kyle could appreciate.

    The second job of the day was from a long-standing Guild client, and an influential dignitary inside the Verdant Republic.  A new goblin world had been discovered a while back, and they were in talks of joining the Verdant Republic.  They¡¯d apparently sent some cultural artifacts to be added to a museum, and Kyle was to escort the shipment.

    The final job seemed the most interesting.  He was given a public location where he was to wait and receive a delivery.  From there, he was to simply turn the package over to the Verdant Republic Security Forces.  If nothing was handed to him by the end of the allotted time, he was to leave, the job being considered complete.  The intrigue left him curious, though he knew that he couldn¡¯t let himself get too caught up in the what-ifs.  Not knowing the full picture was part and parcel of being a Courier, after all.

    Imagine Kyle¡¯s surprise then, when he found himself surrounded by thugs shortly after picking up the equipment for his first job of the day.  7 people stood in front of him, and Sensory Barbs detected 8 more presences approaching from the sides and behind.  A quick glance over his shoulder showed his security team moving in, and Kyle turned back ahead as he felt the group¡¯s leader step forward.

    ¡°Listen here, Courier,¡± the man said, sneering as he spoke. ¡°Give us the component and we won¡¯t have to rough you up, we¡¯ll ¨C¡°

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Kyle didn¡¯t give him a chance to finish.  Ignition burned through his veins as he dashed forward, blowing through the encircling group before they had a chance to react.  He also looked back with satisfaction as he saw his security personnel try, and fail, to keep up with his enhanced speed.

    Once he was a reasonable distance away, he deactivated his skill and kept moving.  While skill use wasn¡¯t prohibited in the Verdant Republic, it was considered poor social etiquette to use flashy skills in public.  Still, he made great time as he finished his delivery and received his pay.

    The second and third jobs were much smoother, with nobody even showing up to make the delivery during Kyle¡¯s final job of the day.  Kyle returned home 8500 credits richer, already reviewing the next jobs that Suierrillax had set up for him.  Speaking of¡­ Kyle received a message from her earlier in the day, which he¡¯d dismissed.

    Kyle,

    Please don¡¯t abandon the Private Security forces we hired for you.  It¡¯s rude.

    Otherwise, keep up the good work.  More jobs coming your way.

    -Suierrillax

    The comment only made Kyle smile, and he turned in.

    The next few days were a blur of repetition, and it felt good to get into a sense of routine again.  The jobs were varied enough that Kyle didn¡¯t feel bored, and the Verdant Republic controlled sections of the Hub were large enough to provide a wide array of different scenery.  When he felt stifled from doing the largely-urban work, he and C.H.A.D.D. would make trips to the botanical gardens to walk and take in the different types of plant life.

    A message on his nav bracelet reminded him it was nearly time for his dinner with Tillienne and Jax, and he hurried out of his apartment to the teleportation platform, walking up to the restaurant just in time to see a well-dressed young man with shaggy black hair approach the front.

    ¡°Jax, it¡¯s been a while!¡±  Kyle called, a smile on his face.

    Jax did a double take, then his eyes lit up as a broad smile covered his boyish face.  ¡°Kyle!  It¡¯s great to see you!¡±

    The two men shook hands, with Jax clearly looking at the grey veins covering Kyle¡¯s body.  ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about, just some changes from a new skill I¡¯ve got.¡±

    The explanation seemed to satisfy the young man, and they chatted amicably as they stepped into the restaurant.  As expected, Jax was doing well in the Private Security Guild, already having made some new friends and expanded his family¡¯s network.  From what Kyle could see, he hadn¡¯t grown much since the Practicum, but that was to be expected.  Kyle¡¯s circumstances were far from ordinary, after all.

    Tillienne arrived a short while later, pink skin standing out against an elegant black dress.  She was stunning, an effect that was particularly pronounced for Jax, who caught himself staring and immediately blushed, much to Tillienne¡¯s delight.

    She tossed a look at Kyle, still wearing his armor and carrying the C.H.A.D.D.pack.  ¡°You¡¯re underdressed, you know.  Interesting tattoos, by the way.¡±

    The twinkle in her eye let him know she was joking, and he smiled in response.  ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m not a top Practicum performer like the 2 of you.  In seriousness, I¡¯ve had a couple of pretty tough run-ins afterward, and I learned some lessons about being unprepared.¡±

    Jax¡¯s expression grew serious at Kyle¡¯s words.  ¡°What happened?¡±

    [MAY I, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Go ahead, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    The drone went on to explain the series of events in broad terms, leaving out much of the information that they¡¯d decided not to share, including C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s handling of its captor.  When the story was finished, Tillienne had a dark expression on her face, while Jax¡¯s was harder to read.

    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡±  Tillienne said.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to get targeted like this, but it needs to stop.  I hope your Guild is working on it.  If they¡¯re not, I can see about getting you a spot at the Mercenary¡¯s Guild.  I know our higher-ups wouldn¡¯t tolerate it.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it, Tillienne.  Our folks are working on it, though from what I can gather it¡¯s a pretty complicated knot to work through.¡±

    Jax was silent for a moment, eyes focused on his clasped hands.  Finally, he spoke.  ¡°Kyle¡­ I¡¯m sorry.  I think some of this might be my fault.¡±

    Kyle looked at the younger man, raising an eyebrow.  ¡°Last I checked, you weren¡¯t the one trying to claim a bounty on C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Jax shook his head.  ¡°I would never.  But the people at the estate really liked you, and they talk.  I know we¡¯ve had more visitors than usual since the Practicum, and you¡¯re a topic that came up more than once.  I should have paid closer attention, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Kyle took it in for a moment, gauging his own reaction to the news.  To his surprise, there was no anger, no sense of betrayal.  ¡°Jax, there wasn¡¯t a way for you to know.  Believe me, it¡¯s getting worked out.  Now, enough about that.  Tell me more about your recent assignments!¡±

    The group ate, drank, and laughed well into the evening as they chatted and swapped stories.  The mood lightened considerably, and it felt good to be able to unwind with good company.  Even better, Kyle didn¡¯t have any jobs slated the following morning, so he could get some rest.

    Kyle got back to his apartment, opened his door, and was greeted by Jarberry lounging in his chair, eating a comically large piece of cooked meat on the bone.  ¡°About time you got home, I was getting bored.¡±

    Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what was more concerning ¨C the imp¡¯s unexpected presence, or that he¡¯d grown so used to it.  ¡°Good to see you, Jarberry.  I thought you¡¯d be out for a while yet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called finishing jobs ahead of schedule and underbudget.¡±  He paused to take another bite of meat before waving it in Kyle¡¯s general direction.  ¡°Something you could stand to learn, by the way.  At this rate, nobody will want to hire you because of all the extra expenses that pop up.¡±

    ¡°Hey now, it¡¯s not all my fault.¡±

    [ACTUALLY, DR. MAYHEW, MANY OF THE MA FAMILY¡¯S EXPENSES FROM YOUR VISIT WERE DIRECTLY RELATED TO YOUR SPECIFIC PRESENCE.]

    ¡°See?¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°And that¡¯s why I like you, drone.  And why I¡¯ve been working on a little side project to make sure you¡¯re taken care of.¡±

    ¡°And what does that entail?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°C Grade stuff!¡±  Jarberry responded, sharp teeth showing in his smile.  ¡°Speaking of, I think it¡¯s high time you and I had a chat about that.  What do you know about C Grade?¡±

    ¡°Very little,¡± Kyle admitted.  ¡°We had a handful on Earth at one point, but they left.  I don¡¯t know much about the specifics other than that the power gap between D Grades and C Grades is a lot wider than E Grade and D Grade.¡±

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°Either way, I want you to get there, which means we need to start thinking about your foundations now.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t my foundations a little set in stone?¡±  Kyle asked, only partially joking.  ¡°I understand that a lot of C Grade heritages are pretty strict and specific.¡±

    Jarberry scoffed.  ¡°If you want to do things other people have done, sure.  The real monsters, the ones who make heritages, are the ones who figure it out themselves.  I want to make sure you get pointed in the right direction.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s pulse quickened, anticipation building.  This was something he¡¯d thought about a lot, and never found great information.  ¡°Well then, where do we start?¡±

    ¡°I suppose discussing the second class is as good a place as any.¡±

 Chapter 211

    [YOU SHOULD PROBABLY DODGE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle could barely hear the drone¡¯s words over the roaring gunfire.  Small arms fire peppered his back, feeling more like heavy raindrops against his Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation when it wasn¡¯t stopped by his armor.  Synaptic Barbs confirmed C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warning a moment later as he felt the telltale disruption in the air a few meters behind him, a surefire indication that there was another approaching missile.

    ¡°Is the package secure?¡±  Kyle asked, dropping flat to the ground at the last possible second as the missile flew harmlessly overhead.

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle sprang to his feet, pulling out a forcehammer baton with his right hand as the guided munition turned to correct its course.

    With a smoothness provided by months of dedicated training, Kyle channeled his mana through the weapon as he swung.  A wide shockwave of energy rolled out from the baton, catching the missile in mid-flight.  It wobbled in the air before crashing into a nearby tree, exploding on impact.

    A floating blue projection came up from his nav bracelet, confirming he was making the right call.

    Mayhew,

    You¡¯re 10 kilometers away from the drop point.  As soon as the clients have the Echo Heart, your part is done.  I confirmed they have a team ready and waiting.  Don¡¯t die.

    -Suierrillax

    Beneath the text, a rudimentary map showed his progress toward the destination.  Kyle didn¡¯t pay it much heed, being far more interested in C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  In addition to the destination, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s included the nearly 30 unmanned drones streaking through the sky after them.  Kyle felt surprised at how well they kept up, given that he was using Ignition to get out of the danger zone as quickly as he could.

    The job was supposed to be a simple one, with Kyle picking up an experimental component called an Echo Heart from a hidden lab, then delivering it to the company that commissioned it.  When Kyle arrived at the lab, he saw it besieged by a literal army of mechs.  Many were the fast-flying types that now pursued Kyle and C.H.A.D.D., others were bipedal with heavier armaments.

    The lab was holding on admirably, layering a variety of barriers and retaliating with electromagnetic pulses to interfere with the attacking drones.  Instead of joining the fight, Kyle made his way to the back entrance of the lab, picked up the Echo Heart, and left.  He hoped that the attack wasn¡¯t related to his job, but he had no such luck.

    Instead, swarms of the attacking drones peeled off from their assault to pursue Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  The Echo Heart gave off powerful pulses of energy, which Kyle assumed his assailants used to track them.  Now, with only 10 kilometers between them and their destination, he felt confident in completing the job.  The larger assault mechs were left in the dust, and the small drones offered only a limited threat.

    Comfortable with their progress, Kyle called to C.H.A.D.D. over the din of gunfire.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., have you been able to analyze the Echo Heart?¡±

    [ONLY IN A LIMITED CAPACITY, DR. MAYHEW.  THE INSCRIPTION WORK IS QUITE INTERESTING; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE PRINCIPLES AT PLAY WOULD BE OF LIMITED USE.]

    Kyle frowned at his companion¡¯s words.  ¡°Why is that?¡±

    [THE ALLOYS USED IN THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE ECHO HEART SEEM ESSENTIAL TO THE INSCRIPTION WORK.  WHILE IT IS LIKELY TO SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE BATTERY AND AMPLIFIER FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF MANA, IT IS UNLIKELY TO MESH WELL WITH THE ENERGIES PRESENT IN THE WORLD TREE SEED.  FURTHERMORE, I BELIEVE THAT THE AMPLIFICATION COULD BE ACTIVELY DISRUPTIVE IF USED IMPROPERLY.]

    Kyle nodded, considering C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s analysis.  Ever since their meeting with Jarberry about getting a second class at C Grade, he and C.H.A.D.D. had been hard at work trying to determine their next steps.  If D Grade was all about building a foundation for one¡¯s path, C Grade was about folding in outside elements to strengthen and broaden it.

    For Kyle, the idea itself was fairly simple.  His path was tied to the concept of survival and overcoming adversity.  Despite the practical difficulty it provided, the conceptual basis was wide enough to allow for most second classes to weave in.  The main obstacle to overcome would be encountering enough challenging environments to push himself, no matter what class he chose.

    C.H.A.D.D., by contrast, had an incredibly complex method of progression.  Only having gained the Administrator Weevil class by absorbing an essence back on Earth, the class itself heavily relied on engaging with plant-based natural treasures.  In fact, with the exception of its sonic attack, all of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s skills were solely reliant on the manipulation and direction of the energies inside these treasures.

    The other applications available to the drone were simple functions of its original hardware and software.  Sure, there had been some creative liberties taken to use them in their current capacity, but ultimately C.H.A.D.D. used the tools at its disposal.   This was the crux of the problem.

    At the end of the day, there was no precedent that Kyle could find for AIs to have a class, much less 2.  In fact, most mechanical creations had no ability to progress at all, outside of an external party giving them direct upgrades to their hardware or software.  For most, they would simply exist at the level of power at which they were created.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Colloquially, even though creations of talented Mechanists may be called D or C Grade, it was nothing more than a simple expression of the power level they could exhibit.  The fact that C.H.A.D.D. had a class and levels flew in the face of this reality, and provided them the conundrum they now found.  For Kyle to give C.H.A.D.D. the best possibilities of crossing into C Grade or beyond, he¡¯d need to find high-level schematics for the drone¡¯s next round of upgrades.

    While he held out a lot of hope for the upcoming meeting with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s original designer, Marcus Kulhavey, Kyle had also specifically focused on taking delivery jobs for highly specialized mechanical components like the Echo Heart.  Each job required he sign binding non-disclosure agreements, but he hoped that C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans of the products could help illuminate their path forward.

    His thought process stopped as a warning flashed across C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  Auric Perception alerted Kyle to mana condensing in front of them, and he instinctively pushed mana into the gauntlet on his left arm, a circular shield of mana emerging from his forearm.

    A javelin of lightning split the air a moment later, and Kyle was ready.  Only slowing half a step, he angled the buckler towards the oncoming projectile.  With a practiced flick of his wrist, the blast of energy was redirected slightly as it glanced off the shield, exploding against the trees behind Kyle.

    He felt a searing pain in his wrist and left arm from deflecting the blow, and channeled Healing Impetus into it, immediately feeling the relief wash through him.  Adaptive Regeneration took over from there, greedily making use of the latent healing energy left behind in his cells as all trace of damage from the attack faded in seconds.

    Kyle looked ahead as he felt the mana condensing again, barely making out the shape of a humanoid mech in the forest ahead.  Its shape seemed to blur at the edges, and as he drew closer Kyle realized that it was using some type of cloaking field, disrupted by the crackling blue energy gathering in the weapon it was leveling at Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.

    [YOU MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°On it, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle replied, feeling the electric mana climbing to fever pitch.  Pushing more power into Ignition, Kyle got within 3 meters of the mech, staring directly into the muzzle of the gun as he came in low.  At the last possible moment, he swung the forcehammer baton in his right hand in a vertical arc, starting from his left hip.  A shockwave of kinetic force released like a bubble below the gun, knocking it upward and off target the moment it fired.

    Kyle grabbed the second baton with his left hand, and began to viciously pummel the mech.  It was roughly human-sized, with the lightning cannon in place of its right arm and treads on 4 legs to allow it free movement through the difficult terrain.  Mottled grey and brown metal began to vanish beneath the cloaking field, but Kyle wasn¡¯t planning to give it an opportunity to escape.

    Rather than simply releasing large blasts of force with his batons, Kyle focused the mana at the tips of each.  Using tendrils of Parasitic Resonance, he focused on shaping smaller, focused bursts of energy.  Though he hadn¡¯t perfected it, the results were still more than enough.  Over a dozen strikes rang out in the span of a second, each leaving deep craters in the metal shielding.

    Kyle continued his relentless assault, driving the mech backward with his forward momentum.  The first component to break off fully was the cannon, followed by 3 of its legs.  As soon as it fell to the ground, Kyle dashed past it.  A quick glance at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map showed the lead he¡¯d gotten on the pursuing drones had been lost during his skirmish.

    ¡°How much farther, C.H.A.D.D.?¡± Kyle asked, the air once again filled with the high-pitched whine of bullets.

    [APPROXIMATELY 1 KILOMETER, DR. MAYHEW.  THERE IS A RATHER LARGE ARMORED VEHICLE WAITING AT THE DROP POINT, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IS YOUR DESTINATION.]

    ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Kyle agreed, vaulting over a fallen tree as he continued his escape.  While he was interested to learn more about the circumstances surrounding this delivery, he just wanted to get the job done at this point.  With the Echo Heart being a bit of a dead end, he looked forward to heading home and meeting with Jarberry.  The imp kept busy, and Kyle did his best to get on his calendar whenever the opportunity came up.

    Breaking through the tree cover, Kyle saw the panicked expression of a handful of E Grade guards surrounding the transport.  With a minor push of mana, Kyle broadcast his credentials as a Courier though his nav bracelet, slowing to a halt as he approached the woman in charge.  Crimson energy dispersed as he deactivated Ignition, and he raised his hand in greeting.

    ¡°Courier Kyle Mayhew, reporting.¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice was calm as he unslung the C.H.A.D.D.pack, reaching inside to grab the package containing the Echo Heart.  ¡°This is the delivery, as agreed.  Good luck.¡±

    The woman took the package, eyes widening as she saw the drones breaking out of the forest behind him.  ¡°How¡­  How did you¡­¡±  She seemed lost for words for a moment, flinching as the gunfire exploded at their position, only to be stopped by Storm Shelter as it sprang to life around them.  Finally, she found her voice.  ¡°Can you help us make our exit?¡±

    Kyle met her eyes.  ¡°I was contracted to make a field delivery, not make enemies with whoever else is fighting for this item.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± she said, once again looking past Kyle at the swarm of drones.  ¡°We won¡¯t make it back to headquarters at this rate.¡±

    ¡°How much are you willing to pay?¡±  Kyle asked.  The last months had taught him that, despite spending absurd amounts of credits on development, many companies tightened the proverbial purse strings when it came to deliveries like these.  Instead of paying Kyle to deliver directly to a headquarters, it was common to have Couriers make field deliveries, where company staff would finish the job at much lower cost.

    Situations like the one they currently faced were perfect examples of how those plans could backfire.  Jarberry warned Kyle not to get taken advantage of, and he¡¯d taken the advice to heart.  He saw the woman glance down at a screen that popped up from her own nav bracelet, then look back at Kyle.  ¡°I¡¯m authorized to offer 25,000 credits to deal with the drones.¡±

    ¡°Make it 60,000 credits and we have a deal.¡± Kyle replied.  With at least 20 of the drones visible on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map when he¡¯d checked last, he didn¡¯t intend to stay involved for less.

    ¡°Fine!¡±  She screamed.  ¡°Just take care of them!¡±

    The pursuing drones had fanned out at this point, concentrating fire directly on Kyle¡¯s location.  The bullets may as well have been a gentle breeze for all they did against Storm Shelter, and he casually drafted the invoice on his own nav bracelet before sending it off to Suierrillax.

    Once he¡¯d confirmed it was sent, Kyle looked back at the attacking drones.  Taking a forcehammer baton in each hand, he took his fighting stance as Ignition bloomed to life in his chest.  He took a deep breath as he focused.  ¡°You¡¯re going to want to get down.  This will be over shortly.¡±

 Chapter 212

    Suierrillax looked at Kyle across her desk, the shadow of a smile playing across her face as she spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a flair for the dramatic, Mayhew.  I¡¯m starting to understand how you kept finding yourself in trouble.¡±

    Given Kyle was still covered in soot and ashes from the destroyed drones, he had a hard time arguing.  He returned to the Courier¡¯s Guild, having headed straight there after finishing his extra request.

    [I DO NOT BELIEVE DR. MAYHEW WOULD HAVE LEFT THEM TO DIE, MS. SUIERRILLAX.] C.H.A.D.D. offered.  [I WOULD CATERGORIZE HIS ACTIONS AS MORE ENTERPRISING THAN DRAMATIC.]

    The skrell woman leaned forward, black eyes peering at Kyle.  ¡°I think I¡¯d rather call it a pattern of behavior.  In any event, you completed the job ahead of schedule, and the Notus group decided to throw in a handful of extra credits.¡±

    Kyle saw a notification flash up from his nav bracelet at her words, indicating 100,000 credits had been deposited into his account instead of the agreed upon 60,000.  Not a bad day¡¯s work.  In addition to the original 30,000 for the job, Kyle¡¯s account once again looked healthy.  Which was good, given how his shopping list seemed to keep expanding.

    Meeting Suierrillax¡¯s eyes, Kyle said, ¡°Pass along my thanks.  Next time they have a delivery that needs done on short notice, I¡¯d be happy to help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would be,¡± Suierrillax said dryly, sitting back in her chair.  ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason I asked to see you when you got done though, Kyle.  We had a special request come in, asking for you specifically.¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°I¡¯m flattered, but I was hoping to take a few days off.  I¡¯ve got a couple things that I¡¯ll need to take care of, particularly with Jarberry back at the Hub for a while.¡±

    Suierillax nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m well aware, and they assured me that the job isn¡¯t time sensitive.  Remember the dignitaries you worked with from the Verdant Republic?¡±

    Kyle thought back to some of his early jobs with the Courier¡¯s Guild, and nodded.  ¡°Pretty quick and easy jobs, as I recall.  What, does somebody need their dry cleaning picked up?¡±

    Suierrillax clearly didn¡¯t find Kyle¡¯s joke as funny as he did, and her flat look caused him to get serious.  ¡°Sorry.  What do they need?¡±

    ¡°It sounds like a longer-term assignment, requiring somebody with impressive survival skills, the ability to traverse hostile territory, and somebody currently unaffiliated with the Verdant Republic¡¯s governance.  While it¡¯s ultimately your decision, I believe it¡¯s an opportunity you should consider.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what the pay structure looks like?¡±  Kyle asked, his interest growing.

    ¡°Preliminary discussion is currently sitting at 30,000 credit advance, a 1500 credit per diem, and a 75,000 credit payment due at completion.¡±  Suierrillax said.

    While Kyle wasn¡¯t terribly impressed by the pay, he could see the attraction of getting a contract like this directly from the Verdant Republic.  It also meant that they didn¡¯t have the talent in-house to take care of the job, which signified to Kyle that the job was likely to be dangerous.  Exactly what I¡¯ll need to get to Level 70.

    Kyle had only gained 2 levels in the 6 months since returning from his assignment on Pokke.  While he knew his progress was still impressive in the grand scheme of things, the relative lack of danger in his recent jobs left him itching for an opportunity to really push himself again.

    ¡°How long until they need me to report?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°They agreed to 72 hours from your return for a meeting, then an additional 48 hours before you would officially begin in order to prepare.¡±  Suierrillax said.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°And thank you, for everything.¡±

    Suierrillax grinned.  ¡°Are you kidding me?  I¡¯m getting paid more than I ever have to keep you out of trouble.  Now, get some rest.  You¡¯ve got credits to earn for me, after all!¡±

    Kyle could only smile as he said his goodbyes at the Courier¡¯s Guild before heading home.  He could honestly say that he¡¯d found his rhythm.  The pay was good, the work was interesting, and it gave Kyle space to train and develop.  Even if his progress to C Grade stalled, as was the case with many, he was in a position where he¡¯d be able to carve out a comfortable life.

    Of course, Kyle had no intention of stalling at C Grade.  He had another skill selection coming up at Level 70, with the capstone skill of D Grade at Level 105 and the evolution to C Grade at Level 125.  From what he understood from his early lessons with Jarberry, the shift to C Grade came with a large power spike, though its progression was gated by one¡¯s ability to keep each class¡¯s purpose unified.

    For many, this was a near-impossible task.  If the unity between the classes was insufficient, a person would be stalled at early C Grade ¨C unable to evolve their subclass to D Grade and stuck at Level 60 in their primary race and class.

    Similar issues occurred as the subclass broke into C Grade, with the final push only occurring once both classes reached Level 180.  From what Kyle understood, neither Jarberry nor Ghork had approached Peak C Grade, though he suspected Jarberry was closer than he¡¯d let on.  That also spoke to the difficulty of reaching for B Grade, and why the people that achieved it were considered to be at the apex.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Kyle stopped his wandering thoughts as he took the final steps toward his apartment door, sharpening his senses before opening it.  He knew it to be a largely futile effort, but he¡¯d committed to not giving Jarberry the satisfaction of surprising him.  No sounds of eating, no clanking of dishware, Kyle thought.  Synaptic Barbs were fairly limited through the sealed door, and he knew that Auric Perception wasn¡¯t able to detect anything from the imp.

    With a sigh, Kyle opened the door, seeing nothing out of place within.  Jarberry was still such an unknown quantity, even though he¡¯d invested quite a bit into Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  Kyle would feel much better if he could get a better sense of the imp¡¯s comings and goings.

    For now, he took off the newly updated pack he¡¯d commissioned from the Emerald Armory, taking a moment to admire the quality of the work.  Fell¡¯Zorre and his team had truly outdone themselves.  The pack had a sleek construction, perfectly fit to start at the top of Kyle¡¯s shoulders, tapering down to rest on his hips.  A multisegmented frame offered flexibility and mobility to his back, while still providing support for C.H.A.D.D.

    The drone rested comfortably inside the main body of the pack, with several other containers surrounding C.H.A.D.D. which held a variety of other supplies and seeds.  The material itself was incredibly tough, with multiple layers of self-repair inscriptions and defensive wards placed on top of one another to enhance the durability even further.  Using Identify, Kyle could see the mana infusing the metal, only improving his appreciation for the work.

    [IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE PACK, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°Not at all.  Just checking to make sure that there was no damage after all the bullets.¡±

    [I WOULD LET YOU KNOW IF I SUSPECTED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.  I DO NOT RELISH THE IDEA OF FALLING OUT WHILE YOU¡¯RE RUNNING.]

    ¡°A second set of eyes on it can¡¯t hurt,¡± Kyle said, looking over each piece of the pack.  ¡°All the better to keep you safe and secure.¡±

    Satisfied with the condition of the straps and main pack, he infused a gentle stream of mana, causing small circular vents to open on either side of the pack.  He could barely make out the sphere of thin, twisting vines inside, and with another push of mana sealed the vents shut again.  These were among the most fragile components of the pack, yet they more than held up to the wear and tear of Kyle¡¯s work so far.

    Finally, Kyle examined the bottom of the pack, where separate compartments held numerous plant seeds.  C.H.A.D.D. had direct access through the interior of the pack, and could open them from within.  Each of them was still closed up tight, though admittedly Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had yet to give their new tactics a genuine field test.  Kyle was concerned the potentially violent nature of mid-combat deployments could make resealing the compartments difficult, though there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it at this point.

    Kyle settled in with a bowl of fried rice and red meat in a tangy sauce, thinking about all he wanted to get done before his meeting with the Verdant Republic.  His meetings with Jarberry tended to be unpredictable, so he couldn¡¯t plan too rigidly.  There was still work he wanted to do in preparation for his meeting with Marcus Kulhavey, as well as enough reading material to last a lifetime.

    Though paltry compared to the amount spent on gear, Kyle spent thousands of credits to build his virtual library.  His primary interest was to learn more about the different species of the Collective, which soon spiraled to include everything from history books to local popular culture and cooking guides.  He found a quiet comfort in reading, a peace that seemed to seep into his very soul.

    He was currently reading through a history of skrell medical techniques, which he found surprisingly funny despite the otherwise dry subject matter.  Given his upcoming journey to the Verdant Republic, he doubted it would be terribly useful.  Once he started, however, he wanted to finish.  And with a lifespan now a couple centuries long, he had the time.

    After cleaning up from his dinner and reading a while, Kyle found himself staring in his mirror before his nightly meditation.  The dark gray veins of his Ferric Augmentation ran across his body, and he could make out what looked like a fine layer of stubble all over, courtesy of his Synaptic Barbs.  He had always been athletic, though his build was much stronger now.  Dark hair and a tightly trimmed beard framed his sharp features, emerald eyes piercing as always.  With focused effort, Kyle suppressed both the Synaptic Barbs and the Ferric Augmentation.

    He felt an odd sensation across his skin as the veins of gray retreated and the barbs shifted back into the tight weave of his Enhanced Carapace.  For a moment, Kyle saw a memory in the mirror, a face that had grown less and less familiar.  He saw echoes of the young doctor treating minor injuries in a frontier clinic on Earth.  With a smile, Kyle stopped suppressing the skills.  The familiar veins came back, and his sense of the world felt crisp once again when the barbs reemerged.  While he felt the occasional pang of longing for what he once had and been, the new Kyle was building his life at the Hub one day at a time.

    He crossed his legs as he sat on the bed, taking time to meditate before calling it a night.  As usual, Kyle¡¯s consciousness was drawn into his center, and he looked at the now-familiar words.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 67 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 20%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 1000

    ENDURANCE: 1141

    STRENGTH: 379

    DEXTERITY: 732

    WILLPOWER: 1435

    INTELLIGENCE: 1435

    PERCEPTION: 1063

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    He¡¯d been stalled at Level 67 for quite a while, though as he reflected on the day¡¯s job, he felt that he was closer than ever to 68.  All he would need was a good push and he¡¯d be there.  Of course, he had a method to increase his personal power not tied to the next level; that being the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  The fish from his Practicum and Styxlions had both proven to be sufficient nourishment for the Core, and Kyle felt confident he could find other prey that would satisfy its appetite.

    The problem he encountered was finding an environment where he could kill sufficient enemies without causing major harm to the ecosystem.  He¡¯d been keeping an eye out for issues related to invasive species mitigation, though he hadn¡¯t seen anything come up recently.  A longer-term job would likely provide the best opportunity to find the right targets.  His Adaptive Anatomy saved him more times than he could count, and he wanted to see it continue to develop.

    Sleep followed meditation, and Kyle drifted off peacefully.  Only to be woken up what seemed like moments later by a loud, familiar voice.

    ¡°Come on, lazybones!  Get up, there¡¯s lots to do and not nearly enough time to do it!¡±

    Kyle sat up with a groan, staring at the diminutive purple form floating at the foot of his bed.  The imp wore a tailored suit, as always, and had his trademark grin.  Kyle couldn¡¯t sense any mana from him, nor did he feel the telltale absence of presence many cloaking skills created.

    Kyle rubbed his eyes blearily, and with a flat voice greeted his unexpected visitor.  ¡°Good morning to you, too, Jarberry.¡±

 Chapter 213

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s polite to offer a guest food and drink when they come to your home.¡±  Jarberry said, false consternation clear in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s also polite to tell your hosts when you¡¯re planning on arriving.  Or if you¡¯re planning on arriving.  While we¡¯re at it, I also think there are conventions around inviting oneself in, snooping, using concealment skills¡­¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Jarberry said, putting his hands up in mock surrender.  ¡°I¡¯ll just go help myself while you get up and moving.¡±  The imp vanished a moment later, and Kyle rose and stretched before confirming that everything was still in order with C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°Everything alright?¡±

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.  NOTHING UNUSUAL WHATSOEVER UNTIL JARBERRY¡¯S APPEARANCE.  THOUGH I SUPPOSE AT THIS POINT HIS APPEARANCES HARDLY QUALIFY AS UNUSUAL.]

    Kyle tried, and failed, to hold back a chuckle.  ¡°We¡¯ve certainly made some odd acquaintances.  Thank you for keeping a watch on things, I appreciate it.¡±

    [I AM HAPPY TO BE OF SERVICE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle cleaned up quickly, and by the time he stepped out into his living room, he saw Jarberry lounging in one of his chairs, stuffing his face with rice out of one of Kyle¡¯s bowls.  ¡°Took you long enough,¡± the imp said between bites.  ¡°Grab a seat, we¡¯ve got lots to talk about.¡±

    Kyle considered questioning his visitor about his habit of eating Kyle¡¯s food, but decided against it.  Some battles weren¡¯t worth fighting.

    [MR. BANDERSNATCH, DO YOU HAVE THE PYROCORE SPHERE?  I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CONTINUE EXAMINING IT.]

    Without a word, Jarberry made a gesture with his left hand, seeming to pull the basketball-sized orb out of thin air.  ¡°It belongs to the two of you ¨C I¡¯m happy to leave it here if you want to study it more.¡±  These words were spoken with a wide grin, and Kyle knew a trap when he saw one.

    ¡°Not yet.  We appreciate you holding onto it for us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you credit where it¡¯s due, you have the brains to understand when some things are best left unchanged.  Are you thinking about incorporating it into your path?¡±  Jarberry asked, seeming genuinely interested.

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t offer much for either of us at this point.  The principles at work with the inscriptions are the most important pieces, and we want to learn everything from it we can before we look to sell.¡±

    ¡°Not a bad idea, though I think you¡¯re going to hit some dead ends on it soon.  The inscription work isn¡¯t going to do much without a treasure at the same level as the volcanic glass supporting it.  You found something really special in that last part of your Practicum.  Even other high-quality materials will hit their limits, after all.¡±  Jarberry said.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, it¡¯s still an investment in the future,¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°Besides, who knows what other items we might stumble across?  I¡¯d rather learn everything we can while we have an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Well just remember, my storage fees are far more reasonable than the Collective¡¯s.  Now, I think you and I have more important items to cover.¡±

    With that, Jarberry gestured again, and several heavy tomes materialized between Kyle and the imp.  With a sigh, Kyle placed his right hand on the cover of the closest one, and felt a familiar connection as the book drained a bit of his mana.  Jarberry brought these books each time they¡¯d met over the last few months, and Kyle could safely say they were the part of his training he looked forward to the least.

    Jarberry watched with expectant eyes as Kyle flipped to the first page, where large blobs of ink seemed to be flowing around with no rhyme or reason.  Knowing the drill, Kyle used his faint connection with the item to try and stabilize the ink on the page, allowing him to read the message that was on it.  The problem was that he had to focus his attention on keeping each individual letter stable, which grew exponentially more difficult as the message lengthened.  The moment one of the letters destabilized, Kyle would lose his connection to the tome and would have to start over again.

    The idea, per Jarberry, was for Kyle to continue to develop in the areas of mana control without level progression.  Kyle understood the logic, even if he found the training to be a bit tedious.  Ultimately, the more he practiced, the better use he¡¯d be able to make of his rising attributes.  Hopefully, that would result in more varied uses of his skills, not to mention better options as he moved toward C Grade.

    Just over an hour later, Kyle finally lost focus.  The ink began to swirl across the pages once again as Kyle leaned back in his chair, exhausted.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°147 pages total this time.¡±

    ¡°And how many do you want me to get?¡±  Kyle asked, keeping his eyes closed as he fought off a fatigue headache.

    ¡°500 before C Grade would be a good number to target.¡±

    Kyle nodded, biting back his disappointment before closing the first tome and moving to open the next.  Instead of pushing his focus and mana control, this tome immediately started to put strain on Kyle¡¯s muscles, as if it was pushing each individual fiber to lock up.  The more pages he turned, the higher the intensity.  As soon as he could no longer turn the pages, the book snapped shut, relief washing over his aching muscles.

    While he could have pushed further through the use of Adaptive Regeneration, Jarberry advised against it.  The idea of the tomes was to train and develop his foundations.  Leveraging skills to get a better score undermined the whole principle.  The process was more important than the result, and Kyle didn¡¯t have much choice other than to trust the imp.

    Kyle looked up to see Jarberry¡¯s expectant gaze, and placed his hand on the last of the three tomes.  This was far and away his least favorite; a simple test of pain tolerance.  Kyle knew that there would be no physical harm.  He instinctively understood that there was no danger from the book.  Yet, despite that truth, the white-hot pain lancing through his body grew to a point that he simply couldn¡¯t handle.

    As the last book closed, Jarberry clapped slowly.  ¡°147, 133, and 159.  Solid improvement from where you started, but you¡¯ve still got some work to do.¡±

    Kyle groaned.  ¡°And you want me to get to page 500 on each before C Grade?¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°If you can,¡± the imp said, shrugging.  ¡°I¡¯m not here to tell you what you have to do, but if you can push to that point, you¡¯ll have built a strong foundation for whatever comes next.  I can¡¯t think of a single situation where improved mana control or focus would be a bad thing.  And if you¡¯re going to have to learn these lessons one way or another, this ain¡¯t a bad way to do it.¡±

    All things considered, Jarberry was right.  He¡¯d experienced the hard way on Earth, after all.  ¡°I appreciate it.  No guarantees I get to 500 on each, but I¡¯ll keep working toward it.¡±  Kyle said, placing the books back in a neat stack.  ¡°Did you bring the class information?¡±

    ¡°You know, most people would describe a catalog of rare, variant E Grade classes with a little more reverence.¡±  Jarberry said, mock admonishment in his tone as he put the stack of tomes in his spatial storage.

    A few months ago, Kyle would have harbored worries that the imp was offended, but those doubts were a distant memory.  ¡°You and I both know that you had no reverence when you found the information, and I¡¯m just learning from my teacher.¡±  Kyle responded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get too comfortable with the whole ¡®teacher¡¯ label.¡± Jarberry protested, activating his nav bracelet.  ¡°Take a look, and learn what you can.  Remember, there¡¯s no guarantees when it comes to a second class.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he looked through the list.  There were 5 widely accepted E Grade archetype classes that existed for most awakened, with the true customization coming as individuals allocated Free Attributes and selected skills.  These were Fighter, Ranger, Mage, Healer, and Crafter.  Within each, minor variations existed.

    For example, a Fire Mage and a Wind Mage were both Mages, simply differentiated based on their elemental affinities.  Similarly, a Swordsman and Spearman were both variants of Fighter, each offering the same number of attribute points despite the different names.

    True variants, like the one DeRosa had, were something entirely different.  First, they came with significantly higher attribute points with each level.  An E Grade at the cusp of a D Grade evolution with a good variant class had the potential to hold their own against opponents in the early stages of D Grade.  People with good variants also had a leg up in terms of class evolutions, typically offering more powerful options relative to their more normal peers.

    Thus, it went without saying that most who were serious about progressing to C Grade wanted their second class to be such a variant.  Per Jarberry, however, this could be a double-edged sword.  The key to C Grade progression was unifying 2 separate paths, and if the second class was of a much higher quality than the first, harmony would be impossible.  Often, it would stop before the second class even had a chance to reach D Grade.

    Fortunately, the solution was simple, if incredibly difficult.  The first class would simply need to turn into a variant that could stack up qualitatively.  The challenge, at least for Kyle, was that he had no idea how his Survivalist class stacked up.  He had no doubt that it was powerful, far outstripping some of the more standard evolutions he¡¯d studied from the base Healer class.  At the same time, the lack of a variant class as a foundation meant he was missing out on attributes and skills that could have propelled him further.

    That left Kyle with 2 problems to solve; develop enough for a great variant of the Survivalist class, and build an idea for how his second class would fit into the picture.  He would solve the first issue by the simple virtue of continuing down his path, and shoring up his foundations like he was doing now.  A clear solution, even though it was easier said than done.

    Perusing the list Jarberry provided, the sheer number of different E Grade variants was a little overwhelming.  From what he could glean, most variants at this early stage were largely tied to either environmental factors or sheer natural talent.  Standard E grade classes, like Kyle¡¯s Healer, offered 5 fixed attributes and 1 free attribute per level.  Some of these variants offered 3 or 4 times that number.

    As far as which archetype to choose, he and Jarberry had gone the rounds over it.  While he could see the concept of survival expressed in each, some didn¡¯t fit with the core of who he was.  Fighter would likely offer some balance, and his ever-growing experience with close combat would probably benefit him.  However, he didn¡¯t feel like it was a direction that he wanted to harmonize.  Ideally, he¡¯d find himself fighting in close quarters less and less as his life moved on.

    Ranger would similarly synergize well, and make him an even more effective Courier.  This was the direction Jarberry had encouraged as well, with well-documented variants tied to scouting and espionage that could blend in well with the survival concept.  While Kyle could see the allure, he just didn¡¯t feel as drawn to it.  Though Kyle enjoyed his work as a Courier, it wasn¡¯t something he wanted to align his entire path around.

    As if reading his thoughts, Jarberry spoke up.  ¡°Still not considering the Ranger, huh?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°It just doesn¡¯t feel like me.¡±

    Jarberry¡¯s expression got serious for a moment as he met Kyle¡¯s eyes.  ¡°It¡¯s your choice at the end, but I really think you should consider it.  As things stand today, I see Ranger being a better fit for your class than Healer or Crafter, with Mage being a bit of a toss-up.  I think you¡¯ve got the potential to go far, and I don¡¯t want to see you get stuck at an early bottleneck because of a bad choice.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that, Jarberry.  Good news, there¡¯s still plenty of time ahead.  Anything you¡¯d recommend that I focus on while I¡¯m on my next assignment?¡±

    Jarberry snorted.  ¡°How about you focus on the assignment?¡±

    [I BELIEVE THE VERDANT REPUBLIC WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Sure, take his side, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle snapped back, though he failed to suppress the grin on his face.

    ¡°For real, kid, take it seriously.  Even I don¡¯t have all the details of your assignment, and they requested you personally.  It¡¯s a good opportunity, if nothing else.¡±  Jarberry paused for a moment, before making a sign with his hands, pulling the stack of tomes back out of his spatial storage.  ¡°If you can promise you¡¯ll keep them safe, I¡¯ll also lend you these.  I don¡¯t use them anymore, but it¡¯ll give you something to practice with while you¡¯re off-world.¡±

    Kyle nodded, putting them in the pack carefully.  ¡°Thank you, I will.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Jarberry replied.  ¡°Because I¡¯ll expect you to replace them if they get damaged, and they¡¯re expensive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°Should we move on to the next lesson?¡±

    Jarberry nodded while pulling out reams of paper.  The two spent the following hours reviewing increasingly complex runic formations.  Jarberry held a firm belief that a strong understanding of different types of inscriptions would be a major benefit to Kyle as he approached C Grade.  Whether he was helping C.H.A.D.D. with an upgrade or trying to decipher the purpose of unknown artifacts, it would prove helpful.

    This batch was focused on various types of elemental inscription, and the different principles behind each.  Kyle was beginning to get a grasp on identifying 2 of the elements, but the others were still quite a struggle.  Flame inscriptions tended to grow exponentially out of a focal point; wind had a tendency to be linear and direct.  The problem was that linear force was common through a variety of other affinities, and mistaking one for another could be dangerous if he was examining a formation.

    The principle Kyle found the most interesting was how the runic inscriptions related to the way different affinities of mana moved.  The writings Jarberry brought indicated that one could disrupt a skill as it was forming if the structure of the mana could be impacted, and Kyle felt like he could take that concept to an even higher level using Parasitic Resonance.

    Finally, as the day was almost done, Kyle set down the document he was studying and met Jarberry¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Say, what do you know about my next job?¡±

    Jarberry grinned as he went back to the refrigerator for another snack.  ¡°I¡¯ve got no clue.  All I¡¯ve been told is that you¡¯ve been specifically requested by the Verdant Republic.  Do you have any more of those little sandwiches?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all?¡±  Kyle asked incredulously, ignoring the comment on his empty fridge.  ¡°I find it hard to believe that you haven¡¯t at least tried to stick your nose in.¡±

    ¡°Believe it or not, Kyle, I have a few other things going on.  I can¡¯t keep up with all of the random work that you do.¡±  Jarberry paused for a moment, a piece of fruit in his hand.  ¡°And from our interactions, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want me to.¡±

    ¡°Any advice?¡± Kyle pushed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be late.  Be professional.  Don¡¯t die.¡±

    [DO NOT LOSE YOUR PACK WITH ME INSIDE IT.]

    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t damage my books.¡± Jarberry tossed in, mouth already full of fruit.

 Chapter 214

    Before Kyle knew it, he was walking in the main door to the Verdant Republic¡¯s Bureau of Internal Affairs.  Goblin guards in immaculate uniforms checked his credentials multiple times as he navigated the labyrinthine building.  Teleporter after teleporter waited behind various gated checkpoints, layers of security only seeming to grow more stringent as he went deeper into the complex.

    They really take their security seriously, Kyle thought, feeling 3 upper D Grade auras from the guards at the most recent checkpoint.  If his instincts were correct, he would have a hard time even winning a 1 on 1 fight with any of them, much less all 3.  That notion was cemented when he saw the C Grade troll at the next checkpoint, which happened to be directly outside the conference room.

    She was wearing black robes with gold trim, and stood a head taller than Kyle.  Her skin was mottled green.  A long braid of dark hair pulled tight at the back of her head.  Despite the robes she wore, Kyle got the impression that she was a close-combat fighter more than anything else.  The aura she gave off was a great deal weaker than Ghork¡¯s or the Glaivebeak¡¯s, though still beyond anything a D Grade could muster by a wide margin.

    The troll looked at Kyle for a moment as he approached, then offered a wide grin.  ¡°First time coming in this far, huh?  I know it can be a bit intimidating.  Can¡¯t be too careful when it comes to protection, after all.¡±  Her voice was surprisingly soft, and Kyle nodded appreciatively.

    ¡°I can understand that,¡± Kyle said, returning her smile.  ¡°My name¡¯s Kyle Mayhew, by the way.  Anything I should know before I head inside?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Fern¡¯elle, but you can call me Fernie.  And they¡¯re ready for you.  I¡¯ll get you announced.¡±

    Kyle checked the time on his nav bracelet, and his smile faded.  ¡°I thought I was still 15 minutes early?¡±

    ¡°What can I say?  We¡¯re big on punctuality.  Mind your manners as you head in to speak with the Council.¡±  Fernie looked at Kyle for a moment longer, then added.  ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, I hope the job goes well.¡±

    Her reaction confused Kyle, though he simply nodded in thanks before stepping into the council chambers.  The room was huge, with the entrance he walked through opening into the bottom of an amphitheater with a lectern in the center.  Over a dozen figures sat on raised desks around the room, faces hidden by the desks and distance.  Still, Kyle could feel their gazes train upon him.  Remembering the protocol Suierrillax provided before the meeting, Kyle stepped up the central podium.

    He took a deep breath, then spoke.  ¡°Courier Kyle Mayhew greets the Verdant Republic¡¯s Bureau of Internal Affairs.  I am here in reference to special task CJ8-21097ZX, as requested.  I am present today at the Bureau¡¯s leisure to hear the specific nature of the task in question, making no commitments at this point in either acceptance or rejection.¡±

    Kyle couldn¡¯t quite make out the faces, though Synaptic Barbs picked up hints of movement from many of them.  Smiles, good.  The Verdant Republic¡¯s focus on protocol and precision was well-known, and the Couriers who built long-lasting relationships with them all demonstrated that they could operate the same way.

    A small figure stood at one of the elevated desks, and then a projection of a wizened goblin appeared at the bottom of the amphitheater near Kyle.  ¡°I am chairman Lethendrin, thank you for your timely response to our request.  You are welcomed as a guest to this meeting.  Due to its sensitive nature, and your current lack of commitment, the Council would ask that you sign a standard non-disclosure agreement.  It will remain in-force until such a time that a formal agreement is reached, or 4 cycles have passed.  Is this acceptable to you, Courier Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    Per Suierrillax, this was one of the most important pieces of the meeting, and also where people tended to end up on the Verdant Republic¡¯s bad side.  Once Kyle agreed, if any details of his job leaked, he would be held accountable to it.  If they even suspected that he would intend to break the terms, he would likely be thrown out and blacklisted from their job postings.  Then and again, he didn¡¯t have much choice if he wanted the opportunity.  ¡°I agree to your terms.¡±

    Lethendrin nodded, and Kyle could feel the goblin looking him over from his perch.  This continued for several uncomfortable seconds before he finally spoke.  ¡°Tell me, Courier Kyle Mayhew, what do you know of the origin of the Verdant Republic?¡±

    The question took Kyle by surprise, and it took him a moment for his mind to switch gears.  ¡°Pardon me, Chairman Lethendrin, but less than I probably should.  I understand that the Verdant Republic started as a union of planets that consisted primarily of goblinoid species, and that your influence has grown to be one of the largest factions in the universe.  That¡¯s about it, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°A correct understanding,¡± Lethendrin said, ¡°If a bit rudimentary.  You¡¯re correct that the Verdant Republic as you know it today was formed by a coalition of these planets.  What you are likely not aware of, Courier, is that this is the second iteration of the Verdant Republic.¡±

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    Kyle found himself leaning toward the projection, drawn in by the words.

    Lethendrin continued.  ¡°In an era before the Collective, an era largely lost to us, we have records of a unified empire of goblinoids.  In these uncivilized times, we warred against factions that have names largely lost to time.  The empire grew, expanding into most known corners of the universe.

    ¡°At some point, the previous empire was defeated; shattered and splintered by our foes.  Our technologies were set back thousands of years, our most powerful heritages pillaged and lost.  Even our history was fragmented, only whispers of our former glory passed down.¡±

    Lethendrin had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he¡¯d forgotten that Kyle was there.

    ¡°Many of the planets our people called home had been utterly destroyed, reduced to little more than debris, floating in the void of space.  Those that survived had their civilizations sent tumbling backwards in time, left forgotten as endless wars raged across the cosmos.

    ¡°Over the millennia, the largest surviving bastions of our kind rebuilt.  Goblins, trolls, and ogres once again reached the stars.  Some of the founding planets of the Verdant Republic were original members of the previous empire, and we learned from our mistakes.  Laws relating to governance were debated and codified, and homogeneity began to appear across these different planets, ultimately leading to unity.¡±

    Lethendrin stopped, the projection looking at Kyle with a stern expression.  ¡°The lessons learned in our defeats led us to the greatness we now enjoy.  That does not mean, however, that all those scattered fragments have come back under our banner.  Nor would we force them to!

    ¡°It is of the utmost importance that any new member planets seeking to join the Verdant Republic do so the right way.  This brings us to the crux of why we¡¯ve asked you to be here, Courier Mayhew.  We have received an application from a planet that recently rediscovered the stars.  The origin of their civilization dates back to the middle of our rebuilding, and we are thrilled at the cultural and historical implications of having them rejoin.¡±

    Kyle was starting to get a suspicion of where this was going, which was confirmed a moment later.

    ¡°Unfortunately, it appears that their current form of government is illegitimate ¨C at least in our eyes.  Investigations revealed that a hereditary monarchy had been in place for millennia, and the current regime only took power through a violent coup.¡±

    Kyle nodded, forgetting himself as he spoke.  ¡°And that is not an approved means of power transfer.¡±

    Lethendrin¡¯s look made him regret the decision, and Kyle tried not to flinch.  Fortunately, the goblin continued unperturbed a moment later.  ¡°Were it the sole ruling government, we have provisions to overlook circumstances like these.  However, while the coup attempt succeeded in deposing the old king, his daughter survived, and is currently leading a resistance on-world.

    ¡°For us to get involved in any direct capacity could be seen as taking sides, and our neutrality is important to avoid the appearance of colonial ambitions.  The current leadership structure on-world has asked for assistance in delivering treaty documents to the resistance leader, and helping to facilitate a back-and-forth dialogue that would be mutually beneficial.  Until this is resolved, we will not be able to engage further.

    ¡°At the same time, we have a vested cultural interest in the history of their planet.  You¡¯ve proven yourself to be adaptable, thoughtful, and resilient.  We are asking you to deliver and facilitate the execution of treaty documents to ensure a procedurally correct transition of power.

    ¡°This is a middle D Grade world, and we doubt that the threats present in the natural environment would be enough to provide a genuine threat.  Given your level of power, coupled with being human, we expect that you would show the greatest degree of neutrality without posing a threat.  What do you say?¡±

    Kyle wanted to say ¡°yes¡± right away, but remembering Suierrillax¡¯s lessons, he refrained.  ¡°What conflicts of interest should I be aware of, should I take the job?¡±

    Lethendrin gave an approving nod.  ¡°Naturally, there are parties within the Verdant Republic who would be very interested in both securing passage to the planet, as well as future introductions to planetary leadership for networking purposes.  We would ask that you recuse yourself from any such activities, and naturally we will compensate you appropriately for reporting such requests directly to us.¡±

    ¡°And what are the terms of direct salvage rights?¡±

    ¡°While it is our hope that you will not have to engage in any combat while on planet, you are entitled to direct salvage.  This planet is neither a current member of the Verdant Republic nor the Collective, so that is only appropriate per statute.  However, we have included a clause in subparagraph 18 of your contract asking you to waive all indirect and environmental salvage.¡±

    Now it was Kyle¡¯s turn to nod, the terms seeming more than fair.  Suierrillax had looked over a preliminary contract already, albeit with some redactions, and those were the customary points of clarification for deals like these.  C.H.A.D.D. wouldn¡¯t be thrilled with it, but Kyle would handle that later. ¡°Then Chairman Lethendrin, Counselors, I would be glad to accept.  When can I expect to depart?¡±

    Lentendrin pulled up a screen, causing a notification to appear on Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet.  ¡°Once the appropriate documentation is completed, we would send you out in the next 15 hours, if possible.  We have a teleporter in the facility that will take you to their capital city.  We will also provide you with long-range communication capabilities, should something necessitate our involvement.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d best get prepared.  Thank you for the opportunity.¡±  With that, Kyle turned to leave the chamber, aware of the eyes still fixed on him as he left.

    He bade his farewells to Fernie, working his way back through security as he processed all the information he¡¯d learned.  The assignment promised to be an interesting one, and he looked forward to testing himself against a middle D Grade world¡¯s environments.  With any luck, he¡¯d make his deliveries quickly, and enjoy that sweet per diem while bureaucrats negotiated terms.

 Chapter 215

    With scant few hours between now and his departure, Kyle made a beeline directly toward the Courier¡¯s Guild to meet with the Guild Provisioner.  Despite his confidence that he had everything he¡¯d need, Kyle still wanted to do his part to keep up appearances.  Other than Jarberry, nobody had a particularly strong grasp of Kyle¡¯s abilities.  At this point it was well-known that he was resilient, had adequate combat prowess, and had strong recovery skills.  A much smaller slice of the population was aware of C.H.A.D.D., at least to an extent, as well as a big picture understanding of Parasitic Resonance.

    The last thing Kyle needed was for rumors to spread about plant manipulation abilities.  While he¡¯d never told the imp about them specifically, he had a sense that Jarberry knew a lot more than he let on.  In the same vein, Kyle couldn¡¯t do much to stop him, with Jarberry being one of, if not the best infiltrators the Courier¡¯s Guild had at its disposal.

    However, he didn¡¯t want others knowing about C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s abilities.  The storm around them had settled, and it would be stirred up anew if people began to speculate about the drone¡¯s potential.  No, it was better that the world thought they had Kyle figured out.  At least until he was powerful enough to where their thoughts didn¡¯t matter.

    Walking up to the Provisioner¡¯s counter, Kyle waved at the orc standing inside.  ¡°Tam, how are you today?¡±

    The orc squealed in greeting, long snout lifting to reveal a toothy grin.  ¡°Mr. Mayhew!  Wonderful to see you today.  I¡¯m doing well, business is booming!  Now, how can I be of service to you?¡±

    Kyle smiled at the orc, who seemed to be in a good mood every time Kyle came across him.  Tam was much smaller than Duroc, a head shorter and less than half as wide.  A sharp uniform covered his lanky frame, the Courier¡¯s Guild sigil proudly displayed on his breast pocket.  Though in early E Grade, Tam had a knack for business, and was snatched up by the guild¡¯s support group to assist with establishing contracts with local suppliers on the Hub.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to take off on a long-term contract, and I¡¯m not entirely sure what the environment will be like.  What would you recommend?¡±

    Tam pulled up a screen from his nav bracelet, scrolling through some different options.  ¡°You said you aren¡¯t sure about environment, I assume that means accommodations are also unknown?¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like quite a job,¡± Tam said with a snort.  ¡°Who are you contracting through?  I may be able to get a better sense from them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to say,¡± Kyle responded.  ¡°And I¡¯m hoping to take off after our business is done, so there¡¯s not a lot of time.¡±

    Tam shrugged.  ¡°What can you do?  In that case, I¡¯d recommend a set of ration cubes.  Taste awful, but they won¡¯t spoil for a very, very long time.  Eat 1 per day and you¡¯ll have all the nutrients you should need to keep moving.¡±

    Kyle had tried the ration cubes before, and he could attest to both the terrible flavor and nutritional quality.  He didn¡¯t relish the thought, but knew that it was wise advice.  ¡°I¡¯ll take enough for 2 cycles.  Do you have any mobile shelter options?  I¡¯m thinking something all-purpose.¡±

    This was something Kyle had been interested in purchasing for quite some time.  Unfortunately, good options got snapped up pretty quickly when they came up on the market.  Everybody from Guild members to recreational campers could benefit from a quality shelter, and with the wide array of different environments in the universe, ¡°all-purpose¡± was a qualifier that was highly sought after.

    Tam shook his head.  ¡°Nothing all-purpose.  I do have some fairly durable tents that will stand up to most heat and cold, but they can¡¯t handle the real extremes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°Keep me updated if something comes across your desk, I¡¯d be interested in picking something up if it was the right price.¡±

    ¡°You and everybody else!¡± Tam said, snorting again.  ¡°Say, how are you doing on field repair kits?  If your drone gets damaged, it might not be a bad idea to have some supplies ready.¡±

    Kyle just smiled in response.  Tam had been angling to find out what types of supplies C.H.A.D.D. needed for repairs since shortly after they¡¯d met, and he honestly admired the orc¡¯s persistence.  ¡°I think I¡¯m still all set on that front.  Just the rations, then.¡±

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    Tam handed Kyle 2 purple tubes each a meter long, which Kyle broke in half before tucking into his pack.  Each tube was supposed to be enough to last a full cycle, with individually packaged rations in each.  He didn¡¯t see a set of circumstances where he¡¯d be gone that long ¨C at least not where he¡¯d have to eat the rations each day.

    With his trusty canteen and other basic survival equipment he¡¯d acquired, Kyle only had 1 stop remaining before he headed back to the Verdant Republic Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs.  As always, the goblin woman ignored Kyle as he approached her desk.

    ¡°Hello, Ell¡¯Hallra.  Is Suierrillax available?¡±  Kyle asked, putting on his winningest grin.

    ¡°No.¡± She replied without as much as looking up from her screen.

    ¡°Would you mind checking her availability?  I¡¯d like to get a meeting scheduled before I go out on my next job.¡±  Kyle said, attempting to redouble his charm.

    ¡°I would mind.  Ask her yourself.¡±

    No luck, Kyle thought.  Ell¡¯Hallra was one of the few people he¡¯d met in the Courier¡¯s Guild who seemed to have genuinely no interest in the Couriers themselves.  She helped filter the daily traffic for all the handlers, like Suierrillax, a task at which she was incredibly effective.  Kyle fully expected an A Grade Dragon could stroll in, and be told to take a seat and take a number.

    ¡°Then I will.  Thank you for your help.¡±  Kyle tried to keep the cheer in his voice, even though he knew his attempts at getting into her good graces were once again thwarted.  One lesson Kyle remembered well from his time on Earth was the value of being on the administrative staff¡¯s good side.  Even with all the micromanagement of the Central Authority, quality administrators still had the ability to determine if one had a good or bad day.

    Kyle went to settle into a chair on the far side of the room, then pulled up his nav bracelet.  Just as he was about to send a message to Suierrillax, one came through from her.  Kyle could practically hear the annoyance in her voice as he read the message.

    Mayhew,

    Stop antagonizing Ell¡¯Hallra.  She¡¯s not going to be your friend.  And by the stars, just send me a message to schedule a meeting.  You know I¡¯ll make the time if you need it.  I¡¯ll be there in a minute.

    -Suierrillax

    True to her words, the diminutive skrell woman appeared at the teleporter a moment later, gesturing for Kyle to follow her.  Before long he was sitting across from Suierrillax in her office.

    ¡°Thank you for handling all the details,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the logistics are a nightmare.¡±

    Suierrillax waved a dismissive hand.  ¡°That¡¯s what I get paid to do.  I want to talk about the realities once you arrive on Er¡¯Mithren.  There¡¯s not a lot of precedent for jobs like these, but the cases I was able to find universally had things go sideways.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°How so?  This one feels pretty cut and dry.¡±

    Suierrillax sighed and crossed her arms.  ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ve gotten comfortable over the last few cycles.  Think, for a minute.  You¡¯ll be on a strange planet, unprotected by Collective rules and regulations, with limited options for teleportation back to Collective space.  If you screw up, you¡¯ll have a diplomatic incident on your hands.  Even if you don¡¯t, there¡¯s no guarantees that you¡¯ll have an easy time getting home.¡±

    She leaned in, steepling her hands on the desk.  ¡°Regardless, I still think this will be a great opportunity for you.  You¡¯ll get to show your reliability to the Verdant Republic, and every other faction who¡¯s worth a damn.  But you can¡¯t afford to be carefree.¡±

    Kyle felt his smile fading as she spoke, and he finally nodded as she finished.  ¡°Thank you for the warning.  I¡¯ll take it seriously.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Suierrillax said, seeming satisfied with his response.  ¡°All communication going back and forth will be through Verdant Republic channels, though in case of an emergency you should still be able to reach me and the Guild.  If, for whatever reason, you end up requiring an extraction, we¡¯ll have to get creative.  My understanding is that there¡¯s only a single teleporter set up to cross into the Collective, which is in the capitol.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know.  Hopefully it won¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be coordinating everything I can on this side, I have several contacts at the Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs that will be keeping me updated as things progress.¡±

    Suierrillax seemed about to let him go, before taking a breath and meeting his eyes again.  ¡°And Kyle?  Please don¡¯t do anything stupid.  C.H.A.D.D., keep him out of trouble.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, IT IS TYPICALLY DR. MAYHEW THAT BRINGS ME INTO TROUBLE.]

    Kyle¡¯s grin came back with full force.  ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.  It¡¯s nice to know you care.¡±

    ¡°I care about my paycheck, which is distinctly different,¡± she scoffed.

    Kyle knew she cared more than she let on, and let the remark pass.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll do my best to keep the pay coming.  Thank you for the warnings.¡±

    ¡°See that you do.  Good luck, Kyle.¡±

    Their business concluded; Kyle returned home.  He still had just under 10 hours before he had to leave, and had one important item left on his agenda: a good nap.  After all, who knew how long it would be until he saw his bed again?

    C.H.A.D.D. woke him with 4 hours to spare, and Kyle found himself at the Bureau¡¯s teleporter shortly afterward.  He recognized Fernie among those who were waiting in the chamber, and offered a wave.  ¡°Good to see you again,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°They changed your post?¡±

    Fernie nodded.  ¡°Once the teleporter is reconnected, we¡¯re going to leave it open.  I¡¯ll be helping keep an eye on things inside the chamber here.¡±

    Kyle refrained from commenting on how boring he expected the post to be, while also giving a silent thanks that he hadn¡¯t joined a faction as security.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you when I return.¡±

    ¡°Good fortune, Courier Mayhew.¡±

    With that, Kyle stepped on the raised platform, and the world around him blurred as he was taken to Er¡¯Mithren.

 Chapter 216

    The first thing Kyle noticed upon his arrival was the heat.  He appeared in the middle of a teleportation circle that had been set up outdoors; the carvings in the stone ground stretched easily 100 meters in diameter.  It could hardly be compared to the compact, powerful teleporter used by the Verdant Republic.  An open dome obscured the horizon, though Kyle could make out a blue-green sky far above. It made him think of the Originators, specifically Marcus Kulhavey, and the technology they created to go off-world.  For civilizations that were trying to figure it out on their own, even less refined means like these were impressive.

    His attention snapped toward the slowly-advancing group of guards approaching him, followed by a spectacle-wearing goblin carrying what could only be described as a mobile desk.  Multiple monitors were suspended between the goblin and Kyle, and his eyes were darting across all of them.  The harness seemed to rest on his hips, with a circular base supporting several different pieces of equipment.  The guards parted, each carrying a kite shield on one arm and a spear in the other.  Auric Perception indicated each was in the middle of E Grade ¨C and certainly not a threat to him.

    The goblin carrying the mobile office stepped forward, rotating the circular contraption to see Kyle more clearly.  ¡°Egad, I¡¯ve never seen such a creature.  Pray tell, do you understand me?  Raise your hand if you understand me.¡±

    Kyle fought to contain his amusement as he raised his hand and spoke.  ¡°My name is Kyle Mayhew, I¡¯m a member of the Courier¡¯s Guild, here at the behest of the Verdant Republic.¡±

    ¡°It speaks!¡±  The goblin shrieked, before composing itself.  ¡°My apologies, when the Verdant Republic said they were sending a Courier, I assumed they meant one of the people.  To see one such as you behaving in such a civilized fashion simply took me by surprise.¡±

    The goblin adjusted its spectacles and took a deep breath before continuing.  ¡°I am called Pall¡¯Eth, and I am the cabinet member charged with meeting you and providing further instruction.  May I assume that you mean us no harm, Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Pall¡¯Eth.  I¡¯ve been briefed by the Verdant Republic, and understand that there is a treaty that needs to be negotiated before your world is able to officially join.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth nodded enthusiastically, nearly losing his spectacles in the process.  ¡°Quite so, quite so.  There are some other¡­ peculiarities that we would like to discuss with you as well.  Given your word that you¡¯re not here to commit violence, and the appearance of backing by the Verdant Republic, it is my belief that you should be invited in to receive the rest of the details.  Guards?¡±

    At his words, the goblin guards turned as one, forming a straight line to either side of Kyle and Pall¡¯Eth.  They marched toward the far end of the formation, with Pall¡¯Eth gesturing for Kyle to follow.  As he walked, Kyle¡¯s Sensory Barbs felt the small grooves in the stone.  While he was a long way from comprehension, his training with Jarberry helped him to see some of the hallmark inscriptions associated with space, in addition to formations tied to mana collection.

    Kyle nearly missed a step, however, when he felt runic patterns he recognized far more easily.  Fire.  Realization dawned on him, and he fought to keep his expression neutral.  The teleportation was also a massive bomb.  A quick activation of Identify confirmed his suspicions.  Ambient mana was being drawn in by some of the other inscriptions, and none was being siphoned into the runes tied to fire.

    Kyle expected that, should he have been deemed a threat, these runes could have been activated, bathing the entire platform in a conflagration.  That also explained the relatively weak guards, and Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s nervousness.  They¡¯d been sent here as disposable pawns should Kyle have been deemed a true threat.  They¡¯re a lot shrewder than they¡¯d like me to think.

    Once they¡¯d crossed to the edge of the platform, the guards stepped aside and Pall¡¯Eth led Kyle into a narrow stairwell that descended below the dome.  The goblin was quiet, and Kyle suspected his nerves were still on edge.  Given the stakes of their meeting, Kyle didn¡¯t blame him.  The ruling government of Er¡¯Mithren placed a lot of hope in joining the Verdant Republic, and that was all contingent on the work Kyle did.  Were he in Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s shoes, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted to risk his life, either.

    Instead of talking, Kyle spent his time appreciating the architecture.  The stones of the hallway were almost golden in color, with each brick fitting together flawlessly.  Though they were perfect to the naked eye, Synaptic Barbs indicated several places where the air flowed differently, and Kyle suspected the entire stairwell was trapped.  Given the recent coup and current resistance movement, he didn¡¯t blame them.

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    Soon, they came to a thick metal door.  Pall¡¯Eth gave a complex series of knocks that lasted for nearly a minute before the door finally slid open.  As it did, Kyle got his first look at the city proper.  The door opened out onto a large balcony, and he could make out a sea of buildings below.  Each looked to be crafted from the same yellow-gold stone, with solid, blocky architecture.

    The guards waiting on the balcony beckoned Kyle to keep following Pall¡¯Eth, which he did.  In contrast to the austere teleportation array and stairwell, the hall through which they now walked was adorned with resplendent art and gorgeous flowers.  Vines lined both the top and bottom corners of the hall, almost giving the impression that they were walking through a jungle.

    Kyle could almost feel C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s desire to study the plants, though the drone remained blessedly silent, as they¡¯d agreed.  Still, he knew he¡¯d never hear the end of it if he didn¡¯t at least try to find some interesting plant life for C.H.A.D.D. to enjoy while they were here.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said, breathing heavily as they approached the end of the hall.  ¡°I would ask that you allow our people to present their instructions fully before offering your thoughts and understandings.  Such are our customs, after all.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Understood.  Thank you for guiding me this far, Pall¡¯Eth.¡±

    The goblin gave him a nod, nearly losing his spectacles as he did.  ¡°It was my pleasure, Kyle Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle approached the large double doors at the end of the hallway, which opened on their own as he drew near.  Without slowing in the least, Kyle stepped through.  He was met by a large auditorium that was in many ways reminiscent of the one he¡¯d seen at the Verdant Republic.  Really odd that they¡¯d decided on the same type of architecture for their meeting rooms, Kyle thought, looking up at the figures seated in the chairs above.

    Unlike the room in the Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs, however, there were no projections here.  Kyle estimated 30%-40% of the seats were empty by design, though he was impressed this many members of leadership had decided to show up in-person.  Given the paranoid nature he¡¯d seen so far, it was a pleasant surprise.

    ¡°Courier Mayhew!¡±  A high-pitched voice exclaimed.  ¡°We have received news of your arrival, and we welcome your assistance in resolving this unfortunate matter.¡±

    Kyle hesitated just a moment before offering a deep bow, trying to remember as many customs as he could.  ¡°I thank you for your hospitality, and look forward to being of assistance.  If I may ask, how should I refer to you?¡±

    A separate voice piped up, the goblin equivalent of a deep basso rumble.  ¡°Simply refer to us as the Council.  Are we to understand that you have received the basic overview from our partners in the broader universe, the Verdant Republic?¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t miss that the Verdant Republic, one of the premier factions across the Universe, was just downplayed as a ¡°partner¡± to a D Grade world, but he didn¡¯t point that out.  Instead, he simply nodded.  ¡°They have informed me of the complexities involved, and told me that you have a draft of the treaty prepared and ready for delivery.¡±

    ¡°That we do.¡±  As the rumbling voice concluded, a small, elderly goblin wearing simple brown robes walked up from where it had been standing near the side of the room.  Held in its hands was a small wooden case, and Kyle could feel the mana coming off of it.  It was an item he¡¯d seen in several of his contracts, carrying a seal that would give an alert when it was opened.  Kyle also recognized standard tools alongside the case for capturing a mana signature.

    He accepted the box and tools from the goblin, who proceeded to bow and step back to the entrance from which it had come.  ¡°I thank you for providing the tools and treaty.  If your people have any idea where the other party is, I¡¯ll depart shortly.¡±

    ¡°We have a general idea of her whereabouts,¡± a female voice said, speech slow and confident.  ¡°However, the hag will not sign the treaty.  In fact, I doubt she will deign to see you at all.¡±

    And there it is, Kyle thought.  There had to be a catch somewhere.  Still, he kept his thoughts to himself.  ¡°Respectfully, Council, why might that be?  I understood that you were close to achieving a peace here.¡±

    The first voice spoke up, even more shrill than before.  ¡°We certainly hoped that she would see reason, however our most recent delegation was wiped out on approach.  It appears as though she simply can¡¯t accept the fact that her father lost.  That she lost.  So now, she seems intent on becoming a true nuisance until the end.¡±

    There was a pregnant pause, and Kyle remained silent, waiting for the comment he was sure was coming.  A moment later, the bass voice delivered it.

    ¡°While we certainly regret the circumstances, and would relish a peace, it appears that one will be difficult to reach.  We, of course, have agreed with our colleagues at the Verdant Republic that we will seek a peaceful resolution.  We would ask you, Courier, to deliver our terms via the treaty.  If, by some miracle, she¡¯s willing to see reason, then we will move forward.  If, on the other hand, you were to come under attack by her forces¡­¡±

    The female voice picked up.  ¡°While we seek a peace, we also fully understand and appreciate your right to self-defense.  Even more so as a visitor to our world, and as a representative of the broader Collective.  Rest assured that we would trust your judgment in such an event, and would support you regardless of the collateral damage that may occur in such a situation.¡±

    Kyle sighed as he looked down at the box, which now felt much heavier in his hands.  He suspected it earlier, but hearing his suspicion confirmed caused a pit to form in his stomach.  The Council of Er¡¯Mithren wasn¡¯t looking for a Courier, they were looking for a hitman.  Unfortunately for them, they hired the wrong guy.

    Letting out a long breath, Kyle raised his eyes to the goblins surveying him from the stands.  Meeting their gazes one at a time, he finally spoke.  ¡°Then I¡¯d best be off.¡±

 Chapter 217

    Kyle chuckled as he and C.H.A.D.D. wove through the upper portion of the city with their escort, seeing crowds of gawking goblins watching them pass. From his briefing, while there were trolls and ogres on the planet, they¡¯d never seen a human before. He imagined they made quite the sight, with the goblins around him barely coming up to his chest.

    They arrived at a private gondola, which descended from the upper layers of the city into the lower levels nearest the ground paths. Looking about, Kyle could see hundreds of similar gondolas strewn about, each carrying large groups up and down. With a smile, Kyle took the momentary peace offered by the private transport to look out at the city below.

    The whole city seemed to glow as the sun shone upon it. The capital easily rivaled anything he¡¯d seen back on Earth, both in beauty and in size. As they descended, Kyle caught glimpses of large open markets, towering buildings, and beautiful mosaics made of different colored stone. If he had the chance upon his return, he was definitely planning to stop and take in more of the sights.

    Their gondola touched ground near the far edge of the city, and they stopped as they approached the wide road leading into the jungle. The goblin leading their procession turned to face Kyle. ¡°I know they¡¯ve provided you with a map, I¡¯ll caution you about straying too far off the noted paths. We¡¯ve had issues with predators lately, and some of them are dangerous enough to pose a threat even to our D Grades.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the warning. Do you have any specifics I should be on the lookout for?¡± Kyle asked with genuine curiosity.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an expert by any means,¡± the goblin mumbled, though failing to hide his smile. He was clearly happy Kyle had asked. ¡°Shrikes are the most dangerous around here from what I¡¯ve heard, and you can tell if you¡¯re getting close to their territory by big gashes in the trees. That¡¯s how they mark their territory.

    ¡°Otherwise, keep your head up for stranglevines. They grow on some of the larger trees, but if you look up you can usually spot them. Big, knotted vines wrapped around the branches. So long as you don¡¯t get too close, you should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for sharing with me; I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Internally, Kyle knew that the first stop they would need to make on their journey would be to find a stranglevine for C.H.A.D.D. to study. Honestly, Kyle was interested, too. From what he¡¯d been able to study, predatory plants were rare pretty much everywhere.

    The road ahead glistened gold in the light of the overhead sun, constructed from the same shining stone as the buildings of the city. Dense jungle foliage spread on both sides of the pathway, and Kyle could see how easy it would be to get lost. At least, if one didn¡¯t have a talkative cartographer in their backpack. Nodding goodbye to the escorts, Kyle strode out onto the road ahead.

    Once he was well out of sight, he pulled out the communication device he¡¯d been given by the Council. With a quick activation of Identify, he looked to see what the piece of equipment was actually designed to do. As the runic inscriptions lit up before his eyes, Kyle saw the expected and familiar communication infrastructure, as well as a far more subtle tracking feature.

    This was to be expected. Kyle tucked the device away as he deactivated his skill. He¡¯d been concerned about recording features or potential explosive traps, but from what he¡¯d seen, neither of those were the case. A simple tracker was no cause for worry, and he and C.H.A.D.D. could use their more sensitive skills freely. And, of course, have a very hard discussion.

    [DR. MAYHEW, DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR FORFEITURE OF SALVAGE RIGHTS. FORTUNATELY, I BELIEVE I HAVE FOUND SOME WORKAROUNDS.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., we can study all we want. The salvage rules are pretty clear, though. We just can¡¯t take everything we come across.¡±

    [WHAT ABOUT MANA? I HAVE YET TO COME ACROSS ANY LITERATURE, COLLECTIVE OR OTHERWISE, THAT DEFINES MANA AS SALVAGE.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll approve of us taking large amounts of mana from the local flora and fauna either.¡±

    [THEN IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN CASE OF IMMINENT PHYSICAL HARM. WE SIMPLY NEED TO FIND A STRANGLEVINE, YOU NEED TO GET CAUGHT, AND THEN I CAN DRAW THE MANA OUT. IN SELF-DEFENSE, OF COURSE.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it under advisement. We¡¯ve got a long road ahead of us, so who knows what will pop up.¡±

    [A STRANGLEVINE WILL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle chuckled as they continued down the path, his pace a comfortable run without Ignition active. His boosting skill would allow him to cover ground significantly faster, though for now he just wanted to take in the sights and sounds of Er¡¯Mithren.

    The heat and humidity only increased as they traveled along the golden road. Several groups of goblins passed him along the road, riding what looked like oversized geckos laden with packs. He got some strange looks as he blew past, and within a few hours Kyle arrived at the next waypoint: a small settlement called Prindas.

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    The town was spread out, the jungle itself opening up into a large clearing which Prindas occupied. 2 troll guards met him on the road, mottled skin glimmering with sweat beneath the blistering heat. Their auras felt D Grade, though not particularly powerful. One of them stepped forward, raising a palm. ¡°You must be the Courier.¡± Cocking his head to the side and squinting, he continued. ¡°A real strange looking fella.¡±

    Kyle smiled as he slowed to a stop in front of them. He raised his hands with his palms out in greeting and to show he wasn¡¯t a threat. ¡°You¡¯re correct, I¡¯m here on business for the Verdant Republic and your governing council.¡±

    The second troll spoke, scratching his nose as he brushed long, dark hair out of his eyes. ¡°We thought you¡¯d be by much later today, you¡¯re faster than we was told. Say, do you think you could help with something?¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow at them. Clearly, they¡¯d been waiting on the road for his arrival, and the information provided from the tracker should have clearly shown them his progress. Still, he played along. ¡°So long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with my delivery, I don¡¯t see why not. What can I do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve had a bit of an issue with a pack of shrikes getting too close to the village,¡± the first troll said, quickly adding; ¡°Not that we couldn¡¯t handle it, of course.¡±

    The second troll picked up where the first left off. ¡°And, given that you¡¯re here on a mission of diplomacy and whatnot, and that we figure you¡¯ll be coming through the village a few times as you run your errands¡­¡±

    The troll¡¯s voice petered out, and Kyle understood the implication clearly. A quick use of Identify confirmed his suspicions. Lots of Vitality, and not much else. Despite being in D Grade, it looked like these two had progressed with some fairly basic classes. Vitality was their highest attribute, which was common among trolls. Their mana flowed crudely, and he assumed that both were Fighter archetypes as a result.

    ¡°I can lend a hand, but we¡¯ll need to have terms negotiated. Understand, I can¡¯t jeopardize my current assignment to do extermination work if it¡¯ll take much time.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± the first troll said, a note of relief clear in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can come to an arrangement. What do you want?¡±

    Kyle paused for a minute, then smiled. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to do the work in exchange for a complete set of Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s botanical records.¡±

    The second one spoke almost immediately. ¡°We¡¯ll see what we can arrange. Rest your feet in the shade, we¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    Once the two were out of earshot, C.H.A.D.D. piped up. [I DO NOT CONSIDER BOTANICAL RECORDS AN ADEQUATE SUBSTITUTE FOR ARCHIVING THE MANA SIGNATURES FIRSTHAND.]

    Kyle sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would.¡±

    The duo bickered for nearly an hour until the trolls returned, carrying a crystal that Kyle recognized as a communication device. ¡°The Council agreed to add a copy of our records to your compensation after your job is done. They¡¯ll get to work getting the data transcribed in a fashion you can use.¡±

    Kyle nodded. ¡°Thank you. By the way, what story did you tell them as to why you two aren¡¯t handling the shrikes? I¡¯m guessing you want to make sure mine matches yours when I get back.¡±

    The trolls exchanged a sheepish look. ¡°We may have implied that you saw the threat of the creatures, and wanted to ensure the Prindas¡¯ safety,¡± the first troll said.

    Kyle shrugged. ¡°Not too bad as excuses go. Now that our business is settled, show me where the shrikes are.¡±

    The duo of trolls led him through the village, waving at playing groups of children as they walked. Unlike the capital, which looked to be primarily goblins, Prindas had a diverse population. Towering ogres sat and laughed with trolls and goblins on restaurant patios, and many of the residential buildings were clearly sized for a particular occupant in mind. The hodgepodge was interesting, and pleasant to observe.

    All the noise faded, however, when they approached the far edge of the settlement. Bright red ropes cordoned off an entire quadrant of buildings, an eerie quiet blanketing the area like a fog. His guides slowed as they came up to the nearest rope, and Kyle turned to look at them. ¡°I take it we¡¯re getting close?¡±

    The first troll nodded. ¡°The marks showed up on some trees just past here.¡±

    ¡°Are you planning to come with?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to get in your way,¡± the second troll replied with a sheepish grin.

    ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll find my way from here, no guarantees.¡± With that, Kyle ducked underneath the red rope.

    The contrast between the carefree attitudes in the town and the somber quiet of this corner struck Kyle as particularly odd. Throughout the entirety of Prindas, Kyle only saw a handful of awakened, and none more powerful than the 2 D Grade trolls. If a shrike was as dangerous as he¡¯d been led to believe, why did life seem to be so normal? Why weren¡¯t there other resources being sent to Prindas to solve the problem?

    These questions nagged at Kyle as he walked. Something was just¡­ off. There was a building sense of wrongness that took him longer than he¡¯d have liked to place, but soon he realized the source. Small plants were starting to creep up between the stones of the street, and as he focused with Synaptic Barbs, he could feel similar activity around most of the cordoned buildings.

    That only became more pronounced when he came across a second layer of cordoning ropes about 500 meters deeper, where the jungle looked to be on a path to reclaim the city in its entirety. Creeping vines criss-crossed the cobblestones and began to climb buildings, and faint layers of mosses could be seen on the goblin dwellings that were shaded by those designed for ogres.

    The silence was oppressive now, Kyle¡¯s nerves on high alert. For the plants to have grown to this degree, this area had been abandoned for quite a while. He could justify not having sent security forces if this issue was only a few days old, but this was looking more like an order of months. How long were they planning to give ground? Kyle wondered.

    Finally, he came to the edge of the jungle. He immediately noticed the damage on the trees nearest the town¡¯s perimeter, and he internally rebuked the goblin who described shrike territories as being marked by scratches in the trunks. Tree limbs lay scattered across the jungle floor, and the gouges in the trees looked like a particularly zealous lumberjack had been swinging with abandon for some time. The damage made the scratches left by bears on Earth seem subtle by comparison.

    Without a word, C.H.A.D.D. brought up a map of the surrounding area, which showed 3 red dots. Kyle nodded, and began moving in their direction. He looked forward to getting some exercise before continuing with his delivery. It was time to hunt some shrikes.

 Chapter 218

    Every ounce of focus Kyle could muster was in use as he took trepidatious steps toward the figures C.H.A.D.D. noted in its scans.  He had no idea what the beasts would look like, and he wanted to get a good look at them with Identify before engaging.  Synaptic Barbs worked seamlessly with Covert Dexterity, his body helping him see fallen sticks and bark which he avoided with each step.  The fallen leaves and gnarled roots were more challenging to evade as they covered the ground, but he still did his best.

    In a pace that felt agonizingly slow, Kyle finally approached the last large tree that was between him and the creatures C.H.A.D.D. detected.  Low crooning sounds could be heard beneath much louder crunches; the unmistakable sound of the beasts enjoying an unfortunate meal.  Crouching low, he peeked his head around the corner to get his first look at the shrikes.

    The first thing that struck Kyle¡¯s notice was their height.  They stood on 2 sturdy, reverse jointed legs.  Even with their long necks hunched over to eat, they stood nearly 3 meters tall, and he suspected they would stand closer to 4 at full height.  Long, hooked beaks that resembled a vulture sheared through the thick carapace of some large arthropod as the trio ate, the body of the creature pinned beneath the massive hooked claws that tipped each of their long hands.

    Their green and brown skin served as a natural camouflage in the jungle environment, and as Kyle watched, the patterns slowly shifted.  It was nothing compared to the skills the styxlions had used, but was nevertheless an impressive adaptation.  Even the barbs that covered their spines and long tails seemed to change color.

    Their most prominent feature, however, was the long, curved blade that protruded from each forearm.  While they were currently folded back against the forelimbs, it was clear to Kyle that they could extend.  The closest approximation he could make was a paper folding fan, with the full range of the blades being easily a meter long.  What¡¯s more, Identify showed a robust mana network that ran through each of the forearm blades.  There was no doubt in his mind that the shrikes would be able to use a variety of skills with their natural weapons, only reinforced as he evaluated their attributes.

    Each of the 3 shrikes felt roughly equal in terms of power, and they were some of the most impressive D Grade wild beasts Kyle had encountered so far.  They outstripped the styxlions in all physical attributes, with Dexterity being their clear specialty.  Even though their Intelligence and Perception were about 30% lower, they still boasted impressive Willpower.  They¡¯ll certainly be using skills of some type, Kyle thought.  His mind drifted to Garth, and his Air Blade.  While the mana network in their arm blades didn¡¯t look like it would match his friend¡¯s skill, it was the closest approximation he could make.

    Kyle extended the invisible tendrils of Parasitic Resonance as he withdrew behind the tree.  His plan was a simple one.  He would infiltrate the nearest shrike using Parasitic Resonance, which he would guide through Synaptic Barbs.  From there, he would attempt to kill it outright before engaging the others.  A moment later, he felt the telltale connection.  Slowly, inexorably, he allowed his skill to meld with the shrike.  The flow was unfamiliar, and he was looking forward to learning more about their physiology from C.H.A.D.D. once the fight was over.

    Satisfied he was ready, Kyle twisted with his mana, then pulled.  He felt a sudden influx of energy at the same moment he heard an inhuman screech from behind the tree.  He felt the movement of all 3 creatures, and then abruptly felt his connection to the shrike get severed.  He felt a flurry of debris through Synaptic Barbs at the same moment C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning.  Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kyle ducked low to the ground, a blade of mana shredding through the tree trunk a moment later.

    The sensation of Parasitic Resonance being cut apart wasn¡¯t painful, and he willed the tendrils to reform as he dashed away from the falling tree with Ignition blazing within him.  Kyle had a moment to look at the downed shrike coughing up blood as it struggled to get to its feet before he was forced to duck under another wave of shredding energy.  If Garth¡¯s Air Blade was a sword, the attack the shrikes used was a chainsaw.  Countless tiny blades rotated and spun through the air inside each of their attack, chewing through the dense foliage like it was nothing.

    The creatures were unbelievably fast, Kyle requiring the full use of Ignition to stay ahead.  Despite a modest advantage in speed, he found himself pushed back due to their coordinated assault.  The air was filled with flying buzzsaws of mana, biting through the nearby foliage as the creatures tried to close in on Kyle.  For his part, he was focused on the conceptual sharpness that seemed to be folded into the attacks they used.  With Identify, he could see something beyond the simple mana in their attacks, and he found it incredibly intriguing.  He went as far as to extend tendrils of Parasitic Resonance just to watch the flying blades of mana cut through them.

    The closest thing he could remember to seeing something like this was when Ghork blocked the attack from the Igneous Glaivebeak, the bulwark of force he put into the air seeming to negate the very concept of the strike.  Can these creatures really tap into a similar conceptual power?  Kyle understood intent was important when it came to mana, but the idea that creatures in D Grade were so freely tapping into conceptual intent was hard to swallow.

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    So, like any reasonable person would do when assaulted by 2 wildly dangerous predators, Kyle decided it was time for a test.  Storm Shelter sprang up around him as the creatures pounced, the shield directly blocking the attacks and pushing the shrikes back.  As he suspected, Storm Shelter was more than up to the task of stopping the blades, conceptually sharp or not.  Then again, doesn¡¯t Storm Shelter tap into some concepts of its own?

    He hadn¡¯t considered it too much back on Earth when he¡¯d first heard about the skill from Skippy, but now that he thought about it, Storm Shelter was still the most powerful defensive skill he¡¯d seen from a D Grade.  It was basic.  It was straightforward.  And it was damn effective.

    A cry of pain from the injured shrike brought Kyle back to himself, and with a sigh he decided to get back to work.  The other 2 shrikes were still slashing at Storm Shelter, and Kyle dropped the barrier as he rushed past them toward their injured comrade.  With his hand outstretched, he placed his palm on the creature¡¯s forehead as he activated Parasitic Resonance, this time from point-blank range.  A fraction of a second was all it took for the beast to fall lifeless, and Kyle turned to the pursuing creatures.

    It was clear they expected him to retreat, as each prepared to launch the long-ranged buzzsaws at him.  Instead, Kyle stepped into the closest shrike¡¯s reach.  It attempted to correct, but its long arms and forward momentum made that difficult.  His palm rested against its chest, and Kyle activated Parasitic Resonance again.  At the same time, vines sprang out from compartments in the new pack, tangling around the shrike¡¯s torso and legs.

    The vines were shredded in short order, but it bought Kyle all the time he needed for Parasitic Resonance to do its work.  The beast fell, and Kyle felt a telltale pain in his stomach where the Core of the Parasitic Devourer resided.  He could feel the mana being siphoned into the ever-consuming core, and fixed his eyes on the final shrike.  From what Kyle could gather, this was a beast unfamiliar with fear.  Even now, with both of its brethren on the ground, he could only see an indignant anger in its eyes.

    The shrike lunged for him, making large sweeps with its arm blades as its hooked beak descended to bite into him.  While he was interested in testing his own durability against the blades, Kyle decided this wasn¡¯t the time.  He jumped over the twin buzzsaws that sought to bisect him, allowing the beak to tear into him.  At least, he would let it try.

    To the shrike¡¯s credit, even the bite attack was infused with enough puncturing power to actually break skin.  It bit down on Kyle¡¯s trapezius muscle, between his shoulder and neck.  He felt the beak pierce both sides of him, then stick fast against the tough woven fibers of his Enhanced Carapace.  Kyle expected that against the majority of prey, even in D Grade, such a strike would have sheared through flesh and bone without an issue.  Unfortunately for the shrike, it was biting something, or rather someone, much sturdier than most.

    Still, blood flowed out of the wound even as Kyle pushed Healing Impetus into his shoulder to heal it.  More importantly, Parasitic Resonance was already hard at work infiltrating the shrike¡¯s body, devouring and destroying with impunity as C.H.A.D.D. bound it.

    A moment later, the fight was over.  It had taken maybe 20 seconds, and in that time the small clearing had been torn to shreds, fallen trees and branches littering a 50-meter radius from where he now stood.  Kyle was about to go examine the creatures further, when a glint of metal caught his eye.  Beyond the initial clearing, Kyle could now clearly see a large opening at the roots of a rotted tree trunk.  From the deep scratches present around the entryway, he was fairly certain it was their den.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you detect any other shrikes from that hollow?  The one about 30 meters in the direction I¡¯m facing.¡±

    [I DO NOT DETECT ANY OTHER SHRIKES, DR. MAYHEW.  HOWEVER¡­ THERE ARE BODIES.]

    Kyle frowned as he walked toward the hollow.  As he got closer, he could see the glint of metal was a pauldron and gauntlet, still protecting the severed arm beneath.  ¡°How many?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [I AM CURRENTLY ESTIMATING THE REMAINS OF AT LEAST 47 GOBLINS, TROLLS AND OGRES.  SOME OF THE REMAINS HAVE BEEN GNAWED DOWN TO THE BONE, SO THAT NUMBER IS LIKELY HIGHER.]

    Kyle nodded, grim determination and a sense of macabre curiosity driving him.  If the shrikes had been killing this many, for this long, why haven¡¯t they done anything about it?  Stepping into the hollow, the first thing that hit him was an overwhelming stench of iron and rot.  Kyle saw a mess of bloodstained bones and scattered armor.  Much of the inorganic material had been relegated into a corner of the large space, and Kyle walked toward it.

    Something about the situation was off ¨C and he hoped to find some answers.  Gently, he moved and sorted the items, Identify active.  Mostly, he saw mundane metal armor and basic leather.  Occasionally, he spotted a piece with some basic enchantments.  Kyle also saw a few toys and dolls.  He bowed his head, and tried not to think about those.

    Then, well over halfway through the pile, he spotted something different.  It was a small metal disk that fit in the palm of his hand, covered in runic inscriptions.  While Kyle didn¡¯t feel confident manipulating the runes without more time to study, the nature of the inscription work coupled with Identify made the disk¡¯s purpose clear.  It contained information of some sort.  As he continued to work through, he found 2 more similar disks, which he wiped clean and set aside.

    Finally, at the very bottom of the pile, Kyle found an odd sight.  It was an empty metal box, covered in inscriptions with which Kyle was very familiar.  One set insulated from thermal changes, while the other was meant to isolate scents.  It was a handheld, portable cooler.  At least, it appeared that way at first glance.  If he hadn¡¯t been training with Jarberry the way he had, there was a chance Kyle would have missed it.  The inscriptions usually meant to conceal odors and scents weren¡¯t standard in this cooler box.  They were reversed, designed to slightly amplify and project the scent coming out of the box.

    Why would they¡­  Kyle¡¯s thoughts stopped abruptly, and a chill ran up his spine as he realized what the cooler was for.

    As if sensing his realization, C.H.A.D.D. spoke.  [WHAT IS IT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°It was used for bait, C.H.A.D.D.  Somebody brought the shrikes here intentionally.¡±

 Chapter 219

    The longer Kyle stared at the cooler, the more certain he became. The shrikes weren¡¯t mindless, but they were instinctual hunters. For whatever reason, someone had drawn them closer to the city. Coupled with the relaxed attitude from the trolls guards and multiple evacuated sections, a rough picture of the situation was beginning to form in Kyle¡¯s mind.

    The bigger question boiled down to whether or not he should even get involved. There were different forces at play, and part of why the Verdant Republic had even bothered to hire him was to act as a neutral third party. And I¡¯m doing a fine job of that, he thought dryly, looking at the piles he¡¯d created inside the shrike den. Ultimately, Kyle knew that he was already far more wrapped up than he should be.

    [ARE YOU READY TO RETURN, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked, quieter than usual.

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Kyle said, turning to leave the hollow.

    [ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE BOX WITH YOU?]

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve seen it, you¡¯ve scanned it, and we¡¯ve spent plenty of time here.¡±

    [ARE YOU SURE IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY?]

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kyle said, before a grin spread on his face. ¡°And I also know you¡¯re looking for excuses for me to violate our salvage agreements, which isn¡¯t going to happen.¡±

    The drone was silent, which was all the response Kyle needed. He couldn¡¯t fault C.H.A.D.D. for trying, but he wasn¡¯t going to fall for that trap. He looked at the bodies of the shrikes once more as he left, anticipation causing his pulse to quicken slightly. I¡¯ll be hunting a lot of these before we¡¯re gone, Kyle thought. Shrikes made dangerous prey, and he hoped that they would provide a meaningful reward.

    The duo made far better time with Kyle not worried about stealth, and soon they were crossing the second cordoned area and back into the populated portion of the settlement. The contrast of the silent quarter and the bustling activity was still a shock. Kyle had to force himself to focus as the rapid change in input from Synaptic Barbs momentarily threatened his balance.

    Kyle worried about how that piece of his Adaptive Anatomy would change as he progressed into C Grade, though there was little he could do about it. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to test very often, but he assumed investment in Perception, Vitality, Willpower, and Intelligence would help him navigate it the best. It was a fortunate thing he¡¯d chosen to specialize in those attributes to an extent, otherwise he feared that he¡¯d have struggled much more.

    The 2 troll guards were waiting nearby, and Kyle walked over to them as they looked him up and down. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± he said flatly. ¡°Now, what¡¯s the quickest way to my next destination? I¡¯ve got plenty of time left to cover ground today.¡±

    The trolls shared a glance, and Kyle could see the incredulity on their faces. He crossed his arms. ¡°Look, we all know that there¡¯s no way the 2 of you stood a chance against the shrikes. I did you, and Prindas, a major favor. It was evident that this has been an issue for quite some time.¡± He didn¡¯t want to let on everything he discovered, but wanted to make a clear statement that this was a bigger job than expected.

    The trolls looked at each other once more, and the taller of them cleared his throat. ¡°We don¡¯t doubt you, Courier. It¡¯s just a little hard for us to believe that you cleared out a group of shrikes this quickly, and without injuries. You don¡¯t exactly strike us as a Fighter, ya know?¡±

    ¡°I may not look like one,¡± Kyle said, meeting the troll¡¯s eyes with barely contained frustration. ¡°But I¡¯m still more than enough to handle some wild beasts. Feel free to check for yourselves; just know that I expect delivery of my reward when I return to the capital.¡±

    The troll he¡¯d been speaking with visibly paled, and nodded. The other stepped forward, seeing his colleague¡¯s discomfort. ¡°We¡¯ll see to it, Courier. Your next stop is Jell¡¯or, a settlement on the outer border of the jungle.¡± The troll gestured to a side road, which wound through the outskirts of Prindas. ¡°Just follow the road, head left when you see it fork. We wish you safe travels.¡±

    Kyle nodded his acknowledgment, and took off without another word. He was almost certain that these ¡°guards¡± had tried to set him up to either get injured, or even killed, by the shrikes. The fact that the Council approved him to fight only deepened his suspicions. Did they want him dead to point at the Resistance? Injured, so that he would be delayed in his delivery? Or were they hoping to buy time since he was ahead of schedule?

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    Questions swam around his head as he traveled, activating Ignition to increase his pace once he was a few kilometers away from Prindas. If he kept his pace from the capital to Prindas, the journey to Jell¡¯or would have taken another 7-8 hours. Though he intentionally avoided his top speeds, his current pace would get him through the jungle in under 3.

    Ultimately, Kyle wanted to speed up his timeline. He didn¡¯t like being manipulated, and the easiest way to avoid it was to give his would-be puppet masters no opportunity to adapt their plans. Last-minute changes and adaptations result in weaknesses, sloppiness. And Kyle could use that to get a better sense of what was happening. All under the auspice of efficiency.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE YOU MISSED SOME STRANGLEVINES.]

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I did, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said.

    [IT WOULD BE WISE TO TURN AROUND SO WE CAN EXAMINE THEM MORE CLOSELY.]

    ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to do that on our way back.¡±

    [I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THEM NOW, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Right now, we need to focus on speed. I don¡¯t want to give whoever¡¯s out there a chance to prepare.¡±

    The drone got uncharacteristically silent, and Kyle put the discussion behind him. He was serious when he told C.H.A.D.D. that he wanted to come back and study the jungle in more detail. With the road between Prindas and Jell¡¯or virtually empty, he¡¯d gotten glimpses of all sorts of different types of creatures. From small lizards to amphibians the size of horses, the level of diversity he¡¯d observed was incredible. They mostly kept to themselves or ran deeper into the undergrowth as he blurred past, but several of the larger spined amphibians seemed interested in getting closer. Swarms of brightly colored insects and birds also flew close to the ground, adding more variety to his travels.

    He passed a set of trees marked by familiar slashes, but decided to move beyond it without stopping. Kyle wanted to do some more shrike hunting, though he gave himself the same promise he gave C.H.A.D.D. There would be time for that later, once he had a better sense of things. As much as he hated political machinations, he felt like he was at least getting a little bit better at navigating them.

    Before he knew it, his mind had wandered back to the different what-ifs, and he didn¡¯t notice the movement behind his pack until it was too late. With an abrupt lurch, his momentum was halted as a vine dropped from above, snagging the roots that slowly extended from his pack. A moment later, he was hurtling a dozen meters upwards as the stranglevine pulled him to its main body along an overhead tree branch.

    [OH NO, WE HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY A STRANGLEVINE.]

    ¡°Really, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE COUNCIL TOLD US THAT WE ARE WELCOME TO USE FORCE IN SELF-DEFENSE.]

    ¡°I¡¯m serious C.H.A.D.D. You can¡¯t go doing stuff like this.¡±

    [IN FAIRNESS, DR. MAYHEW, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS ENCOURAGED ME TO DEVELOP. I BELIEVE THESE WILL ASSIST IN MY DEVELOPMENT, AND IN MY CAPACITY TO ASSIST YOU. FURTHERMORE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THESE PLANTS POSE ENOUGH OF A THREAT TO BE A MEANINGFUL DELAY.]

    Kyle sighed, feeling the creeping movements of the vine as it constricted the roots protruding from his pack, slowly spiraling toward his body. Even without the use of Parasitic Resonance, Kyle was confident in his ability to escape the grasping tendrils. Identify showed him the mana flowing through the vine, and it was at best an upper E Grade creature. It possessed impressive sensory abilities and speed, but that was likely an adaptation to capture quick-moving or flying creatures.

    While Kyle certainly fit the bill in terms of speed, he doubted that he would be in any meaningful danger if the vine constricted him. The acid it excreted was far weaker than the large sundew he encountered back on Earth, and given all of his improvements since then, he expected it wouldn¡¯t even be noticeable against his skin.

    Part of him wanted to prove that point to C.H.A.D.D., making an escape without using Parasitic Resonance. He was confident that he could, that his power was at a level where it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Kyle caught the feeling, and tried to push it down.

    Breathe in, breathe out, he thought, ignoring the creeping vines that were now wrapping around him. It was possible to be frustrated with C.H.A.D.D., and not be punitive. Parasitic Resonance spread out across the plant, and with a minor effort he pulled. He felt the influx of mana as the vines began to wither, and grabbed hold. The stranglevine disintegrated faster than Kyle expected, and he barely managed to grasp hold of the tree branch above before the vine fell lifeless to the ground below.

    A gentle snapping sound informed him the port into the pack had closed, and he felt a shift as the root that was protruding from the pack snapped off and fell to meet the vine that had been grasping it. He sat on the tree for a moment, looking down at the empty road below as he sat next to the withered remnants of the vine still on the branch. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, you know. I would have come back.¡±

    [I AM¡­ SORRY, DR. MAYHEW. THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN ON THIS WORLD, AND I HAVE GROWN CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP AND GAIN ANYTHING FROM IT.]

    Kyle sighed. ¡°Everything we do benefits us, at least in some ways. Sometimes it just takes longer than we¡¯d like.¡±

    The two sat in silence for a moment, before C.H.A.D.D. spoke. [YOU KNOW, DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯VE PROGRESSED FASTER THAN I HAVE SINCE OUR DEPARTURE FROM EARTH.]

    Kyle thought about it for just a minute, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    [SO, WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN I FALL TOO FAR BEHIND TO KEEP UP?]

 Chapter 220

    Kyle took another moment to reflect.  Despite the tenor of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice showing no change, he could feel the genuine concern and worry behind the words.  A big part of Kyle wanted to reject the notion outright, assure his companion that he¡¯d never be left behind.  He wanted to; but he couldn¡¯t.  While he¡¯d never simply abandon C.H.A.D.D., if Kyle got into situations that were too dangerous, he wouldn¡¯t knowingly drag the drone into a scenario where it wouldn¡¯t be able to survive.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to just leave you behind, C.H.A.D.D.  We are a team.  We¡¯re going to find a method, somehow, to make sure you keep up.  If that means a hardware upgrade, we¡¯ll do it.  If that means a software update, we¡¯ll figure it out.  If it means taking a trip to get you more essences, we¡¯ll get it booked.  Like I said, we¡¯re a team.¡±

    [THANK YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Kyle felt that there was more the drone wanted to discuss, but after another few moments of silence, he clambered on top of the thick tree branch and stretched.  ¡°Well, we¡¯re already near the canopy.  How about we head to the top and see what the world looks like from above?¡±

    Without waiting for C.H.A.D.D. to respond, Kyle grabbed the rough bark of the tree and began to scale it.  Between gaps in the bark and the tree limbs themselves, he had no problem finding handholds.  As he climbed, however, a creeping sense of unease began to build.  Soon, he placed it.  The biodiversity he¡¯d come to expect, the general sounds of the forest, were gone.

    Soon, the culprits became clear.  Dozens more stranglevines dotted the branches as he ascended.  As he watched, one exploded toward the ground, retracting a moment later with a large, frog-like beast wrapped in its clutches.  A moment later, a storm of vines lashed toward him.  ¡°Well, you said you wanted to study them, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said.  ¡°It looks like you¡¯re about to get some hands-on experience.¡±

    Vines bound him from all sides, then withered just as quickly as C.H.A.D.D. greedily drank in their energy with the help of Parasitic Resonance.  The lashing tendrils slowed their ascent, and Kyle quickly realized that something about these plants was odd.  The vines themselves rotted and fell quickly, but with each that they absorbed, a husk remained stubbornly attached to the tree branches.  A quick use of Identify showed Kyle that there was still something lying dormant within these husks, though it wasn¡¯t a concept with which he was familiar.

    Still, C.H.A.D.D. seemed satisfied with its gains, and Kyle decided not to investigate further.  Knowing now how common the stranglevines were to the upper reaches of the jungle, they¡¯d have no problems at all continuing their study as they traveled.

    Finally, after breaking through another cluster of the carnivorous vines, Kyle found himself staring out at a lush sea of green.  A gentle wind tousled the treetops, giving the impression of waves across the expanse of the jungle. At the very limit of where he could see, Kyle could barely make out a thinning of the trees, marking the edge of this biome, and where the second leg of his journey would continue.  He had no idea if shrikes were commonly seen outside the jungle, and a part of him was sorely tempted to do a little more hunting before leaving for the hills and the designated neutral territory.

    I¡¯m as bad as C.H.A.D.D., Kyle thought wistfully, jumping from limb to limb toward his destination.  Both he and the drone had a drive to take advantage of opportunities when they came up, and Kyle would be lying to himself if he thought C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t pick this particular habit up from him.  So, he resisted the temptation to stop when the drone noted 2 more shrike nests along their journey, simply ensuring they were marked on the map before continuing onward.

    Suddenly, Kyle caught a subtle movement out of the corner of his eye.  At first, he thought it a trick of the wind, but then he saw it again; a tree moving out of sync with the others.  No, trees.  Kyles eyes widened as he started to realize the scope of what he was looking at.  The treetops concealed a shadow that took up an entire swathe of the jungle, easily 500 meters across.  It glid beneath the canopy, moving slowly as the trees slightly echoed its passing with their movements.

    If the size wasn¡¯t enough, the whisper of power Kyle felt as he stared made it clear: whatever this being was, it was a C Grade.  A shiver ran up his spine at the thought, and he fought to push down the rising panic.  There was no guarantee the creature, whatever it was, was even hostile.  And, blessedly, its trajectory was taking it the opposite direction of Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.

    Though they were moving somewhat slower than they were on the ground, the duo nevertheless made good time as they dashed and leapt through the treetops.  There was no way he wanted to lose sight of the slow-moving shadow, and the thought of it being directly overhead was a discomforting one.  Better to stay in the trees, Kyle thought.

    A unique advantage to this mode of travel was the way it gave perspective to the world around them.   Far to the south, Kyle could see a single, dominant tree towering over the canopy.  To the north, he could make out a clearing and the gentle sparkling of blue water through the trees.

    He wondered what else he may have missed, and resolved to spend more time in the treetops as he completed his work.  Kyle knew that there was plenty waiting for him at the Hub when he returned, and taking every opportunity when they were presented was important.  Opportunities to explore a planet like this before all the bureaucracy set in were rare, even if they didn¡¯t find anything on Er¡¯Mithren that would prove to be key to their progress.

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. descended back to the road shortly before arriving at the walled settlement at the edge of the forest, Jell¡¯or.  They approached the gate checkpoint with nonchalance, Kyle already having his credentials on display.  So, when the guard called out to him, he was surprised.

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    ¡°Halt!  Who goes there?¡±  The goblin¡¯s voice was shrill, almost a squeak.

    ¡°I¡¯m Courier Kyle Mayhew, sent by the Council of Er¡¯Mithren to make a delivery beyond your borders.  I was set to arrive tomorrow, but I¡¯ve made good time.¡±  Kyle looked to the top of the wall, barely making out a green, bald head peering down from the battlement.

    ¡°Never heard of you!  Go away!¡±

    ¡°I have business in the village,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not on today¡¯s list,¡± the goblin replied.  ¡°So either scram, or try again when you are.¡±

    Before Kyle could react, the goblin disappeared, leaving him standing awkwardly in front of the city gate.  This is not what I expected, Kyle thought, processing.  He was confident that, if he wanted to, he could easily climb the gate, or otherwise enter the city.  There was supposed to be lodging set up, and with his pace of travel he expected that word had been passed along.

    Either Kyle had grossly miscalculated, or something odd was afoot.  Stepping out of sight of the wall, he asked the drone, ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you get me a picture of what¡¯s going on?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Jell¡¯Or was not a particularly large city, and Kyle was able to get around the forested portion of the perimeter in a little under an hour.  He opted not to go into the clearing beyond, but this was plenty for C.H.A.D.D. to work with. From what the drone showed him, it didn¡¯t look good.  Nearly 100 awakened goblins patrolled the streets, and it looked like some sort of martial law had been enacted.  There were no children playing, no people going about their business.

    While that would have been cause for concern on its own, C.H.A.D.D. also showed what looked like a large group of unawakened goblins and trolls gathered in a cluster near the city center.  They were chained, and from what the drone reported, many were showing signs of injury.

    Satisfied they had enough to go on, Kyle sighed as he sat down, cross-legged.  There were 2 distinct options before him, and he didn¡¯t particularly care for either of them.  The first, and simplest, was to bypass Jell¡¯Or entirely.  Contacts here were supposed to help direct him toward the meeting point, but he already had the coordinates.  It wouldn¡¯t be much effort to go on his own, even if it meant spending the night outside the city.  Of course, that meant leaving ostensibly innocent people in harm¡¯s way, which never sat well with him.

    The second choice would be to force the issue and enter the city directly.  He might be able to help the people inside, and he was confident that the awakened goblins C.H.A.D.D. spotted were far from being powerful enough to do him any real harm.  Even in those numbers, E Grades just weren¡¯t very threatening to him.  No, the real threat would depend on what faction was involved in this bizarre incident.  If Kyle was to get involved, he could very easily undermine his position as a neutral party.

    The longer he thought about it, the clearer the answer became.  Discounting the possibility of a truly random attack, the events in Jell¡¯Or felt clearly tied to his mission.  So, rather than get involved, the safest choice was to ignore it.  If it was a ploy by the Er¡¯Mithren Council, Kyle doubted they would actually harm their own citizens.

    The Resistance, by contrast, would find a hard time leveraging their hold on the town if Kyle was nowhere to be found.  And it¡¯s not like either faction could blame him for leaving; the city watch sent him away, after all.  While it would have been nice to get a little sleep in a comfortable bed, it just wasn¡¯t in the cards.  He rose with a stretch, taking some dried rations from the C.H.A.D.D. pack.

    [ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO LEAVE THEM, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I think they¡¯re probably safer if we just leave,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I find it hard to believe that something like this would happen randomly as soon as we get ahead of schedule.  Better that we stay neutral.¡±

    [IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE BETTER OFF¡­]

    ¡°I do.  Come on, let¡¯s keep moving.  The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can find you more stranglevines.¡±

    [I SUPPOSE WE DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO PRESS ONWARD.]

    ~~~

    ¡°Very interesting.¡±  A group of goblins, ogres, and trolls looked over a detailed map of the region, where a single dot once again began to move.  ¡°He is different than we were led to believe.¡±

    ¡°From what I can tell, he simply looks to be eager to complete his delivery and get paid,¡± a rumbling, masculine voice retorted.

    ¡°The per diem was quite generous, do you think he realized that this was his last comfortable stop in our lands?  Our research indicates that he wouldn¡¯t leave funds untapped for the sake of expedience.  The limited dossier we received indicates he lacks powerful backing and financing.  There has to be something we¡¯re missing.¡±

    A goblin voice piped up next, its tone thoughtful.  ¡°His actions seem incongruent; he risks his life to face a shrike nest, but doesn¡¯t blink twice at a town clearly in some sort of peril.  His motivations are not purely altruistic, but neither do they seem entirely self-serving.  We should tread carefully.¡±

    The masculine voice snorted.  ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯d really side with the hag, do you?  That is, if she¡¯ll even see him.¡±

    ¡°One way or another, that won¡¯t be an issue.  While this Courier may be less predictable, D¡¯Oilellat is certainly a known quantity.  Either she¡¯ll open the package herself, or she¡¯ll react after one of her men opens the package, and Mayhew will be forced to deal with her either way.  Both sets of circumstances are acceptable.¡±

    ¡°Then why does your voice shake, Pall¡¯Eth?¡±  This voice was the angry rasp of an aged troll, the oldest member on the Council.

    ¡°Because regardless of what happens to D¡¯Oilellat, I am having a hard time predicting an outcome where the Courier dies.  Which means that, for us, our victory could have very real consequences.¡±

    ¡°Speak plainly,¡± the troll woman demanded.

    ¡°It matters very little, given that events have been set in motion.  But, should Mayhew survive, it would be prudent to have a plan in place so that we don¡¯t earn his ire.  The collateral damage alone could be immense if he isn¡¯t handled properly,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.

    ¡°What of his backers?  Surely, they will take issue with his demise, whether it¡¯s by our hand or the hag¡¯s?¡±  The masculine voice posited, more thoughtful than before.

    ¡°Our contacts in the Verdant Republic have confirmed that he has no true affiliation with them.  My understanding is that he¡¯s effectively a wandering mercenary.  Should he meet his end, time will move forward unimpeded.¡±

    ¡°What about his kin?¡±  Asked the raspy troll.  ¡°Surely, there are some who may seek vengeance?¡±

    ¡°None, from what our sources can gather,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.  Their research had been extensive, if brief, and their plans were still sound.  Still, Pall¡¯Eth couldn¡¯t help but feel a creeping fear as they talked.

    There was a surety in the Courier¡¯s movements, a confidence that his instincts screamed was well deserved.  Research had uncovered mixed reviews about Kyle¡¯s performance in his Practicum and other jobs, but one note stood out more than anything else, making Pall¡¯Eth wary.  After all, what could this human have done to earn a title like Onyx Warrior?

 Chapter 221

    Bypassing Jell¡¯Or was a relatively simple task, and soon Kyle found himself leaving the dense foliage of the jungle, which was replaced by rolling hills.  He felt a tension leave his shoulders as he followed the road toward his coordinates, the creeping fear of the C Grade shadow being left behind.  Smaller groves of trees still dotted the landscape here and there, and Kyle was surprised to see deep gouges in the trees near the first copse they passed.

    [I DETECT 3 SHRIKES WITHIN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle¡¯s first response was to say that they needed to keep moving, but he stopped himself.  They were now well over a day ahead of schedule, and his travel speed would likely only improve now that he was out of the jungle.  Besides, Kyle thought, with the trees so close to the road, these shrikes could pose a danger to other travelers.  Weak justifications in mind, Kyle looked at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map and began to slowly enter the shrikes¡¯ territory.

    The forest was quiet as Kyle carefully stepped over broken branches and fallen leaves in pursuit of his prey.  As before, a trio were nestled in the heart of their territory in what Kyle suspected was their nest.  He found it odd that so far he¡¯d only seen them in groups of 3, and he hoped he would get an opportunity to further study their behavior.

    Once he made it to the nearest edge of the nest, he finally saw them.  2 of the large reptilian creatures were curled up on the ground while a third was gnawing on a thick bone.  There was no semblance of a guard posted, but then and again, why would they need one?  The C Grade shadow notwithstanding, shrikes appeared to be the apex predators of this part of Er¡¯Mithren, if not the entire planet.  Of course, that¡¯s not to say that they were lazy.

    One of the things that struck Kyle as odd during his first interaction with the shrikes was how quickly and precisely they¡¯d attacked him once they realized he was there.  He¡¯d read before about wild beasts that possessed Perception-boosting skills when they were under attack, and wanted to see if that was the case with the shrikes.  If so, it would make sense why they appeared so uninterested in the world around them while they rested.

    Finding a comfortable spot nearby, Kyle activated Parasitic Resonance, this time splitting the tendrils to attack both of the sleeping creatures.  As before, the tendrils were able to invade without an issue.  Kyle sat perfectly still as the skill did its work, with no reaction from the shrikes.  With his eyes fixed on the conscious shrike, he pulled.

    The reaction was immediate.  As one, the shrikes lifted their heads the moment Kyle shifted his skill to attack.  It was too late for those he¡¯d already infected, but the remaining shrike immediately launched an attack at his position.  It¡¯s not just a danger sense, Kyle realized.  It also gives them insight into the direction of the attack.

    The whirling buzz saw of energy slammed into Storm Shelter, and was easily rebuffed.  Kyle knew he was still too inexperienced to meaningfully understand the concepts tied into his skill, but there was something interesting about watching its interaction with the shrike¡¯s attacks.  Comparing Storm Shelter to the skill Ghork used against the Glaivebeak, Kyle noticed some key differences.

    Indulging himself to allow the shrike to continue its assault, Kyle focused on the way Storm Shelter stood up to the whirring blades.  It was almost as though Storm Shelter imposed its dominion over the space it covered.  The skill felt stubborn, unyielding in purpose.  The buzz saws of mana didn¡¯t lose potency when they attacked.  Their energy wasn¡¯t disrupted, nor did the skill diffuse or deflect them.  Instead, the blades were stubbornly worn down and dissipated against the unmoving barrier.

    On the other side of Storm Shelter, Kyle could see confusion and anger plainly on the shrike¡¯s face.  Its companions were dead, and it knew Kyle was to blame.  Allowing Storm Shelter to drop, Kyle exploded into motion as small vines appeared from the C.H.A.D.D. pack.  He ducked underneath a horizontal slash, then dashed to the right to avoid a vertical blade meant to split him in two.

    He felt vines falling to the ground through Synaptic Barbs, though more quickly took their place.  They darted out, drawing the shrike¡¯s attention and distracting it as Kyle closed in.  This time, another thin vine reached out and bound the creature¡¯s beak as Kyle pressed his palm against its chest, activating Parasitic Resonance from point-blank range.  A moment later, it was done.

    Kyle felt the Core of the Parasitic Devourer within him drain the energy, and the hunger that still remained.  A lot more shrikes would have to fall before Kyle got his next Adaptive Anatomy upgrade.  His feelings on that front were mixed, however, seeing the beasts used as weapons against a civilian population helped alleviate the guilt of his wholesale slaughter.

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    ¡°Is there anything inside their den that sparks your interest, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING CLEAR TO MY SENSORS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then let¡¯s keep moving.  No need to sift through more remains than necessary.¡±

    As they traveled through the hills and plains, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. encountered a handful more shrike nests, each of which was disposed in similar fashion.  An odd pattern was starting to emerge, which gave Kyle pause.  Why are they always in groups of 3?  Once or twice could easily be a coincidence, but after the eighth encounter it was clear that there was something significant to the relatively small group of pack hunters.  As the final shrike of this group fell, Kyle looked to the den in the center of the copse.  ¡°What about this one, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING, DR. MAYHEW.  AND AT THIS POINT, I FEEL AS THOUGH I MUST NOTE THE BLATANT UNFAIRNESS WE ARE EXPERIENCING.]

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, even though he suspected the answer.  ¡°Unfairness?  Explain.¡±

    The other oddity, much to C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s misfortune, was that there were no stranglevines present in these dense groves of trees.  Some of them certainly met the criteria for the height of the trees and abundant prey, yet the plants were suspiciously absent.

    [WE HAVE NOT FOUND A SINGLE STRANGLEVINE SPECIMEN THAT WE COULD DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST SINCE LEAVING THE JUNGLE.]

    ¡°There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation,¡± Kyle offered.

    [I DO NOT WANT A REASONABLE EXPLANATION, I WANT MORE STRANGLEVINES.  I FEEL THAT I AM CLOSE TO MAKING A BREAKTHROUGH IN THEIR ARCHIVE, AND IT IS FRUSTRATING TO BE UNABLE TO DO SO.]

    ¡°Is there really that much more you need?  Your tests with the vines seem promising already.¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. had used their recent encounters to test weaving in concepts from the predatory plants with the normal vines it manipulated.  The results were mixed against the shrikes¡¯ cutting power, but were nevertheless impressive.

    [I AM LESS CONCERNED WITH THE APPLICATION, AND MORE WITH THE NATURE OF THE VINES THEMSELVES.  THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THEIR NATURE THAT DO NOT MAKE SENSE, AND WITH A LITTLE FURTHER STUDY I AM CONFIDENT I COULD UNDERSTAND THEM FULLY.]

    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?  Maybe talking it through could help.¡±

    [MY ATTEMPTS TO GROW THE VINES DIRECTLY HAVEN¡¯T WORKED, AS THEY DO NOT SEEM TO POSSESS ANY TYPE OF ROOT SYSTEM; NOR DO THEY POSSESS A FRUIT OR SEEDING STRUCTURE.]

    Kyle nodded as he walked out of the grove of trees.  ¡°That is odd.  Do you think they could be a natural growth on the trees?¡±

    [THAT IS DOUBTFUL, DR. MAYHEW.  THE PLANT¡¯S MANA AND CELL STRUCTURES DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE TREE.  THE MOST INTERESTING NOTE, TO ME, IS THAT THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A METHOD FOR CONVERTING NUTRIENTS INTO GROWTH.  INSTEAD, THEY HAVE CELL STRUCTURES THAT CONVERT THE NUTRIENTS INTO ENERGY, AND FUNCTION AS A TYPE OF STORAGE.]

    A frown was beginning to spread across Kyle¡¯s face.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.  From what you¡¯ve just said, it sounds like they don¡¯t have any means to grow or reproduce.  But we know that there were hundreds of them moving into the canopy.¡±

    [EXACTLY.  DR. MAYHEW, WE ARE MISSING AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE, BUT I AM OPTIMISTIC ADDITIONAL STUDY WILL PROVIDE THE ANSWERS.  IT IS UNLIKE ANY OF THE PLANTS ARCHIVED IN THE WORLD TREE SEED, AND WOULD BE A WORTHY ADDITION.]

    ¡°Well, if we don¡¯t stumble across any others on our way to meet the Resistance, we¡¯ll be sure to stop and search for some more on our way back to Er¡¯Mithren.  Who knows, maybe the data on local flora will have some answers.¡±

    That response seemed to placate the drone, at least somewhat, and Kyle looked out into the fading light of the day as he once again returned to the road through the hills.  Their pace had been slowed significantly by his hunts, but they were still well ahead of schedule.

    Tomorrow should find me in Resistance territory, Kyle thought.  He traveled another 2 kilometers, then found a spot off to the side of the road to set up a small camp as stars began to appear in the darkening sky.  Kyle took out some rations, as well as the books Jarberry lent him.  C.H.A.D.D. provided a gentle orange light as Kyle began his training.  He fixed his mind on keeping the shapes of the letters as pages began to turn.  Wayward thoughts threatened his focus, and he gritted his teeth as he tried to push them away.  With a limited amount of time until he had to return the books, he was going to make use of every last minute.

    A few hours later, Kyle collapsed with exhaustion, the phantom pain from the final book still echoing through his mind.  He fell short of his records on every single one of the books this evening.  There was certainly an element of frustration tied to that ¨C Kyle didn¡¯t enjoy failing ¨C though it was mixed with a strange excitement.  It had been quite a while since Kyle felt truly stretched and pushed, and trying to raise his scores to Jarberry¡¯s exacting standards was a goal that scratched that itch.

    As he wasn¡¯t ready for sleep quite yet, Kyle pulled a small, fourth book out of the C.H.A.D.D. pack.  It was a simple journal he purchased back on the Hub, and he started writing notes, along with his scores.  He detailed everything he could, highlighting the distracting thoughts from the day, and the moments he felt his control of the tomes slip.

    Even if there was nothing he could do to mitigate the outside factors, he felt it was important to reflect on them.  His combat with the shrikes and stranglevines had led to another level, and he was only 2 away from his penultimate D Grade skill.  C Grade was still a distant goal, and he intended to make the most of Jarberry¡¯s advice as he approached it.  Each day provided a new opportunity for him to improve his foundations, and Kyle didn¡¯t intend to squander a single one.

 Chapter 222

    Kyle looked up at the looming wall before him, letting out a small breath.  He wondered why everybody seemed to assume he¡¯d recognize Resistance territory when he got there, and now he understood.  A 20-meter-high earthwork wall crossed the rolling hills as far as the eye could see.  He could feel the mana radiating from the slate-gray stone as goblins and trolls alike prowled the top.  From what C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans indicated, there were guard stations at regular intervals with more on the opposite side of the wall.

    It was hard to wrap his head around the sheer cost in resources it must take to keep a defense like this running; and was even more curious about why the mysterious D¡¯Oilellat would prioritize it so heavily.  The Council of Er¡¯Mithren implied that she¡¯d been fighting them to try and reclaim her throne, and though Kyle was no tactical mastermind, he had a hard time seeing how the defensive position before him accomplished any of that.

    Walking closer, he could hear a deep voice shouting from the top of the wall as a troll called down to his companions, then turned to regard Kyle.  ¡°Either you¡¯re the ugliest damn troll I ever met, or you¡¯re the Courier we¡¯ve been waiting for.¡±

    A little taken aback at the jab, Kyle took a moment to compose himself, using Identify on the troll.  Late E Grade, looks to be a Ranger type.  Putting on a neutral mask, he responded.  ¡°Fortunately for me, I¡¯m the latter.  My name is Kyle Mayhew, and I¡¯m here to bring a draft proposal for peace with the Er¡¯Mithren Council to D¡¯Oilellat.  May I pass?¡±

    The troll snorted.  ¡°I¡¯m the guard captain for this section.  You can stay right where you are while I get confirmation from the higher-ups.  You understand why it¡¯d be a bad idea for me to just let random people through, even if they are on business.¡±

    ¡°Do what you need to do,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I¡¯ll stay here, though if you or your men have the time, I¡¯d be interested to know the history of this wall.  The construction is incredible.¡±

    The guard snorted again.  ¡°You¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t have walls where you¡¯re from?¡±

    A nostalgic smile crept across Kyle¡¯s face as he thought back to Earth.  ¡°Only one that compares to what you have here.  Is it to deter predators, like the shrikes?¡±

    He smirked.  ¡°If you¡¯d call the Er¡¯Mithren Council predators, then sure.  Not that it¡¯s helped in the bigger attacks, but it keeps the unawakened bastards away, which is enough for me.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like there¡¯s no love lost between you and the Council,¡± Kyle mused.  ¡°I take it most of you were part of the old regime?¡±

    The troll shook his head.  ¡°Only some.  Most of us were just regular people who were forced to choose a side.  So, we did.¡±

    Kyle wanted to ask more, but before he could get a word out, the troll turned and saluted as a goblin dressed in resplendent silver armor stepped atop the battlement.  A quick use of Identify showed Kyle that the newcomer was far more powerful, resting comfortably in the middle of D Grade.  The goblin¡¯s Dexterity, Strength, and Intelligence were exceptional, and a look at the thin blade on his hip gave a very familiar impression.  This goblin is using the same type of skills as the shrikes.

    ¡°I am Wall Commander Ra¡¯zel, guardian of the gates and emissary of the rightful queen of Er¡¯Mithren.  I have been told that you¡¯re the Courier who has been dragged into this mess.¡±

    Kyle offered a respectful bow.  ¡°I¡¯ve been given the opportunity to help broker peace.¡±

    Ra¡¯zel gave Kyle a withering stare.  ¡°And no doubt profit handsomely from your work.  The Council may have thought this an appropriate solution, but understand that we are not convinced.  In the spirit of cooperation, we will open the gates to you, and you will be escorted to meet her Majesty D¡¯Oillelat.

    ¡°You will make your delivery, and you will wait under guard until a response has been drafted, at which point you will be escorted back to the wall.  You will not be free to roam our lands as you have thus far.  Is that understood, Courier?¡±

    ¡°It is, Wall Commander.¡±

    With a gesture behind him, Kyle felt earth-infused mana flow into the wall as the runes illuminated; causing a section to rumble and separate.  Kyle walked through the opening, where he saw 3 D Grades waiting, one of each of the goblinoid species.

    The first, and largest among them was an ogre, who clearly had a variant Mage class.  It wore thick brown robes and carried an intricately inscribed metal staff.   Lightning affinity mana flowed through the ogre¡¯s body, mixed with another affinity he couldn¡¯t readily place.

    Standing beside the ogre was a troll with what looked to be a straightforward Fighter-type class.  Impressive Strength and Endurance coupled with the troll¡¯s naturally high Vitality, and he expected that this troll on its own could easily handle the 2 troll guards Kyle met before.  Scarred metal armor covered the troll, who also wore a buckler shield on his left arm, and a double-bearded axe strapped to his back.

    The final member of the group was a goblin woman, small even for their diminutive species.  She was wrapped from head to toe in black fabric that seemed to shift colors as she stood, and Kyle could tell that she was a Ranger type.  While she wore no weapons outwardly, the mana he detected from several places on her person made it clear that she was well-armed.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Ra¡¯Zel gestured to the trio of goblinoids.  ¡°This is Drokh, Ver¡¯ah, and Hanastrel.  They will serve as your guides and supervisors during your time moving through our lands.  Understand that any treachery will not be tolerated.¡±  His hard eyes fixed on Kyle for a long moment before he looked toward the heartlands of the resistance.  ¡°Now, go.  The sooner your errand is done, the better.¡±

    Kyle nodded to the goblin, before turning to his entourage.  It was abundantly clear that he wasn¡¯t welcome, and he chose his words carefully, aiming to show respect without displaying weakness.  ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care.  I want to see this business done as well, and I thank you all for your efforts to complete it.¡±

    There was a brief pause at words, then Drokh, the ogre, gave a rumbling reply.  ¡°Come on.  We¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover.¡±

    Drokh and Ver¡¯ah, the troll, led the way as they followed a narrow path to a larger road, while Hanastrel, the goblin Ranger, followed behind.  Even with Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception, Kyle found it was a little unnerving leaving a dangerous person walking directly behind him.  She was clearly trying to stay right in his blind spots as he moved, though he could feel her presence clearly.  She¡¯s got a long way to go before she¡¯s at Jarberry¡¯s level, Kyle mused.

    Unlike the roads leading away from Er¡¯Mithren, the interior road the group now followed was packed with individual travelers and supply convoys.  Large lizards pulled wagons full of rations, and dozens of peddlers set up at the various crossroads to sell their wares.  The roads themselves were far more worn-down than the ones in the jungle, with broken stones and exposed earth making the travel rougher.

    That, and the large crowds that continually stopped to gawk at them as they journeyed.  Kyle got more than a few looks, but more than that was the general awe that people showed toward his escort.  While these 3 were among the most powerful D Grades Kyle had encountered, he didn¡¯t expect that they were at the level where they had genuine celebrity status.

    Everywhere they walked, traffic slowed and heads turned.  Several groups even cheered when they saw Drokh, and got even louder when Ver¡¯ah lumbered into sight.  Once they had a moment when the road was clear, Kyle¡¯s curiosity got the best of him.  ¡°The people here are treating you like heroes.  If I can ask, what happened to earn you this reputation?¡±

    Ver¡¯ah turned his head to look at Kyle, with a wide grin on his face.  ¡°We¡¯ve had our fair share of fights to protect these people.  Hanastrel back there has stopped no fewer than a dozen attacks on our Queen, one of which was at a public address.  I helped hold the lines more than a few times before the wall got constructed, and Drokh ¨C¡°

    ¡°-Would tell you to stop talking.  Now.¡±  The ogre¡¯s voice was a deep growl, and Ver¡¯ah raised his hands in a placating gesture.

    ¡°Whatever you say.  Your story¡¯s not mine to tell.¡±  He gave Kyle a conspiratorial look, and in a whisper clearly intended for Hanastrel and Drokh to hear, said, ¡°But it¡¯s a pretty good one nonetheless.¡±

    That earned him a disapproving glare from the ogre, and they kept walking in silence down the road.

    About midday, they came across the first real settlement Kyle had seen in Resistance territory.  Broken and damaged stone was patched with lumber, and he could make out hundreds of tents spread out along the outskirts of the ramshackle buildings.  Peddlers were still plentiful, though many of their goods appeared to be modest rations and basic healing poultices.

    As he looked out at the huddled crowds, he came to a chilling realization.  Virtually all of the people he could see near the tents or other buildings were elderly, infirm, or adolescent.  There weren¡¯t many events that would leave so few able-bodied people behind, and none of them were good.

    As if reading his mind, the goblin said, ¡°Take a good look at the price of your peace, Courier.  Its cost is already higher than any wished to pay.¡±  Hanastrel¡¯s voice was quiet, and Kyle realized that she¡¯d been watching him look out at the settlement.

    ¡°What happened to these people?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°The Council happened.  It wasn¡¯t enough to depose King Railen¡¯ellat, the Council wanted to stamp out any embers of dissent.  The people you see here are the remnant left behind in their wake.¡±

    Kyle let those words sink in for a minute as they walked through the settlement.  A hollow look he missed before was clear to him on many of the faces; people who had known more loss than they should have.  He thought about what these survivors must have gone through, and kept coming back to a single question.  ¡°If a peace is negotiated, will these people really be able to accept it?  After everything they¡¯ve been through?¡±

    He half-expected Hanastrel to dismiss his question outright, or admonish him for asking.  Instead, in a small voice, she said, ¡°The only reason her Majesty is willing to negotiate is for their sake.¡±

    ~~~

    The dark mass of tangling vines slowly crept through the jungle¡¯s canopy.  Countless tendrils reached out to pull its bulk from tree to tree, picking up hundreds of thousands of its discarded cuttings, and leaving fresh ones in their place.  Its vines had a short, but effective life.  They hunted the prey, held the nutrients, and were reabsorbed into the mass.  So had the pattern continued for thousands and thousands of years.

    War, politics, and betrayals meant nothing to the mass as it continued its endless cycle across the canopy.  All within its grasp were prey, and that was enough.  Its cycle continued, uninterrupted, until it came across an oddity.  Dead husks.

    Now, the occasional dead cutting was to be expected.  The infernal shrikes had adapted to slice the vines away, to escape the grasping clutches.  But this, this was different.  Dozens of husks had died, simply withered away.  No, nothing like this had ever happened before in its long memory.

    The roiling tendrils slowed, moving deeper into the jungle, reabsorbing more and more of its dead cuttings.  Until it found the lowest of the dead, a lone stranglevine that was just close enough to reach the road.  The dark mass descended, absorbing this final cutting back into itself.  And it tasted¡­ it tasted¡­ good.

    Delicious.

    Sublime.

    It was just a whisper, a hint, but this cutting had touched upon a mana that the mass instinctively knew was of the highest order, the highest quality.  Mana tinged with gold; mana that could allow the mass to accomplish the impossible.  To ascend.

    The entire jungle seemed to shake for just a moment as the mass shuddered in ecstasy, then dispersed.  Desire flooded it for the first time it could remember.  It would search for the flavor.  It would find it.  It would consume it.

 Chapter 223

    Pinks and orange painted the cloudless sky as the sun began to set, causing Drokh and Ver¡¯ah to stop.  The ogre gestured to a side road.  ¡°We¡¯ll stop for the night in Varleez, then finish the journey tomorrow morning.  I trust you¡¯ve no complaints, Courier?¡±

    Kyle kept his opinions of their sluggish pace to himself, and nodded to Drokh.  ¡°None at all.¡±

    ¡°Good.  Ver¡¯ah, you will take the first watch. Hanastrel, you will take the second.  Courier, it goes without saying, but do not try to leave our presence or continue onward in the night.  You will be given your own quarters, though I will echo Ra¡¯zel¡¯s sentiment; you are here under suspicion.  You would do well to remember.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Kyle said.  Though he hoped their travel pace would have been faster, he didn¡¯t mind having an evening to rest.  He didn¡¯t expect that he¡¯d have his own room, and briefly considered making more time to train with Jarberry¡¯s tomes.  Kyle dismissed the idea almost immediately when he considered how he would brooch the topic if somebody intruded on him while he was training.  The last thing he wanted was to give his escorts an excuse to rummage through his pack or take Jarberry¡¯s books.

    Varleez came into sight less than an hour later, looking more to Kyle like a large encampment than a real settlement.  Tents surrounded hundreds of open campfires which extended nearly a kilometer from the edge of the village proper.  Everywhere he looked, Kyle saw gaunt, hollow faces.  Their small group caught quite a bit of attention as they walked, hushed murmurs moving across the camp like a wave.

    Drokh stiffened for a moment as people began to crowd closer, and Kyle was worried that there would be trouble until a group of goblin guards came from the village to disperse the encroaching group.  One of the guards saluted Drokh, offering respectful glances at Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel.  ¡°Sir, we apologize for our tardiness.  We were just informed of your arrival; had we known earlier we would have done more.¡±

    Drokh returned the salute, then waved a dismissive hand.  ¡°We didn¡¯t know that we were staying here, either,¡± Drokh grumbled.  ¡°In any event, I know your resources are stretched.  Do you have space for us to spend the evening?  We¡¯ll be gone at first light.¡±

    The goblin saluted again, so enthusiastically he nearly struck his head.  ¡°Absolutely, sir!  I will personally give you my lodgings, should others be unavailable.  It would be an honor to have the Grand ¨C¡°

    Drokh glared at the enthusiastic guard, who trailed off without finishing his sentence.  ¡°If none are currently vacant, we will spend the evening under the starlight.¡±

    As it turned out, there were mysteriously sufficient accommodations for a group exactly their size.  Kyle suspected that this was no coincidence, and from the exasperated expression Drokh wore, the ogre knew it too.  The group was on the second floor of a ramshackle tavern-turned-inn, with the only 4 rooms in the loft left empty for them.  Drokh had a chair brought up to sit in the hall between the sets of doors, and then retired to his chambers.  Hanastrel followed suit, leaving Ver¡¯ah to his guard duty.

    Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah both got quite a bit of attention through the course of these interactions, but neither seemed to command the same level of awe as Drokh.  Seeing an opportunity, Kyle lingered in the hallway, with the troll who had already started lounging in the chair.  ¡°So, what¡¯s it like traveling with a celebrity?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°Drokh must be something else to get treated the way he is.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah gave him a look.  ¡°Drokh also values his privacy.  Which he made abundantly clear on the road up.¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°Me being curious about the people escorting me doesn¡¯t mean that I won¡¯t do my job.  Some might argue that it could help me do my job better.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah gave Kyle a sad smile.  ¡°Look, Mayhew, I don¡¯t have anything against you.  In different times, we¡¯d grab a drink and I¡¯d tell you all about our stories.  But for now, I understand that you¡¯re not much more than a mercenary with money on his mind.  Talking with Drokh, I¡¯d wager that there¡¯s a 50% chance that you¡¯ll do something that¡¯ll force us to kill you, and I¡¯d rather not risk getting attached.  So go to your room, get some rest, and tomorrow we¡¯ll help you make your delivery.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Alright, have it your way.  I hope your watch is uneventful.¡±

    A grunt was all he got in response, and Kyle opened the door to the modest room he¡¯d been given. It was plain dark wood, from floor to ceiling.  A wash basin stood in one corner.  A faded rug was placed in the middle of the room, and an odd, thick mattress was pushed against a wall.  It wasn¡¯t until Kyle examined it that he understood the mechanism; it could fold out to accommodate individuals of any size.  With a population this diverse, I suppose it makes sense.

    Folding it to approximately troll-height, Kyle lay down; finding the mattress surprisingly comfortable.  A small orange light projected in front of his eyes for just a moment before winking out.  This was a code he¡¯d set up with C.H.A.D.D., indicating the drone having scanned the room and found them under surveillance.  Kyle anticipated this would be the case, and he closed his eyes, meditating as he activated Parasitic Resonance.

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    Even if he couldn¡¯t use the books, he found that he could still apply the principles of fine mana control.  He wove the tendrils around one another, splitting and rejoining them in an ever-shifting pattern that only got more complex as he practiced.  Beyond just preparing himself for the eventual move to C Grade, Kyle also wanted to set himself up as well as he could for his Level 70 and Level 105 skill selections in D Grade.

    These would be the last skills he would gain as a Survivalist, with C Grade only upgrading from there.  He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what types of skills he¡¯d be offered, but with his heavy investment in Intelligence and Willpower, he wanted to make sure they focused on those attributes.  I just hope I get some type of offensive skill, Kyle thought.

    While everything in his repertoire got plenty of use, having at least one combat-focused skill would round his abilities out nicely.  There was always the option of relying on his second class or a skill upgrade at C Grade, though that was a last resort as far as Kyle was concerned.  With the notable exception of Parasitic Resonance, trying to weave in concepts tied to attacking with his existing skills felt like it would be the worst of both worlds.

    Parasitic Resonance functioned differently than most of his other skills, particularly in its relationship to his Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  He couldn¡¯t be certain, but had the strong sense that his skill¡¯s upgrade would end up tied to the core once he¡¯d completed his next set of Adaptive Anatomy.  I wonder if there will be a third set in C Grade?

    The errant thought cost Kyle as the complex pattern of tendrils fell apart.  Kyle swore softly, and debated continuing.  He heard the changing of the watch a little while back, and some sleep wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea, even if he could function fine with much less.  Sighing, he leaned back against the wall, hands folded behind his head.  First things first, he had to get through this job.

    As he¡¯d been warned, things were getting complicated.  The difference in the quality of life between the Council-run cities and Resistance territory was night and day.  Yet somehow, the fierce loyalty displayed by D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s generals moved Kyle.  Of course, the other nagging question was why the Council was so certain that he¡¯d be turned away, or even attacked by the Resistance.  Was D¡¯Oillelat really that unstable?  Was the loyalty of these powerful people really that misplaced?

    Either way, he was hoping to find answers to most of those questions tomorrow.  Kyle really didn¡¯t know what to expect ¨C he wasn¡¯t even sure if she was a goblin, troll, or ogre.  He suspected the former, but nobody had shared the specifics with him.  His hope would be that cool heads would prevail, and he¡¯d be back on his way to Er¡¯Mithren before he knew it.  With enough time to hunt a few more shrikes and stranglevines, of course.

    Those pleasant hopes were dashed a moment later, when the screaming began.  It was quiet at first, but soon a chorus of panicked voices asking for help filled the night.  Kyle stepped out into the hallway, where Ver¡¯ah, Drokh, and Hanastrel were waiting.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ver¡¯ah asked, strapping his shield to his left arm.

    Drokh didn¡¯t answer right away, standing with his eyes closed.  Kyle¡¯s hair began to stand on end as he felt the ogre gather mana, before Drokh¡¯s eyes opened sharply.  ¡°Shrikes.  3 attacking the southwestern reaches of the camps.¡±

    ¡°How did they get here?¡±  Hanastrel asked.  ¡°Her majesty¡¯s wards should ¨C¡°

    She was silenced by a glare from Drokh.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why they¡¯re here; they¡¯re slaughtering civilians.  We need to go, now.¡±  He looked at Kyle for a moment.  ¡°Courier, stay here.  If I hear that you tried to slip away, I will do everything in my power to ensure you don¡¯t leave our territory.¡±

    Kyle was about to protest, but before he could, Drokh let out a booming wave of energy, blowing a hole straight through the wall of his room.  Electricity crackled around the trio, who flew off into the night, surrounded by thunderclouds of Drokh¡¯s making.

    [YOU CAN¡¯T FLY LIKE THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°What happened to staying quiet, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [THEY ARE WELL OUT OF EARSHOT.  AND IF YOU COULD FLY LIKE DROKH, THINK ABOUT ALL THE STRANGLEVINES WE COULD COLLECT.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it under advisement, C.H.A.D.D.  And we¡¯ll be back in stranglevine territory before you know it.¡±

    [I DO HOPE SO.  THE SHRUBS HAVE MADE THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS TERRIBLY BORING.]

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond, instead watching as a blinding flash of lightning smashed into the ground, the power behind the strike evident, even from a kilometer away.  If there was any doubt before, it was gone now.  Drokh was incredibly powerful, and he expected that the fight with the shrikes would be over very quickly.  While he would have liked to help, the trio had it well in hand.

    Just as he was about to return to his bed, however, another round of screaming started, this time from the opposite direction Drokh and the others had flown.  Kyle frowned.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me a long-range scan?  What¡¯s happening?¡±

    A moment later, an orange glowing map was pulled up.  [6 MORE SHRIKES CONFIRMED, DR. MAYHEW, WITH GLIMPSES OF WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A SEVENTH AT THE EDGE OF MY RANGE.]

    I thought they only had packs of 3, Kyle thought, reflecting on his previous interactions with the beasts.  Another shriek pierced the night, and before he knew it, he was airborne, having vaulted out of the hole Drokh made.  Kyle probably should have thought about implications of defying a direct order.  Instead, he thought about Earth.  He thought about the people who had been slaughtered by the mutated insects.  He thought about the people he was too slow or too weak to save.  Not again.

    Still another, darker part of Kyle considered what he had to gain.  He was curious about their behavior, curious about what he¡¯d missed, and curious about what he would get when he fed them to his core.

    Both motivations led to only one answer.  With Ignition blazing in his chest, Kyle dashed toward the sound of the screams, and the foes unfortunate enough to cross him.

 Chapter 224

    A peal of thunder and flash of light exploded somewhere behind Kyle as he ran, briefly illuminating the terrified faces of unawakened goblins, trolls, and ogres as they fled to the heart of Varleez.  Soon, he came upon the fringe of the bloody spectacle.  2 shrikes were tearing through a line of trembling defenders; unawakened men and women trying to buy time so others could retreat.  Without thinking, dozens of tendrils of Parasitic Resonance shot forward, not at the shrikes, but at the rapidly dwindling line.

    The moment they connected; Kyle felt his mana pool drain rapidly as he activated Storm Shelter around every single one of them.  The shrikes let out cries of alarm as they were rebuffed by the wall of barriers that sprang out of seemingly nowhere.  And then Kyle was upon them.  Taking advantage of their momentary confusion and blocked line of sight, he vaulted straight over the phalanx provided by his Storm Shelters, palm pressed directly against the chest of the nearest shrike.

    His barriers faded as he withdrew the tendrils from the unawakened nearby, who collapsed as one at the strain of having Kyle¡¯s mana flowing through their undeveloped mana pathways.  Instead, each tendril invaded the shrike¡¯s body with purpose.  Kyle¡¯s time hunting the beasts had shown him their vulnerabilities, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to snuff out its life, feeling a portion of his mana pool recover as the Core of the Parasitic Devourer greedily drank in its mana.

    [BE CAREFUL, DR. MAYHEW.  THE REMAINING 6 SHRIKES ARE CONVERGING UPON YOUR LOCATION.  ONE OF THEM IS GIVING OFF AN ANOMALOUS MANA SIGNATURE.]

    Kyle heard C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warning, but was already locked in combat with the other shrike that had been attacking this portion of the line.  It was fighting cautiously, launching buzzsaws of mana from medium range.  Ordinarily, this wouldn¡¯t have been much of an issue, but with the evacuation happening behind him Kyle couldn¡¯t afford to let the attacks get through.

    He¡¯d already pushed mana through his left bracer to create a buckler shield, but it only withstood 3 attacks before it shattered, forcing him to push more mana into it to keep the gauntlet¡¯s barrier active.  With a growl, he connected to his armor, shaping the mana-dampening effects into the space between him and the shrike.

    [THEY ARE CLOSING IN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle swore as he mistimed a block, taking a deep cut on his arm, just below the shoulder.  Adaptive Regeneration was already hard at work, and he placed a hand on the injury to activate Healing Impetus for good measure.  He knew all too well the effect accumulated damage could create, and with the shrike¡¯s allies on the way, taking more damage was inevitable.

    It was clear the shrike was just buying time for its allies to arrive, but so was Kyle.  Soon, 2 more of the creatures appeared, creating a cautious semicircle around him.  Kyle saw 3 others start gathering bodies of the fallen before dashing off into the night.  Another explosion of thunder and light rang out behind him, and the frenzied combat began in earnest.

    Compared to the other shrikes Kyle faced, the trio that now attacked him fought much more conservatively.  Rather than closing in to tear him apart, they seemed content to launch wave after wave of buzzsaws at him, forcing him on the defensive.  Kyle deflected what he could, though he couldn¡¯t keep up with the near-endless assault.

    The shrikes seemed all too happy to maintain the pressure, advancing slowly as Kyle was forced back step after step; blood spattering each inch of ground he lost.  Healing Impetus was showing its value as the excess regenerative energy was constantly put to work.  Deep gashes were opened, only to be visibly shut moments later.  This effect only intensified as Unbreakable Will came into play, increasing the effectiveness of his Willpower attribute the more heavily he was injured.

    Even so, it was a losing proposition.  Kyle¡¯s focus was pushed to its limit; and he knew he had to act.  He¡¯d hoped at least one of the other shrikes would have joined in, but he¡¯d have to make do with the 3 before him.  Kyle understood that the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance wouldn¡¯t be of much use; they would simply be sliced away amidst the myriad attacks.  However, his training provided him with an alternative.

    What if, instead of simply reaching directly toward its target, Kyle could direct the tendrils to move along another path?

    Slowly, painstakingly, he wove a web across the ground in front of him.  The tendrils were slower, took longer to invade, but were relatively unscathed by the conceptually sharp attacks used by the shrikes.  The sheer focus it took to control the dozens of tendrils was staggering, and coupled with shaping the negation field from his stonebloom armor and trying to parry the endless attacks amplified the difficulty many times over.  Still, he¡¯d done it.

    With a primal roar, Kyle ripped the mana away from the 3 shrikes at once, destroying the creatures from the inside out as he felt his own reserves replenish.  Kyle watched as they beasts fell, a satisfied smile appearing unbidden on his face.  As foolish as it had been to use shrikes as a training ground, he managed to come out on top.

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    He staggered for a moment, concentration slipping just enough to lose control of Ignition.  He took a shaky breath, putting his attention back on healing.  A single look down at the bloody tatters of his clothing and deep scars on his gear told him how close he¡¯d come to getting in real trouble.

    He still had Storm Shelter available as his final defensive option, and he kept enough mana in reserve to use it if necessary.  Kyle worried that doing so would have turned the shrikes¡¯ attention back to the retreating civilians, but if push came to shove he had no qualms about using the skill to stay alive.  Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t come to that.

    A quick flash of orange light from C.H.A.D.D. warned him of an approaching presence, which he felt a moment later through Synaptic Barbs.  Kyle turned to look at the approaching Hanastrel, who was looking at the area with wide eyes.

    ¡°3 dead shrikes¡­ by the ancestors, what happened here?¡±

    ¡°That depends,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°How much trouble am I in for leaving the room?¡±

    ¡°Forget the room,¡± Hanastrel said, voice still breathless.  ¡°How are you even standing?  It looks like you¡¯ve been cut to ribbons.  Do your people regenerate like the trolls?  Hell, I¡¯ve never heard of a troll getting cut apart that much and still getting put back together.¡±

    ¡°It looks worse than it is,¡± Kyle said sounding as tired as he felt.  ¡°But we should be careful, there are 4 more somewhere.¡±

    Before Hanastrel could respond, Drokh came crashing down from the sky above, landing with enough force to shake the ground.  The gruff ogre looked at Kyle, lightning crackling all around him.  A nasty cut crossed Drokh¡¯s left shoulder, but he otherwise looked unharmed.  A quick glance with Identify proved otherwise, as Kyle could see that his body was literally being burned from the inside out from the lightning that was pouring out of him.  So, this is what it would be like to have a skill like Ignition without the ability to heal.

    ¡°I told you to stay put, Courier.¡±  Drokh¡¯s voice was a low rumble, but Kyle didn¡¯t feel any malice behind it.

    ¡°You did, and I had every intention of complying until I heard the screams from the other side of the settlement.  I wasn¡¯t able to stop them all, but at least they were driven off.¡±

    ¡°You said, ¡®driven off,¡¯ how many shrikes were here?¡± Drokh asked, his eyes narrowed.

    Kyle thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully.  ¡°I only saw 3 more, but I have a sensory skill that indicated the presence of a fourth.¡±

    Drokh swore, stomping his foot for emphasis.  ¡°We¡¯re dealing with a shrike alpha.  Hanastrel, have we seen any reports of shrike activity from the walls?¡±

    ¡°None, sir.¡±

    The ogre looked into the distance for a silent moment, before turning to Kyle.  ¡°What do you know of shrikes, Courier?¡±

    ¡°I know that they tap into conceptual sharpness, they¡¯re dangerous, and they usually travel in much smaller groups.  That¡¯s about it.¡±

    Drokh nodded.  ¡°They have a shared hunting instinct, which only extends between 3.  Unless they have an alpha.  Rarely, a shrike will grow powerful enough to coordinate 3 separate packs on its own.  This phenomenon is typically only seen in the Wilds, but if there were multiple packs acting in coordination, there¡¯s no doubt that¡¯s what we¡¯re facing.¡±

    ¡°Assuming you all handled the other 3, it should be a while before the alpha is able to come back into the picture.  With most of its pack gone, who knows if it¡¯ll even be able to stay in charge?¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice held a tremor of hope, which Hanastrel squashed.

    ¡°There¡¯s a hierarchy, Courier.  The alpha could walk up to 2 other regular packs and assimilate them in less than a minute.  What¡¯s worse, alphas are significantly more intelligent than regular shrikes.  It will remember this town, the tactics we used against it, and come back with another plan.¡±

    ¡°And this timing is no coincidence,¡± Drokh grumbled.  ¡°A shrike alpha just happened to slip past the Wall, past Her Majesty¡¯s wards, and attack Varleez the day we¡¯re coming through?  This smells of conspiracy.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡±  Kyle asked.  ¡°And where is Ver¡¯ah?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll catch up,¡± Drokh said.  ¡°Ordinarily, if we had to hunt an alpha, we would take an entire raiding band.  The standard procedure is to find the den, bombard from range to draw the beasts out, and only engage when necessary.  Ideally outnumbering the shrikes 3 or 4 to 1.

    ¡°However, that¡¯s exactly what we would be expected to do.  If this was a manufactured tragedy, as I believe, the orchestrator is waiting for us to gather our forces.  And I¡¯ll be boiled before I give them what they want.¡±  Drokh¡¯s last words came out as a growl, and Kyle could feel the undirected animosity pouring off the ogre.

    ¡°What would you have us do?¡±  Hanastrel asked, voice quiet.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to wait for Ver¡¯ah to catch up, and you¡¯re going to track the beasts to their den.  I will slay the alpha myself; you and Ver¡¯ah will simply need to hold the other shrikes until I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°And before you argue, you just told me that you would ordinarily need a full raid team to handle a den.  I¡¯m perfectly capable of holding my own, and you¡¯ll need me.¡±

    Drokh scowled, but Kyle could see the conflict in his eyes.  Fortunately, Ver¡¯ah appeared past the crowd a moment later, giving Kyle the opportunity he needed.  The troll was bloodied, with deep gouges in his armor and several wounds that hadn¡¯t completely closed.  He walked with a slight limp as he approached the others.  Kyle walked over to Ver¡¯ah, and without saying a word rested a palm on the troll¡¯s shoulder, activating Healing Impetus.

    The wounds crossing his body closed visibly, and Kyle suppressed a smile as the troll¡¯s eyes widened, the latent healing energy from the skill being put to use by Ver¡¯ah¡¯s natural regeneration to spur his recovery further.  Kyle turned and looked back at Drokh.  ¡°Don¡¯t try to tell me that you won¡¯t need a Healer.¡±

 Chapter 225

    To Kyle¡¯s surprise, Drokh didn¡¯t argue any further, and the 4 set out in somber silence.  Hanastrel took the lead, easily following the trail left behind by the shrikes¡¯ bloody prizes.  Kyle knew goblins tended to have better Perception than most humans, but was nonetheless impressed with how easily she tracked their path.

    That¡¯s not to say that he didn¡¯t have his misgivings about departing right away.  Despite having used Healing Impetus on both Drokh and Ver¡¯ah, both were clearly weakened compared to how they were earlier in the day.  The lightning-affinity energy that Drokh used seemed to have particularly costly lingering effects.  The ogre¡¯s mana barely recovered at all as they traveled, leaving him at barely 60% of his full strength.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan when we get there?¡±  Kyle asked.  He assumed that much of Drokh¡¯s power had been used to create the 3 massive bolts of lightning during their previous fight, which led him to believe that neither Hanastrel nor Ver¡¯ah had the tools to take the shrikes down quickly.

    ¡°You 3 keep the other shrikes busy, while I handle the alpha.¡±  Drokh said simply.  ¡°I trust you¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°How many alphas have you hunted?¡±  Kyle pressed.  ¡°We¡¯ve all seen how dangerous these creatures can be firsthand; I can only imagine that the alpha will be more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°How dare you question Drokh¡¯s experience,¡± Ver¡¯ah growled.  ¡°Show some damn respect.  If he says he can handle it, he can handle it.¡±

    Drokh raised a hand, quieting the troll.  ¡°The Courier has a valid question,¡± Drokh said, then fixed his eyes on Kyle.  ¡°It will not be the first alpha I¡¯ve slain, though I hope it will be the last.  It was a fight won with a cost, which I hope we will not have to pay this time.¡±

    ¡°Other than an increase in power and the shared hunting instinct, what else should we expect from the alpha?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°Their strengths become highly variable,¡± Drokh replied.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen some that specialized in ranged combat, while others had more natural armor and preferred to be in close.  That variance is why I¡¯m the best suited to take it out.¡±

    Even though he felt he was being sold short, Kyle nodded his agreement.  ¡°Understood.  If we handle our shrike, should the priority be to help you, or one another?¡±

    Kyle phrased the question in such a way to indicate that any of them could kill their opponent, though from the looks he received from Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel, they understood the implication perfectly well.

    ¡°Help one another first,¡± Drokh said.  ¡°I should at least be able to hold my own long enough to allow you to conclude your business, then assist me if necessary.  Most importantly, try not get in my way.¡±

    The expression on Drokh¡¯s face was grim, and Kyle let the matter drop.  The confidence in Drokh¡¯s words rang hollow, but Kyle agreed that the beast needed to be stopped.  With the shrike population in the hills as robust as it is, this thing will have no problem getting more under its leadership.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all mentioned a few times that your queen has wards to keep things like the shrikes out.  Any idea why they wouldn¡¯t be working?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°They act as more of a powerful suggestion,¡± Ver¡¯ah said.  ¡°They weren¡¯t designed with this in mind, but most larger predators seem to get pretty uncomfortable and choose to nest somewhere else.  Unfortunately, shrike alphas seem to be able to resist that urge pretty well.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve had experience hunting them?¡±  Kyle asked, pointing his question at Drokh.

    ¡°We had to expel them from our lands,¡± he said.  ¡°We haven¡¯t had an issue with any in years, so we thought we got them all.  We¡¯ll correct that when we¡¯re back.  Now, stop asking questions and focus on the task at hand.¡±

    The rest of their travel was filled with a tense quiet.  They each knew that they were walking into a fight that could prove lethal, after all.  Soon, Hanastrel signaled the group to stop, just before a bridge that spanned a small creek.  ¡°They¡¯re below.¡±

    In practiced unison, Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, and Drokh vaulted the bridge, with Kyle following shortly behind.  There was a large amount of brush beneath the bridge nearest the water, which was cut away by a couple of quick swipes from Ver¡¯ah. The reason for the quick excavation was clear as Kyle saw the large burrow into the hillside, which had been covered by already-cut plant life.

    The dawn light was just beginning to form as they stepped into the den, Ver¡¯ah taking the lead with his shield raised, followed by Hanastrel and Kyle, with Drokh in the rear guard.  They progressed slowly, the sloping path leading deeper into the earth below.  Kyle heard an incredibly soft snap from the pack behind him as C.H.A.D.D. used its sonar capabilities to get a rough map of the area, even if the drone knew better than to share too much publicly.

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    The darkness didn¡¯t seem to pose an issue for the trio from the Resistance, and Kyle was fortunate to have Synaptic Barbs to guide his movement as he moved alongside them.  There were dozens of branching paths that spread out as they descended, the smell of damp earth and blood growing stronger with each step.

    Kyle could feel a gentle pull on his mana through his link with C.H.A.D.D., with several more snapping sounds following shortly after.  Something was agitating the drone, but Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what it could be.  Redoubling his focus on Synaptic Barbs, the only thing he could feel was more open air around a bend in the tunnel they were walking through.  So, it came as no surprise when Hanastrel whispered to the group that there was a larger cavern ahead.

    Suddenly, a vine gently bumped into Kyle¡¯s back, then started twisting oddly in the air.  C.HA.D.D. is writing, Kyle realized, focusing on the vine¡¯s movements between the pack and his back.  3 AHEAD.  ALPHA BEHIND.  TRAP.  TURN.

    Kyle felt his breath catch as the message.  He tried reaching out to Hanastrel to signal Ver¡¯ah to stop, but it was too late.  The moment that Ver¡¯ah turned the corner and stepped into the more open cavern, he was beset by whirring blades of energy on all sides.  Kyle moved without thinking, crimson light filling the room as Ignition bloomed to life in his chest.  Before the first of the blades could reach the troll, Kyle erected a hasty Storm Shelter, intercepting the attacks as Ver¡¯ah raised his own shield which brimmed with power.

    The bewildered troll looked at Kyle, who shouted, ¡°There are only 3 of them here!  The Alpha is coming from behind!¡±

    Before they could react, the ground behind them rumbled as a blade of stone rose from the ground, aiming to pierce Drokh through his stomach.  He dodged backward at the last moment, but more and more blades kept rising from the earth, one after another.  Soon, a veritable wall of earthen blades blocked all view of Drokh, leaving the 3 of them to face the shrikes in the open.

    With Identify active, Kyle saw mana beginning to spread through the ground toward them, and he remembered Skippy punching him in the face after he bypassed Storm Shelter with spatial manipulation.

    ¡°An attack is coming; I¡¯m going to have to drop the barrier!¡± Kyle shouted.  ¡°When I do, I¡¯ll make for the one on the far side of the room.  Ver¡¯ah, take the one closest on the left.  Hanastrel, the right!¡±

    If they had any qualms with his directions, he didn¡¯t wait to hear them.  He pumped mana into the bracer on his left arm, creating a buckler as he darted forward.  He heard the ground behind him erupt into a series of blades, and felt through Synaptic Barbs that both Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah followed his orders.

    Auric Perception kept him informed as powerful earth affinity mana suffused the tunnel behind him.  This is bad, he thought.  From his studies with Jarberry, Kyle knew that earth affinity provided an effective counter to most lightning-based attacks, particularly in environments like this one.  Drokh was going to need their help, and quickly.

    The cavern was bathed in the crimson glow of Ignition, casting eerie shadows along the subterranean battlefield.  Kyle parried an incoming blade of mana with his buckler as he focused on the shrike with Identify.  From what he¡¯d learned in his previous encounters, the shrikes should have been at least a little hampered by the near-absolute darkness, yet these fought with impeccable precision.

    Ducking under another whirring attack, Kyle closed the remaining distance while scanning his foe.  At first, he didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary.  Everything seemed normal, until he got the barest glimpse of energy that seemed to resonate in its mind.  Despite Kyle being illuminated by his skill, the shrike¡¯s eyes first darted toward the ground as he made a heavy footfall.

    The beast immediately jumped backward, extending a clawed hand to dig into the stone of the cavern wall while launching another blade of mana at Kyle, attempting to bisect him.  Kyle vaulted this one, paying close attention to the creature¡¯s reaction as he landed.  Again, its eyes seemed to be drawn to where he landed before refocusing on him.

    The puzzle clicked together a moment later.  Not taking an eye off the shrike on the wall, Kyle shouted, ¡°The alpha is sharing some sort of seismic detection skill with them!  Be careful!¡±

    A cry of pain sounded out from Hanastrel less than a second later, causing Kyle to swear internally.  He turned toward her, sidestepping a vertical slash in the process as the earth near him was gouged by the attack.  The shrike seemed to ponder why Kyle was no longer pursuing for just a moment, and then its life was snuffed out as Parasitic Resonance greedily drank in its very essence.  It never even noticed the deadly tendrils that crept along the cavern floor.

    Kyle was already moving as he took in the sight of Hanastrel pierced through her stomach by a shrike¡¯s elbow blade, its other arm aimed for her neck.  A thin blade seemed to materialize out of nowhere, interposing itself and stopping the fatal attack before it could connect.

    It only bought a moment, but it was enough.  A tendril of mana connected to Hanastrel, and a moment later Storm Shelter erupted around her, forcing the shrike back as its blade tore a nasty wound through Hanastrel¡¯s side.  A wave of Healing Impetus followed a moment later as Kyle dashed past.  He barely heard her words, over the sound of the wet cough.  ¡°Thanks for the warning, Courier.  It would have taken my head otherwise.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond as he cast a glance over toward Ver¡¯ah, who was stubbornly trading blows with the shrike he was engaging.  It had him outclassed in terms of speed and attack power, but the troll was holding his own.  Kyle made out a defensive skill in constant use over Ver¡¯ah¡¯s finely crafted shield, while a boosting skill seemed to enhance the troll¡¯s already rapid recovery.

    A cautious snarl drew his attention back to his new foe.  This shrike seemed far more wary of Kyle, using clawed hands to scale the nearest wall and climb toward the raised ceiling.  Tentative tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached toward it, but were quickly cut away as the shrike launched a barrage of attacks directly toward Kyle.  They seem to have learned that their best bet against me is to keep a longer range, Kyle thought.

    A peal of thunder rocked the cavern a moment later, followed by an inhuman scream.  Synaptic Barbs showed him a single moment of confusion from both the remaining shrikes.  Drokh had engaged the alpha.

 Chapter 226

    Pushing even more power into Ignition, Kyle exploded into action.  There was no time to stop and think, only time to act.  In a movement that took the shrike by surprise, Kyle leapt with all his might directly toward the cave¡¯s ceiling.  The beast retaliated with a quick slash that grazed Kyle¡¯s cheek, but before the follow-up attack could come, Storm Shelter was already blooming to life.

    Kyle¡¯s momentum wasn¡¯t dangerous on its own, but the rapid expansion of his defensive skill certainly was.  Over the past months, Kyle trained diligently to use Storm Shelter in rapid succession for situations exactly like these.  Gritting his teeth through the strain in his mana network, he forced the shield into shape, smashing the suspended shrike against the cavern¡¯s ceiling with incredible force.

    The barrier fell apart almost as quickly as Kyle called it into being, but it was enough.  The stunned shrike didn¡¯t have time to react as Parasitic Resonance closed the distance, finishing its work before Kyle fell out of range back to the dark floor below.  As he descended, a single thought crossed his mind. Maybe I should have taken a moment to think about the landing.

    Even braced for the impact, he landed clumsily, causing his ankle to twist painfully.  Fortunately, he was able to mend the injury quickly, but it cost him a precious second to gain his bearings.  As Kyle turned toward the sealed mouth of the tunnel, he saw Ver¡¯ah take a nasty cut across his chest, returning the blow with a strike of his own.  The ground between them was spattered with blood, a macabre painting they added to with every moment.

    Hanastrel was still where he¡¯d left her, throwing a constant stream of shadowy blades at the retreating shrike to buy Ver¡¯ah more time.  A tendril of Parasitic Resonance reached out, channeling Healing Impetus into the troll as Kyle moved to assist.  Ver¡¯ah saw the motion and shook his head, parrying an attack from the shrike.

    ¡°Hanastrel and I can handle this one!  You need to get to Drokh!¡±

    Before Kyle could argue, the troll released the defensive skill on his shield, sending a blast of force through the stony blades that barred the tunnel.  Another person with a shield bash, Kyle noted.

    ¡°Go!¡± Ver¡¯ah shouted.

    Snapping out of his observation, Kyle gave the duo one final look.  Hanastrel still had severe damage, even if her condition wasn¡¯t currently life-threatening.  Ver¡¯ah was bloodied, covered in wounds from head to toe.  Yet neither showed the slightest inkling of doubt or hesitation as their attention focused on the shrike before them.

    It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to take down the remaining shrike with Kyle¡¯s help, but it would take precious time in a fight where every second counted.  Their leader was in danger, and Kyle was in the best position to help.  Kyle gave a silent nod toward them as he moved toward the tunnel, a show of respect for their resolve.  They had a hard fight in front of them, and he hoped they would come out on top.

    All worry about Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah was cut off as Kyle saw mana flowing into the stone tunnel, attempting to seal it off with another wall of earthen blades.  Barely sidestepping the first spire as it erupted from the ground below, Kyle found himself barely a half-step ahead of the grinding stone.

    Kyle swore as he felt the mana change course, courtesy of Identify and Auric Perception.  Rather than sealing on the far end, the shrike was now trying to trap him in the middle of the tunnel.  He¡¯d been able to thwart other attempts in the past, but this was the first time he was confronted by simple, physical stone.  A lot of stone.  That¡­ would actually work really well.  A nervous chill crept into him at the thought.

    With a forcehammer baton in each hand, Kyle channeled mana as he began to swing, releasing kinetic blasts directly ahead into the encroaching stone.  Pieces of some spires were broken and blown away, but they were growing faster than Kyle could break them apart.  He could see the mouth of the tunnel opening into another cavern just ahead, though it was closing fast.  He winced as a blade of stone slashed the bottom of his foot.  He was slowed by a step, and then 2.  Panic began to grip him as his attacks grew more frantic.

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    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± Kyle yelled, an intrusive thought worming through his mind.  I won¡¯t make it in time.  Just as despair began to sink in, a bright light surged across the opening, followed by shaking thunder.

    The stones in the hallway stopped growing in the wake of the mighty attack.  It was just what Kyle needed.  Resuming his attack with renewed gusto, he broke free of the tunnel and entered the wider cavern.  It was unrecognizable from the cave they¡¯d walked through just minutes earlier, sharp spikes of stone protruding from every surface, with massive scorch marks lining the walls.  Then his eyes fell on Drokh.

    The ogre was bleeding from several large puncture wounds in his torso, and missing his left leg below the knee.  Blood spattered and stained the stone around Drokh, even as the lightning coursing through his body courtesy of his boosting skill burned him away from the inside.  The smell of cauterizing flesh filled the cavern, a testament to the desperate move Drokh was forced to make.  When Kyle saw the form of the shrike opposite him in the cavern, he understood.

    Kyle expected to see the lithe, lean forms that he¡¯d grown accustomed to, maybe with some slight variation.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s rough scans painted a similar picture, reinforcing that expectation.  They were both wrong.  The creature standing before them was a juggernaut, a stone-clad monstrosity that nearly filled the other end of the cavern on its own.

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    The alpha was the size of a tyrannosaurus, at least 15 meters long and half again as tall.  Its body was encased from head to toe in slate gray rock, its legs literally melded into the cavern floor.  As Kyle regarded the creature¡¯s featureless face, a thought struck him.  It¡¯s like it¡¯s piloting a mech.  The shrike¡¯s body was encased in an armor of mana-rich stone and earth.  Wicked blades protruded from the stone construct¡¯s long arms, and Kyle interposed himself between it and Drokh as a barrage of sharpened stone flew out from its chest in a storm of shrapnel.

    Storm Shelter sprang to life as Kyle activated Healing Impetus, stabilizing some of Drokh¡¯s injuries.  The bleeding visibly slowed, but before he could say anything a blade of stone erupted from the ground between them, forcing Kyle away from the ogre.  Lightning surrounded Drokh as he began to float, growling as he flew toward the alpha.  ¡°On me!¡±

    So much for a ¡®thank you,¡¯ Kyle thought, following the ogre¡¯s order.  The chamber shook as Drokh released another blast of lightning, leaving nasty scorch marks across the shrike¡¯s stone armor as pieces chipped away.  It was a visually impressive display, but Identify told Kyle the truth.  Hardly any of the power actually made it through the armor, most of it being drawn straight into the cave floor below.

    Drokh seemed unbothered as he avoided impaling spikes from above, releasing another bolt at the shrike.  This one left a visible crack on the armor covering the creature¡¯s left arm, which it promptly swung at Drokh and Kyle.  If the usual attacks from the shrikes were spinning buzzsaws of tiny blades, this was a brutal cleaver, aiming to crush them as much as slash.

    While the attack¡¯s speed was impressive, Kyle and Drokh dodged easily, Kyle below and Drokh above.  Kyle barely heard the pained cry over the sound of the scythe of stone crashing behind him, and he glanced up to see Drokh captured in a web of stone.  Leaping on instinct, Kyle felt the cavern floor beneath his feet shift, just a moment too slow to catch him.

    Hearing Drokh cough above him, Kyle refocused his attention on the alpha.  The mana in its armor hadn¡¯t changed, but with the help of Auric Perception, Kyle could barely make out a fluctuation in the mana inside the stone casing.  It¡¯s trying to conserve, Kyle realized.  Of course, given the scope of what it had done in this short time, Kyle shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.  If it wasn¡¯t for Ignition continually supplying him with atmospheric mana and draining the shrikes, he¡¯d have been running low on mana too.

    Then, the shrike moved.  Rather, the stone armor did.  It began to slide forward along the ground as though it was on a conveyor, aiming to crush him.  Kyle almost activated Storm Shelter in a show of defiance, but stopped when Synaptic Barbs detected a shift in the ground behind him.  The stone seemed to ripple, just slightly, as an earthen lance moved to impale him from behind.  Instinctively, he vaulted to his right, narrowly avoiding the speeding shrike as it rammed the earthen blades head on, the stone simply being absorbed into its armored shell.

    It used its momentum to spin on the ground, face him, and charge again.  Kyle dodged once more, even though he didn¡¯t feel anything behind him.  As it rushed past, Kyle reached out with tendrils of Parasitic Resonance, and his fears were confirmed.  The stone, being inorganic, had no mana network for his skill to infiltrate.  Despite all of his training to control Parasitic Resonance, he¡¯d never thought to develop methods against armored opponents like this.

    If Drokh was right about the creatures sharing a hunting instinct, there was no doubt that the alpha had at least some sense of the danger posed by Parasitic Resonance.  Its solution was a good one ¨C if the enemy can kill with a touch, be untouchable.  Of course, that wasn¡¯t a sustainable answer.  After all, even if it sealed in some air, it would need to breathe eventually.  The question came down to whether or not the alpha would be able to kill Kyle and his companions before that need became critical.

    Another wet cough from above told Kyle that Drokh had a lot less time than he did.  He reached out with Parasitic Resonance and delivered another Healing Impetus for good measure.  He could buy time for the ogre, but more specific treatment would be necessary, and soon.  And not just for him, Kyle thought.  Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah were in rough shape, too.

    That simple realization was all Kyle needed for clarity to wash over him.  If his escort died, he would fail the job.  The impact to his reputation would be significant, with Suierrillax and Jarberry also facing some backlash.  What¡¯s more, he hated the idea that he was being used as a pawn by somebody on Er¡¯Mithren pulling the strings.  Whether it was the Council or D¡¯Oillelat, somebody was going to answer for what they¡¯d done.  It was time for Kyle to put some more of his cards on the table.

    The alpha charged him again, and this time Kyle leapt backwards over the emerging blades of stone as he activated Storm Shelter.  The whole cavern trembled as the creature smashed into the barrier, the raw force of the impact sending small spiderweb cracks across both the barrier and the armor of stone.  With the shrike¡¯s momentum halted, he deactivated the skill.  It was the opening he was looking for. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., now!¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t hesitate.  Vines erupted from the C.H.A.D.D. pack, lashing toward the shrike¡¯s head with the speed and precision of the stranglevines they¡¯d encountered.  However, instead of barbs and acid, these vines carried a different payload: seeds.  Thousands of seeds the size of grains of sand were deposited into the cracked armor before the shrike could repair it, sealed within the stone casing.  Still, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t over.  Kyle felt another surge of energy emanate from the pack as C.H.A.D.D. activated the unusual formation formed by the endless coil of twisting vines.

    There was a flash of gold that was visible within the cracks, and suddenly coiling vines and twisting roots began emerging from inside the shrike¡¯s armor, tearing open new furrows and deepening cracks.  The alpha let out a pained cry as blades of mana flew out in every direction, slashing away the plant life before it could rip into its flesh.

    Kyle grimaced as he failed to deflect all of the attacks; deep gashes opening up on his arms and thighs while his armor was scored over a dozen times.  Despite the pain, Kyle pressed forward, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance surging into the now deep cracks in the alpha¡¯s armor.  And then he felt a connection as his skill took hold.  The stone armor fell away, and Kyle¡¯s eyes met the shrike¡¯s hateful yellow gaze.  Then its eyes lost focus, and it slumped forward, still supported by the thick stone encasing its legs.  The shrike alpha was no more.

 Chapter 227

    As the light left the shrike alpha¡¯s eyes, Kyle felt himself cross the threshold to Level 70, as well as a torrent of energy stirring in the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  He wanted little more than to step into meditation, but duty called first.  The cavern was suspiciously silent, no sounds of combat to be heard from the other chamber.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you tell me if Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel survived?¡±

    [BOTH APPEAR TO BE ALIVE, ALBEIT INJURED, DR. MAYHEW.  THE SHRIKE THEY WERE FACING IS NOT.]

    Kyle nodded, satisfied.  He would do his best to free Drokh, provide some field triage, and then find time to enter meditation.  That proved easier said than done, however.  Though the mana empowering the stone was gone, there was still the matter of chipping through the rock to free the unconscious Drokh.

    He considered using his forcehammer batons, but settled instead on producing a blade of mana with his left gauntlet; chipping away at the stone with his left hand as he held onto the twisted spikes with his right.  As he worked, C.H.A.D.D. broke down the extent of Drokh¡¯s injuries.  It was far, far worse than he¡¯d known.

    In addition to the missing limb and major puncture wounds, smaller shards of stone had embedded themselves deep within the ogre¡¯s body, shredding muscles and organs alike.  There was a particularly dangerous piece of stone that lodged near the heart, just centimeters away from a major artery.  That would have been bad enough on its own, but all that was before the damage Drokh caused himself with his boosting skill.  Many of the internal injuries were cauterized around the shrapnel, which meant he would need to inflict more trauma to remove them.

    C.H.A.D.D. already prepared a makeshift stretcher out of woven vines, and on the drone¡¯s signal Kyle chipped away the final piece of stone, watching from his position on the ceiling as the odd plant construct lowered Drokh gently to the ground before retracting back into the pack.  ¡°Your control is really impressive, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said, genuine admiration in his voice.

    [THE STRANGLEVINES WERE QUITE BENEFICIAL, EVEN IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS YET INCOMPLETE.  REGARDLESS, I AM GLAD MY EFFORTS HAVE PROVEN HELPFUL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    That might be the politest ¡°I told you so¡± I¡¯ve heard, Kyle mused as he dropped to the ground.  The moment of levity was gone as he evaluated the ogre¡¯s state.  The emergency surgery ahead would be delicate, and he took a stabilizing breath as C.H.A.D.D. brought up a projection of the injuries.  Channeling mana back into his left bracer, he replaced the large blade with a razor-thin scalpel, and got to work.

    His first incisions traced the entrance wounds of the deadliest pieces of shrapnel, while he targeted Healing Impetus beneath and around the impacted tissue to force the projectiles out the way they came.  He kept Ignition active, gladly accepting the mild ache from the skill in exchange for the benefit of constantly replenishing his mana reserves.  Though it had taken a while, Adaptive Regeneration had built up an incredible tolerance to the strain of his boosting skill, something he appreciated even more seeing Drokh¡¯s condition.

    Kyle barely registered as Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel broke through the stone barring the tunnel, keeping his focus entirely on the dozen or so fragments of stone stuck against the bones of Drokh¡¯s shoulder.  He could feel them exchange a look through Synaptic Barbs, then they simply sat and watched.

    Nearly an hour later, Kyle deactivated his skill, sitting back on the ground with a loud exhale.

    Ver¡¯ah walked up, looking at the pile of bloody stones, then at Drokh¡¯s unconscious body, then at Kyle.  ¡°How bad is he?¡± the troll asked tentatively.

    Kyle looked up at him, and gave a tired smile.  ¡°He¡¯s stable, but his body¡¯s been through a lot.  He overused his boosting skill while he was already injured, and that¡¯ll take some time to heal.  I don¡¯t know when he¡¯s going to wake up, but he should be able to recover.  After a lot of rest and rehabilitation.¡±

    ¡°And his leg?¡±  Ver¡¯ah asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s beyond me.  I was able to stop the bleeding, but reattaching an appendage isn¡¯t something I can do.  He¡¯ll want to get a rehabilitation plan put together by a healer more familiar with ogre physiology in any event; there¡¯s still some shrapnel to remove, just in less vital areas.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.  ¡°Thank you, Courier.  You don¡¯t fully understand what you¡¯ve done for us by saving Drokh, but the Resistance owes you a debt.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t help him looking to incur a debt,¡± Kyle said, weariness spreading through his body.  ¡°I¡¯m just glad that we managed to get through.  This was a lot tougher than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Then get some rest,¡± Ver¡¯ah replied.  ¡°Hanastrel and I can keep watch over Drokh.  With him being out of the fight, we could use the rest before we depart.  I imagine that you have other matters requiring your attention.¡±

    Kyle gave him a tired smile.  ¡°Thank you, Ver¡¯ah.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Both Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah had been still for quite a while once they settled into the cavern, and Kyle had no doubt that they both gained a level or more from the experience.  Now that things had settled down a bit, he was eager to unpack his gains from the encounter as well.

    Settling into a corner nearby, Kyle entered meditation, seeing the familiar sigil of his center with the Core of the Parasitic Devourer superimposed, red light roiling more than ever.  Focusing on the image, words he¡¯d been waiting to see appeared in his vision.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 70 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 28%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 1024

    ENDURANCE: 1174

    STRENGTH: 385

    DEXTERITY: 750

    WILLPOWER: 1492

    INTELLIGENCE: 1492

    PERCEPTION: 1090

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kyle split his Free Attributes between Willpower and Intelligence, bringing both above 1500.  He took a moment to admire the growth of his attribute pool, then turned his attention to the indistinct gray orbs floating around his center.  It¡¯s about time I had a skill selection, he thought.  Anticipation building, he focused his attention on the first option.

    Repel:  The skill was simple, ridiculously so.  It looked like it was little more than a channeled and focused blast of force toward a target.  The impression Kyle got as he reflected on it was one of denial and rejection.  It was the concept of survival through defiance; standing tall against opposition and removing whatever obstacles got in the way.  Keeping that in mind, he moved on to the second orb.

    Burrowing Claws: This skill had significantly higher complexity, even though it operated on similar principles.  Instead of focusing the mana outward in a blast, Burrowing Claws created extremely powerful vibrations around his hands and feet.  He could see himself using this to crack through stone, dig into the ground, or even enhance the potency of his unarmed strikes.  The concept he felt behind was survival through flexibility, the ability to adapt and be useful in any situation.  He wondered briefly how Burrowing Claws would have worked alongside a skill like Multitool, but dismissed the thought.  You¡¯ll have plenty more skills to think about down the line, Kyle admonished himself.  Focus.  With that, he turned his attention on the final orb.

    Lockdown:  The last offering Kyle had was the most complex by far.  He could see his mana spreading out around him, similar to Storm Shelter.  Instead of creating a barrier of force, however, he created a domain that rejected mana that was not his own.  Concepts he chose were suppressed, sealed away by the might of his Willpower.  The concept behind this skill was plain; survival through conquest.  By imposing his will on the obstacles in his way, he would strive for even greater heights.

    Kyle felt a slow smile crossing his face as he looked the options over once more.  His goal was to work on external mana manipulation in order to unlock skills that would benefit from it, and each that was offered fell into that category.  What¡¯s more, all of the choices felt like they would synergize with his existing skillset.

    As usual, he started with elimination.  Burrowing Claws was an interesting skill, and Kyle liked the idea of survival through flexibility.  He also had no doubt that he could find opportunities to blend it with skills like Parasitic Resonance to create some devastating effects.  Unfortunately, Burrowing Claws did little to fix one of Kyle¡¯s largest weaknesses; his long-range combat.

    While he was an annoying target to pin down for most foes, his inability to put pressure on his enemies at longer distances caused him problems.  Prepared opponents, such as the mercenaries on Pokke, could find answers to keep him at range and pin him down.  Even the tactics Drokh described against the shrike alphas would work well against somebody like Kyle.

    Lockdown provided a different answer to that problem.  If he could create a domain that was his, could long-range skills even get through?  Attempts at containment would become significantly more difficult, and Kyle felt confident that his Willpower would stack up well against most D Grades around his level or beyond.  When coupled with Storm Shelter, he could create a zone of almost unmatched protection. Conceptually, it was an order of magnitude more complex than any other skill in his arsenal.

    Repel sat on the opposite end of the spectrum.  A basic, long-distance blast of force.  It was a truly simple skill, but in its simplicity, Kyle saw an incredible amount of potential.  He was reminded of when he first selected Resonance back in E Grade.  The skill on its own would offer less than Lockdown, or even Burrowing Claws.  If he could practice with it, refine it, shape it¡­

    Kyle¡¯s thoughts wandered a dozen different directions, considering possibilities to refine Repel, not just in D Grade, but beyond.  That was all the push he needed.  Repel would give him a boost in the near-term, and the opportunities he saw were worth exploring.  Without further deliberation, Kyle made his selection.

    As his vision turned back to his center, he finally turned his attention back to the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  It had calmed somewhat during his meditation, though swirls of crimson energy still pulsed through it with more frequency than he was used to.  The cause was clear; his absorption of the shrike alpha¡¯s energy filled more of the core than the rest of the shrikes he killed put together.

    Just like with the fish in his Practicum, there appeared to be a qualitative component with stronger variants when compared to their more mundane counterparts.  With this push, Kyle felt absolutely confident in unlocking his next Adaptive Anatomy upgrade on the return trip to Er¡¯Mithren.  Based on the shrikes¡¯ attributes, he assumed it would relate to Dexterity, but their hunting instinct made Intelligence a viable candidate as well.

    Satisfied with his reflection, Kyle exited meditation.  He saw Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah speaking in hushed tones over Drokh¡¯s unconscious body.  They stopped when they saw him rise, and waved him over.

    ¡°Is it safe for us to carry Drokh?¡± Ver¡¯ah asked.  ¡°We need to get back to the Resistance headquarters, but I don¡¯t want to risk his well-being.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°He should be fine.  He¡¯ll definitely want to see a more dedicated Healer, but I don¡¯t see any issues with traveling.¡±

    Without skipping a beat, Ver¡¯ah grabbed the massive ogre, cradling him like a child while Hanastrel took their packs.  ¡°Good, because we have a lot of ground to cover.¡±

 Chapter 228

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we heading back to Varleez?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°It¡¯s not that far, and we could all use the rest.¡±

    Though the worst of their injuries were patched up, Kyle knew how much of a toll healing skills could take on the body.  Even he was feeling the beginnings of a bone-deep weariness from the battle and recovering his own injuries.  He imagined it would be far worse for Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah.

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong there,¡± Ver¡¯ah snorted, adjusting Drokh in his arms.  ¡°When this is done, I¡¯m going to sleep for a week.  The problem right now is that we¡¯re running on very little information.  Was this an isolated attack?  Was it truly random chance, or was it orchestrated?  Are there traitors in Varleez?  We sent communication back to headquarters, but¡­¡±  he looked down at his fallen comrade.   ¡°An investigation will take time we don¡¯t have.¡±

    Hanastrel nodded.  ¡°Information is our greatest weapon right now.  Or rather, our enemy¡¯s lack thereof.   If a bad actor is in play, then the worst thing we can do is return injured.  They would know our location and relative weakness, which could give them opportunity.  By departing from here, they would have to come investigate for themselves, risking becoming prey for the alpha should we have failed.¡±

    Kyle considered their plan.  It made logical sense, though there was one thing he felt they were overlooking.  ¡°What about Drokh?  I was able to give some field triage, but his injuries are worse than any of ours.  While he¡¯s stable enough for some travel, I don¡¯t think an extended journey will do much good for him.¡±

    A shadow crossed both of their faces at his comment, and they stood in silence for a moment before Ver¡¯ah finally spoke.  ¡°I know, Courier.  Drokh¡¯s been a larger-than-life figure for the Resistance for a long time, and a personal hero of mine.  It pains me, pains us to have to make this decision.  Though if he was awake right now, we¡¯re both sure it¡¯s what he would want.  Duty above all else.¡±

    Kyle shook his head, suppressing the rising heat in his chest.  Duty, really?  Unpleasant memories of the Central Authority were bubbling up; the feeling of loss when he was branded a deviant, the betrayal when Garth let him get sent out to the wild.  Sent out to die.  All in the name of duty.

    ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous line of thinking, Ver¡¯ah.  Besides, won¡¯t Drokh be better able to perform his ¡®duty¡¯ if he makes a better recovery?¡±

    He hoped that the duo wouldn¡¯t pick up on the undercurrent of heat in his voice, but seeing the look that Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel exchanged told Kyle he was less subtle than he hoped.  The goblin woman raised her hands toward him in a placating gesture.  ¡°We care deeply about Drokh; you should know that by now.  And we don¡¯t want his injuries to worsen.  If you feel that we need to stop or slow down, we will do so if we¡¯re able.  But we are all better served by getting to the Queen and informing her of what has occurred.  That is our duty.¡±

    ¡°I can work with that,¡± Kyle said, thankful for the compromise offered.  He believed that Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, and Drokh were good people, and that his reaction had more to do with his own sore spots than their words.

    When they finally exited the winding tunnels surrounding the shrike¡¯s lair, Kyle took a moment to relish the gentle breeze across his skin and sun on his face.  Though he¡¯d grown quite accustomed to the lack of light and stagnant air over the last couple of years, he much preferred being above ground.  He followed Ver¡¯ah, carrying Drokh, and Hanastrel.

    The goblin pulled out a small crystal, pressing her palm to it and muttering under her breath for a moment.  Using Identify, Kyle watched as the mana from the crystal connected to Hanastrel before sending a pulse out into the air.  A moment later, the crystal glowed a gentle purple, a small beam of light pointing into the forest.

    ¡°Headquarters charted a course for us,¡± she said.  ¡°Follow me, and keep your eyes open.  I expect it will take us 2 days to get there, but we should avoid most major roads and cities.¡±

    Without another word, the group set off.  Though he couldn¡¯t speak for the others, much of Kyle¡¯s silence owed to his new skill.  Though he suppressed the desire to outright test Repel, it didn¡¯t stop Kyle from beginning to form the skill to get the sense of how the mana moved through his body.

    The first thing he noticed was that it was fast.  Even when compared to skills like Storm Shelter, which were relatively quick, Repel needed even less build-up.  It was simply his mana, given force and direction.  No shaping involved.  At least, for now.

    The other interesting observation was that there wasn¡¯t a determined point of origin for the skill.  Parasitic Resonance, Storm Shelter, Ignition, and Adaptive Regeneration typically started from his center. Healing Impetus started from his hand, and could be shifted to work with a tendril of Parasitic Resonance.  Identify began in his eyes.

    Repel, on the other hand, could start virtually anywhere.  So long as his mana network was cycling, he was able to form the beginning of the skill.  Though Kyle hadn¡¯t been able to field test while traveling with Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel, he was confident that with a little practice, he¡¯d be able to use Repel to increase his travel pace.  The mana cost would mean his resources drained faster than Ignition could replenish them, but it was an application Kyle could see getting a lot of use.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Put me down you oaf!¡±  Drokh¡¯s growl was enough to snap Kyle out of his reflection, and he smiled as he saw the large ogre squirming in Ver¡¯ah¡¯s arms, trying to get down.

    ¡°Stop wiggling,¡± Kyle admonished.  ¡°I went through a lot of trouble to patch you up; you¡¯re going to reopen your injuries if you keep this up.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ll have a lot more injuries to mend if this troll doesn¡¯t put. Me.  Down.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah gently set Drokh down, offering an arm to help stabilize him as he stood on his one remaining leg.  Kyle caught a wince of pain before Drokh¡¯s dour expression returned.

    ¡°Your body needs to rest, Drokh.  Your injuries were severe, and even with my help you¡¯ll want to see a Healer that specializes in ogre physiology.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to get fitted for a prosthetic in any event,¡± Drokh said.  ¡°And I owe you a debt of gratitude, Courier.  That fight could have gone much, much worse.  I take it the alpha is dead?¡±

    Ver¡¯ah nodded.  ¡°It is.  The Courier killed it.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Drokh said, a hint of tension leaving his shoulders.  ¡°Now, what have I missed?¡±

    Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah explained their current plan, which was met with nods of approval.  ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s very good.  Her Majesty will want to know, and we¡¯ve been away too long as it is,¡± Drokh said when all was finished.

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Hanastrel agreed.  ¡°Ancestors above, I¡¯m looking forward to having my own bed again.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah snorted his agreement.  ¡°Of course, I bet our Courier is missing his home more than any of us right about now.  You got a family waiting for you back where you come from?¡±

    A pang of familiar loss rushed through Kyle, the edge worn away with time.  ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said.  ¡°But I won¡¯t argue with you when it comes to getting some rest soon.  Hopefully a peace gets negotiated, and you¡¯ll all be able to take a break.¡±

    His escorts all shared a look, and Drokh sighed.  ¡°Mayhew, don¡¯t delude yourself into believing peace is possible.  Some hurts go too deep.¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°Then why am I here?  What did the Council do to bring you all to the negotiating table?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for the blasted Council,¡± Drokh replied.  ¡°But Her Majesty knows that we¡¯re in a losing position in the long-term.  We¡¯ve held on for nearly a decade since the coup, but we simply don¡¯t have the resources to keep going.  This land isn¡¯t particularly arable, and we lack sufficient Mages versed in nature to change that.¡±

    Drokh got a faraway look as he paused for a moment, looking toward the horizon.  ¡°Her Majesty has already lost so much, and she¡¯s the one who stands to lose the most with these negotiations.  Still, she does it for us.¡±

    There was reverence in the ogre¡¯s tone, and Kyle nodded.  ¡°It might be a small comfort, but from what I¡¯ve seen, the Verdant Republic takes excellent care of its citizens.  When the dust settles, I have no doubt that your queen and your people will be looked after with care.¡±

    This time it was Hanastrel who gave him a questioning look.  ¡°Why would they care about a bunch of strangers like us?¡± she asked.  ¡°And why are they so interested in the first place?¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°While I can¡¯t speak for all the ¡®whys,¡¯ I know that Er¡¯Mithren holds a great deal of cultural significance.  From what I¡¯ve heard, your planet is among the oldest occupied by goblinoids.

    ¡°As for why they¡¯d care about the citizenry, that¡¯s just how they operate.  I¡¯m no goblinoid, but I live in an area controlled by the Verdant Republic.  They accepted me easily enough, and I can honestly say I¡¯ve enjoyed it.  Even if their governance has its frustrations at times, they¡¯ve been good to me, too.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah tilted his head, looking at Kyle.  ¡°Wait, if you weren¡¯t born there, how did you end up in goblinoid territory?  Where are you even from?¡±

    ¡°A small planet called Earth,¡± Kyle said, a wistful smile crossing his face.  ¡°We¡¯ve got some time, let me tell you about it.¡±

    Kyle told stories of Earth for the next several hours as they traveled, with Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah peppering him with questions after each.  They were enraptured by both the stark contrasts and similarities of their worlds, with particular interest in the oceans.  Apparently, Er¡¯Mithren lacked many large bodies of water, effectively acting as a large singular landmass.

    ¡°And people would get on a hunk of wood and just¡­ float until they landed somewhere else?  Hoping the wind would push them in the right direction?¡± Hanastrel asked, bewildered.

    ¡°Most of that type of sailing happened before our world awakened, but close enough?¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°I don¡¯t really understand the mechanics myself, but early humans managed it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really weird.  And you¡¯re sure they couldn¡¯t see the far shore?¡±

    Before Kyle could answer, Drokh interrupted with a growl.  ¡°Get your arm off me, Ver¡¯ah.  This is as good a spot as any to set up camp.  Which means working quietly.¡±  The last words were directed at Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah, who looked at the ogre sheepishly.  In unison, they replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    As the 2 got to work, Drokh looked at Kyle.  ¡°Sit with me for a moment.  As interesting as your home world is, I have some other questions before we arrive at the capital.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Go ahead.  What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°You demonstrated a lot of skill and resourcefulness in your battle against the shrike alpha.  You showed boosting skills, defensive skills, and healing skills that are all clearly in the D Grade; and at a level leaving only a couple of skills remaining, if that many.¡±

    Kyle nodded, failing to see where the ogre was going.

    ¡°So, indulge me; with everything that I¡¯ve seen, how does your nature manipulation fit in?¡±

    A cold shiver ran up Kyle¡¯s spine.  He thought Drokh was unconscious during that part of the fight, and knew that he¡¯d need to tread carefully to avoid losing the thin layer of trust he¡¯d managed to build so far.

    Drokh continued.  ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a D Grade able to use skills with so much conceptual diversity.  Tell me; is that a trait of your species?  Is this common?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not common,¡± Kyle said, choosing his words carefully.  ¡°I had some unique opportunities on Earth, and learned to apply one of my skills using plants as well.  It¡¯s a trump card of mine, and I knew I couldn¡¯t hold it back if I wanted to beat the alpha.¡±

    Drokh held his eyes for a moment, a searching expression on his face.  Then the ogre nodded, forcing himself to stand with the help of a broken tree limb he used as a crutch.  ¡°Then I won¡¯t push any further.  We¡¯re all entitled to our secrets, but let me leave you a word of warning.  The vines you used had the stink of the Scourge on them.  Using them freely would be ill-advised.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s the Scourge?¡± Kyle asked.

    His dark eyes drilled into Kyle¡¯s.  ¡°Something tells me you already know,¡± Drokh said, moving to go help Ver¡¯ah with the tent.  ¡°Be careful, Courier.  Forces of nature like that are best left alone.¡±

 Chapter 229

    ¡°I¡¯m not a damn invalid,¡± Drokh grumbled.  ¡°I can walk fine on my own.¡±

    The ogre had been complaining since the group departed at first light, with Ver¡¯ah deciding that they¡¯d make better time if he carried Drokh again.  Much to the squad leader¡¯s chagrin, the troll was right.  They made quick time across the open ground, the rolling hills and rocky land not even an obstacle.  Shrubs and tall grasses dotted the landscape, but Kyle was hardly paying attention.  Instead, his mind was drawn back to Drokh¡¯s comments from the night before.

    Why would the stranglevine be giving off a similar aura to this ¡°Scourge?¡±  A thought was tugging at the back of his mind, but without an opportunity to discuss with C.H.A.D.D. he wasn¡¯t able to draw the connection.  Assuming that Drokh was talking about the C Grade shadow, he didn¡¯t understand how the stranglevines were connected.  Each one they encountered was weaker than D Grade, a far cry from the aura and presence that he detected from the shambling shadow.

    His distraction nearly caused him to plow straight into Ver¡¯ah, who slowed abruptly before speaking to Kyle in a low voice.  ¡°Just got a signal from Hanastrel.  Scouts up ahead, not sure if they¡¯re from Headquarters or not.  Either way, we¡¯re going to slip around.  Follow me.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he followed the change of course; Identify revealing Hanastrel¡¯s location as she circled back to meet with the group.  While they felt confident dealing with any ambush that could be waiting, they collectively decided to minimize the number of people who knew about the group¡¯s condition.  Even the information they passed along to the Headquarters was vague, and all the document box would reveal was their general location and pace.

    The reason for their secrecy was twofold: any ambushes would be acting on imperfect information, and there would be a public outcry at the news of Drokh¡¯s injury.  While he had yet to learn the specifics, apparently Drokh was single-handedly responsible for saving D¡¯Oillelat during the coup.  His actions made him a legend among the common folk of the Resistance, and seeing him this badly injured could lead to a variety of unpredictable reactions.  The last thing they wanted was widespread civil unrest in the midst of peace negotiations.

    The hours wore on as their group continued to progress toward the Resistance Headquarters, dodging several more scouting parties.  Kyle noted a couple of small farms along the way, with large reptiles being put to use as beasts of burden.  The goblin workers were so focused on their tasks that they paid little mind to the party passing by their land, a sentiment Kyle could appreciate.

    Finally, as the sun began its descent, Kyle spotted the outskirts of their destination.  Compared to Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s golden stone and breathtaking towers, the Resistance Headquarters was a bit of a letdown.  Squat, rounded buildings dotted the landscape, none larger than a couple stories high.  Kyle used Identify as they passed the first such building, seeing the main structure carved from a single piece of stone.  This confirmed his suspicion that these were the result of earth shaped with a skill instead of standard construction.  Efficient, but limited, Kyle mused, looking at a door that didn¡¯t quite fit into the space left in the frame.

    The buildings grew progressively larger as they made their way toward the center of the settlement, with small crowds beginning to gawk at them as they moved.  At Drokh¡¯s insistence, Ver¡¯ah set him down before entering the settlement¡¯s borders.  He draped a large, dark cloak over his body.  While it didn¡¯t do much to obscure his identity, the crowds didn¡¯t have much time to form before city officials arrived, escorting their party to the heart of the Headquarters.

    A ring of small stone buildings stood at the center of the settlement, each fitted with thick metal doors.  The nearest opened at their approach, and a troll ushered them inside.  Crossing the threshold, Kyle saw an austere room that functioned as a guard post, with an elevator and sets of stairs leading straight down.  The guards beckoned them to enter, and Kyle turned to Hanastrel, raising an eyebrow.  ¡°The Headquarters is underground?¡±

    She nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    I¡¯m starting to get really sick of caves, Kyle thought, stepping into the industrial-sized elevator along with his party.  Their descent took longer than he expected, the loamy soil above being replaced with solid stone caverns.  Glowing crystals lit up the hallway as they exited the elevator, which opened up into a security checkpoint.  They were waved through, where they stepped into a large waiting room with multiple branching doors and a view out at the hollowed-out cavern below.

    An ogre waited to greet them, bowing first to Drokh, then Hanastrel and Verah.  ¡°Champions, welcome home.  Communications were limited, but it is good to see you ¨C ¡° His voice cut off as he seemed to notice Drokh¡¯s missing leg for the first time, and visually paled.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He stammered for a moment, trying to find his words, but Ver¡¯ah interrupted before he could.  ¡°We need to report to Her Majesty,¡± Ver¡¯ah said flatly.  ¡°And our guest needs accommodations.  See to it.¡±

    The ogre bowed again, then bustled down the hallway and through a set of doors.  That done, Drokh turned to Kyle, his expression serious.  ¡°In light of everything that¡¯s happened, I¡¯m not sure when Her Majesty will want to see you.  We will be in touch as soon as we can, but in the meantime, I would ask that you stay near your residence, wherever they find space.¡±

    Kyle nodded in return.  ¡°That works for me.  I could use the rest.¡±  What he wanted to do was find an opportunity to practice with Repel somewhere isolated, but he knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen anytime soon.  A thought occurred to him before they parted ways, and he looked to Drokh.  ¡°Would you send for me when you go to get medical treatment?  I want to make sure your recovery is going well, and I¡¯d love to learn from your Healers.¡±

    The ogre regarded Kyle a moment before nodding.  ¡°You¡¯re an odd one, Mayhew.  But I owe you that much, at least.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.  Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, if I don¡¯t see you again, I want you to know that I enjoyed traveling with you.  Thank you both for escorting me here.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah smiled at him.  ¡°You Earthlings have a weird definition of enjoyment.  Just don¡¯t do anything that will make me have to kill you.  It¡¯d be a shame to fight a friend.¡±

    Hanastrel punched the troll lightly.  ¡°It was good to meet you, Courier.  May our next meeting be less eventful than our first.¡±

    With that, the trio went through a guarded doorway to the left, leaving Kyle alone with the ogre.  He stood in awkward silence for a moment before asking, ¡°So, which direction is my room?¡±

    His words seemed to snap the ogre out of its contemplation.  ¡°Ah, apologies.  It¡¯s not every day a person like me gets to meet the true champions of the Resistance.  Come with me, I¡¯ll guide you to the guest quarters.¡±

    Kyle followed the ogre through a series of winding hallways as he descended into the heart of the Resistance.  The architecture was still very utilitarian, though multilevel buildings were more common. What¡¯s more, everything seemed to have a purpose.  There were several hydroponic towers using vertical farming principles, with goblins and ogres alike harvesting food.  He could make out what looked like an industrial quarter, where raw materials were being brought in, and crates of materials left.

    Finally reaching the ground level, the ogre flagged down a carriage.  It was pulled by one of the giant lizards, and guided by a goblin on top.  The ogre gave instructions to the driver, and then gestured for Kyle to follow him inside.  ¡°I know you could probably travel faster on foot, but this will be less disruptive, I think.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Kyle admitted.

    They traveled for another dozen or so minutes before the carriage slowed down, indicating they reached their destination.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at your lodgings,¡± the ogre said.  ¡°Her Majesty will send for you when she wants to see you, but it will likely be a few days.  In the meantime, there are methods to reach an attendant if necessary.  Welcome to Railen¡¯s Hope, Courier.¡±

    ¡°Railen¡¯s Hope?¡± Kyle asked.

    The ogre eyed him.  ¡°You didn¡¯t think the city was just called the Headquarters, did you?¡±

    Kyle may have thought exactly that, but played it off.  ¡°Of course not.  Thank you for seeing me here safely.¡±

    He smiled, revealing small tusks jutting out from his lower jaw.  ¡°Not that you needed my help to be safe, but glad to have been of service.  Take good care, Courier.¡±

    The carriage departed, and Kyle was left alone to look at his home for the next few days.  The building was a squat single-story, with a large boxy addition behind the main structure.  It looked to have been added to the construction more recently, and Kyle was eager to see what was in store.  Walking inside, the first thing that drew his attention was the modest studio layout of the main living space.  The open concept would have felt empty, had it not been for the dim lighting and low ceiling working together to create a much cozier atmosphere.

    What drew his eyes the most was a set of double metal doors directly opposite the entryway, leading into the addition.  He resisted the temptation to run straight in just long enough to do a sweep of the room with Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception, turning up nothing.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you picking up any mana signatures on your end?¡± Kyle asked

    [OTHER THAN THE CRYSTALS PROVIDING LIGHT, NO.  IT IS ABOUT TIME I WAS ALLOWED TO TALK AGAIN.]

    ¡°Let¡¯s check the addition before we get too ahead of ourselves,¡± Kyle said.

    Opening the metal doors, Kyle was greeted by a bright light, courtesy of a large white crystal embedded into the ceiling.  Synaptic Barbs got a read of the room as his eyes adjusted to the lighter conditions, revealing what he could best describe as an obstacle course filling the entirety of the room.  There were pillars of stone, metal walls, pits dug into the ground, suspended platforms, and more.

    A simple box sat just inside, and upon opening it, he was greeted by a projection of Ver¡¯ah.  ¡°Hey Courier, we hope you¡¯re getting settled in.  I know you had a breakthrough during our trip, so we pulled some strings to get you set up with a private training facility.  Don¡¯t worry about breaking things inside, the architects can fix it.¡±

    As soon as the message was done playing, Kyle felt the mana remaining in the crystal disperse.  As before, he and C.H.A.D.D. did a sweep of the building, finding no signs of surveillance.  Of course, the same couldn¡¯t be said of the exterior of the residence, but it felt nice to have a little privacy.

    He definitely wanted to sit down with the tomes Jarberry lent him, and he could certainly do with a good night¡¯s sleep.  He should also try to send a report to Suierrillax, and prepare for his meeting with D¡¯Oillelat.  Before any of that, however, there was one pressing matter to attend to.  He had a new skill he was aching to test.

 Chapter 230

    ¡°Do you mind recording, C.H.A.D.D.?  I¡¯d like to review your impressions of the skill, and better understand the way the mana flows when I¡¯m using it.¡±

    [NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle grinned like a kid in a candy store.  ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With that, he squared off a dozen meters away from one of the large stone pillars, took a breath, and then extended his palm toward the stone while activating Repel.  A rush of power left him as a blast of force exploded from his whole arm, causing a gale wind that buffeted the pillar.  The recoil nearly knocked him off his feet, but the smile never left his face.  This is amazing.

    Another palm strike, this time with his left arm, with the same result.  As he learned during the trip to Railen¡¯s Hope, Repel could be originated from any point on his body.  It was easier to give pinpoint control when he wasn¡¯t looking to fully activate the skill, much less when he wasn¡¯t pushing much mana into it.  When he did, the point of origin released relatively undirected blasts.  For Kyle, that wasn¡¯t enough.  He wanted to focus the force, exerting control over the shape, power, and direction of the attacks.

    He launched a few more blasts at the pillar to keep familiarizing himself with the skill, then tried something different.  Using the principles he practiced with Resonance; he tried rotating the mana as it left his arm.  Failure, failure, failure.  On his fourth attempt, it felt like he was able to get some rotation, but the fifth and sixth tries couldn¡¯t replicate it.

    Unfortunately, Kyle discovered another drawback to Repel.  It took a lot of mana.  In combat situations, he felt confident that Ignition would be able to help mitigate that issue, but for the purposes of simple practice he¡¯d already burned through well over half of his total mana reserves with those back-to-back strikes.  There¡¯s just too much waste right now, Kyle thought, reflecting on his experience.  If I can just focus the blast, I¡¯ll get a more targeted impact with less overall mana expenditure.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what do you think?¡±  Kyle asked, sitting down as he continued to take in the room.

    [AS YOU HAVE NO DOUBT NOTICED, DR. MAYHEW, THE SKILL IS CURRENTLY QUITE INEFFICIENT.  WASTE MANA BEGINS TO LEAVE YOUR BODY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY; AN ISSUE THAT ONLY MAGNIFIES AS THE SKILL TRAVELS THROUGH YOUR PATHWAYS AND OUT YOUR HAND.  ASSUMING, OF COURSE, THAT YOUR GOAL ISN¡¯T TO BE WASTING MORE THAN 60% OF YOUR ENERGY EXPENDITURE?]

    ¡°You¡¯re assuming correctly,¡± Kyle said, trying to hide a smile at the drone¡¯s sass.  ¡°Can you give me any insight into the difference between the third, fourth, and fifth uses of my last batch of attempts?¡±

    Immediately, 3 images of Kyle were projected in front of him, his mana network highlighted as each moved in slow motion.

    [IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN ORIGIN POINT, DR. MAYHEW.  YOU STARTED THE SKILL APPROXIMATELY 1.4 CENTIMETERS CLOSER TO YOUR SHOULDER, WHEREAS THE OTHERS ORIGINATED WITHIN A MUCH NARROWER WINDOW.]

    Kyle nodded thoughtfully.  It was something he could chew on, and he knew that he would need time to keep practicing before making meaningful gains.  He was about to step back into the house proper to get some rest, when C.H.A.D.D. spoke again.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IF I MAY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO SOME TRAINING AS WELL?]

    A little surprised by the request, Kyle took a moment before nodding.  ¡°Of course, C.H.A.D.D.  What are you looking to do?¡±

    [IF YOU¡¯D BE SO KIND AS TO REMOVE THE PACK, I WOULD LIKE TO TRY SOMETHING.]

    Kyle did as he was asked, setting the large pack on the ground with a heavy thump.  The moment he did, vines emerged from the different holes in the pack, wrapping around the construction in an odd cocoon.  The atmosphere seemed to shift for a moment, and Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as the wrapped vines were suddenly covered in a thick bark, followed by sharp thorns.  Then, a moment later, it all seemed to just melt back into the simple green vines again.

    Kyle stared at the pack slack-jawed, taking a moment to find his words.  ¡°What was that?¡± He finally managed.

    [I HAVE FINISHED 3 SEPARATE FORMATIONS WITH THE KNOTTED VINE CORE, AND WANTED TO TEST THEM.  I AM CONFIDENT IN MY THEORIES, BUT HAVE YET TO PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE.  I HOPE TO SHOW YOU THAT I WILL NOT BE A LIABILITY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., you¡¯re the farthest thing from a liability.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    [FOR NOW, PERHAPS.  BUT I REFUSE TO BE LEFT BEHIND.]

    Kyle felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the drone¡¯s words.  C.H.A.D.D. is a stubborn one, he thought.  ¡°Then we¡¯ll have some practice to do.  Before anything else, have you found solutions to retract the vines back into the World Tree Seed?  Or will we need to dispose of them more directly?¡±

    Rather than answering, C.H.A.D.D. slowly retracted the vines into the pack.  It took a few seconds for the process to get completed, but when it was done there was no trace of the vines remaining, only a hint of the nature-affinity mana that infused them lingering where they¡¯d been.

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent, C.H.A.D.D.  How did you manage the retraction?¡± Kyle asked.

    [UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A MECHANICAL PROCESS AT THIS POINT AS I WIND THEM BACK INTO THE PACK. HOWEVER, I HOPE THAT THIS CAN BE IMPROVED OVER TIME TO A MORE DIRECT CONTROL OVER THE MOVEMENT OF THE VINES.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Without a stronger tie to the mana type I imagine it will be difficult.  You remember how challenging it was to control growth using Parasitic Resonance, which is about as good as it gets without properly attuned mana.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.  I HOPE THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH MY NEXT CLASS UPGRADE.]

    Their methods of progression were very different, with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s path being tied to external resources.  Kyle had taken to viewing it in 2 distinct components.

    One was the ¡°hardware,¡± which was comprised of the equipment and arrays that dictated much of the drone¡¯s functionality and overall ability to draw mana.  The last meaningful hardware update was done aboard the Corthian Mining flagship when he carved the new inscriptions.  The pack he purchased from the Emerald Armory helped supplement C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s functions, though it was far from enough.  This was what he hoped to upgrade when he met with Marcus Kulhavey after this job was done.

    The second component was the ¡°software,¡± which was tied directly to the quality of the drone¡¯s mana.  The natural treasures that C.H.A.D.D. archived and stored inside the World Tree Seed all served to deepen C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s bond with the seed, in turn opening up more and more possibilities for what could be achieved.  This is also what was directly upgraded by his class.  Creating the first iteration of the Knotted Vine Core was one of those direct applications, coupling C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s studies with application of different plant life tied to the seed.

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s class touched on both.  Upon reaching D Grade, the Adminstrator Weevil class had evolved to something called a World Tree Weevil.  Instead of normal skill selections or normal attributes, C.H.A.D.D. could instead invest in higher degrees of attunement to the World Tree Seed.  Kyle knew between the natural treasures and other plant essences that the drone liberally devoured, there was a massive amount of potential that C.H.A.D.D. could tap into, given enough time to figure out how.

    Unfortunately, the limited hardware and imperfect attunement to the seed meant that C.H.A.D.D. hit a bottleneck.  It was akin to Kyle studying to understand high-level teleportation formations.  Even if he was able to understand them by some miracle, he would never be able to replicate their effects, or even power one up without being sufficiently powerful.  And the inability to use the full potential was the least of Kyle¡¯s worries.  The backlash Ger¡¯Sinh experienced using the C Grade mana weapon was a great example of the risks associated with using techniques too far above one¡¯s grade.

    ¡°Your class system is still so odd to me,¡± Kyle said, his head spinning.

    [IT CERTAINLY DOES APPEAR TO BE UNIQUE, AT LEAST BASED ON ALL THE LITERATURE WE¡¯VE BEEN ABLE TO READ.]

    One benefit to them being relative newcomers to the Collective was that it was expected that Kyle would have major knowledge gaps that would only get filled with intensive study.  As such, they¡¯d taken advantage of as much information as they could, with Jarberry making recommendations along the way.  Despite all their research, an existence like C.H.A.D.D. seemed unprecedented.

    ¡°Well, what else would you like to practice?¡± Kyle asked, turning his attention back to the present.

    [I BELIEVE THAT PRACTICING MOBILITY AND QUICK SHIFTS BETWEEN STATES WOULD BE ADVISEABLE.  IN A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, I COULD PROVIDE SUPPORT SEPARATE FROM YOU.]

    Kyle thought about it for only a moment before nodding his approval.  He didn¡¯t want to put C.H.A.D.D. at risk in live combat, but there were certainly times when giving C.H.A.D.D. more mobility could help.  ¡°That works for me.  How much energy will you need to borrow?¡±

    [I SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT MANA TO PRACTICE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you get to it,¡± Kyle replied.

    Without another word, vines once more emerged from the pack, wrapping around it as thick bark formed.  Dozens of smaller vines emerged from the cocoon, and soon C.H.A.D.D. was scuttling away, making a respectable pace as it climbed up and through the obstacle course.  The drone got stuck a few times, and slowed as the vines it used to move extended faster than they could be retracted.  Still, it was both amusing and heartwarming to Kyle to see his long-time travel companion making progress like this.

    About an hour later, the drone returned to Kyle¡¯s side, vines a dozen meters long trailing behind as they slowly got retracted back into the pack.

    ¡°What did you think about it?¡± Kyle asked.

    [THERE IS MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, HOWEVER I FIND THE INITIAL RESULTS TO BE PROMISING.  LONGEVITY IS MY GREATEST CONCERN, AS THIS SMALL COURSE DRAINED ALL THE POWER I COULD MUSTER WITHOUT TAPPING INTO THE SEED¡¯S RESERVES.]

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, C.H.A.D.D.  It¡¯s a first test, after all.¡±

    Kyle picked up the pack, with a few vines still protruding, and put it on his back before leaving the training room.  ¡°For now, I think we¡¯ve done enough.  I¡¯m exhausted, we can start training again tomorrow morning.¡±

    [A WISE IDEA, DR. MAYHEW.  DO YOU INTEND TO PRACTICE WITH JARBERRY¡¯S BOOKS THIS EVENING?]

    He considered for a minute, before shaking his head.  ¡°I¡¯ll get going on those again tomorrow too.  For now, we sleep.¡±

    [CORRECTION: YOU SLEEP, DR. MAYHEW.  I HAVE THEORIES TO IMPROVE.]

    Kyle yawned.  ¡°Whatever works best for you, C.H.A.D.D.  Just remember, the work will be waiting for us in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 231

    [SHORTER BURSTS, DR. MAYHEW.  YOU ARE STILL WASTING NEARLY 23% OF YOUR TOTAL MANA EXPENDITURE.]

    Kyle swore quietly, activating Repel again, this time at the bottom of his left foot.  It was a short, quick burst, enough to keep him aloft.  Unfortunately, as before, there was some leakage, causing the trajectory of Kyle¡¯s propulsion to shift.  Ignition was active, and he preemptively activated both Adaptive Regeneration and Healing Impetus as he was propelled directly into one of the stone pillars.  He smashed into it, and then fell straight to the ground 5 meters below with a loud crash.

    ¡°I made it to the third step this time,¡± Kyle panted, standing up and dusting himself off.

    [YOU ALSO THREW YOUSELF INTO A STONE PILLAR, AND FELL DOWN,] C.H.A.D.D. countered.  [I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL FIND YOUR CURRENT PROGRESS SUFFICIENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for trying, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle grinned.  ¡°And it would be super helpful to be able to maneuver midair.¡±

    [I AM NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT, MERELY THE TIMING,] C.H.A.D.D. shot back.  [MUCH LIKE A CHILD NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DRAW LINES BEFORE THEY CAN WRITE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK ON MORE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU WASTE ANOTHER ENTIRE DAY TRYING TO FLY.]

    Kyle was about to say something in his defense, but stopped himself.  Other than 2 initial visits to the infirmary to see the tests being run on Drokh, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. spent most of the last 3 weeks training inside the compound.  Of those, Kyle had spent the last 4 days trying to get a handle on airborne movement.  Not that he would quit altogether, but C.H.A.D.D. was right that there were other things to work on first.

    With a sigh, Kyle looked at the vine-wrapped pack scampering up and down one of the stone pillars.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a good point, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m going to take a minute to reset, do some work with the tomes, and then get back to basics.¡±

    [A WISE DECISION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Settling into a nearby chair, Kyle infused his mana into the first of the small tomes.  Pushing out his distractions, he focused his energy on the ink in the pages, forming words as he flipped them, as if in a trance.  Hitting his limit, he moved on to the second, then the third, the exercises becoming more natural as he had more time to practice.

    Finally, removing his hand from the last book, he evaluated his results. 178, 164, and 190, Kyle thought.  A fairly major improvement from when he left the hub, owing in no small part to the amount of practice he¡¯d been able to get in.  With a little over 50 levels until he hit C Grade, the goal of 500 pages on each tome felt like it might just be attainable.

    Kyle knew he¡¯d need a little time to recharge before getting back to practice, and he went to grab a snack while looking for any missed messages from the Resistance.  While they¡¯d gotten some communication, the appearance of the shrikes inside the walls was significant enough to put a pause on peace negotiations while they launched a full investigation.

    For his part, Kyle simply provided the slates he uncovered in the first shrike nest.  He already got much more involved than he probably should have in that side of things, and he committed to seeing this leg of his job through.  Joining the Resistance Shrike Patrol could be a productive use of time, but he suspected he¡¯d get enough opportunity to fill his core doing some hunting on his own.  Besides, Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah were both leading parties to investigate.  So long as they didn¡¯t encounter any other alphas, they¡¯d be fine.

    Kyle was just about to get back to training, when a notification rang through the house.  Checking it, Kyle saw that it was from Drokh.

    Courier,

    Two pieces of news.  First, I¡¯m being fitted for a prosthetic leg today if you want to attend the appointment.  I also received word from Her Majesty that she¡¯ll be holding council tomorrow morning, and your presence has been requested.

    Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah also asked me to pass along their well-wishes, as you¡¯ll likely have departed before they return.

    -Drokh

    A smile grew on Kyle¡¯s face as he read the message over.  He enjoyed having some time to relax and train, but it felt good to know that the job was continuing to move forward.  Looking up at the C.H.A.D.D., who was currently suspended between 2 pillars, Kyle called, ¡°Drokh is finally ready for the prosthesis!  Get down so we can go!¡±

    [IN A MOMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]  With those words, the vines suspending C.H.A.D.D. let go of the pillars they¡¯d wrapped around, leaving the pack to plummet toward the hard ground.  Kyle felt mana flowing for a moment, right as a nest of springy roots emerged from the cocoon-like shell surrounding the C.H.A.D.D. pack.  The impact was almost entirely nullified, and C.H.A.D.D. scuttled forward on a dozen small vines as the longer vines and roots began to retract into the body of the pack.

    He knew it would be a while before the drone was able to retract all the vines and roots, so he took the opportunity to freshen up and get ready to visit Drokh.  Just as C.H.A.D.D. was finishing up, Kyle walked over, giving the drone an unimpressed look.  ¡°You realize that your pack is made of D Grade metals, right?  There¡¯s no way a fall from that height would be dangerous.¡±

    [ALL THE BETTER REASON TO TEST WHEN THE RISKS ARE LIMITED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°But the risk of dying from old age increases when it takes you that long to retract your vines,¡± Kyle shot back as he shouldered the pack.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    [THAT IS IN NO WAY A RISK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Deciding not to continue antagonizing the drone, Kyle stepped out of their temporary home to see a vehicle already waiting, with a well-dressed ogre standing beside it.  As soon as he saw Kyle approaching, he bowed deeply.  ¡°Greetings, Courier.  I¡¯ve been asked to provide transport to the facility where Lord Drokh is being treated, if your intent is to visit.¡±

    Kyle nodded, stepping into the open carriage.  ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±

    The carriage left the residence, capturing a lot of attention as it did.  By now, the locals heard that an alien from the stars above was living in the guest quarters.  As such, more than a few were very interested in trying to catch a glimpse, even going as far as to linger around his area in their down time.  The Resistance put out communication that he was to be left alone, but a memo could only do so much.

    Despite the delays caused by crowds of onlookers, the carriage arrived at the medical facility in reasonable time.  Kyle thanked the driver before walking in the side entrance prepared for him.  He was ushered past the security checkpoint, and then guided up to the operating room, where Drok¡¯s medical team, led by a D Grade troll Healer named Pi¡¯cott, waited.

    ¡°Ah, here comes the Courier now,¡± Dr. Pi¡¯cott said, her smile spreading ear to ear.  ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see the young take an interest in our work, humble as it is.¡±  She was a diminutive troll with a pronounced hunch in her back, who apparently had been working for the royal family of Er¡¯Mithren for the better part of the past century.

    Kyle smiled in reply, offering a slight bow.  ¡°I appreciate you letting me come observe.  It¡¯s a valuable experience for me to learn.¡±

    Her smile managed to grow even larger.  ¡°Well, let¡¯s make use of the time while we wait for Lord Drokh to arrive.  What do you remember from his chart?¡±

    ¡°You were able to remove the remaining shards of stone, got him started on manual exercises with an emphasis on core strength.  If I understood, your goal was to help him with balance and strength before getting the prosthesis done,¡± Kyle said.

    Pi¡¯cott nodded her approval.  ¡°Quite so.  Of course, as strong as he is, it makes little practical difference, but even small miscalculations can cause headwinds.  The real treatment will start after we get his new leg attached.¡±

    With that, she led Kyle over to a table covered by a cloth.  She removed it, and Kyle¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to a pale violet crystal in the center.  Even though it wasn¡¯t leaking any mana, Kyle didn¡¯t need Identify to understand that he was looking at a rare natural treasure.

    ¡°What is this?¡± He asked, not taking his eyes off the crystal.

    ¡°This will be the core of his prosthesis, and what we¡¯ll be fitting him for today,¡± Dr. Pi¡¯cott said proudly.  ¡°Ordinarily, even for our elites, we wouldn¡¯t have access to resources like these.  Her Majesty made an exception for Lord Drokh, and let me tell you, this was a treat to craft.¡±  She paused for a moment, gesturing to a group of goblins standing nearby.  ¡°They certainly enjoyed it, at least.  Tell me, what do you think this does?¡±

    Kyle took the opportunity to activate Identify, looking at the crystal with all the insight his skill could provide.  Almost imperceptible runic formations crossed the plain bar of crystal, some of which looked to be some permutation of an accumulation array.  These were superimposed by a set designed for containment, which is what kept any mana from leaking out of the stone.

    Looking beyond these sigils, Kyle focused his attention on the energy within the crystal.  It didn¡¯t hold a tremendous amount of mana, and it took him a moment before he finally understood what he was looking at.  ¡°This is Drokh¡¯s mana,¡± Kyle whispered.  It wasn¡¯t a close approximation; it was the genuine article.  Somehow, this crystal was slowly producing mana with an identical signature to Drokh¡¯s.

    Dr. Pi¡¯cott smiled at him like a teacher looking at her star pupil.  ¡°You¡¯re exactly right.  We¡¯ve learned through the years that for awakened, particularly powerful folks like Lord Drokh, prosthetics can be a hindrance more than a help if they¡¯re not done correctly.  If somebody tries to activate a skill using a prosthesis that isn¡¯t connected to their mana network, nothing good happens.  The key is to get the right attunement so that it can integrate appropriately, and then build the rest of the prosthesis around it.¡±

    Kyle nodded in understanding.  ¡°So, when you mentioned a fitting, you¡¯re actually looking to ensure that the mana signatures match well enough.¡±

    ¡°Quite so!¡± Dr. Pi¡¯cott exclaimed.  ¡°Of course, the process of removing all attuned mana from a crystal like this is arduous; to say nothing of actually inscribing it!  But I think we did well here.¡±

    ¡°You certainly did,¡± Kyle murmured.  His thoughts were already racing, considering how he might apply the same principle for a certain drone in his pack.

    If Dr. Pi¡¯cott noticed his distraction, she didn¡¯t indicate it as she talked about ogre physiology, and her plan to fuse this directly to the bones in Drokh¡¯s leg.  She was just beginning a discussion of the intricacies of ogre bone marrow when she was interrupted by notice that Drokh arrived at the clinic.  Heavy footfalls heralded the ogre¡¯s approach, and a moment later the door opened, revealing Drokh¡¯s form.

    The first thing Kyle noticed was that the older ogre looked tired.  Not the exhaustion from travel and combat, but rather the weariness Kyle recognized from too many hours stuck in meetings and administrative burdens.  Drokh gave Kyle an appraising look, then nodded.  ¡°Good to see you again, Courier.  I see you¡¯ve already met with the medical team.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you, too, Drokh.¡±  Kyle replied.  ¡°Thank you for letting me observe, all of you.¡±  Kyle said this last part turning to the other members of the team and Dr. Pi¡¯cott, who all nodded.

    The elderly troll looked at Drokh with a smile.  ¡°Well then, shall we begin?¡±

    Kyle watched as they ran a battery of tests to ensure the mana was a qualitative match, even going so far as to have Drokh infuse some energy into the crystal while they observed to ensure there were no adverse reactions.  With that done, the ogre was given a powerful anesthetic before the crystal was attached.

    The whole process took nearly 4 hours, with Kyle keeping Identify active nearly the whole time.  His notes were extensive, with particular emphasis on connecting the crystal to Drokh¡¯s mana pathways.  The theories excited him, even if Kyle was still a long way from a practical understanding.

    Just before Drokh was booked in for overnight observation, he asked to speak with Kyle privately.  Dr. Pi¡¯cott and her team gave their farewells, and when they were alone Drokh¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°You meet with Her Majesty tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I will be unable to join.  Tell me, Kyle, what do you intend to do?¡±  Drokh asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m just here to make a delivery, nothing more, nothing less,¡± Kyle said.

    Drokh chuckled.  ¡°If only it were that simple.  Let me be clear, Kyle; the Resistance is struggling.  You¡¯ve done a service for our people, and despite my best efforts Her Majesty¡¯s attachment to me has only further grown your esteem in her eyes.

    ¡°Though you see your role as a mere delivery person, I am of the belief that Her Majesty, and many others have read into your actions more than they ought.  This is not a slight to you, but I ask that you keep it in mind tomorrow.  I don¡¯t want to see the Resistance put in a worse position because of a misplaced loyalty.¡±

    Kyle considered the ogre¡¯s words, then nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Drokh.  I meant what I told you when we met, I truly hope a peaceful resolution can be reached.¡±

    Drokh gave a weary smile.  ¡°You and me both, Courier.¡±

 Chapter 232

    Kyle drew in a deep breath as he stepped up to the large gate, the box holding the treaty documents held in his arms, with the stacked discs from the first shrike nest stacked on top.  The carriage just dropped him off, and he went over the plan in his head for what felt like the hundredth time.  Drokh¡¯s words proved prophetic, and this would be no simple delivery.

    When he returned from the hospital the previous afternoon, a new message was waiting, inviting Kyle to a formal War Room discussion.  The expectation was clear; Kyle was to attend, offer neutral input as an unbiased party, and then present the documents for review before leaving the meeting hall.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what type of political maneuvering could be driving the decision, but after his disregard for protocol during his escort to Railen¡¯s Hope, he felt it would be best to play along.

    Rather than continuing their training, C.H.A.D.D. pulled up every relevant document from his Practicum, in addition to all the Courier¡¯s Guild policies and procedures.  He reviewed everything he could, and with C.H.A.D.D. as a sounding board felt pretty good about their path forward.  Just like a medical brief, his goal was to simply stick to facts.  When put up against the best political schemers the Resistance had to offer, Kyle truly felt he was best served by being boring.

    While it wasn¡¯t an often-used feature anymore, the drone¡¯s repository of Earth medical records and protocol came in handy.  C.H.A.D.D. had Kyle recount their various experiences since arriving on Er¡¯Mithren, and compared the language to older briefs.  The result was an incredibly dry, factual telling of every noteworthy event he¡¯d experienced since his arrival.

    Just as he let the breath out, a gruff voice sounded out from behind the gate.  ¡°Courier, we have been expecting you.  Please, enter.¡±

    The heavy doors slid open with the scraping groan of stone on stone, and Kyle stepped through.  He was met by a small retinue of armed guards, though like his initial arrival they were all in E Grade, and not particularly powerful.  Kyle assumed it was more for show than any actual security measure, which he was certain would be closer to D¡¯Oillelat.

    The interior of the Resistance Headquarters was well-lit, with crystals embedded in the walls on regular intervals, giving off a gentle, warm glow.  They walked past rows of offices where goblins, trolls, and ogres alike milled about, poring over documents and speaking in animated tones.  From the bits and pieces Kyle picked up, this group seemed to be involved with the shrike scouting parties that Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah had joined, though these people operated in a purely support capacity.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t help but remember his escort through the Verdant Republic teleporters as he was whisked through narrow hallways and down flights of stairs, moving closer to the heart of the compound.  Whether it was cultural or a matter of practical application, the goblinoids sure knew how to build a confusing compound.  Without the proper tools, an invading force would be hard-pressed to make it to the heart of the compound without taking major losses.  Each of the narrow hallways created tactical advantages that crafty defenders could make use of.

    After winding across the compound for nearly an hour, Kyle finally stood before a large metal gate.  2 D Grade ogres stood guard on either side, each just a little weaker than Ver¡¯ah if Identify could be believed.  His escorts stopped, bowing first to the guards, then to Kyle.

    ¡°We will wait outside to guide you back to the entrance.  We wish you well, Courier.¡±

    Kyle returned their bow with a gentle nod.  ¡°Thank you for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated.¡±  Turning to the guards, he met each of their eyes before giving his practiced speech.  ¡°I¡¯m here to meet with Her Majesty D¡¯Oillelat, with documents from the Er¡¯Mithren Council.  May I enter?¡±

    The ogres shared a look, then as one, rested their palms against inscribed sigils on either side of the gate.  Steel scraped against steel as the heavy gate opened, revealing an audience chamber beyond.  The ogre on the left gestured for him to enter.  ¡°Head in.  You¡¯ve got a grasp on the stakes; we aren¡¯t going to hold you up with pleasantries.  Her Majesty has been looking forward to meeting you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kyle said, his sensory skills on full alert as he stepped into the chamber.  There were over a dozen people already inside, comprised of a variety of ogre, troll, and goblin men and women gathered around a round central meeting table.  There was no throne, no clear head of the table, but Kyle had no problem picking D¡¯Oillelat out of the crowd.

    He wasn¡¯t sure walking in what species the Resistance Queen belonged to, and the answer appeared to be none of them.  Her facial features were largely goblinoid, with a slim build and sharp, angular chin and cheekbones.  Unlike her goblin kin, however, she stood at nearly troll height; a little taller than Kyle himself.  A wild mane of red hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and the nubs of 2 small tusks protruded above her lower lip, a common feature of the ogres Kyle met.

    Of course, her appearance wasn¡¯t the only thing that gave her away.  While there were a few other awakened in the room, nobody else compared to D¡¯Oillelat.  Auric Perception let him feel the powerful mana flowing around her, which he confirmed with a single glance with Identify.  She was stronger than Drokh by a wide margin, with attributes that defied reason.  Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think about Arhades when evaluating her.  Her Strength seemed wildly out of place with her slim build, her Vitality would put most trolls to shame, and her mental attributes were up there with the strongest goblins Kyle had encountered.  In a word, she was powerful.

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    The group was talking animatedly, but the discussion stopped as he walked in.  Kyle gave a polite bow before introducing himself.  ¡°Greetings.  My name is Kyle Mayhew, and I¡¯m here ¨C¡°

    Before he could finish, D¡¯Oillelat spoke up.  ¡°Yeah, we know who you are and why you¡¯re here.  Ancestors above, you look odd.  Now come, sit down.  We have a few things to discuss, then we¡¯ll look at whatever the Council put together for us.¡±

    Kyle was a little taken aback by her casual demeanor, but did as he was asked.  There was a bit of a shuffle taking place at the large table to free up a troll-sized chair, and Kyle found himself sitting directly across from D¡¯Oillelat.  Her dark brown eyes met his for a moment, seeming to take his measure.

    ¡°Tell me, Courier, what do you know about shrikes?¡± D¡¯Oillelat asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re dangerous predators, typically travel in smaller packs, and that alphas can lead larger groups.¡±

    ¡°Not incorrect, but missing important information.¡±  She gestured to one of the goblins sitting nearby, who pulled out what looked like a flute made of stone.  D¡¯Oillelat grabbed it, holding it up for Kyle to see as she continued.  ¡°Shrikes are certainly some of our world¡¯s apex hunters, but our histories tell of a time when they used to be domesticated.  Entire classes and paths of progression were dedicated to hunting with them, training them, and raising them.  Our biologists theorized that their shared instinct may have its origins in some of the skills the Ancestors used with them.

    ¡°When our world fell into its dark age, the specifics of how we managed their domestication were lost.  This flute is one of the precious few relics that remain that give any clues.  The mana it produces when infused carries suggestions, and the rune work served as the foundation for the wards we established around Resistance territory, a suggestion that keeps them and other dangerous beasts outside.¡±

    Kyle nodded, following along so far.  The significance of the information she¡¯d casually shared confirmed the cultural significance of Er¡¯Mithren to the Verdant Republic as well.  To have records that likely dated back to their empire¡¯s fall or earlier was well beyond the expectations Kyle had coming in.  He could easily picture the Verdant Republic scribes and historians teleporting to Er¡¯Mithren the moment he finished his report, any consequences completely ignored as they learned as much as they could.

    Of course, the main implication of what D¡¯Oillelat was saying wasn¡¯t lost on Kyle either.  If the wards were as robust as she made them sound, there was something else driving the shrike activity near them.  Something, or someone.

    ¡°So, if I¡¯m hearing you correctly, you suspect that a member of the Council has discovered a similar means to at least partially influence the shrikes,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°I sincerely doubt that they have a means for real influence,¡± D¡¯Oillelat replied.  ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s unreasonable to assume they¡¯ve at least found methods to nullify the effect of my wards.¡±

    Kyle agreed with her assessment.  He had looked into Beast Tamer classes before as a possible means to help C.H.A.D.D. improve.  However, during his studies with Jarberry, he learned that most of these types of classes had pretty severe drawbacks, particularly tied to the power disparity between the Beast Tamer and the creatures they used.  Compared to paths like Ma¡¯Sai, who could seal creatures of similar or greater power, Beast Tamers felt pretty lackluster.

    To meaningfully control a pack of shrikes, much less an alpha, would probably require somebody near the apex of D Grade at least, most likely into the early stages of C Grade.  And if the Er¡¯Mithren Council had a C Grade at their disposal, there would have been no need to negotiate a peace in the first place.  He remembered the stories his grandfather told him about the Originators; how a mere 7 people brought all of Earth under their control.  Definitely not the kind of power the Council has, Kyle thought.  Besides, it didn¡¯t fit with the bait box he found.

    Kyle took the discs he recovered from the first shrike nest, and set them on the table.  ¡°My first encounter with shrikes was just outside of Prindas, where they¡¯d been left to prey upon the population for quite a while.  I found these slates, as well as a box that looked to have been used to hold bait for the creatures.¡±

    The ogre next to Kyle reached out for the discs, examining them before passing them toward D¡¯Oillelat.  Others did the same, and she looked at a goblin about halfway across the table with exasperation.  ¡°Ner¡¯has, why did you pass these down?  You know that I¡¯m going to give them right back to you so you can find out what¡¯s on them.¡±

    The goblin looked at her sheepishly.  ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty.  Everyone was passing them, and I thought you might like to see them, Your Majesty.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat put her face in her hands.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, just take the damn discs.¡±

    There was a flurry of motion as the discs were passed back along to Ner¡¯has, with many mumbled apologies and ¡°Your Majesty-s¡± thrown around.

    With that done, D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s expression grew serious once again.  ¡°There were good people in Prindas, Courier.  I take it you killed the shrikes?¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°I did.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat continued, having expected his answer.  ¡°We lost touch with a couple of agents there over a year ago, with our only remaining contacts in the city placed in the city guard.  We thought the shrike activity was strange, and your report confirms it.  You¡¯re certain they used bait?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be completely certain, but the box used enchantments I was familiar with.  One of them was designed to amplify and waft the scent from whatever was inside, and given it was at the bottom of their pile of trophies I¡¯d say the odds are good.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat nodded.  ¡°That tells us a lot, too.  On behalf of the Resistance, I do want to thank you for your contribution to this discussion and the provided context.  We still have a lot to figure out, but this was helpful.  Now, you didn¡¯t come here to talk about our shrike problems.  I believe you have some documents for me?¡±

    Kyle passed the inscribed box, which once again exchanged hands as it went to D¡¯Oillelat.  She infused some mana into it, and the box popped open, revealing a holographic set of documents that she began to review.

    Kyle¡¯s skin tingled as he felt¡­ something through Auric Perception.  It was subtle, but something had shifted slightly in the room.  Frowning, he activated Identify, and his blood ran cold.  With the box open, a new set of runic symbols had formed from the patterns on the back of the lid and the side.  Runes Kyle recognized from the teleporter he¡¯d arrived on.

    Kyle just completed his delivery, a bomb handed right to the leader of the Resistance.

 Chapter 233 + Book 1 Announcement

    Everything seemed to freeze for a moment as Kyle understood what was about to happen. Without thinking, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance moved through the chamber, connecting to each person before jumping to the next. As soon as he connected to each, he used them as a point of origin to activate Storm Shelter.

    Still, it wasn¡¯t fast enough. D¡¯Oillelat sat on the opposite end of the long table from him, preventing him from connecting to her. Furthermore, Kyle simply didn¡¯t have the time or space to fully form Storm Shelter around each person. So, he improvised. If he couldn¡¯t put together a full barrier, he could at least try and shape the half-formed structure to isolate the blast.

    He felt his mana reserves plummet as he pushed more energy into the skill, fully accepting the inefficiency of his actions. For all intents and purposes, Kyle was trying to stop Storm Shelter from fully taking shape, instead pushing the protective barrier into a one-sided wall between the bomb and the Resistance leadership. The lack of structure and interlocking plates meant that he would end up with a significantly weaker version of his skill for a ridiculous cost, but he didn¡¯t have a choice.

    A cry of alarm rose as the barrier appeared throughout the room, and D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s eyes darted to Kyle just as the runic inscriptions on the box lit up, fully charged. There was an eerie silence for a fraction of a second, and then the room was awash in light and fire. Kyle swore as he felt parts of his skill breaking apart, the hasty construction insufficient to fully contain the blast.

    A wave of heat brushed past him as the weaker barrier in front of him shattered. He focused most of his power on the center of the room, reinforcing the protection around the most vulnerable unawakened. His skin was scorched, Adaptive Regeneration and a charge of Healing Impetus regenerating layer after layer of his Enhanced Carapace. A moment later, he was left with nothing but the smell of acrid smoke and ash. He could hear loud coughing and wails of pain from around the room, and he barely registered the door behind him opening as the guards called for backup. The only think on Kyle¡¯s mind right now was saving as many as he could. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do we have injured? Dead?¡±

    [MULTIPLE INJURIES, DR. MAYHEW, BUT NO DEATHS.] Orange lights indicated the positions of bodies strewn about the room, and Kyle moved to the closest, who he recognized as the goblin Ner¡¯has. The bespectacled goblin had severe burns across his back and chest, and a quick projection from C.H.A.D.D. showed that his windpipe and lungs had both been scorched badly. Kyle activated Healing Impetus, focusing the skill around the lungs and throat before moving on. With his mana reserves limited after his stunt, he didn¡¯t dare do more than focus on stabilization.

    He moved to a nearby ogre next, who was unconscious, though only sporting minor burns. After confirming there was no major damage to her head or neck, he moved on. Before he could get to the troll clutching their arm, however, Auric Perception warned him of a massive movement of mana from across the room.

    Kyle barely had time to raise his arms to guard as a bolt of what appeared to be black smoke slammed into him, knocking him off his feet and against a nearby wall. A creeping chill began to set into his arm where he¡¯d been hit, but he couldn¡¯t investigate further as he narrowly ducked out of the way of a second blast, a third managing to graze his thigh.

    ¡°Betrayer!¡±

    The voice was undoubtedly D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s, though it sounded deeper, warped somehow. Storm Shelter sprang up around him just in time to intercept a condensed beam of shadows aimed for his head. An odd rushing sound could be heard on the other side of his barrier, and a moment later the beam was replaced by a pitch-black greatsword that crashed into it with incredible force.

    Looking beyond the blade of swirling shadow, Kyle got his first look at D¡¯Oillelat. If it weren¡¯t for the similar mana signature that she gave off, Kyle hardly would have recognized her. She¡¯d been badly burned, having been at the weakest part of his barrier, but the wounds were visibly closing before his eyes. Swirling shadows and smoke shrouded her body like armor, and her flame-red hair could barely be seen beneath the roiling darkness surrounding her head.

    The starker differences, however, were present with her physical form. Large horns emerged from each side of her skull above her sharply pointed ears, pointing forward directly toward him. Her body had grown nearly a meter, with musculature that wouldn¡¯t be out of place on an ogre. Tusks jutted out on her lower jaw, and Kyle could see fingers tipped with claws on the hand not holding the greatsword.

    ¡°Face me, you coward! Answer for what you¡¯ve done!¡± Her voice was thunder, a roar that shook the room nearly as much as the explosion had. She took 3 more swipes at Storm Shelter with her blade, then made a gesture with her free hand. Synaptic Barbs warned him as smoke appeared and coalesced inside the barrier, deadly lances aiming to pierce him from behind.

    Stepping to the side, Kyle shouted back. ¡°This wasn¡¯t me! I had no idea. Just think for a minute! Why would I stay in the room if I knew? Why would I have tried to save your people?¡±

    Her face looked conflicted for a moment, before the look of rage appeared again. With a wordless roar, D¡¯Oillelat redoubled her efforts, slashing against Storm Shelter while she materialized lances within the barrier.

    ¡°Calm down and listen! Kyle shouted, a note of desperation in his voice. Storm Shelter wouldn¡¯t stay up for much longer, and if Identify was anything to go by, D¡¯Oillelat was only growing more powerful by the minute. Whatever boosting skill she used seemed to ramp everything, much like Ignition. Added to her already impressive attribute pool, Kyle knew he was likely outclassed.

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    Even though he had confidence in his ability to escape, it wouldn¡¯t be an easy trip. Kyle cast a quick look around the room, seeing the Resistance leaders, injured and not, all unmoving and unconscious. Even the D Grade guards seemed to be having a hard time, almost looking shackled by the shadows and smoke swirling around the room. What¡¯s going on? Kyle thought. At this rate, there was a strong chance that the injured would succumb to their wounds from lack of care.

    Just then, D¡¯Oillelat released another feral scream, grabbing her weapon in both hands and leveling the point at Kyle. He felt mana begin to gather, and knew that this was going to be a big attack.

    Kyle sighed, activating Ignition as power filled his limbs. In a fluid instant, he deactivated Storm Shelter, dropping below the tip of the blade and closing the distance between himself and the raging queen. She tried to pivot and react, but she was too slow. Kyle launched a high-speed palm strike into her stomach, and immediately activated Repel.

    D¡¯Oillelat was blasted across the room, slamming into the opposite wall hard enough to crack the sturdy material. Kyle¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t done yet, however. The moment he made contact, he attached a tendril of Parasitic Resonance, invading her mana network.

    Among all of Kyle¡¯s opponents, D¡¯Oillelat may have possessed the highest Willpower so far. It felt as though his skill was moving through thick clay instead of water, and Kyle instinctively knew that he¡¯d be hard-pressed to cause lethal damage against her defenses. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t his goal. He felt the mana flowing through her, seeming to emanate alongside her very heartbeat. With a surge of Willpower, he shifted the boosting skill into a different rhythm, disrupting the flow of the skill.

    The results were near-instantaneous. The horns and claws began to recede as D¡¯Oillelat began to shrink, though her shroud of shadow persisted. Most importantly, however, the suppressive effect against her people began to lessen. Kyle could see them stirring, the guards instantly rushing to her side as medics began to enter the room.

    Weapons were leveled at Kyle, and Auric Perception warned him of a handful of Mages concentrating energy as well. With a stabilizing breath, Kyle stood calmly. He still had some tricks up his sleeve if he needed to escape, and he thought this was a situation he could salvage. With her boosting skill deactivated, Kyle saw a noticeable lucidity enter D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s eyes, and he hoped beyond hope that they could find a way to talk things through.

    His hopes wavered as her gaze sharpened, raising the greatsword in a 2 handed stance. ¡°Your excuses mean very little to me, Courier. My people are injured, dying because of the weapon you brought into my halls.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only reason your people are still alive,¡± Kyle interjected, meeting her eyes without flinching. ¡°Believe me, I don¡¯t take being used lightly, and the Council will have a reckoning to face when I pass their misdeeds along to the Verdant Republic.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat snorted, though Kyle noticed her tighten her grip on the weapon. ¡°Bold of you to assume that you¡¯ll be leaving this room at all, Courier.¡±

    ¡°I protected your people, I fought and bled alongside some of your most decorated soldiers, and I was treating your injured before you attacked me. I¡¯m not claiming to be your ally, but it should be pretty damn clear that I¡¯m not your enemy.¡±

    By now, Storm Shelter was ready for use, and Ignition had gone a long way toward replenishing his dwindling mana reserves. If D¡¯Oillelat chose to fight, Kyle was as well-positioned as he could be. Several of the guards bristled at his casual address, but their attention was focused on their queen. The tension in the room was thick, and just as he saw her muscles tighten for an attack a loud voice cried out.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Praise the Ancestors, you¡¯re alright!¡± Drokh pushed past some guards, walking up to a surprised D¡¯Oillelat. ¡°I¡¯d heard there was an explosion, and got here as quickly as I could.¡±

    She looked at the towering ogre, lowering her blade, just a bit. ¡°What are you doing here, Drokh? You¡¯re supposed to be in recovery from your surgery!¡±

    ¡°I pledged my life to protecting you, Your Majesty. I couldn¡¯t stay in a hospital bed after I heard the news.¡±

    With that, he turned to Kyle. ¡°Courier, do you have an explanation?¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat, seeming to just remember Kyle was standing there, raised her sword once more as she refocused on the Survivalist. ¡°He brought a bomb into these chambers, and nearly killed everybody present.¡±

    Drokh raised an eyebrow to Kyle. ¡°Is this true?¡±

    Kyle nodded. ¡°The document box was trapped. A formation inside a formation, only activated once it had been opened. I acted as quickly as I could when I saw it, but wasn¡¯t fast enough to fully form a barrier. The best I was able to do was confirm that there weren¡¯t any casualties directly after the blast.¡±

    ¡°Lies!¡± D¡¯Oillelat hissed. ¡°You¡¯re no simple courier, that is plain as day.¡±

    Drokh looked at the goblin queen, then to Kyle. ¡°He¡¯s certainly not simple, Your Majesty. But if his goals were to harm the Resistance, to weaken your leadership, he had plenty of opportunities to ensure that neither Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, or I survived. As you know, he¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m still alive today.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat looked conflicted, her hands tightening around the greatsword¡¯s hilt. Finally, she let out a breath. ¡°Damn it all. Everybody, out. Except you, Courier.¡±

    The guards began to protest, though she silenced them with a glance. Slowly, the destroyed conference room was vacated, leaving Drokh, D¡¯Oillelat, and Kyle. She looked at the ogre. ¡°You were included in that, you know. Go. Heal. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I ¨C¡° Drokh began, before D¡¯Oillelat cut him off. ¡°I know, you¡¯re worried. I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll keep my temper in check. I¡¯m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I¡¯ll hear him out. But you being here injured won¡¯t help with any of that. So go and get better.¡±

    Drokh looked about to argue further, but finally gave a curt nod. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat watched him as he left the room, then turned her attention fully to Kyle. ¡°Why do you think I sent them away, Courier?¡±

    ¡°You know, I was just wondering the same thing,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Because I think we can speak honestly. I think we can broach some topics they would be upset with. But mostly because, if I decide that you were involved, they would get in the way. Your attack earlier confirmed that your power is a cut above my guards, Drokh included. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a cut above me. Understood?¡±

    Kyle nodded, deactivating Ignition as she lowered her sword. ¡°Understood. Now, do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?¡±

 Chapter 234

    D¡¯Oillelat kept Kyle¡¯s eyes for a moment before turning to pace about the room.  ¡°First things first, what do you know of Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s history, Courier?¡±

    ¡°Not much, beyond that your civilization has ancient roots, even by universal standards.  And that there was a civil war not too long ago, in which your father was deposed and the Council stepped into power.¡±

    She nodded as she paced.  ¡°That¡¯s as a good a foundation as any,¡± she said.  ¡°And from the outside, I suppose that¡¯s as much as you¡¯d need to know.  There was a power struggle, my father lost, and now I¡¯m desperately clinging on to the remnants of power.  Does that sound about right?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have necessarily put it in those words, but close enough,¡± Kyle replied, deciding that honesty was the best path.

    ¡°Let me ask you, Courier.  How do you think monarchies come into being?  What do you think makes them sustainable?¡±

    Kyle was about to respond, then paused.  On Earth, most monarchies had stopped acting as a form of governance long before the planet¡¯s awakening.  The Alabaster Court and Archdrake Supremacy were the closest that Kyle was aware of inside Collective space, though they were each a far cry from true monarchy.

    After some thought, he replied.  ¡°I¡¯d like to say that caring for one¡¯s subjects is the key, but there will always be groups of people that disagree with the actions a leader takes.  With that in mind, I suppose that it has to come down to power.  If there are unique opportunities, heritages, or resources available, it isn¡¯t too much of a stretch to think that royalty could consistently remain among the strongest on the planet.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat looked at him, a sad smile.  ¡°You¡¯re not far off.  Power is a component, certainly.  If my father was stronger, much stronger, he never would have been deposed.  Leadership is much simpler when you¡¯re powerful enough to stop all dissent, after all.¡±

    Leadership, or tyranny? Kyle thought.  Kyle knew where he stood on the issue, but decided that sharing that particular sentiment would be unwise.

    ¡°It¡¯s ironic,¡± D¡¯Oillelat said.  ¡°My great-great grandmother was the first to really see the erosion of her authority, understood that things were going to have to change.  She started to make preparations for a slow transition of power, which her son and her son¡¯s son continued.  It was supposed to end with my father, a fate that he railed against as much as he could.  Still, he might have seen the error of his ways.  Then I came along.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.  It almost sounds like you blame yourself for everything that happened.  How do you play into this?¡± Kyle said.

    She stopped pacing, facing Kyle squarely with her hands on her hips.  ¡°It has everything to do with me. Tell me, Courier.  What am I?¡±

    ¡°The Queen of the Resistance?¡± Kyle offered.

    She waved a hand at him, a hint of exasperation in her voice.  ¡°Not that!  Well, sort of that.  I mean, what species am I?¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure.  Probably a troll, with body enhancement spells?¡±

    ¡°Wrong.¡±

    ¡°Fine then, a really tall goblin?¡±

    ¡°Try again.¡±

    ¡°A really short ogre?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    She had a wry smile on her face now, arms crossed.  Kyle sighed.  ¡°Alright, I give up.  What are you?¡±

    ¡°The Queen of the Resistance,¡± she said in a mocking tone.

    Kyle gave her a flat look, and she let out a chuckle.  ¡°Sorry, I was having too much fun there.  Do you have any idea how annoying it can get when everybody around you treats you like royalty?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°Not a problem I¡¯ve ever run into.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s not all it¡¯s cracked up to be.  Back to the matter at hand.  I¡¯m a high goblin.  The first in a very, very long time.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a high goblin?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Just what it sounds like; a goblin that¡¯s elevated above others.  I¡¯m a variant that has aspects of all the goblinoid races.  My body regenerates like a troll, my bones and muscles are as strong as an ogre, and my mind and eyes are as sharp as a goblin.¡±

    Kyle pondered this for a moment, then shook his head slowly.  ¡°That¡¯s impressive, but that¡¯s not enough to maintain a monarchy for millennia.  There has to be something more.¡±

    She stopped pacing and grinned.  ¡°It¡¯s nice to see that you¡¯re getting it.  You¡¯re exactly right.  On its passive merits, the high goblin species is powerful, but not overly so.  None of us really understood the potential, until I crossed into D Grade.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, the room appeared to darken, the shadows around her deepening.  ¡°My evolution gave me a new skill, a domain ability.  Sentient creatures of all types are suppressed in my presence.  Their attacks against me lose power, their ability to block my attacks gets reduced, and when my boosting skill is active, some can¡¯t move at all.  Well, with one newfound exception.¡±

    He raised his eyebrows, activating Identify in an attempt to understand the concepts at play.  There was definitely mana suffusing the room, feeling like an extension of D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s own.  Beyond that, however, he had a hard time piecing together what was going on.  As far as he could tell, the mana didn¡¯t carry any direct intent or direction.  It simply lingered in the air.  Of course, if I¡¯m not the target¡­

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°I take it I¡¯m the exception you mentioned?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°You are,¡± she confirmed.

    ¡°Nobody you¡¯ve met could resist the suppression?  Ever?¡±  Kyle pressed.

    ¡°Not until about 15 minutes ago, no.¡±

    Kyle paused for a moment, considering.

    ¡°Wait, does it work on the shrikes, too?¡±

    She gave him a knowing look.  ¡°To a lesser extent, yes.¡±

    Kyle had to admit, he was interested.  He¡¯d never heard of a species getting their own active skills beyond whatever passive attributes they had normally.  Her simple existence challenged much of what he knew to be true.

    ¡°And this power you have is what caused your father to change course?¡± Kyle asked, deciding to shelve his curiosity for the specifics to get back to the matter at hand.

    She nodded.  ¡°Correct.  The domain was much weaker back then, but father saw the potential.  If he could harness my power, he wouldn¡¯t have to abdicate.  He wouldn¡¯t have to watch as his way of life, his privileges, eroded away.  He could be the king he always wanted to be.¡±

    There was a turmoil in her voice that Kyle caught; a mix of longing, anger, and grief.  He gave her a moment, then asked, gently, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I stopped being his daughter, and became a means to an end.  The fuel for his dream.  My life turned into a non-stop battery of test after test after test.  Looking back, I think it was around then that I lost him.  He was consumed by his visions of grandeur, the ¡®restoration of an age¡¯ as he called it.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°All due respect, you¡¯re clearly powerful, but you¡¯re one person.  That¡¯s hardly enough to build an empire.¡±

    ¡°My father was power-obsessed, not an idiot,¡± she said.  ¡°He understood this, of course.  His goal was to try to find a means to isolate the genetic component of my domain skill.  If he could, he thought that he would be able to pass it along to his supporters, to his most trusted advisors.  At least, that¡¯s what he said he was going to do.¡±

    She sighed, turning away from Kyle as she resumed pacing.  ¡°If that was ever his intent, he never got that far.  He set up a testing facility on the far end of the planet, where he was experimenting with my blood.  He got it wrong.

    ¡°People noticed that some of his vocal critics disappeared, smaller ones first, followed by some of his strongest opposition.  He never seemed bothered by the rising unrest, telling me that it would all be okay, that there was nothing to worry about.  And then the facility had its breach.

    ¡°It turned out, his experiments never succeeded in replicating my domain skill.  Instead, they found a method to warp goblinoids, turning them into incredibly powerful abominations.  They stayed controlled, contained.  Until they weren¡¯t.  Dozens of juggernauts broke out of the facility, now called Railen¡¯s Folly, and massacred the citizenry.¡±

    Kyle took in a sharp breath.  He expected the triggering event for the civil war would be bad.  This was worse.

    D¡¯Oillelat continued.  ¡°The final straw came when one of his opponents who had gone missing reappeared, having managed to escape the facility during the breach.  He decried the atrocities my father committed, and demanded my father¡¯s death.  He became the rallying force behind the coup.

    ¡°I think it was at this point that my father realized how much power his ancestors had given up.  He didn¡¯t have the loyalty or systematic authority to put up a real fight.  So, he said his goodbyes to us and turned himself in to the rebels, where he was summarily tried and executed for his crimes.¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°Wait, he turned himself in?  I thought that this was a bloody conflict?¡±

    ¡°If you stop interrupting, I¡¯ll get to that part,¡± D¡¯Oillelat admonished.  ¡°As I was saying, father was executed.  The problem remained, however, that the new leader of this Council knew about me, knew about the secret of my domain skill.  He suffered under the hands of people loyal to my father, people who had no problems committing atrocities in his name.  No, for him, my father¡¯s death wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°Just days after the execution and promise for a peaceful transition, they struck.  Anybody who was loyal to my father, anybody who voiced support, anybody who was simply satisfied with the status quo, was rounded up.  I had a group of soldiers burst into my room, and I was taken, too.  I didn¡¯t resist, thinking that we would be facing arrest or exile.  That made sense to me.

    ¡°Instead, an order was given for our execution.  All of us.  Drokh was the captain who had detained me.  I don¡¯t know what he saw in that moment, while I awaited my fate, but he decided he wouldn¡¯t follow through.  Some were like him and disobeyed orders.  Others followed theirs.  When it was all said and done, the decision for the mass executions also pushed enough people away to plant the seeds of the Resistance.¡±

    Kyle let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding.  The hero worship that seemed to surround Drokh made a lot more sense, given what D¡¯Oillelat shared.

    If she noticed his tension, she didn¡¯t mention it, instead continuing her tale.  ¡°There were sympathizers, people loyal to my father out in the plains and hills.  The shrike population was always denser out here, but we were able to get a foothold.  Slowly, we¡¯ve been able to get a better foundation, even though more refugees and exiles seem to be sent to us every week.  We don¡¯t have the resources for everybody, and the Council knows it.  I also couldn¡¯t see a world where they¡¯d let me live, which is why there¡¯s been no meaningful attempt to negotiate peace before this.¡±

    ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°What better chance do I have than an off-worlder representing an alien conglomerate powerful enough to destroy our whole planet?¡± She countered.  ¡°Besides, if Drokh detected any traps, he would have executed you long before you got this far.¡±

    Kyle felt a weary smile cross his face.  ¡°They all may have mentioned that a time or two.  So, with everything that¡¯s transpired, what do you want to do from here?¡±

    A faraway look entered D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s eyes, a moment of pause before she spoke.  ¡°I don¡¯t have much choice but to trust you, one way or another.  Tell me, how do you think your employers would respond to what¡¯s happened so far, what you¡¯ve learned?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment.  The existence of a high goblin and the cultural significance of D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s existence would be groundbreaking to the Verdant Republic, and the betrayal from the Council would not be well-received.  At the same time, her father¡¯s crimes left plenty of room to argue for the legitimacy of the current government.  If there¡¯s one thing he knew about the Verdant Republic, it was that they loved their procedures.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.  I know that they wouldn¡¯t be pleased with the attempt on your life, or using me as an intermediary to deliver an explosive device.  I¡¯m also confident that they could negotiate a peaceful transition of power, but I¡¯m not entirely sure what that process would look like or how long it would take.¡±

    She met his eyes, resolve clear in her gaze.  ¡°Do you believe that they would work to ensure the well-being of my people?¡±

    Kyle nodded, no hesitation this time.  ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°Then it seems like you have a report to make.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°It seems I do.  Will you be alright?¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat scoffed.  ¡°Please, I¡¯m more than fine.  We¡¯ll hold on, as we have.  Just be careful, Kyle. I¡¯m not sure how the Council will react to your return, one way or another.¡±

    It was Kyle¡¯s turn to smile, as an ember of anger burned in his chest.  ¡°All due respect to the Council, I don¡¯t particularly care how they react.  They¡¯ll be in for a lot worse if they try to keep me here.  As far as I¡¯m concerned, the job they hired me for is done.¡±

 Chapter 235

    ¡°Any reports?¡±

    The question echoed through the Council chambers for what felt like the hundredth time, the raspy voice grating on Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s nerves. Still, it was his job to remain professional. ¡°No reports yet. All we know is that the package was successfully delivered to the heart of the Resistance, and that it detonated.¡±

    ¡°And we still have nothing from our agents?¡± the aged troll asked, again.

    ¡°That is correct. Given the potential destruction, that is well-within our expectations. We just need to be patient,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.

    His words were true. The Er¡¯Mithren Council assembled as soon as they had confirmation that their device had activated. It would take time for the damage to be fully assessed, and even more for their agents in the Resistance to pass along the details of the fallout. To have information at this early juncture would be abnormal, something Pall¡¯Eth knew the Council was aware of.

    Of course, he also understood the reason they were on edge. What happened to the Courier? Kyle Mayhew was an unknown factor; an existence they couldn¡¯t completely account for. If he played his role as expected, they wouldn¡¯t have any issues.

    The way the Council figured it, there were 3 primary outcomes. The first, and most attractive, was that the explosion would kill both D¡¯Oillelat and the Courier. The Council would report to their contact at the Verdant Republic that the deposed royal attempted to kill Mayhew, and died in the attempt. The Council would get to control the narrative all the way through.

    The second and third outcomes were similar: either the blast failing to kill D¡¯Oillelat, or failing to kill both. In either event, they could still move forward with the same plan, though the goblin queen¡¯s survival would make things a bit murkier. Fortunately, some long-range bombardment with the assistance of the Verdant Republic would clean that up. If the blast failed to kill the Courier, the Council was convinced that D¡¯Oillelat or her retainers would see him executed. She was known to have quite a temper, and with her suppressive abilities it was widely accepted that she was nigh-unbeatable in single combat.

    Still, a fourth possibility nagged at the back of Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s mind. The Council was convinced that if D¡¯Oillelat survived, or most of her generals did, that Mayhew¡¯s death was a foregone conclusion. After all, he was hired as a glorified delivery boy. What if the Council underestimated him? Pall¡¯Eth didn¡¯t have anything firm upon which to base his fear. There was no evidence indicating Mayhew had a high-class backing or secret heritage he could leverage.

    Still, Pall¡¯Eth remembered his gut feeling when he first saw the Courier. He remembered the first dossier he read referring to the man as the ¡°Onyx Warrior.¡± Something inside him screamed that Kyle Mayhew was more than the Council believed him to be. And if that was the case, he would need to plan for a scenario where the Courier returned to Er¡¯Mithren. With or without the Council¡¯s blessing.

    ~~~

    Kyle took in a breath of fresh air as he exited the underground city of Railen¡¯s Hope. Both the city below and the settlement above were placed in a lockdown after the explosion, but a few elites were with Kyle, including the hulking figure of Drokh.

    ¡°Mayhew, stay and think this through.¡± Drokh¡¯s voice carried a note of concern. ¡°Haste can be dangerous.¡±

    Kyle looked at Drokh, and gave a confident smile. ¡°I can handle it, Drokh. This is an opportunity to put them on the back foot, at least for a bit. As long as you¡¯re able to hold out, I¡¯ll be back with help.¡±

    The ogre looked like he wanted to protest further, but instead took a deep breath before sighing. ¡°Then I wish you safe travels.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who will have danger to look out for,¡± Kyle replied, a smile working its way onto his face. ¡°Good luck with everything. And try not to overdo it until you¡¯re used to the new leg.¡±

    Drokh nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, doctor.¡±

    Kyle returned the nod, then turned and took off at a brisk run out of the settlement. Even without using Ignition, his travel speed was respectable. Once outside the settlement proper, he activated his boosting skill, feeling power surge through his body as he accelerated to his maximum sustainable pace. The entire journey to the Resistance Headquarters had been taken at a somewhat leisurely pace, one he had no intention of repeating on the road back to Er¡¯Mithren.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU WELL? YOUR HEART RATE APPEARS TO BE MODESTLY ELEVATED, AND YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS HIGHER THAN I WOULD EXPECT.]

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle growled, his feet unconsciously avoiding debris in the road, courtesy of Covert Dexterity.

    [DO YOU FIND THIS LEVEL OF EXERTION TO BE PARTICULARLY TAXING?]

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    [THEN I CAN ONLY ASSUME YOUR REACTION TO BE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE.]

    Kyle let out a breath, pushing back some of his annoyance. He knew the drone meant well. He knew the drone was right.  ¡°They tried to use me as a weapon, C.H.A.D.D. I thought they might try to stir up something between me and D¡¯Oillelat, but I never expected that they would go so far as to put that many civilians at risk. Can you imagine what would have happened if we weren¡¯t in the room? Or if it was opened in an area with more unawakened?¡±

    [WHILE I DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF IMAGINATION, I CAN AGREE THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.]

    ¡°What if I didn¡¯t have Storm Shelter? Hell, what if I hadn¡¯t been working on shaping it the way I have? That blast could have killed everybody else in the room.¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    [I BELIEVE D¡¯OILLELAT WOULD HAVE SURVIVED.]

    ¡°Right. But that¡¯s not the point, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [MY CONCERN, DR. MAYHEW, IS THAT YOU ARE EMOTIONALLY ELEVATED. WHILE I DO NOT QUESTION YOUR REASONING TO FEEL AS YOU DO, I AM ASKING YOU TO REFLECT ON YOUR CURRENT DECISION-MAKING. DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE IT WISE TO JOURNEY STRAIGHT BACK TO ER¡¯MITHREN?]

    Kyle considered the C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words for a moment. He was angry, no doubt about it. The Er¡¯Mithren Council reminded him strongly of the Central Authority back on Earth, which had been a consistent sore spot for him. The whole notion of sacrificing the few for the sake of the many made him bristle. Still, he didn¡¯t think that his anger made the decision any less correct.

    The box had given the Council a means to track his general location, and with it destroyed they would have no way to track his progress. Even if Kyle assumed they had intelligence assets at Railen¡¯s Hope, he didn¡¯t expect that they would be able to get word of his survival back to the Council soon. And given he still hadn¡¯t shown his real travel speed, it was unlikely they¡¯d understand how quickly he could return.

    ¡°I honestly think that this is the best play we have. If we can get back before they get their bearings, we might be able to teleport back before they¡¯ve really grasped what all transpired. With any luck, they might even be happy to see us go and consider it all done. I for one won¡¯t be telling them that D¡¯Oillelat survived. Once we¡¯ve reported to the Verdant Republic, they¡¯ll know how to better inform the next steps. I¡¯ve already sent Suierrillax a brief recap, though I expect it¡¯ll be a little while before she receives it.¡±

    The drone was silent for a moment, and Kyle took the quiet to look at the horizon, where he could see the rapidly-approaching silhouette of Varleez. He veered slightly to the west, not wanting to cause a stir. The journey that took him 2 days with Drokh, Ver¡¯ah, and Hanastrel was done in a little over half the day, and he expected he could make it all the way out of Resistance territory by nightfall. He¡¯d take a short rest at one of the small camps he made in the plains, then continue toward the forest before dawn. He expected the entirety of the trip to only take him a few days.

    [DO YOU MIND IF I DRAW SOME MANA TO WORK ON MY FORMATIONS?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, just don¡¯t draw too much. What type of formation are you building now?¡±

    [I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON A SPEED FORM USING THE STRANGLEVINES AS A BASE.]

    Kyle was glad for the distraction, and the duo discussed different applications that C.H.A.D.D. could use. The drone was still most intrigued by the information gathered from the large sundew plant they encountered, but it was too complex relative to the somewhat simple formations C.H.A.D.D. designed so far.

    ¡°Explain again; how exactly do you store the information inside the seed?¡± Kyle asked, still confused about how C.H.A.D.D. used the essences it consumed.

    [THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE THE WORLD TREE SEED IS AS A DATABASE OF INFORMATION. AT LEAST, THAT IS THE WAY I INTERFACE WITH IT. EVERY TIME WE DRAW INFORMATION FROM COMPATIBLE PLANT LIFE, IT FILLS IN A DATABASE ENTRY. THE ESSENCES I ARCHIVED BEFOREHAND OPERATE SIMILARLY ¨C AN INSTINCTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELEVANT FLORA. OF COURSE, I HAVE COMBINED MUCH OF THIS INTO THE WORLD TREE SEED ALREADY.]

    ¡°And you just draw on this information as-needed?¡± Kyle asked.

    [TO AN EXTENT. MUCH OF THE MOST RELEVANT INFORMATION IS KEPT IN THE FOREFRONT. I AM DESIGNED TO EFFICIENTLY PROCESS INFORMATION, AFTER ALL.]

    This was far from their first discussion around the topic, but it was good to revisit for Kyle. Particularly after seeing the prosthetic designed for Drokh, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but wonder if C.H.A.D.D. would one day be able to grow its own perfectly designed hardware, at least at some point. Just something else I¡¯ll have to ask Marcus Kulhavey when I visit, Kyle thought.

    As the light of day was beginning to fade, they spotted the long wall marking the edge of Resistance territory in the distance.

    [HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CONVINCE RA¡¯ZEL TO OPEN THE GATE?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Kyle replied, pouring more power into Ignition as he sprinted toward the wall. He could make out a couple of startled figures atop as he closed the distance; a streaking comet glowing red on his approach.

    [DR. MAYHEW, AT THIS RATE YOU ARE GOING TO HIT THE -]

    At the last moment, Kyle activated Repel from his legs, leaving deep impressions in the ground as he was launched skyward by the backlash from the skill. Twisting in the air to gain his bearings, he used another blast to gain even more altitude, followed by a series of blasts behind him. The resulting shockwaves pushed him a dozen meters above the wall, and nearly 30 meters beyond it on the other side. He cast Repel one more time to slow his falling momentum, landed in a hard roll, and then continued his run onward.

    [THAT WAS RECKLESS, DR. MAYHEW.] the drone admonished.

    ¡°That was fun, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle replied with a bark of laughter. ¡°Now, can you guide me back to our closest camp?¡±

    Without a word, an orange map appeared in the corner of Kyle¡¯s vision, projected by the drone.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The camp was largely as Kyle remembered it, a rock outcropping between a couple of hills. He rested only a few hours, before they continued onward.

    [WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SCAN FOR SHRIKES?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°No, not right now,¡± Kyle said. ¡°We¡¯ll have time to hunt some more when we return with the Verdant Republic, but I want to stay focused for now.¡±

    [DOES THAT MEAN YOU ARE NOT PLANNING TO STOP ON OUR WAY FOR MORE STRANGLEVINE SAMPLES?]

    ¡°Not right now, no. We¡¯ll have a chance to come back with the Verdant Republic, and we¡¯ll do it all.¡±

    [I AM NOT SURE IF I BELIEVE YOU, DR. MAYHEW. AFTER ALL, YOU SAID WE COULD STOP FOR SOME ON THE WAY BACK TO ER¡¯MITHREN.]

    The duo bickered on and off, until seeing the entrance to the forest on the dawn of the third day. Kyle could feel the anticipation of his return building, and with Ignition blazing, he followed the path they¡¯d traveled when circumventing Jell¡¯Or.

    Compared to the relative openness of the plains, the forest felt suffocating. Deep shadows blocked the sunlight above, the stagnant air carrying a hint of decay. Even though his Synaptic Barbs didn¡¯t feel anything specific, Kyle knew something was off. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you detecting anything?¡±

    [NO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle frowned. Neither Auric Perception nor Synaptic Barbs detected anything either, so he continued on. The sense of unease only grew, until he could see the outer wall of Jell¡¯Or. His eyes widened as he took in the view, at the same time C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE THOSE ARE -]

    ¡°I see them, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle whispered, coming to a stop. There, along the walls of Jell¡¯Or, were hundreds, if not thousands of stranglevine pods. A cold realization washed over him, as he thought about their run through the forest so far. There was truly nothing noteworthy that either he or C.H.A.D.D. detected, because there was nothing in the forest. No birds, no insects, no travelers.

    They stared at the wall for a moment in the stillness of the forest, not a sound to be heard from the once bustling city. Could this have been the Council? Kyle wondered. Can they control the stranglevines, like they do the shrikes?

    [SHOULD WE INVESTIGATE?]

    Kyle nodded, moving cautiously toward the wall. Taking care to stay a good distance from the gently swaying vines, he used Identify. The pods seemed to be fuller, thicker than the ones he¡¯d seen nearer the canopy.

    ¡°If I connect to one, do you think you could determine what brought them so far down?¡±

    [I CAN ATTEMPT IT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    There was no flippancy in the drone¡¯s words, and Kyle carefully extended a tendril of Parasitic Resonance to the nearest vine. He watched it begin to wither as he drained its mana and attacked its internal structure, but just before it died, it did something strange. The entire pod shuddered for a moment, then exploded. For a moment, there was nothing.

    Then, the forest around them came alive, and darkness descended.

 Chapter 236

    What little light broke through the forest¡¯s canopy faded as hundreds of thousands of dark tendrils descended like rain.  All of the clumped stranglevines on the walls and ground immediately lurched in Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s direction, the lashing vines serving to pull the detached pods from their resting locations.  In mere moments, Kyle found himself assailed on all sides.

    Without hesitation, Ignition bloomed to life once more as tendrils of Parasitic Resonance extended out from him, connecting to as many vines as possible as he ripped the mana from dozens in the blink of an eye.  Still, it was far from enough.  Individual vines snuck through, wrapping around his ankles, calves, and torso.  Releasing a charge of Repel in an omnidirectional burst, Kyle managed to get released, just in time to narrowly avoid having a stranglevine pod drop directly on his head.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what are these things?  What¡¯s going on?¡± Kyle cried out in a mix of shock and bewilderment as he tried to get his footing back.  The darkness intensified by the moment as the ground was covered by more and more of the stranglevine pods.  The sickly-sweet smell of decay grew stronger with each pod that fell.  Synaptic Barbs warned him of incoming attacks from every direction, and he was forced to release another blast of Repel to avoid being swarmed.

    [THEY ARE STRANGLEVINES, DR. MAYHEW.  I AM UNSURE WHAT¡¯S CAUSING THEIR BEHAVIOR, BUT -]

    The drone cut off as Kyle felt a presence wash over the area.  An unmistakable C Grade power fell over him, and his blood ran cold when he realized what they were facing.  It¡¯s the shadow we saw from the treetops.  This is the Scourge Drokh mentioned.  The stranglevines are part of it somehow.

    Kyle¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as his right leg was abruptly pulled backwards, one of the vines managing to reach him after the shockwave from Repel wore off.  Swearing, Kyle pulled with all his strength, ripping the vine from its pod as he dashed away from the deathtrap that was Jell¡¯Or.  A low din of groaning wood and snapping branches could be heard as the shadows deepened.  The Scourge was descending.

    [DR. MAYHEW, DUCK.]

    Kyle heard a telltale click from the pack as soon as the drone finished speaking, and he responded on instinct, not stopping his forward momentum.  A wave of mana left his body, and a lattice of bamboo erupted from the pack, interposing itself between Kyle and the stranglevines.  Thousands upon thousands of dark vines lashed at the sturdy material, splintering it as it was pulled away.  Even then, the framework obstructed other vines from reaching the duo, buying them precious moments.  Moments Kyle intended to use.

    He fixed his eyes on the nearby road, and gritted his teeth as he activated yet another Repel, focused on the back of both of his shoulders as he leaned forward.  He was rocketed toward his escape route, barely able to keep his feet underneath him as he tried to take full advantage of his momentum.  If I can just get out of its domain, we can still survive this.

    Vines shot down to obstruct the path ahead, and Kyle met the barrier with the mana blade from his buckler already formed.  Parasitic Resonance withered dozens of the vines while the blade worked through the others, but the deluge was constant.  What¡¯s more, the vines that Kyle ripped free were still trailing behind him, giving other stranglevines something to grab on to.

    Each step forward came slower than the last, and Kyle¡¯s flash of hope was beginning to get replaced with despair.  He was confident Storm Shelter could hold against the assault, at least for a while, but he could ill afford giving the creature time to finish its descent.  Already the vines assaulting him were thicker, stronger than the ones he faced at first.  If the heart of the Scourge surrounded them, they were dead.

    [DUCK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle obliged again, another lattice of bamboo offering a moment of protection.

    ¡°Is there anything else we can do?¡± Kyle yelled.  ¡°Anything at all from what you¡¯ve learned about these things?¡±

    [I AM WORKING ON A PLAN, ALTHOUGH I WILL NEED SOME MORE TIME.]

    ¡°How much time?¡±

    [AT LEAST 30 SECONDS.  AND I HAVE NO GUARANTEES THAT IT WILL WORK.  IT WILL ALSO DRAIN NEARLY A THIRD OF THE POWER STORED IN THE SEED.]

    Kyle inhaled sharply at the last part.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s help and supervision, Kyle had infused a significant amount of mana into the World Tree Seed via Parasitic Resonance.  The skill¡¯s rarely used ramping effect had been slowly wearing away at the seed¡¯s absurd resilience, and though Kyle was making progress, it was still far from easy to manipulate.  To use that much energy at once¡­

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Is there another way for us to get out?¡± Kyle asked, slashing through more oncoming vines as several others managed to wrap around his left arm.  He used Repel again, buying time to slip out and shake off some of the trailing pieces.  The trees around him groaned, large limbs snapping and falling around him as the bulk of this¡­ creature continued its descent toward the forest floor.

    In response, C.H.A.D.D. brought up a scan of the area.  More dense clusters of stranglevines were appearing every moment.  [IT IS NOT LOOKING PROMISING, DR. MAYHEW.  WE NEED TO CREATE A GAP, AND CREATE DISTANCE.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Then do what you need to do.  Should I keep running, or use Storm Shelter?¡±

    The drone considered for a moment.  [GET AS FAR AS YOU CAN, THEN USE YOUR SKILL.]

    Without a word, he pressed forward.  Kyle focused on the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance, pushing to draw out even more.  Each one was more difficult to form than the last, but he¡¯d been training.  Soon, over 45 tendrils were snaking around him, withering stranglevines as fast as he could as the continued to run.  Even so, it wasn¡¯t enough.  Hundreds upon hundreds of vines launched at him every second, and he was losing ground once more, even with the help of Repel.  With his mana reserves dwindling, Kyle let out a defiant scream as Storm Shelter sprang to life, rebuffing the rain of vines slamming into it like hail.

    ¡°Will your plan still work if I borrow some mana from the seed as well?¡± Kyle asked above the sound of impacts on his barrier.

    [IT SHOULD, ASSUMING YOU¡¯RE NOT LOOKING TO MANIPULATE THE SEED.]

    ¡°Just looking to try and replenish my reserves and get a boost.  I think we¡¯ll need every edge we can get.¡±

    The area around Storm Shelter had visibly darkened in the brief seconds they¡¯d been talking, and Kyle could feel the source of the C Grade mana getting closer.  The Scourge wasn¡¯t a singular organism, like the other C Grades Kyle encountered, rather giving him the impression that it was many parts of the same whole, controlled and guided by that C Grade heart.  The closer it got in proximity, the more powerful and precise the individual stranglevines seemed to grow.

    Despite the danger, Kyle closed his eyes, focusing instead on his connection to the World Tree Seed through C.H.A.D.D.  With an effort of will, he pulled on the connection.  What once felt like forcing cement through a straw was now more like a slow trickle, golden mana entering his body and infusing his very being.

    When his eyes opened, he could see faint golden light dancing around the crimson aura from Ignition, and Auric Perception allowed him to feel similar energy swirling around inside the C.H.A.D.D. pack.

    ¡°Are you ready, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The pack opened, and a massive tangle of vines and leaves wrapped around the duo, encasing them like a cocoon.  A fait scent of sugar wafted through the air, and the only light left was a gentle golden glow from inside the barrier of leaves.

    [WHEN I GIVE THE SIGNAL, DROP YOUR BARRIER.  THEN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN.]

    ¡°What is this?¡± Kyle asked.

    [AN ANSWER BETTER RESERVED FOR LATER, DR. MAYHEW.  IF YOU CAN, ONLY STEP ON THE BAMBOO.  NOW, GO!]

    Kyle released Storm Shelter, which was immediately followed by an explosion of golden light.  A spiraling tunnel of bamboo materialized in front of him, wrapped on the outside by tightly-wound red and gold petals.  Without hesitating, Kyle sprinted down the path opened before him.  He could hear the impacts raining on the outside of the construct, but the golden power infusing the plants made them far, far sturdier than before.

    The sounds of the attacks on the outside were soon joined by a sizzling sound, and a moment later he let out a gasp of pain as a drop of liquid fell from the wrap above him, landing on the exposed flesh of his right arm.  Adaptive Regeneration was hard at work, but the acid was stubbornly burning him as fast as he could repair the damage.

    He looked up just in time to see C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s construction coming to an abrupt end.

    [DR. MAYHEW, BLAST THE END OF THE TUNNEL, NOW!]

    Still grimacing in pain, Kyle followed instructions, releasing a blast of Repel.  Golden light illuminated the otherwise invisible eruption of force, slamming into the last frame of bamboo and what he now realized were sundew petals.  They exploded outward, showering the area outside in acidic sap as Kyle sprinted past, ignoring the hot flashes of pain from the drops that got on his body.

    There were still some stranglevines on the road ahead, but it looked like the majority of the plants were focused on the construct itself.  Kyle allowed a quick glance backward, showing the whole tunnel collapsing underneath the weight of tens of thousands of vines piling atop it.  With a shudder, he turned his focus back to the road and ran as fast as his legs would carry him, tearing through the remaining vines between him and freedom.

    Nearly an hour later, Kyle finally took a moment to slump against a nearby tree, breathing heavily.  The strain from using so many of his skills finally caught up to him, and he needed to rest.  Fortunately, both C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors and Synaptic Barbs confirmed there were no stranglevines nearby.

    Kyle could still feel the acid burns, and decided to take this opportunity to use more targeted applications of Healing Impetus to speed his recovery.  While he did, he spoke to C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°That was an incredible move back there, C.H.A.D.D.  Are you okay?¡±

    The drone was silent for a moment before responding.  [I WILL BE.  I NEEDED TO USE SOME OF THE OTHER FORMATIONS I HAVE BEEN STORING INSIDE THE SEED.  IN ADDITION TO DRAINING ENERGY, IT ALSO TOOK THE FRAMEWORKS I HAVE BEEN CULTIVATING.  IT WILL BE SOME MONTHS BEFORE I AM ABLE TO REBUILD, MUCH LESS ACCUMULATE ENOUGH ENERGY TO USE IT AGAIN.]

    Kyle understood that it was a costly technique, but from C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s tone it was clear that this was a much larger setback than expected.  ¡°Thank you for being willing to use it all, C.H.A.D.D.  If you hadn¡¯t, I think we¡¯d be dead right now.¡±

    [YOU MOST CERTAINLY WOULD BE, AT LEAST.]

    Kyle chuckled.  ¡°True enough.  Once we¡¯re back and settled on the Hub, I¡¯d love to learn more about how you pulled this off.  I¡¯m committed to helping you get back everything that you spent, with interest.¡±

    [IN THAT CASE, YOU SHOULD GET MOVING.  ER¡¯MITHREN IS STILL A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY.]

 Chapter 237

    ¡°Are you quite certain he¡¯s alive?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s voice carried an unusual note of tension as he addressed the goblin before him, who was standing at awkward attention.

    ¡°We just received a message from our agents stationed at the Resistance Headquarters, sir.  The status of the Queen is unknown, but multiple sources identified the stranger leaving the fortress at speed.¡±

    ¡°Did they give any indication as to his condition?  His goals after leaving?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth pressed.

    ¡°None at all, sir.  Just that he¡¯s alive and that he left.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth considered for a moment, then dismissed the communications officer.  The pit of worry in his stomach only grew more tense as he considered just how wrong everything had gone.  The Courier¡¯s survival was bad enough, but that was only the beginning of his troubles.  Jell¡¯Or had gone completely dark, and the recon teams they sent out followed shortly afterward.  News always tended to travel slowly from the frontier town, given the relative lack of trade to the main cities of Er¡¯Mithren, and the Council had no idea how long their communications had been downed.

    While the investigation was still formally ongoing, Pall¡¯Eth had his theories.  The Courier circumvented the city entirely during his initial trip, something the Council felt was odd, given his involvement in Prindas.  Was it possible that the Courier ¨C the Onyx Warrior ¨C had allied with the Resistance?  It would explain why he was able to walk out of the Resistance Headquarters without anybody trying to stop him.  It would explain his involvement with the shrikes inside their territory.

    ¡°You were never here to make a delivery,¡± Pall¡¯Eth mused.  ¡°You were a plant from the beginning.  Somehow she brought in assistance from off-world¡­¡±

    The communications officer turned back, reopening the door before it could fully close.  ¡°Sir, did you need something?¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth shook his head.  ¡°Nothing at the moment.  Just be ready, I may have need of you soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The goblin left, and this time Pall¡¯Eth waited to ensure the door was closed before he turned, beginning to pace about the room.  The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.  The only piece that still eluded him was just how the queen managed to get in touch with the off-worlders.  Maybe the Verdant Republic reached out to them as well?  If so, they¡¯d been played for fools.  Maybe the Resistance had as well.

    The Council believed that these strange goblins from the skies were benevolent, coming to them with an offer of partnership and belonging across the stars.  But what if they were hoping to get a better read on the planet?  Search for weaknesses, vulnerabilities?  In that case, it was natural that they reached out to the Resistance.  And after the Council fell, the Verdant Republic was in a perfect position to step in, seize control, and either assimilate the Resistance or stomp them out.  Diabolical.

    One thing was certain, Pall¡¯Eth would need to make preparations in case Mayhew returned.  Fortunately, he had time.

    ~~~

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU CERTAIN THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE MANA TO SPARE?]

    Somehow, there was a hint of pouting in C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice.  Unfortunately for the drone, however, Kyle had built up quite a resistance, given the nearly incessant repetition since they got back on the trail toward Er¡¯Mithren.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m already passing as much as I can right now.  We can¡¯t afford to slow down.¡±

    [THE SOONER I REPLENISH THE SEED¡¯S RESERVES, THE SOONER I WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE NEW FINDINGS FROM THE STRANGLEVINES.]

    Kyle sighed.  ¡°We don¡¯t have time right now.  Once we¡¯re back at the Hub, we¡¯ll get some dedicated meditation time where you can draw more.¡±

    [THAT IS ACCEPTABLE, DR. MAYHEW.  HOW SOON WILL WE BE BACK AT THE HUB?]

    ¡°That depends,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°How much longer do we have before we get to Er¡¯Mithren?¡±

    [AT YOUR CURRENT PACE, APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS.  WE ARE NEARING THE BORDER OF PRINDAS NOW, WE WILL BE THERE IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES.]

    That soon, Kyle thought.  Part of him considered slowing down, finding a safe place to camp out and meditate while he waited for communication from Suierrillax.  She had a great mind for politics, and he¡¯d come to treasure her advice in these circumstances.  He¡¯d been warned that the situation would likely get out of hand, and if she was able to reach their contacts at the Verdant Republic, he¡¯d be able to take his next steps with greater care.  Unfortunately, Suierrillax would need quite a while before she¡¯d be able to route a response to him.  Communication across this distance without Collective infrastructure was slow.

    Of course, that was only part of the equation.  Now that they were out of immediate danger, Kyle felt a stirring in his core.  Escaping the assault from the Scourge hadn¡¯t just been beneficial for C.H.A.D.D.  If he was right, he¡¯d gained more than a few levels from the harrowing experience.  He wasn¡¯t in a position to meditate when they¡¯d taken their first break, but he wanted to put all of those free attribute points to work before his arrival in the capital city.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you pull up a map of the safe areas between Prindas and Er¡¯Mithren?  I could use some time to meditate and rest.¡±

    A moment later, the orange map that C.H.A.D.D. projected zoomed out, with several points just off the road illuminated with brighter lights.

    [THESE ARE THE AREAS WITH THE LEAST ACTIVITY, DR. MAYHEW.  THEY ARE ALSO FAR ENOUGH OFF THE ROAD THAT YOU¡¯RE UNLIKELY TO BE DETECTED BY ANY PASSERS BY.]

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  He could see the familiar gold-colored bricks on the road as he got closer to Prindas, and veered off to a side path that the drone discovered during their trip south.  Compared to the oppressive silence as they approached Jell¡¯Or, the forest around them now seemed to be teeming with even more life than they saw on their initial journey.  The buzzing of bugs and echo of birdsongs were comforting, a reminder of the distance they crossed since being attacked.

    Following the drone¡¯s guidance, Kyle finally came upon the safe zone C.H.A.D.D. identified; a large tree stump that been nearly swallowed by the thick undergrowth.  The inside of the stump had been largely rotted away, and Kyle brushed away the vines and tangles, revealing a hollow large enough for him to sit comfortably.  He pulled some of the vines back overhead to obscure his position from anything above, and then settled in with his legs crossed.

    ¡°Do you need anything before I start meditating?¡± Kyle asked.

    [MORE OF YOUR MANA?]

    C.H.A.D.D. seemed to understand that Kyle¡¯s silence was a ¡°no,¡± and it continued.  [NOTHING, DR. MAYHEW.]

    With that, Kyle quieted his thoughts, closed his eyes, and focused on his heartbeat.  A moment later, his center appeared before him, and he looked at his status screen with expectation.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 76 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 34%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 1072

    ENDURANCE: 1240

    STRENGTH: 397

    DEXTERITY: 786

    WILLPOWER: 1579

    INTELLIGENCE: 1579

    PERCEPTION: 1144

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 108

    The first thing that drew Kyle¡¯s attention was the sheer amount of level gain.  6 whole levels from running away¡­ unbelievable.  As he thought about it more, however, he changed his mind.  While the Igneous Glaivebeak was likely more dangerous, he hadn¡¯t escaped that conflict with his own power.  This time, he had escaped the clutches of a C Grade coming after his life.

    While it could be argued that C.H.A.D.D. was the one who truly saved the day, the drone couldn¡¯t have done it without access to Kyle¡¯s skills and mana.  The duo had an incredible amount of synergy, and he wasn¡¯t going to downplay his own contribution.  Ultimately, his path was all about survival through endurance, and their escape aligned with that path perfectly.

    In other circumstances, Kyle may have taken this opportunity to reflect on his path so far, think about the choices he made to get to this point.  This time, however, there was another problem to deal with.  I haven¡¯t hunted any shrikes in a while, how did the Core of the Parasitic Devourer gain 6%?  There was undoubtedly more energy flowing through the core than before, the crimson runes glowing brightly as they swirled around the emblazoned image of his path.  The slowly spinning branches representing his attributes seemed largely unchanged, with only 2 bearing the nodules from the upgrades he received.

    The answer was simple, if puzzling.  While he¡¯d used Parasitic Resonance in his fight with D¡¯Oillelat, the only targets he fought with sufficient number to fill his core this much were the stranglevines.  Still, he¡¯d hunted plenty of other creatures using the skill that didn¡¯t cause the core to react.  When it did, he had the sharp moments of discomfort.  That hadn¡¯t occurred during his desperate escape from the Scourge.

    Kyle was left with 2 possibilities, both troubling.  The first, the better of the 2 in Kyle¡¯s eyes, was that Parasitic Resonance had gotten a taste for the Stranglevines, and something about either the situation or nature of the energy the core absorbed limited the adverse effect to him.  That wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.

    While he had no intention of crossing the Scourge again soon, he was confident that with some appropriate preparation he¡¯d be able to make a real run at it.  From what Kyle could see, the Scourge specialized in hunting large numbers of weaker creatures over a vast area.  Despite the clear danger it posed, Kyle didn¡¯t feel that he was too far off from being able to threaten it.  So long as he could avoid an ambush, he could likely kill off the pods that composed its body in sufficient numbers to cripple it.

    Of course, that¡¯s reliant on me not getting pinned down by the vines.  He let out an involuntary shudder as the enclosed space of the tree trunk suddenly felt suffocating, the darkness reminding him of the smothering vines.  Taking a calming breath, Kyle turned his attention back to his free attribute points.  He put half into Strength right away, with the remainder going into Dexterity.  He wasn¡¯t planning on focusing too much on his physical attributes, but between the shrike alpha nearly pinning him beneath stone and the Scourge smothering him beneath its mass, he¡¯d received some hard reminders about his limitations.  A weakness was fine, but his had become too glaring to ignore, at least for a while.

    With that business handled, he turned his thoughts back to the second possibility for his core, and the one that concerned him the most.  What if the core filled up every time he used Parasitic Resonance?  It was far and away his most-used offensive skill, and it had proven incredibly effective against pretty much everything Kyle had encountered.  His Willpower was beyond the realm of what most D Grades would ever achieve, even before the boost offered by Ignition.

    The Core of the Parasitic Devourer hadn¡¯t always filled when he used the skill, but could he really be confident that would always be the case?  If he was thoughtless, he could miss out on significant boosts to his Adaptive Anatomy, potentially filling the core to 100% without ever hitting the threshold for another adaptation.

    Of course, that was assuming Kyle even wanted the core to get filled.  While each boon was powerful, they came with costs, small slices of his humanity being left behind.  He wasn¡¯t necessarily opposed to this, but if this theory was correct, he may no longer have a choice in the matter.

    Kyle wrestled with that for a while, considering what it could mean for him and his path.  No clear answers came.  Finally, he exited meditation, brushing away the makeshift canopy.

    [WAS YOUR MEDITATION FRUITFUL, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°As much as I could hope for, C.H.A.D.D.  Now, let¡¯s go home.¡±

 Chapter 238

    Kyle turned a corner, and the sea of trees parted, revealing the goblin metropolis of Er¡¯Mithren.  He paused, taking a moment to look up at the towering city.

    [IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, C.H.A.D.D.  It¡¯s just interesting to me how much your perspective of a place can change in so short a time.  Do you remember coming down from the tower there?¡±

    [I DO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle continued, barely registering his companion¡¯s words as his eyes fixed on the central tower dominating the city¡¯s skyline.  ¡°I thought it was so beautiful.  This architecture tied into the trees, connected to the land.  It was foreign, and familiar all at once.¡±

    He shook his head, then started walking toward the city proper.  Already small groups of goblins noticed him, whispering among themselves as they stared.

    ¡°Now,¡± Kyle said, ¡°I look up, and all that beauty feels painted on, fake.  It¡¯s all built on the same bloody foundations we saw on Earth.¡±

    [IN FAIRNESS, A PROCLIVITY TOWARD CONFLICT IS HARDLY A TRAIT SHARED EXCLUSIVELY BY HUMANS AND GOBLINS.  IF YOU¡¯VE FORGOTTEN, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO REVIEW SOME OF THE HISTORIC CONFLICTS THAT WERE COVERED DURING YOUR PRACTICUM STUDY.]

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m glad the Verdant Republic will be able to get it all cleared up once they get involved.¡±

    Kyle stopped walking and looked at the manned guard tower near the city entrance.  The goblin wore a metal jacket and helmet, with the rest of his uniform consisting of what appeared to be padded leather.  He carried a spear in his left hand, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think that the longbow strapped to the guard¡¯s back would be more useful given the distance.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Courier?¡± the goblin asked, voice cracking partway through the question.

    Kyle resisted the temptation to make a quip about being a different off-world alien on their planet, instead forcing a neutral expression on his face as he nodded.  ¡°I am, and I¡¯m looking to conclude my business here.¡±

    ¡°Wait here, just a moment,¡± the goblin replied.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes narrowed as Synaptic Barbs felt the air around the guard shifting slightly, and he focused his attention on the goblin.  He¡¯s shaking, Kyle thought.  Nerves, perhaps?  It¡¯s not every day they meet an off-worlder, I suppose.  Still, he focused Auric Perception, just in case the guard was preparing some sort of aggressive action.  He felt a minor flow of mana, the source of which was quickly identified when the goblin pulled out a small crystal.

    The guard spoke into it, which seemed to spark quite the discussion, based on his animated movements.  Kyle was about out of patience, when the goblin put the crystal away, turning his attention to Kyle, as he readjusted his metal cap as he did so.

    ¡°We welcome you back to the city.  Given the disruptions you¡¯re likely to cause, Counselor Pall¡¯Eth would ask that you wait here while he gets an escort together to guide you to the Council Chambers.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth is a Counselor? Kyle thought, hiding his surprise.  Instead, he sighed, shaking his head slowly.  ¡°Tell the Counselor that I appreciate his offer, but that I can find my way back on my own.¡±

    The guard looked about to protest, and Kyle gestured to the gawking crowds of goblinoids.  ¡°Besides,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I¡¯ve already caused a disruption.  I promise, the sooner I¡¯m up in the tower, the sooner things get back to normal in the streets.¡±

    The guard looked past Kyle at the crowd, then back at Kyle.  ¡°If you had notified us, this could have been avoided.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms.  ¡°And how, exactly, was I supposed to do that?  Looking back, it seems like a pretty major oversight that we wouldn¡¯t have any communication methods set up after I made my delivery.¡±

    The goblin shifted uncomfortably.  By now, the crowd had done what crowds do, growing faster than anybody expected.  Finally, the goblin stood aside.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Counselor to meet you.  Head straight there, and if you get lost, find a guard.  No need to make your presence here a bigger deal than it has already become.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kyle said, as he walked past the goblin and into Er¡¯Mithren proper.  The guard¡¯s discomfort confirmed his suspicion that they didn¡¯t expect him so soon, if at all.  Kyle¡¯s brief exposure to the Council of Er¡¯Mithren felt in many ways consistent with the governing structure of the Verdant Republic.  While it was an effective model for large-scale governance, it struggled to make major decisions nimbly.  With any luck, Kyle would be able to leverage their surprise to get himself home before they really had time to talk their plans through.

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    ~~~

    ¡°What do you mean, you let him into the city?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth screamed, his voice a high-pitched screech of outrage.  ¡°I gave you specific orders to keep him at the front gates if he arrived!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± the guard replied.  ¡°It just felt like it would be smoother to send him up to you directly.  The other guards are watching his location, and it doesn¡¯t appear that he¡¯s deviating from the path back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s deviating or not!¡±  Pall¡¯Eth shrieked, flecks of spittle landing on the communication crystal.  ¡°I gave you an order for a reason!  You¡¯re dismissed.  Your new assignment will be given to you at dawn.¡±

    ¡°Wait, but sir ¨C¡° the guard¡¯s voice trailed off as Pall¡¯Eth severed the connection, his mind working furiously.  Not only had the Onyx Warrior survived, he arrived at their city ¨C his city ¨C several full days faster than their earliest anticipation.  Worse still, the man appeared to be in fine condition!  He carried no visible injuries or signs of a life-or-death struggle.  A true impossibility if he¡¯d actually fought the Resistance¡¯s queen.

    Word had already been sent to the other Council members, but there simply wasn¡¯t time.  They underestimated the Courier, a mistake that had the potential to cost them everything they¡¯d worked so hard to achieve in these years since they seized power.  The other counselors didn¡¯t see it that way; didn¡¯t appreciate the risks.  Already, initial discussions were looking to be about appeasement, finding a suitable narrative that they could send back with him upon his return.

    If the Courier was allowed to leave, that would be the end of it.  The longer he thought about it, the more certain he¡¯d become that the Verdant Republic was playing multiple angles.  Mayhew¡¯s safe return would spell the doom of the Council.  It would signal the takeover of a hostile force, masquerading as a savior.  And Pall¡¯Eth was the only one with enough vision to see it.

    He sent a message that he was heading to the Council chambers, and wracked his brain as he sought a solution.  Another note came in, and he checked the crystal immediately.  The Courier was already at the heart of the city, ascending the stairways toward the Council.  He¡¯d arrive in less than 20 minutes.  There just isn¡¯t any time, Pall¡¯Eth thought.  With a resigned sigh, he knew what he had to do.  There was simply no other choice.  Drastic times called for drastic measures.

    ~~~

    Kyle breathed out a sigh of relief as he climbed the seemingly endless stairs toward the Council Chambers, and the teleportation circle that would take him home.  He¡¯d been informed that the lift and shuttles were off-limits to him at the moment, but he made good time moving at a brisk jog.  Kyle already drew enough attention by simply existing in the city, moving faster than other foot traffic hardly seemed to contribute to the issue.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re back and settled, let¡¯s get a list together of all the things we want to get done on our return,¡± Kyle said, his voice low.  ¡°They still owe us a data slate with information about the local flora, and we should make a point to get you any interesting samples.¡±

    [I WOULD LIKE THAT VERY MUCH, DR. MAYHEW.  I WOULD ALSO LIKE MORE STRANGLEVINE SAMPLES, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE AVOID HUNTING ALL OF THEM AT ONCE.  A FEW AT A TIME WOULD BE PLENTY FOR MY NEEDS.]

    ¡°You¡¯ve got it, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said, doing his best to hide a smile.  He¡¯d worried that the drone may have lost its desire to get more stranglevine data, but it appeared that wasn¡¯t the case.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s singular focus on the things it wanted couldn¡¯t be quenched by something as simple as mortal peril, after all.  And Kyle wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.

    The duo rounded a corner where another guard, a troll this time, stepped out to greet him.  The woman tried to engage in pleasantries, as all the others had, and Kyle once again politely declined as he continued his ascent.  Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception painted a clear picture of the guard pulling a crystal out of a pouch and channeling mana into it, but Kyle didn¡¯t care.  Communication was to be expected, and making an issue out of it would only end badly for him.  No, all he had to do was make his way to the Council and ask for safe passage home.

    He walked around the perimeter of another landing, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the city sprawling out below.  The capitol grounds were like a beehive, and he felt a pang of regret that he¡¯d only spent time on the outer perimeter.  There were artisans, craftspeople, and museums located all throughout the central structure, and Kyle resolved to spend a little more time here the next time he returned, too.  Despite all the political games, he¡¯d grown a real appreciation for and interest in the history of this land.

    As he rounded another corner, he looked up at the final winding set of stairs leading to the Council Chambers.  Unease was slowly mixing with the relief he¡¯d felt just moments before.  Something¡¯s wrong.  Auric Perception alerted him to a surge of mana flowing through the air around him, all being drawn up.

    BOOM!

    Kyle reflexively activated Storm Shelter as the tower above him exploded.  The floor beneath him shook as cracks formed along the alabaster marble of the walls.  Massive chunks of stone crashed ineffectually against Kyle¡¯s barrier, and he looked around, bewildered, trying to find the source of the attack.  What the hell happened?  Kyle thought.  The Council Chambers above had been caught in the conflagration, and the entire tower was threatening to collapse.

    Then, realization dawned.  The trap formation he spotted on the way in was triggered.  Were they trying to catch me in the explosion?  They had to know I hadn¡¯t reached the top yet.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what did your scans show?¡±  Kyle asked, his voice barely audible over the sounds of screaming citizens and cracking stone.

    [A SWIFT SURGE OF MANA, DRAWN FROM THE TOWER ITSELF.  I BELIEVE THAT REMOTE ACTIVATION OF THE FORMATION YOU IDENTIFIED UPON OUR ARRIVAL IS THE MOST LIKELY CULPRIT.]

    ¡°Are there any survivors?¡±

    [MANY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle gritted his teeth as he began to take steps toward the Council Chambers.  If he could save them maybe ¨C

    [NOT THAT WAY, DR. MAYHEW.  THE REMAINING SURVIVORS ARE ALL BELOW YOU, IN THE TOWER.  IN FACT, MANY OF THEM APPEAR TO BE COMING TO YOU RIGHT NOW.]

    Kyle swore, turning back toward the landing.  Spiderweb cracks could be seen slowly expanding, and he knew it was only a matter of time until more of the upper layers collapsed.  Just as he turned the corner, he was met with a group of goblin and troll guards, none more powerful than middle-E Grade.  They took one look at him, then leveled their spears as one.

    The troll at the front snarled at him.  ¡°You won¡¯t escape!  You¡¯ll pay for your crimes, murderer!¡±

 Chapter 239

    Kyle felt the goblins in the rear concentrating mana as the front line moved to attack him, spears aiming for his vitals.  He batted each attack out of the way as he advanced into their line, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance connecting to the Mage-types.  He disrupted the flow of their mana, but was careful to do little else.  Until he had a better grasp on exactly how the skill interacted with his Core of the Parasitic Devourer, he didn¡¯t want to risk the core getting a taste for goblin.

    One of the trolls snarled and attempted to grapple him, to which Kyle responded with a partially-charged strike with his forcehammer baton, the shockwave knocking the attacking troll and several others back even further.  It also caused the spiderweb cracks on the floor beneath to spread.

    ¡°I had nothing to do with the explosion!¡±  Kyle yelled, parrying another spear attack as he advanced several more steps.  ¡°There are still people trapped inside the tower, people who need your help!  We need to evacuate, now!¡±

    A nearby goblin shrieked, attempting to channel a blast of wind-affinity mana.  ¡°We caught you leaving the scene of the crime!¡±

    For the first time, C.H.A.D.D. spoke up.  [RECORDS OF ALL TRAVELS THROUGH ER¡¯MITHREN CAN BE PROVIDED.  DR. MAYHEW¡¯S ARRIVAL WAS WELL-DOCUMENTED, AND HE PROCEEDED TO COME STRAIGHT HERE.  THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TIME TO PRODUCE AN ATTACK OF THIS MAGNITUDE.]

    The drone¡¯s words appeared to give Kyle¡¯s pursuers pause, until a familiar voice came through a still-active communication crystal.  ¡°He clearly smuggled a bomb into the city!  Likely hidden among documents and deliverables intended for the Council!  Do not be fooled by his words, this man is dangerous!  Reinforcements are on the way, hold him as long as you can!¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s voice was hasty, tinged with desperation, but his lies were enough to motivate the force in front of Kyle.  They each carried a resolve he recognized, ready to lay down their lives in defense of their home.  To them, he was little more than a terrorist who attacked them in the seat of their power.  In their shoes, Kyle probably would have felt the same.

    Dammit, he thought.  Kyle knew that they were just following orders, in the wrong place at the wrong time.  In any other circumstance, he would have simply run away, leaving them behind.  Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t seem to be an option.  C.H.A.D.D. expanded its scans, and it looked as though over a hundred guards were heading his way.  Worse, Auric Perception informed Kyle of a handful of auras far more powerful than those he was fighting now.  D Grades, and likely the elites of Er¡¯Mithren, were coming.

    If it weren¡¯t for the narrow stairwells and deadly elevation, Kyle still would have felt confident attempting an escape.  Even if some of the elites could keep up, he¡¯d be able to outpace the weaker guards, allowing him to put his full attention on the biggest threats.  Instead, he was well and truly trapped.  The only path of descent available to him was through a veritable army of goblinoid guards.  If he didn¡¯t find an alternative, his escape would be a bloody one.

    Making a decision, Kyle activated Ignition, shoving past several of the goblins and trolls until he got to the next landing.  More guards were pouring out of a door, a couple of lower-tier D Grades among them.  He swung his forcehammer baton, this time at full force.  The shockwaves created space, and he dashed through the opening and into the tower proper.

    Kyle ran through a narrow, arched hallway, which opened up into Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s center.  What he saw when he entered was utter chaos.  The central portion of this tower reminded Kyle of a stadium; each level of the tower had its own offices, but there was a central hollow that looked all the way down to the bottom, where a large sculpture stood, coming nearly halfway to the top floor.  Huge crowds of unawakened were cramming into the stairwells as the tower continued to shake.  Large chunks of white and gray stone littered the otherwise pristine floor below, and Kyle could see goblin and troll bodies pinned beneath. Cracks crossed the span of the ceiling.  Kyle suspected that this floor would be exposed to the open air before long.

    Below, he could hear the angry shouts of the guards above the din of panicked voices.  They were trying to fight their way up toward him, through the crowds forcing their way down.  Kyle still had pursuers chasing him down the hallway behind him, but he had a moment to breathe.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., any ideas?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [I THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD A PLAN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°My plan was to buy us time, I haven¡¯t figured out much beyond that.¡±

    [I CAN TELL.  AS INTERESTING AS IT MIGHT BE TO BE BURIED UNDER TONS OF RUBBLE, I WOULD MUCH PREFER WE FIND AN ALTERNATIVE.]

    Kyle was about to respond to the drone, when Auric Perception warned of a powerful gathering of mana.  He swayed to the right, just as a bolt of crimson lightning smashed into the wall behind him.  Across the open center, and 2 tiers down, Kyle saw a goblin looking up at him, electricity arcing across the length of a long wooden staff.

    Another bolt flew toward him, and a falling block of stone prevented Kyle from dodging perfectly.  The bolt seared his right shoulder, and to Kyle¡¯s surprise, the lightning appeared to linger on his skin, continuing to both shock and burn at the same time.

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    ¡°What is it with goblins and lightning-affinity?¡±  Kyle grumbled, channeling a Healing Impetus alongside Adaptive Regeneration to counteract the damage.

    [IT IS RATHER INTERESTING, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT.  YOU SHOULD CONSIDER CONDUCTING A STUDY.]

    ¡°Later, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± Kyle snapped, attention on the goblin below, who was channeling a different skill.  This goblin was the most powerful of the capitol guards he¡¯d seen so far, though he detected 4 other presences at a similar level making their way toward the center.  Kyle¡¯s hope was that the presence of the civilians would get them to calm down, but that hope was dwindling rapidly as the goblin¡¯s attacks only hastened the tower¡¯s destruction.

    True battles between D Grades often took a toll on the surrounding environment, and with the damage the tower had already taken, it didn¡¯t have much chance at surviving.  Still, Kyle wasn¡¯t out of options.  Just as the guards behind him came through the tunnel, Kyle took in a deep breath, then jumped off the balcony into the open space between the floors.

    He could hear a cry of alarm from above him, and saw the goblin Mage realigning the trajectory of his staff.  Too late, Kyle thought, a fierce grin on his face.  As he fell to the same level as the goblin, he activated Repel, giving himself an explosion of forward momentum.  The goblin¡¯s eyes widened as Kyle crashed into him at breakneck speed.

    He still had a lot to learn about making the landings work, but with a goblin to help cushion his fall, Kyle was up and moving in a matter of moments.  The same couldn¡¯t be said for the mage, who had broken at least a few bones.  And that was before Kyle landed a solid punch to its nose, for good measure.  It wouldn¡¯t keep the D Grade down for long, but it should buy him some time.

    At least, he hoped it would.  An ogre turned the corner, wearing 2 bladed gauntlets.  As soon as she saw Kyle, she started activating multiple boosting skills.  Identify showed dramatic spikes in Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, and Perception, and he knew that trying to match the ogre in raw physical might would be a bad idea.

    As she approached down the narrow hallway, she was met by a directed shot of Repel, then another, then a third.  The hallways on this level were holding up much better than those on the higher floors, so he didn¡¯t hold back.  The narrow space helped Kyle to shape the blast, and by the third the ogre had been knocked clean off her feet and sent flying all the way to the end of the hallway, where she crashed into another D Grade goblin who was coming to assist.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I MAY HAVE AN IDEA.]

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± Kyle shouted in reply.  ¡°Just tell me quickly!¡±

    [YOU WILL NEED TO DESCEND 2 MORE LEVELS, AND THEN FOLLOW THE PATH I AM SETTING.  SCANS INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER TELEPORTATION FORMATION, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACTIVATE IT.]

    Kyle activated Storm Shelter as a swarm of metal shards flew down the hallway, coupled with another blast of crimson lightning.

    ¡°Where does it lead?¡± Kyle asked.

    [UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NO IDEA.  HOWEVER, I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD LEAD TO WORSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAN THOSE YOU ARE CURRENTLY FACING, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle dropped his skill the moment the attacks were done, narrowly avoiding the ogre who had returned to press the attack.  Her punches sliced through the air as her boosting skills stayed active, leaning into the natural physical prowess her species shared.  No other option.

    With a surge of Willpower, Kyle disrupted her skills using Parasitic Resonance, again careful to avoid draining much of her mana.  She looked visibly surprised as her movements slowed, just in time to be blown back by a direct hit to the chest from Kyle¡¯s forcehammer baton.  Taking advantage of the momentary opening, he closed on the recovering goblin mage, who still stood by the edge of this layer.  He threw the dazed goblin toward the backup that was arriving, and then leapt off the balcony again.

    Another use of Repel brought him crashing into the layer C.H.A.D.D. marked for him, though the landing hurt a lot more this time.  He was burning through his mana quickly, even with the constant inflow from Ignition, something that he wasn¡¯t used to.  Part of it was his more moderated use of Parasitic Resonance, though the lion¡¯s share of the difference came from Repel.  The skill¡¯s mana expenditure was high enough that Kyle was no longer guaranteed to outlast his opponents, something that made him uncomfortable.

    Not the time, Kyle.  Move!  He admonished himself as he took off down the hallway ahead, following C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  An E Grade guard was stationed at the entrance to what looked like a records room, and Kyle burst past him without a second thought.  The civilians had long abandoned their stations, with desks left cluttered, drinks spilling in some cases over piles of documents.

    Kyle rounded a hallway and came to another door, which was locked.  Kyle jiggled the handle furiously for a moment before taking a step back.

    [LET ME TRY TO FIND ANOTHER ROUTE, JUST A MOMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Before the drone could continue, Kyle stepped forward, kicking the door dead center, and activating a blast of Repel from the bottom of his foot.  The heavy wooden door splintered, shards of wood flying into the room beyond.

    [NEVER MIND, THAT WORKS, TOO.]

    The room beyond was abandoned.  Judging by the amount of dust that had accumulated, it had been for a while.  Documents and journals were strewn about, but Kyle¡¯s eyes were drawn to the center of the room, where the teleportation formation was inscribed into the stone.

    While he still had a lot to learn from Jarberry, he¡¯d picked up enough to understand that this was fundamentally different than many of the various formations and arrays he¡¯d previously studied.  Rather than facilitating any type of 2-way transport, this one was designed to take a one-way trip.

    Kyle paused at that, but the sound of screaming in the hallway behind him, and the feeling of powerful presences approaching snapped him back to the task at hand.  He frantically looked over the runic formation, searching for the correct rune to infuse in order to activate the teleportation.

    The guards were getting closer, and Kyle swore as he redoubled his search.  Just as the head of the ogre crossed the threshold of the room, he found it.  There!  He placed his hand upon the rune, and began infusing energy.  The formation greedily lapped it up, but it needed more.  The ogre dashed toward Kyle, and he mouthed a silent plea of forgiveness as tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out, draining her mana in a moment and pouring into the formation.

    In doing so, he also tried to inflict some swelling around the spinal column to put her down quickly, but non-lethally.  She fell, but he wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be able to recover without medical attention.  A D Grade troll and the E Grade guard from out front both came in next, but they were too late.  The mana from the ogre, coupled with Kyle¡¯s own, proved to be enough.  He felt the world around him swirl and twist, and then there was silence.

 Chapter 240

    ¡°What do you mean, he used the teleporter?  How did he even know that a teleportation formation was set up?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth was irate, pacing back and forth about the room as his mobile desk spun and whirred.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, sir,¡± the goblin said, each breath still painful due to his cracked ribs.  ¡°He seemed to move straight for it, almost as though he¡¯d been there before.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth spat on the ground.  ¡°As if it¡¯s not enough that he¡¯s working with the Resistance, he also has help on the inside.  What leads do you have, Delronor?¡±

    ¡°None, sir,¡± Delronor wheezed.  ¡°Preliminary investigations haven¡¯t revealed anything unusual.  The guards rotated as normal, nobody new has been added to the rotation in months.  The door itself was destroyed, but it looks like the alarm only went off moments before he escaped.¡±

    ¡°When was the last reported access?¡± Pall¡¯Eth asked.

    Delronor inhaled, then had a painful coughing fit before responding.  ¡°Apologies, sir.  Records show the last access was 837 days ago, with the door having remained sealed per instruction since.  Other than the mess made by the Courier, the room looked to be in a condition consistent with such a long time undisturbed.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth leaned forward, eyes intense.  ¡°And you¡¯re certain that nothing else was taken?  Nothing is out of place?¡±

    ¡°As certain as we can be, sir.  Is there something in particular you¡¯re concerned about?  We can get an inventory done.¡±  Delronor¡¯s expression belied some anxiety as he spoke, his gaze fixed on Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s focused expression.  Fortunately, the answer seemed to placate the Counselor.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Delronor.  We¡¯ll need to have a more thorough review of the access logs in any case.  There¡¯s something we¡¯re missing here, I¡¯m sure of it.  We need to find the traitor in our midst, and have them dealt with,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.

    Delronor saluted.  ¡°Understood, sir.  Should we prepare a party to pursue?  Unfortunately many of the guards were injured, but we could put a force together¡­.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth shook his head.  ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.  That teleporter leads far, far away.  And from what I¡¯ve heard of the creatures that inhabit those lands, it is unlikely we¡¯ll see the Courier again.  If we do, we will have plenty of time to prepare.  No, the most important thing now is to locate the rats among us and have them expunged.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±  Delronor said, before leaving the room.

    Once alone with his thoughts, Pall¡¯Eth let out a sigh of relief.  The room with the teleporter also housed hundreds of old records and research notes from the former king.  Many of these notes were in reference to the aberrant experiments he¡¯d run, and were only kept around as proof of his atrocities.  Other notes, however, were older.

    One such tome gave detailed explanations and information about shrikes; their habits, their skills, and most importantly, notes on how to control him.  Notes that he and his colleagues read 837 days ago as part of their plan to overcome the Resistance.  If they¡¯d gone missing, the list of potential traitors would have narrowed, but the risks would have grown.  He pulled out a small flute from a hidden pocket in his jacket, admiring the ancient relic.  So long as knowledge of this artifact was hidden, he still had an ace up his sleeve.

    ~~~

    There was no sign of the tower.  No screams echoed, no pursuers could be seen.  Kyle looked about, standing in the middle of a ruined stone structure.  Warm sunlight shone down on him, and he could feel a gentle breeze.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±  Kyle asked, mostly to himself.

    [I AM NOT SURE HOW YOU EXPECT ME TO KNOW THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°It was rhetorical, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Kyle looked about, trying to get a better sense of the world around them.  The surrounding rubble was almost reminiscent of Earth after the calamity, except for the stone here was mostly dark granite rather than the mixed building material on Earth.  Moss and vines grew over much of the stonework, and as he climbed over a particularly large block, he saw what could only be described as a war-torn battlefield.

    Once, he could have easily pictured rolling hills rising over a lush wetland, dotted with vibrant trees and grasses.  Now, however, deep gouges dotted the land.  Fallen trees were littered all around the area like broken toothpicks.  Impact craters were visible among the destruction, remnants of some long-past conflict.  At the center of it all stood the ruins of the structure where Kyle found himself.  What was this place?

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what do your scans show you?¡±

    [THE AREA APPEARS TO BE SAFE, DR. MAYHEW.  LONG RANGE SCANS INDICATE TRACES OF MORE POWERFUL LIFE, BUT THEY ARE MANY KILOMETERS AWAY.  WHILE THE STRUCTURE WE ARE IN DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANYTHING LIVING, THERE IS A SUBSTRUCTURE THAT APPEARS TO BE WARDED.]

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    ¡°How far away is the entrance?¡± Kyle asked.

    [NOT FAR, THOUGH IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO ENTER.  CONTRARY TO THE ROOM IN THE TOWER, THE WARDS ON THIS DOOR APPEAR TO BE OF D-GRADE MAKE.]

    Kyle nodded, considering his options.  Nobody else appeared yet, which led him to believe that the guards in Er¡¯Mithren were hesitant to follow.  That made sense, considering that there was no easy way for them to return.  Of course, there was also the chance that they were simply waiting to gather their forces, in which case a small army could arrive at any time.

    If they did, the worst thing Kyle could do was to find himself trapped in another narrow area.  He was supremely confident in his ability to outrun and evade the D Grade force he¡¯d seen in the tower, but that didn¡¯t extend to him being trapped within the confines of a subterranean tunnel system.  He was curious, and intended to come back to learn more, but for now he wanted to get somewhere safe to observe and make a plan.

    ¡°We¡¯ll come back once things have settled down a bit,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°In the meantime, did your scans show anywhere nearby that could make a good shelter?¡±

    [SEVERAL, DR. MAYHEW.  I¡¯VE MARKED THEM ON YOUR MAP.]

    The map that C.H.A.D.D. deployed lit up with several bright nodes.  Choosing the nearest one, he climbed over some nearby debris and set a course.  The location C.H.A.D.D. marked was a small crevice inside one of the impact craters, sheltered from the sunlight and elements.  Not that he was particularly concerned, given the sun¡¯s soon departure beneath the horizon.

    That, of course, brought up the other major issue.  Kyle had no idea where they were.  Based on the relative position of the sun, they were clearly somewhere distant, but Kyle didn¡¯t really have a solid grasp of the planet¡¯s geography.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s relative mapping abilities near-useless after being teleported, there was no easy way to know which direction they needed to go in order to get back to either Resistance territory or to the capitol.

    Coupled with the loss of the teleportation formation on top of the tower, Kyle was stuck.  The Verdant Republic and Courier¡¯s Guild could work out an extraction plan, given time.  Unfortunately, that time would likely be measured in months.  He still hadn¡¯t heard back from Suierrillax, and with communications taking this long, he could only imagine how much more difficult it would be to coordinate an extraction.  Doubly so when he considered all of the bureaucratic challenges of working with the Verdant Republic.

    He thought about all of these problems as he crested a small hill nearby, spotting the crevice that C.H.A.D.D. market for him.  It was a bit of a tight squeeze, though once he settled in on the ground it wasn¡¯t too bad.  He pulled some rations out of his pack, and started making a list of his possible options.  Don¡¯t make hasty decisions, he admonished himself.

    First, he could create a base camp nearby, and hunker down until he heard back from Suierrillax.  It was probably the safest option available to him, though it also likely brought the worst outcomes.  He would be little more than a liability in need of rescue, and Kyle was under no illusions about how that would be received.  Even with all the extenuating circumstances, it wasn¡¯t likely that potential employers would look at his work so far as a success.  In fact, the Verdant Republic would take the cost of his rescue out of his credits.

    His second option would be to try and make his way back to the Resistance.  The job could still be salvaged if D¡¯Oillelat stepped in and took leadership, and he felt confident that introducing her to the Verdant Republic would be a major win for him, even if there were still unknowns about getting them to join the Republic officially.  Naturally, the issue with this plan was that he had no way to find his way back to the Resistance.

    He could also do the same, but return to Er¡¯Mithren.  That option was dismissed almost immediately, because he couldn¡¯t see an outcome that didn¡¯t result in innocent bloodshed.  Lots of it.  No, if he returned to Er¡¯Mithren, he would need to have a plan to cut through the fanaticism.  Pall¡¯Eth seemed to be at the root of it, somehow, and given that the man had plenty of time to let the negative sentiment fester, it would be foolish to go back without a plan.  He had no issues with Pall¡¯Eth facing retribution, but he wanted to leave as many others people out of it as possible.

    His final option was much like the first.  Rather than stay and wait for extraction, he could begin exploring this side of the planet.  The risk to this type of plan were largely unknown, though he could admit that it could make him more difficult to track when an extraction team arrived.  On the other hand, it could also allow him and C.H.A.D.D. to make the most of their time left on the planet.  He had no idea if shrikes existed on this part of the world, but he was happy to search and find out.

    He took a while longer to ponder other choices as his mana slowly replenished, but every other idea he came up with seemed to boil back down to one of his initial 4.  Twilight was in full swing outside, and the relative quiet proved to be strangely peaceful.

    With a sigh, Kyle stretched, looking to the pack resting on the ground nearby.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what am I missing?¡±

    He and C.H.A.D.D. discussed the options at length, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t hurt to review it all with his companion.

    [I THINK WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE OPTIONS SUFFICIENTLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°And what would you do?¡± Kyle pressed.

    [EXPLORATION SEEMS TO BE THE WISEST CHOICE, DR. MAYHEW.  FROM WHAT WE HAVE OBSERVED, YOUR LEVEL OF STRENGTH IS ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THIS PLANET.  ASSUMING YOU AVOID ENCOUNTERING ANY MORE C GRADES, THERE COULD BE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH OF US.]

    Kyle smiled at the drone¡¯s words.  He knew that C.H.A.D.D. was hoping for more unique plants to add to its collection, always greedy to expand its archive.  Still, Kyle agreed.  Making the most of a bad situation was part of being a Guild operator, after all.  If he could find something unique to bring back, he might be able to avert a bit of the backlash from the job¡¯s failure.

    Stretching, he settled down on the ground.  Kyle had a plan, and tomorrow morning he would begin exploring his new surroundings.  For now, he pulled out the spatial disk Jarberry lent him and pulled out his tomes.

    If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that he needed to keep getting stronger.  Kyle never expected an existence like the Scourge to attack them like it did.  He could only imagine what other threats were lurking, not just on Er¡¯Mithren, but across the broader universe.  Threats he would need real power to contend with.  So, as the light faded beyond the horizon, he focused as he opened the first tome and got to work.

 Chapter 241

    187, 176, and 203, Kyle thought, reviewing his progress.  He expected to see a bit of a jump simply based on the attribute points he gained from his levels, and his results hadn¡¯t disappointed.  Of course, there was no substitute for simply putting in the practice.  One of the few benefits to being stranded in an unknown location on an alien world was that he would have plenty of time to himself to practice.  With the likelihood of a months-long delay in his rescue, he¡¯d make the most of it.

    [YOU ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D.  How are things on your end?¡±

    [I HAVE COMPLETED AN AUDIT OF OUR SEEDS, MANY HAVE BEEN USED UP, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE THAT ARE FOOD-PRODUCING.  WHEN YOU HAVE SOME TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO BORROW SOME MORE MANA TO BEGIN REPLENISHING OUR STORES.]

    ¡°I can definitely do that.  How much will you need?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPLY EVERYTHING THAT¡¯S NEEDED WITH 2 TO 3 HOURS OF EXCESS DRAIN, OR WE COULD DO SMALLER AMOUNTS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.]

    Kyle checked his mana, which was currently running a bit low after his training.  He could always use Ignition to bypass that problem, but given the bright red light the skill emitted, he decided against it.  ¡°Let¡¯s get you topped off first thing in the morning.¡±

    [THEN WE WILL SPEAK OF IT THEN, DR. MAYHEW.  WHAT OTHER INSTRUCTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR ME?]

    ¡°All I would ask is that you alert me if you detect anything approaching.  I¡¯m mostly concerned about a squad teleporting in from Er¡¯Mithren, although if anything else noteworthy gets on your radar.¡±

    [UNDERSTOOD.  GET SOME REST, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  Kyle looked out of the crevice into the night beyond.  He could just make out a sliver of night sky above, where the 2 moons, the larger red and smaller blue, were passing through the darkness.  He watched them for a while, sitting in silence.  His goal tomorrow would be to scout the area around the ruins to get a better sense of his location.  If he didn¡¯t find anything interesting, he planned to break past the warded door, then continue on his way.

    Just as he was about to fall asleep, a thunderous roar echoed through the hills and ruins.  The bellow persisted for several seconds, and Kyle was on full alert.  Quietly, he whispered to C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°What was that?¡±

    [I DO NOT ¨C WAIT, 2 PRESENCES JUST ENTERED MY SCANNER RANGE.  ONE IS A GOBLIN, GIVING THE MANA SIGNATURE OF AN EARLY-TIER AWAKENED.  THE OTHER IS¡­ SOMETHING I HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.  BASED ON ITS SIZE, I HYPOTHESIZE IT IS THE SOURCE OF THE SCREAM.]

    ¡°Is the goblin leading it?¡± Kyle asked, his mind immediately jumping to the worst possibility ¨C a group of Er¡¯Mithren hunters using beasts to track him.

    [IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING.  ALTHOUGH BASED ON ITS ATTACKS, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE CONSENSUAL.]

    C.H.A.D.D. then projected an image before Kyle, of a goblin holding some type of basket running away from a comically large behemoth.  Going off the scale the drone provided, the creature looked to be between 8 and 10 meters tall.  Its proportions were similar to a gorilla, with long, thick front arms and relatively short back legs.  That was where the comparison ended, as the creature also had large bone spikes jutting out of its back, and a vestigial tail behind it.  It had no neck or head that Kyle could see, instead sporting 2 sets of eyes, one up in front of its face, the others appearing on its shoulders, giving it a wide range of vision.  A large, gaping maw with uneven fangs made lunging bites at the goblin, who appeared to be running for their life.

    [IT HAS ALREADY GAINED SIGNIFICANT GROUND ON THE GOBLIN.  EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE HEADING THIS WAY, IT IS UNLIKELY THE GOBLIN SURVIVES LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE IT NEAR YOUR HIDING SPOT.]

    Kyle considered that for a moment.  He could choose to lay low, and things would probably turn out okay for him.  He could feel the creature now through Auric Perception, giving off a strong D Grade aura.  It was powerful, though from what Kyle could see, likely a bad matchup for him.  And whether or not the goblin was friend or foe, Kyle could learn some valuable information from them.

    He stepped out of the crevice, evaluating his mana reserves.  A little over half, and Ignition should top off the rest.  With that thought, he felt the power flow through him as he activated his skill and dashed toward the fleeing goblin and its pursuer.

    The moment they came into view, Kyle got a proper look at both the goblin and its pursuer with Identify.  The goblin was using an agility boosting skill, and as C.H.A.D.D. noted, was probably in the middle levels of E Grade, perhaps just having gotten their Level 40 skill.

    The behemoth, on the other hand, was on the high end of D Grade, likely outstripping Kyle by more than a handful of levels.  What really drew his attention, however, were the creature¡¯s attribute distributions.  It¡¯s Intelligence and Willpower were imperceptible, so low that Identify didn¡¯t give a single impression of the attributes.  Dexterity and Perception were in a normal range, with Endurance being just a bit beyond them.

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    No, what gave Kyle pause was its astronomical Strength and Vitality.  It likely had more points into Strength than most early D Grades had total attribute points, and Vitality was a level even beyond that.  What is this thing, Kyle wondered.  He¡¯d never heard of a creature this lopsided in terms of growth before, something that was truly mindless, while also being this powerful.  He refocused as the creature turned toward him, a gleaming crimson beacon in the otherwise dark landscape.  It bellowed again, its voice physically painful, then turned from the goblin it was chasing to run directly toward Kyle.

    As it closed in, Kyle got a good look at its pale-green skin, mottled with patches of darker green and yellow, and noticed for the first time a tuft of black hair over its smaller set of eyes.  Despite himself, he was revolted.  The longer he looked at this creature, the more grotesque it appeared.  That was all the time he had to think, as a tree-trunk sized limb came crashing toward him.

    He activated Storm Shelter, the creature¡¯s fist slamming into it with incredible force.  The air itself shook with the impact, and Kyle was surprised to see a web of cracks open up on the shield where the creature struck it.  This was the first time a D Grade had enough pure physical power to overwhelm his shield without using powerful boosting skills or offensive techniques.

    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean it got away unscathed.  The hand that struck the barrier had been bent backward at an unnatural angle, a mess of blood and exposed bone clear to see.  If the injury bothered the monstrosity, it didn¡¯t show it as its other arm came crashing in, widening the network of cracks.  A third blow followed a fraction of a second later, this time using its injured arm.  Blood spattered all across the shield as the beast howled, and Kyle was left momentarily baffled.  What kind of bloodlust is this, that it¡¯s willing to destroy itself to kill someone it just met?

    Storm Shelter was in a truly wretched state now, but it had done its job.  Already, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance had invaded the creature, and Kyle felt no qualms about using it in a case like this.  If he was lucky, the Core of the Parasitic Devourer would find this creature appetizing, and if he could hunt enough of them in this region, he would get an Adaptive Anatomy benefit to either Strength or Vitality.  His initial upgrades to each were helpful, but more than anything else served to keep him moving in circumstances where he¡¯d be otherwise crippled.  With the magnitude of the other benefits he¡¯d received in this second tier, he looked forward to seeing a more substantial boost.

    The moment before Storm Shelter broke apart, Kyle pulled with all his Willpower.  Against the behemoth¡¯s nonexistent Willpower, he encountered no resistance at all.  He focused his attack behind the creature¡¯s eyes, where he assumed the brain would be, as well as in its chest cavity, hoping to shut down its internal organs for good measure.  He felt the devastation as his skill did its work.

    And then¡­ nothing.  The bloody stump of the creature¡¯s hand careened straight toward him, and with a flash of panic, Kyle realized that it hadn¡¯t slowed down one bit.

    [YOU MAY WANT TO DODGE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    C.H.A.D.D. spoke at a highly accelerated pace, and Kyle barely ducked under the swing, only to be caught by the monster¡¯s elbow as it violently turned.  Kyle tasted blood in his mouth as he felt ribs crack, before being thrown dozens of meters into the night sky.  He pressed his hands to his torso as he activated Healing Impetus, wincing as he felt the bones begin to mend.

    Looking at the creature, Kyle¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he saw bones simply falling out of its broken hands, with new fingers being grown at a visible pace behind them.  Blood trickled out of one of the forward eyes and its slitted nose.  Already, the bleeding slowed before his eyes.  The goblin was nowhere to be seen, and the creature had its full attention on Kyle.  It let out another blood-curdling scream, and then dashed straight for him.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me a scan of its internal structure?  I must have missed its vitals.¡±  There was a note of tension in Kyle¡¯s voice, watching as the beast closed in on his location with murder in its expression.

    The drone obliged, pulling up an image in the top-left corner of Kyle¡¯s vision.

    [PRELIMINARY SCANS INDICATE DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN, LUNGS, KIDNEYS, AND HEART.  HOWEVER, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH OTHER REDUNDANT SYSTEMS KEPT THE CREATURE STABLE LONG ENOUGH FOR ITS HEALING FACTOR TO STEP IN.]

    Kyle was almost on the ground, and with the behemoth bearing down on him, he knew he had to buy time.  He used a blast of Repel, slowing its momentum while pushing him another 5 or 6 meters away, allowing him to land on his feet and maintain distance with Ignition.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®redundant systems?¡¯  How does it have a redundant brain?¡± Kyle asked in confusion, narrowly sidestepping another flurry of attacks as he once again set himself up to attack with Parasitic Resonance.

    [IT APPEARS AS THOUGH MANY OF THE NEURAL FUNCTIONS PROVIDED BY THE BRAIN ARE REPLICATED WITHIN VARIOUS OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY.  I WAS UNABLE TO PINPOINT EXACT LOCATIONS, BUT AT NO POINT DID ALL OF ITS VITAL FUNCTIONS CEASE, DESPITE YOUR ATTACK.]

    Kyle ducked under a big swing, this time darting past the beast¡¯s range, emerging behind it.  If his last attempt wasn¡¯t enough, he¡¯d just have to give Parasitic Resonance more time to work.  The monster had a veritable wellspring of mana, and Kyle greedily drained it to keep his own reserves topped off while his skill invaded every aspect of the creature¡¯s mana network.

    Once behind the creature, he found it was relatively simple work to stay behind it.  His superior speed and mobility, courtesy of Ignition, made it difficult for the lumbering beast to turn.  They continued this dance for what felt like minutes, Kyle trying to stay behind the monster while it tried to turn around and catch him.

    Its hands were fully reformed by now, a feat that was mind-boggling to Kyle.  To be able to regenerate not just the flesh, but the bones and nerves as well?  Kyle never heard of healing skills with that type of ability below C Grade, and even then, they were considered rare.

    His fascination almost cost him, barely noticing as the mana flowing through the creature abruptly shifted.  It¡¯s using a skill, he realized, and he instinctively jumped back, too slow to try and disrupt it.  Less than a second later, the spines on the creatures back erupted into dozens of spears of bone, all fired behind it like a shotgun.

    The bones themselves were infused with a negligible amount of energy, though the sheer force with which they were expelled made them dangerous.  Kyle sidestepped several, parrying others with the buckler he formed on his left arm.  Of course, now the ground was littered with sharp bone spears.  While each didn¡¯t present a major threat to Kyle, they did their job.  They slowed him down.

    He nearly tripped on one, despite his Covert Dexterity, which bought the behemoth enough time to finish its spin, a massive hand aimed directly at Kyle¡¯s head.

 Chapter 161

    Space warped around Kyle, and a moment later he was back on the teleporter inside the Collective Institute.  A skrell woman who was short even by their standards gestured for him to step off the platform, which he did.  It looked as though the majority of the applicants had already returned, though Auric Perception allowed him to feel the mana condensing behind him as another person was warped in.

    A quick prompt on his nav bracelet indicated he should wait in the entrance hall for instructions, and he took the time to look around the room.  Most of the applicants looked to be well, though he felt mild surprise when he saw more than a few sporting new injuries and damaged equipment.  Then again, Kyle couldn¡¯t talk too much, as one of his weapons was close to breaking.

    He thought about his experience with D Grades, and came to the conclusion that his understanding had to be skewed.  Because he interacted the most with Chester, Skippy, and Duroc, it was easy to forget about Randolph and Themestra.  Both D Grades, and neither would have done well at all in trying to finish the first phase of the Practicum.

    When viewed through that lens, it made a lot more sense.  Kyle just set the bar too high based on his own experience.  Of course, that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t some that cleared it.  A quick use of IDENTIFY made those exceptional individuals clear to him.

    A small crowd had gathered around the velgian in white armor he saw before, and Kyle couldn¡¯t see a single mark or blemish on him.  The tall white alien wasn¡¯t talking with the group, and looked towards the screen with a clearly bored expression.  Kyle could understand why.  The armor he wore was heavily infused with mana, with even more impressions offered by the blade on his hip.  IDENTIFY didn¡¯t show any one attribute that stood out particularly high against the others, though it felt like each was well beyond what could be considered ¡®normal.¡¯

    As he was beginning to get a headache looking at the velgian, he turned his attention to another figure leaning against a corner.  The younger human in the hooded black robes carried a couple of new scars, but Kyle could feel an aura of power from the kid that was noticeably stronger than before.  Whatever experiences the young man had, they were fruitful during his time away.  Kyle could practically see the lightning mana thrumming through his body, giving an impression of a natural disaster in human form.

    Lastly, the four-armed woman appeared to be in great spirits as she walked around the room, humming to herself.  With her pink skin and delicate frame, she gathered nearly as much attention as the velgian had, though Kyle suspected there was more interest in her feminine curves than her power.  Her appearance belied what Kyle could only describe as a monstrous Strength attribute, dwarfing that of anybody else in the room.

    Her Intelligence was nothing to scoff at either, and each of the four bracelets she wore gave off an interesting impression.  What Kyle noticed the most, however, were two gentle trails of mana that sprouted from her back.  Without IDENTIFY he wouldn¡¯t have noticed, but with it he saw the outline of two beautiful butterfly wings.

    Not wanting to be caught staring, Kyle deactivated his skill and looked away.  Instead, he did a mental inventory of the things he and C.H.A.D.D. gained during their time away.  First, and most obvious, was the pure improvement in levels and power.  Kyle was happy with the growth he¡¯d experienced, and the bonuses to Enhanced Carapace were equally as impressive.

    C.H.A.D.D. had similarly gained some insights, particularly in the realm of plant life grown without light.  Using mana as fuel was their standard solution, though C.H.A.D.D. learned a lot about adapting the plants to break down mineral deposits as nourishment.  They hadn¡¯t tested these applications yet, and Kyle was excited to see what they could do.

    Finally, they had acquired a number of different types of plants.  Kyle found some seed pods for the strange trees on the surface, and they¡¯d similarly saved the seeds from the gourds he¡¯d eaten.  Kyle wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he would use them for, but he was very interested in the way they insulated against the harsh environments.

    Another form appeared on the platform ¨C a goblin covered in soot and scorch marks ¨C and the screens around the room lit up.  The room fell silent as all eyes were drawn to the close-up image of a skrell face.

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    ¡°Well done, applicants, for making it this far!  As all but one of you figured out, the purpose of this exercise was to test your adaptability and ability to integrate among a foreign society.¡±

    Kyle felt more than a little self-conscious at the comment, as well as a pang of worry.  Are they going to fail me for that?

    The voice continued, totally unaware of Kyle¡¯s nervousness.  ¡°While there were varying degrees of success, there were also several truly noteworthy performances.  We didn¡¯t offer much in advance of Phase One, but for Phase Two we¡¯ll be giving you a week to prepare.  You will each be tasked with joining an E Grade caravan that is making a delivery.  The planets you¡¯ll be sent to are not currently outfitted with a robust teleportation network, and you can expect your deliveries to take anywhere between one sixth to half a cycle.¡±

    That was interesting to Kyle.  If the caravan is expected to be fine with only E Grades, why involve a D Grade at all?  There has to be more to the test.  As if reading his mind, the announcer continued after a brief pause.

    ¡°This should go without saying, but after Phase One we want to be clear.  You will be measured on the successful completion of the mission.  There are additional objectives you may accomplish to demonstrate your value ¨C however the pass or fail will be based on whether or not your mission objectives are completed.  You will be given a full breakdown of the parameters upon the start of Phase Two.  You have seventy-eight hours to prepare, we expect you all back in this room and prepared to depart at that time.¡±

    With that, the group was dismissed.  Several groups of applicants formed, chatting amicably with one another.  Kyle assumed that many of them were part of the same classes, and had come to know one another through the course of their preparation.  Hell, some of them likely had attempted the Practicum together at least once.  The velgian was the first to leave, ignoring several groups that tried calling out to him to start conversation.

    Too good for the rest of us, I suppose.  Still, Kyle couldn¡¯t bring himself to think poorly of the velgian.  The reality was pretty simple ¨C he really was that good.  All of his gear appeared to be top-notch, and coupled with the presence IDENTIFY showed, there really wasn¡¯t much competition for the strongest among their group.

    A gaggle of people surrounded the kid in the black robes, who was excitedly swapping stories with some of the other applicants.  Already thinking about what how he was going to spend the next few days, Kyle nearly ran right into the pink-skinned woman who had finished her circuit of the room and headed straight for him.

    ¡°Excuse me, I didn¡¯t mean to get in your way.¡±  Kyle said, taking a step back and giving her room to pass.

    ¡°You¡¯re not in my way at all, I came to talk to you.  My name¡¯s Tillienne, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±  She gave a shallow curtsey, and only then did Kyle realize exactly how deep the cut of her neckline went.  He focused on her dark, almond-shaped eyes intently.

    ¡°You can call me Kyle.  Tillienne, I¡¯m afraid you might have the wrong idea.  There¡¯s not much business somebody like you would have with a backwater D Grade like me.¡±

    She gave a grin that was absolutely predatory, revealing perfectly white teeth behind her full, plump lips.  ¡°Why would you say something silly like that?¡±

    Kyle gave her a flat look, and spoke with an even flatter tone.  ¡°Because based on the quality of your equipment, credits aren¡¯t an issue for you.  You¡¯re either independently wealthy or have the backing of influential people.  Beyond that, you¡¯re easily one of the most powerful people in the room.  I don¡¯t have any connections that would be noteworthy for somebody like you, and I¡¯m not looking to get tangled up with a bigger faction right now.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s objections flowed off of Tillienne like water off a duck¡¯s back as she laughed, a twinkle in her eye. ¡°And if I didn¡¯t have an identification skill of my own, all that might be true.  You¡¯re the first ¡®backwater D Grade¡¯ I¡¯ve ever met that I have no confidence in beating, and that has me interested.¡±

    Repressing flashbacks from his sparring sessions with Skippy, Kyle tried to come up with a response.  Before he could, she jumped in.  ¡°Come on, at least meet up with me for a bite to eat.  It¡¯d be my treat.¡±

    After six weeks of eating little other than rations, gourds, and mushrooms, Kyle¡¯s stomach made that decision for him.

    ~~~

    Shadowed figures observed as the human exchanged information with the fae woman before leaving the Institute¡¯s grounds.

    ¡°He¡¯s an interesting candidate, no doubt about it.¡±  The voice was smooth as velvet, nearly seeming to purr as it spoke.

    ¡°You need to hire better proctors.  They were so blinded by the flashy events they missed the most remarkable pieces of Phase One.¡±  This voice was stern, the reproach clear in its gravelly tone.

    The first voice responded, unperturbed by the criticism.  ¡°Oh relax, that¡¯s why I allow the viewing parties in the first place.  The proctors decide if they pass, we decide where they work.¡±

    There was no argument forthcoming, and soon the shadowy projections winked out.  The voice that spoke first lingered just a moment longer, watching the human leave.  Kyle Mayhew¡­  It wasn¡¯t often the whole design of the Practicum was thrown into disarray, and the human had done it beautifully.  Refusing to engage with the examination¡¯s mechanics while finding a way to pass was a testament to the bizarre capabilities the young man possessed. Don¡¯t disappoint me now.

 Chapter 162

    Despite Kyle¡¯s better judgment, he woke the next day and left his apartment to meet Tillienne at the restaurant she recommended.  It was fairly high-class, and he opted to leave C.H.A.D.D. at his apartment.  For one, he didn¡¯t want to risk the drone saying something it shouldn¡¯t, and he also wasn¡¯t sure how much the fae woman could discern.  He spent the evening researching identification skills, and found that most in E Grade, and even D Grade, were more akin to his Auric Perception trait.  They typically would grant an impression of different energies and allow their users to more easily sense mana.

    The problem was that there were exceptions to the rule.  Kyle¡¯s own IDENTIFY was significantly more powerful than it should have been for somebody of his grade and level.  While he didn¡¯t expect that Tillienne had something qualitatively equal, he fully expected her ability to be well outside the norms.  Either way, nothing good would come from allowing somebody like her to examine C.H.A.D.D. too closely.

    After some consideration, he also decided to leave his weapons and armor at the apartment.  It wasn¡¯t uncommon for awakened to wear their equipment in this district, however it could be considered rude when meeting an acquaintance.  Given the strict regulations and incredibly low crime courtesy of the Verdant Republic, Kyle was sure that he would be alright.  Even if he was attacked, he¡¯d be able to survive long enough for appropriate peacekeeping forces to arrive.

    Kyle walked through the crowded streets to the restaurant, which was near the heart of the shopping hub of his district.  People of all different species and ages were present, flowing into and out of the different stores like water.  Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think about how normal it all was.  Despite struggles for survival on many planets, despite the threat of certain death in so many other worlds, life moved on at the Hub without a single care.

    He thought about the Central Authority, and the peace that people had enjoyed on Earth.  In some ways, this wasn¡¯t dissimilar.  The crowd was made up primarily of unawakened, with a handful of E Grades and only a single other D Grade presence.  The difference was that this peace was backed by more absolute power.  The B Grades at the top of Collective management secured a peace that the Central Authority was unable to hold on to.

    Before Kyle could reflect further on the idea, he felt the presence making its way through the crowd.  It was Tillienne, now wearing a beautiful floral gown instead of the colorful combat armor.  It was a seafoam green, going down as far as her knee, with an open back that allowed free motion for all four of her arms.  She smiled as she got closer, and he again focused on her eyes.  Different standards of modesty, Kyle.

    ¡°I half expected you weren¡¯t going to show up!¡±  Tillienne said, a chipper tone in her voice.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been a while since I had a nice meal.¡± Kyle said, defensively.  Tillienne laughed, and the two of them entered the restaurant.  Two sensations hit Kyle at once; the dimmed light and a mouth-watering aroma.  They were led to a table, and before Kyle knew it a plate of sizzling meats and vegetables were laid out before them in a dazzling array.

    If it looked less than wonderful, Kyle might have pondered why he didn¡¯t get a chance to order first, but the food was just too tempting.  The meat was springy at first, though as he chewed it melted in his mouth like butter.  The spices reminded him vaguely of the rich flavors of North African cuisine, though they also carried with them notes of sweetness that were entirely foreign.

    It was about four bites in that Kyle realized he hadn¡¯t spoken another word to Tillienne since they¡¯d arrived, and a growing pit of horror grew in his stomach alongside the meat.  It dissipated as he saw her tearing into the meal with equal gusto, and he returned to his own plate, satisfied he hadn¡¯t offended.  The two ate in the quiet for a while, with more plates of exotic dishes being brought to them as they tucked in.

    Only when herbal tea was brought to the table did they take a break, Tillienne watching Kyle with a twinkle in her eye.  ¡°How did you like the meal?¡±

    ¡°It was amazing.  I can¡¯t remember the last time I had food this good.¡±

    Tillienne beamed.  ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell my sister, she never gets tired of hearing that customers love her food!¡±

    ¡°Wait, your sister made all this?¡±

    ¡°Yes!  She¡¯s one of only a handful of D Grade Chefs in this area.  Most that make it to D Grade get snapped up by one faction or another.¡±

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    ¡°Does that mean she owns the restaurant?¡±  Kyle felt a little foolish by asking the question, though at this point he was genuinely curious.

    Tillienne shook her head slowly.  ¡°Unfortunately, she doesn¡¯t, though the owners have treated her well.  It also means she can¡¯t comp our meal.¡±

    Only now did Kyle consider exactly how expensive a meal cooked by a bona fide D Grade might cost. Having not seen a menu, his mind immediately jumped to a scenario where he¡¯d be bankrupted by the meal.  ¡°How much did it cost?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing for you to worry about.  I invited you out, and in exchange,¡± She paused, examining his face, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask for three honest answers to my questions.  How does that sound?¡±

    Kyle nodded slowly.  ¡°That seems fair, provided I can choose which questions to answer.  After your three, how about a trade?  Question for question?¡±

    Kyle might as well have asked a cat if wanted to chase a mouse.  Her eyes lit up at the offer, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he made a mistake.  ¡°That sounds wonderful!  I¡¯ll go first.  Your grasp of mana control is exceptional, at what school did you train your skills?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m mostly self-taught, and I trained on my planet.  I also trained at our government¡¯s medical facilities, though overall that had less to do with my mana control.¡±

    A thoughtful frown appeared on Tillienne¡¯s face at his response, as though it was well outside the boundaries of what she expected.  ¡°It must have been a challenge to go from being self-taught to progressing to where you are, much less to find an opportunity to get to the hub.  What factions did you align with to make that happen?¡±

    Not seeing a reason to hide it, Kyle responded.  ¡°I was sponsored by Corthian Mining, though only as far as getting my citizenship and putting roots down.  I earned the credits that I have honestly, and my connection to them has run its course.  I have no other affiliations as of now.¡±

    She paused for a moment to drink her tea, an appraising look in her dark eyes.  Kyle matched it.  He knew that the sponsorship was likely public, as Corthian Mining didn¡¯t want their reputation tarnished by not offering him sufficient luxury.  Furthermore, her response told him that she probably didn¡¯t know.  That meant that either her information network wasn¡¯t as deep as he¡¯d thought it could be.  Or, more likely, he wasn¡¯t significant enough to warrant the heightened degree of attention.

    Tillienne seemed to settle on something, setting her jaw as the tea was lowered form her lips.  ¡°I am a pretty good judge of power, and one of my skills gives me a good idea of how well I would stack up in a combat encounter.  The impression you give off is unique ¨C incredibly so.  Other than Arhades, you¡¯re the only other person in this pool of applicants that I would have almost no chance of beating.  Tell me ¨C why is that?¡±

    There¡¯s the meat of the matter.  As he bought time by sipping his own tea, Kyle considered her problem.  While he didn¡¯t know much about Tillienne yet, she clearly possessed a high degree of both personal and institutional power.  For somebody like her to run into a total unknown that was competitive with her level of power would not have been a common occurrence.  She¡¯d likely been banking on Kyle being a hidden scion of an influential faction, and instead she was eating lunch with a bumpkin.  When viewed through that lens, her question made sense.  He thought about passing on it, but instead decided to answer directly.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a bad matchup for me.  You strike me as somebody who would be overwhelming to most people around your level, but I don¡¯t think you have the tools you¡¯d need to put somebody like me down before you ran out of energy.  It¡¯s probably the same with the velgian.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re awfully confident in your abilities, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked the question.¡±

    Tillienne paused to sip more tea, a twinkle in her eye joining the smile on her face.  ¡°So I did.¡±

    Satisfied that he hadn¡¯t offended, Kyle decided it was his turn.  ¡°I¡¯ve never met one of your people before, and I¡¯m definitely not from around here.  Would you be willing to tell me about your species?¡±

    She nodded.  ¡°Of course.  We are the fae, and we are not commonplace outside of our home world.¡±

    The two chatted for a while, and Kyle learned a lot about fae culture and heritage.  It turned out that all  fae children were born awakened, which brought with it a slew of blessings and curses.  Every aspect of their culture was designed to nurture a healthy path, with an incredible focus on fairness and equal exchanges.

    That was partially why, despite a couple of B Grades at the top of their social hierarchy, they didn¡¯t have any major influence in the Collective.  Without the ability to backstab and deal in bad faith, it was difficult to navigate the intricate politics of the organization.  Coupled with a low population, it was enough to push them to the fringes of Collective society.

    Tillienne, for her part, was a delightful conversationalist.  She told stories of her home world with enthusiasm, eyes widening as she discussed some of her favorites.  Kyle, for his part, listened.  He shared stories about Earth when prompted, and before he knew it nearly six hours had passed.

    ¡°I suppose we should probably go prepare for Phase Two.¡± Tillienne said, no sign of worry in her voice.  ¡°This was lovely.  Thank you for joining me for a meal.¡±

    ¡°It was my pleasure.  And you¡¯re certain you can cover the costs?¡±  Kyle asked, a hint of trepidation in his voice.

    ¡°Certainly.  Though next time we get together, I¡¯d be very interested to see if your assessment of being a bad matchup for me is true.¡±

    In his mind¡¯s eye, he pictured the grinning form of Skippy.  Too much to ask for another free lunch.

 Chapter 163

    The remaining time flew past like a blink of an eye, and Kyle was once again standing in the assembly hall of the Institute.  Unsure of exactly what he wanted to bring, Kyle settled once again for his all-terrain outfit to go with his armor, as well as another set of rations for his pack.  Compared to Phase One, the energy in the room was considerably more muted, with everybody in attendance seeming to be more on edge.  He nodded a greeting to Tillienne as she arrived, which she matched with a warm smile before walking over to her position.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you sensing anything off with the people here?  It feels like everybody is stressed out.¡±

    [I AM DETECTING ELEVATED STRESS HORMONES, DR. MAYHEW.  APPARENTLY, THE NEXT PHASE CARRIES WITH IT SOME ADDITIONAL RISKS.]

    That made sense, though Kyle felt as though he was clearly out of the loop.  The exercise was fairly simple at face value, and while Kyle hadn¡¯t done anything quite like it before, he didn¡¯t believe that it warranted this level of response.  Most likely, there was context the other applicants had that he was missing.  While it didn¡¯t help him understand precisely what the danger was, their responses confirmed to Kyle he would need to take this test seriously.  Soon, a voice rang out through the room.

    ¡°Welcome, applicants!  Soon, you will be stepping onto the teleporter and beginning Phase Two of your Practicum.  As we mentioned before, you will be working alongside a team of E Grades for this mission.  Further specifics will be provided as you arrive, but we want to make one thing clear.  Extraction is available for you and you only upon either success or failure of the mission.  The only way to leave early is to fail the mission, with which your squad mates will likely take issue.¡±

    There was a serious pause in the room as the message took hold.  Hazarding a quick glance around the room, Kyle didn¡¯t see many surprised looks.   Probably part of the stress, he thought.  Knowing there was no real safety net would undoubtedly be a challenge for people who only trained in carefully curated environments.  For Kyle, having any option to escape at all was a luxury he¡¯d never enjoyed.

    ¡°Now, step up to the platform, and let Phase Two commence!¡±

    As before, the velgian was the first to step onto the platform, his bored expression a mirror of his departure to Phase One.  He disappeared in a flash, and this time Tillienne was the next to follow.  The black-robed man was third, and Kyle followed after.

    The next thing Kyle knew, he was standing in an idyllic meadow, tall grasses and flowers blown by a gentle yet persistent wind.  He could smell the fresh scent of the plant life, and looked out at the rolling hills beyond.  There was a wide, stone road that carved a path through the meadow, without a tree in sight.

    Kyle was snapped out of his observation by the sound of footfalls coming from behind him.  Cresting one of the hills was a caravan, with a heavily armored vehicle surrounded by nearly a dozen armored figures riding what looked like oversized velociraptors.  The giant lizards were grey with brightly-colored streaks, and each footfall resounded with a thump on the stone road.

    The knights all wore similar armor, and Kyle saw that most carried lances, with three carrying heavy crossbows and one with a staff.  Their armor was emblazoned with an insignia Kyle recognized from his studies ¨C that of the Archdrake Supremacy.  Inwardly, he groaned.  This is going to be such a pain.

    Like many of the major factions, the bulk of their military was composed of mid-tier E Grades, though in this case there were a few notable differences.  Because their governmental structure was essentially a theocracy with the dragons on top, the other races who signed up to serve in the military were typically among the more zealous members of the religion as well.  Beyond that, there was a hierarchy in the religion that was entirely separate from grade and power.  That meant that Kyle, despite being a D Grade, would be at the very bottom along with all other non-believers.

    The caravan slowed to a halt as the figure with the staff approached.  From what Kyle could see, the man was human.  Wrinkles were just visible through the eye slit in his silver helm, and Auric Perception made his skin tingle as he felt the power flowing through the staff.  The man before him wasn¡¯t weak by any stretch of the imagination, likely near the apex of E Grade.

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    ¡°So, you¡¯re the help.¡±  Kyle couldn¡¯t see the other man¡¯s face, though the sneer was evident in his voice.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be bringing up the rear.  You¡¯ll be taking middle watch.  You¡¯ll be allowed to eat after we have, and you¡¯ll take care of the dro¡¯khar when we set up camp.¡±

    As if that was sufficient explanation, the man turned his dinosaur ¨C dro¡¯khar ¨C and continued down the road.  The others followed suit, not even pausing to greet Kyle.  As the armored vehicle rumbled past, a powerful presence brushed against his senses.  Whatever was being transported by the caravan had at least the same quality of mana as the pseudo-world tree seeds, which set Kyle on edge.

    He allowed the caravan to completely pass him, falling into the rear as he whispered to C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°Did you get a good look at the treasure?¡±

    [IT APPEARS TO BE AN EGG, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Any idea what could be in it?¡±

    [NONE AT ALL.  FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, INSCRIPTIONS HAVE BEEN CARVED INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SHELL, AND IT IS RAPIDLY ABSORBING AMBIENT ENERGY.  IT IS ALSO SHIFTING THE ATMOSPHERIC MANA IT DRAWS IN, THOUGH AT THIS TIME I CANNOT DISCERN THE SPECIFIC CHANGES.]

    ¡°Keep me posted if you can learn anything else.  This whole thing is giving me a bad feeling.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s experience with Corthian Mining taught him just how valuable treasures of this quality were.  The mining company took great pains to secure their resources, and there was absolutely no way they would entrust an item like this to the care of exclusively E Grades if they could help it.  Even equipped with an armored caravan, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much against real D Grade opposition.  Hell, Kyle was confident he could take the whole group without much effort if he really wanted to.

    He looked down at his nav bracelet, where instructions and a destination appeared.  Ensure successful delivery of the package to its destination.  From what Kyle could tell from the map, the egg left a city earlier in the morning, and was in transit to its new home roughly two day¡¯s travel from their current location.  All the cities were under the control of the Archdrake Supremacy, though Kyle didn¡¯t see anything noteworthy in the open plains between.  There were no forests, no mountains, just endless expanses of plains.

    At face value, that made for a simple delivery.  There was no dangerous terrain, no freak weather.  With how open everything was, there was little chance of being ambushed.  That led Kyle to one conclusion: they were going to be attacked, head on, by an overwhelming force.  Otherwise, what was the point of having a D Grade come along?  While he still didn¡¯t understand the Archdrake Supremacy¡¯s reason to go along with the Practicum, it was likely they had some other interest at play.

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. followed the caravan closely as the hours ticked by, with nothing more eventful than one of the dro¡¯khar nearly bucking off its rider when it lunged for a small furry mammal that ran across its path.  They set camp for the first night, and Kyle was forced to eat his own rations as he wasn¡¯t allowed to sit with the others around the fire.  He did so without complaining, as well as taking his watch without a word.

    The whole time, C.H.A.D.D. was running scan after scan, checking for any signs of an attack.  D Grades could move quickly, but Kyle felt confident that the drone would be able to identify most anything that could be lying in wait before it was upon them.  So, two days into the journey, it wasn¡¯t a surprise to Kyle when the drone notified him of quickly approaching presences, including a D Grade.  Increasing his speed, Kyle made his way to the man carrying the staff.

    ¡°Sir, we have incoming.  Six beasts, including one at D Grade will be here in less than two minutes.¡±  Kyle figured the short, direct report would be an appropriate way to spur him to action.

    Instead, the caravan leader snorted.  ¡°Our sensors haven¡¯t picked up anything.  Now get back to your station before I have you removed from the detail.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you need to get into formation now.  You¡¯ll be overrun if you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°And delay our arrival even further?  The Grand Dragon was explicit in his commands when we were sent to this corner of the Supremacy.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not from here?¡±

    He scoffed.  ¡°Of course not.  This is an opportunity to once again cement myself among the Grand Dragon¡¯s emissaries, and I will not see it squandered by the notions of a non-believer.  Now return to the rear guard.  I¡¯m done with you.¡±

    Kyle just sighed.  A few pieces clicked into place.  This insufferable man, and likely his entire team, were on the outs.  In their eyes, they were sent here for this delivery as proof that they were still valuable to the Grand Dragon, whoever that was.  Much more likely, in Kyle¡¯s opinion, was that they were sent here because if they failed, the Archdrake Supremacy wasn¡¯t going to lose good people.

    Just as he returned to his position, an alarm was raised.  Kyle was already getting a headache thinking about the mental gymnastics the convoy captain would put together to justify the source of the attack.  He drew the baton Themestra made him, and walked over to the side of the armored transport.  He could see six dark, feathered shapes exploding through the long grass.  It was time.

 Chapter 164

    The birds were fast.  Kyle suspected that, were he back in E Grade, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep up without HASTE fully active.  Before the guards could get fully into position, three of the feathered monsters jumped into the air, then somehow kicked off of it and plummeted towards the ground like obsidian meteors.  Despite their poor positioning, Kyle was prepared.  Tendrils of mana extended between him and the riders, and individual domes of protection erupted to life as Kyle activated STORM SHELTER.

    The birds crashed into the barriers and bounced off as the riders gained their bearings, confused by the sudden appearance of the skill.  Red eyes fixed on Kyle as the birds fell back, not seeming eager to continue their assault as they looked him up and down.

    Kyle took the opportunity to size the birds up as well.  They were each just over two meters tall at their standing height, though now they kept their torsos low to the ground.  They had jet-black feathers that didn¡¯t budge in the breeze, standing in stark contrast to almost bone-white beaks the size of Kyle¡¯s forearm.

    Their chirps almost sounded like the low croaking of frogs as they swayed back and forth, and IDENTIFY showed Kyle mana building in their leg muscles as they prepared for another attack.  The impression from the five E Grade birds was that of deadly pack hunters.  Their sharp beaks and powerful kicks likely allowed them to hunt all types of prey, and their abilities appeared to fall firmly in the realm of the physical.

    The D Grade, however, was another story.  On the surface, it looked very similar to the other birds.  In fact, Kyle could barely detect any differences in the physical attributes.  Instead, Kyle could see a wide spectrum of distinct mana types flowing through the bird.  It was undoubtedly a caster, and Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the mana begin to shape into a skill.

    Without thinking, he reached out with tendrils of mana to disrupt it.  He wasn¡¯t sure what the creature was up to, but he didn¡¯t like the complex tapestry of energy it was weaving.  The bird let out a surprised squawk and jumped back and out of range, flaring its wings as it activated its skill.  Violet sigils appeared across its body, glowing brightly even in the midday sun.  The same markings began to appear on the other birds, and Kyle realized what it was doing.  It¡¯s boosting them.

    He was reminded of the RALLY skill he passed up at the end of E Grade.  It was powerful, certainly, but it also came with drawbacks.  Kyle expected that this was likely a D Grade variant of a similar skill, and considered the possibilities as he focused with IDENTIFY.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., let me know when you start seeing inconsistencies within the birds.  Anything odd moving forward could be valuable.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Good, all we need to do now is be patient and not do anything rash ¨C

    ¡°CHARGE!¡±

    The voice of the convoy leader rang out, and Kyle wanted to strangle the man.  While they had the birds outnumbered, their individual attack power was already potent before their buffs.  The intelligent play would have been to take advantage of their numbers with a defensive formation.  Unfortunately, the riders were loyal to their commanding officer.  The soldiers didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment before spurring their dro¡¯khar directly towards the birds, who croaked a loud challenge as their adversaries approached.

    The first rider spurred his mount onward as he leveled his lance at the nearest avian, which blurred into motion and caught him square in the chest with two clawed feet, dismounting him and taking him to the ground with a sickening crunch.  Kyle was there in a moment, baton flashing as he lashed out at the bird, while simultaneously connecting to the fallen man with PARASITIC RESONANCE and using his own mana reserves to heal the broken ribs and punctured lung.

    A crossbow bolt managed to clip one of the birds as it tried to dodge a lance, though Kyle had to toss up STORM SHELTER to protect the Ranger from being run through by another charging bird.  The battle was absolute chaos, and Kyle found he was spending most of his time trying to keep the seemingly suicidal guards alive.

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    Between the guards and their mounts, Kyle didn¡¯t have enough tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE available to form a significant connection to the giant birds.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a top-down view of the battle to the corner of Kyle¡¯s vision, and he liberally deployed STORM SHELTER to protect against the boosted attacks from the avians.  As soon as a shield would drop, Kyle would be in the center of the fray, baton flashing back and forth as he kept the enemies at bay long enough for the guards to regain their position.

    The birds appeared to be growing wary of Kyle¡¯s shield, and two tried to attack him directly.  Annoyingly, the soldiers didn¡¯t even try to intercept them, instead chasing the remaining three creatures.  While their speed and power eclipsed what E Grades should be capable of courtesy of their boosts, there was still a vast chasm of ability between them and Kyle.  He ducked under an aerial pounce, allowing the second bird to peck him with its pointed beak.  He turned his shoulder to take the blow, and it didn¡¯t even break skin.

    Kyle retaliated with three quick strikes, and the birds retreated from him, appearing to have learned a painful lesson.  Kyle was about to give chase, only to see another soldier dismounted as another of the birds evaded pursuit and counterattacked.  He extended tendrils of mana and activated STORM SHELTER once again while channeling HEAL to the downed fighter and his dro¡¯khar.

    The D Grade, for its part, stayed back.  In addition to the boosting skill, it also had a variety of different healing and protection abilities.  Kyle felt as though he was fighting a proxy war, with he and the D Grade battling through their allies.  Unfortunately for the giant bird, wars of attrition were Kyle¡¯s specialty.  He was constantly draining and distributing mana across his own fighters, while the other D Grade had to use its own reserves.

    Soon, the violet sigils began to fade.  The beast let out a croak, and the birds disengaged, running back through the swaying grass with impressive speed.  Kyle¡¯s work was far from done, however, and his next several hours were spent treating the heavy injuries that both the soldiers and the dro¡¯khar received.  Miraculously, nobody was injured beyond his ability to recover, though the group would not make any more progress for the day.

    Kyle took his seat off to the side of the group as he reflected on the fight.  He felt that he¡¯d gained a level afterwards, though he¡¯d need to wait to enter meditation to confirm it.  There was a heated discussion happening among the soldiers, and soon the convoy leader was making his way over towards Kyle.  He expected the man would come talk to him at some point after the fight ¨C after all, Kyle was right in offering the advanced warning.  He¡¯d already prepared himself to handle the conversation with grace, and hoped this would be a fresh start.

    The man approached within three or so meters of Kyle, still in full armor.  ¡°You have to be the most useless D Grade I¡¯ve ever come across.  Any real warrior would have dispatched the birds, any real sorcerer would have destroyed them before they ever got close.  But you, you weren¡¯t even able to fight.  You¡¯re a complete waste.  If it wasn¡¯t for the birds¡¯ mana draining ability, we would have ended them easily.  You¡¯re taking the whole watch tonight, so the real fighters can rest.¡±

    With that, he turned on his heel and went back to his place.  Kyle sat, mouth slack, at the audacity of the convoy leader.  Suppressing the urge to show the man exactly how competent he was in a fight, Kyle sat and composed himself.  If he weren¡¯t concerned about sparking a diplomatic incident, Kyle would just take the damn egg and run it to the next city.  It would be faster¡­

    ~~~

    Suerrillax watched with wide eyes as she replayed the scene.  Ebon pterix were incredibly dangerous pack hunters, and the ones that attacked the Archdrake Supremacy caravan were particularly high level, even having a flock leader in the mix.  Typically, an attack like this so early into Phase Two would result in either an outright failure, or at minimum force the applicant to abandon either the caravan or the treasure for a time.

    Monsters like Arhades wouldn¡¯t have any problems, of course, as they would just slaughter the beasts and go on their way.  Indeed, that¡¯s exactly how a handful of applicants handled the situation.  In contrast, this human had somehow managed to keep the entire team of fools alive while hardly engaging the hostile creatures at all.

    Ordinarily Suerrillax would have chalked it up to the creatures being weak, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the case.  Watching the replay, she began making a tally of each time the human¡¯s actions saved one of the caravan members.  Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine.  His timely interventions had essentially prevented each of the guards from being killed three times over.

    Once more, the human had impressed her.  Rupiniax had convinced her to write him off a bit during the end of Phase One, and she had to admit he was dreadfully boring to watch.  Even now, his performance was far less flashy than many of the other applicants.  Still, for those with a trained eye, his results were every bit as outstanding as the major powerhouses.  For a moment, she wondered what he could do if he was supporting somebody like Arhades instead of a squad of nobody E Grades¡­

    Suerrillax shook her head as she focused back on the screens.  She noted the times on the replays for her superiors, and fixed her dark eyes on the real time feed.  There was still a long way to go in Phase Two, and she was interested to see how the human would handle what was coming next.

 Chapter 165

    The caravan continued its journey across the plans uncontested for another two days. The captain ¨C who Kyle learned was named Earl ¨C attributed the safety to his squad¡¯s superior fighting force. The entire notion was laughable, but it also reinforced the problem Kyle was having. Dealing with these zealots would require a careful touch, which was almost assuredly one of the points of this test.

    As they¡¯d walked, C.H.A.D.D. had been quietly reviewing the lectures and notes they¡¯d taken on the Archdrake Supremacy. Because people of all species and backgrounds were welcome to join, it was easily the most diverse faction in the universe. At the same time, the entire society pushed back heavily on anybody who offered slights to the religion. While it rarely took the form of violence, open critics of the Supremacy would often find themselves unwelcome in affiliated establishments.

    If he handled this incorrectly, Kyle ran the risk of starting his career as an independent operator with one of the wealthiest and most influential factions putting pressure on his business. Hell, depending on how poorly he did, the impact could even spill over onto the other refugees coming from Earth. So, he reviewed every note he¡¯d taken on the specifics of the social structure, hoping to find a way forward.

    Because of the diverse backgrounds that fed into it, the Archdrake Supremacy had a well-defined structure for interacting with one another. The first, and simplest of these tenets was that Dragons were to be venerated. As the only species that consistently achieved A Grade, the religion contended that all Dragons were chosen by mana to be leaders, with other species designed to serve. In theory, this meant that the Archdrake Supremacy viewed themselves as beings above the other Collective members.

    The important thing with the first tenet was to ensure proper respect was offered. The Archdrake Supremacy hired a lot of contractors and mercenaries, even though many didn¡¯t abide by the religion. So long as there wasn¡¯t outright heresy, the influential powers that be didn¡¯t tend to particularly care, provided the jobs were getting done with consistency.

    The second major tenet was in the vein of the first ¨C a Dragon¡¯s realm is sacred. Basically, don¡¯t show up unannounced and uninvited to a Dragon¡¯s lair. It seemed pretty simple, but apparently there had been some real issues with Dragon hunters early on in the universe. Even though Dragons were born at C Grade, they develop slowly. Given their particularly high affinity for mana, Dragon scales, bones, and blood were highly prized materials for certain types of craftsmen. The second tenet was designed to protect younger Dragons from these types of invaders, and retaliation would be swift and brutal for any violators.

    From those two core beliefs, the organization branched into its structure. B Grade Paragons were at the helm, working closely with the Dragons. That was the highest rank non-Dragons could achieve, and was also the only one with a restriction on personal power. Practically, other high-ranking members of the Supremacy were C Grade and above, but they had reviewed cases where independents had unknowingly insulted even high-ranking unawakened and faced consequences.

    Kyle was fairly certain that the guards for this caravan were neither high-ranking nor influential. Unfortunately, Kyle doubted the caravan¡¯s leader was self-aware enough to realize that. The angle he¡¯d need to take was to demonstrate that his course of action was somehow better aligned with the Dragon¡¯s purpose than theirs was. To do that, he¡¯d need to get a better understanding of what they were even doing making this delivery.

    ¡°Can you tell me anything else about the egg?¡±

    [I¡¯M AFRAID NOT, DR. MAYHEW. IT CONTINUES TO SLOWLY GATHER ENERGY, AND IS OTHERWISE INERT.]

    There¡¯s no way it¡¯s a dragon egg, right?

    ¡°Can you see what¡¯s inside of it? Any scans you can show of the embryo would be helpful.¡±

    [UNFORTUNATELY, I AM UNABLE TO GET DETAILED SCANS OF THE INTERIOR. THE LAYERS OF PROTECTION AROUND IT MAKE THE IMAGE QUALITY LACKLUSTER AT BEST, WELL OUTSIDE DIAGNOSTIC STANDARDS.]

    Kyle¡¯s gut told him that they wouldn¡¯t trust a dragon egg to a squad led by a buffoon like this leader, but it was still something valuable. What¡¯s more, the aura it released was something that attracted beasts. If the first attack wasn¡¯t evidence enough, C.H.A.D.D. picked up signs of multiple other creatures at the perimeter of its range. Other than the initial attack from the birds, most of the beasts were weak, and appeared unwilling to risk attacking the caravan.

    The case he was preparing was fairly simple, but tied directly to the goal of the Archdrake Supremacy ¨C Kyle would offer to take the item and personally carry it, accompanied by several of the guards and their mounts. That would enable them to make significantly better time, while also reducing the risk of death for the caravan. Conceptually, Kyle thought that it made a lot of sense, allowing the leader to save some face, and giving Kyle a chance to get the job done without risking his reputation among the Supremacy.

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    He resolved to present it publicly when the caravan settled in for the evening, but just as they began to slow C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans revealed over a dozen presences, approaching quickly from three different directions. From the signatures the drone was revealing, it was the same birds that first attacked them, now in larger numbers. This time, Kyle didn¡¯t bother trying to run to the caravan leader.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got incoming! More of the birds from before, coming from the south, southeast, and east. Get into defensive formations!¡±

    A couple of the guards listened to Kyle, but the rest turned towards their leader, who wore a thoughtful frown. For a moment, just a brief moment, Kyle hoped the man would be reasonable. That hope was dashed with the first words out of his mouth.

    ¡°Prepare to set camp, as before. Our scouting skills don¡¯t detect any threat. If the outsider is correct, we were able to fight them off before. We will do so again. It¡¯s the mark of a true amateur to overreact in such a manner to the natural movements of beasts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a natural movement. I was right before, and I¡¯m right now. Whatever¡¯s inside that armored coach, it¡¯s attracting them. I can take it and run to draw them off, or we can get ready to fight. Those are the only two options we have right now.¡±

    The leader responded with a sneer. ¡°Just because you were worthless in the last engagement doesn¡¯t mean my men are frightened. If the beasts approach, we will repel them like before.¡± He turned away from Kyle and looked to the nervously shuffling guards. ¡°Now, set up camp! I want fires lit and food on before it gets dark.¡±

    Kyle was ready to slap the man. Against these numbers, no matter how hard Kyle fought, the guards would have casualties. Being unprepared would just add to them. Kyle stormed up to the leader, right as one of the scouts spoke up.

    ¡°Sir, he¡¯s right! They just got into our range, and they¡¯re approaching quickly. Fourteen total, what are your orders?¡±

    The leader shot one glare at Kyle, filled with loathing and contempt. ¡°Prepare for battle. Outsider, try not to be a waste of space this time.¡±

    To their credit, the guards did a much better job of getting in formation this time. When the first birds arrived, they were met with a steady stream of arrows and bolts from the Rangers, who were protected by a line of leveled lances. In most circumstances, it might have been enough to drive the creatures away. Unfortunately, these circumstances were anything but ordinary. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans had been inconclusive, but as the birds approached Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception felt the distinct signatures of three D Grades. The one from before made a return with its flock, and each of the other groups consisted of three of the jet-black E Grade avians and a D Grade leader.

    This was made clear as the strange sigils began to glow on the D Grades as they treated injuries and uplifted their followers. For the first time since leaving Earth, Kyle was confronted with the reality that he couldn¡¯t save everybody. There were too many of the birds fighting over too large a space, and he didn¡¯t have the tools to support all the guards across it. Resigning himself for what would be, Kyle¡¯s focus sharpened. The best way to preserve lives now was to deal with the threats.

    Kyle held the baton crafted by Themestra, and activated IGNITION. Normally, he reserved this skill as a finisher. It was quite the departure from HASTE, which he had used liberally across all components of his fighting style. Feeling the pain in his body as the skill drew in power, Kyle took a breath before exploding into action.

    A man screamed as one of the birds dismounted him with a double-footed kick, and Kyle was there in a moment. The man¡¯s chestplate was crumpled, and Kyle knew it was too late to save him. Instead, Kyle focused on the attacking bird. IDENTIFY showed him the power flowing into the creature, and a tendril of PARASITIC RESONANCE disrupted the beneficial energy as a flash from the baton caved its head in. A moment later, Kyle ducked under a piercing beak as another tendril of energy connected to his new assailant. With a minor effort, he twisted. The second bird fell lifeless to the ground.

    The pain from IGNITION was beginning to intensify, and Kyle clenched his teeth through it. He locked eyes with the D Grade whose flock he¡¯d been thinning, which promptly ran towards its allies with a series of croaks. Kyle was about to pursue, when an explosion rang out. A blinding light came from the direction of the armored caravan, and Kyle¡¯s vision cleared just in time to see the caravan leader riding off into the distance with a large parcel under his arms. The absolute bastard.

    The birds, seeming to notice their target was gone, turned to pursue. Kyle looked at the caravan, with all but the Rangers heavily wounded or dead. The encounter had been a quick one, and if it had persisted much longer Kyle had no doubt that there would have been even more bodies. He walked through the camp, using PARASITIC RESONANCE to provide quick triage while evening out the mana levels of the survivors. Four of the guards were dead, as were six of the dro¡¯khar.

    One of the injured men looked up at him, a hollow look in his eyes as he stared at the fallen bodies of his companions. ¡°What will we do now?¡±

    ¡°Stay here with the caravan. I¡¯m going to retrieve the package and finish the job.¡± Red light coalesced around Kyle as IGNITION was activated once again, and he dashed out into the growing gloom.

 Chapter 166

    Every cell in Kyle¡¯s body burned with energy as IGNITION flowed through him.  He was moving faster than ever before as he followed the trail from AURIC PERCEPTION and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s directions.  Each step caused the muscles in his body to scream at him in protest, though Kyle simply pushed energy through ADAPTIVE REGENERATION as he continued his race across the plains.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU SURE THIS IS WISE?  THE DAMAGE TO YOUR BODY IS ACCUMULATING FROM USING YOUR SKILL SO LIBERALLY.  ATTEMPTING TO FIGHT WHILE INJURED WOULD BE ILL-ADVISED.]

    ¡°If the damage is too high, we¡¯ll stop at the edge of your sensor range and I¡¯ll recover before we engage.  I¡¯m testing something, and I think we¡¯ll be in a better position than you¡¯d think.¡±

    [I CERTAINLY HOPE SO, DR. MAYHEW.  BIRDS WOULD MAKE FOR TERRIBLE COMPANY.]

    Kyle just smiled as he focused his attention on the flow of energy in his body.  This had been his first real opportunity to push IGNITION since he¡¯d gotten the skill, despite having taken pains to train with it during his studies.  Even then, he¡¯d noticed that his recovery skills seemed to improve the longer he had IGNITION active.  It was as though his focus was raised to entirely new heights the more strain his body was under.

    Instinctively, he knew this was due to Unbreakable Will, the upgrade to his Adaptive Anatomy after fighting the Storm.  He theorized it worked as a pseudo-berserking ability: the more damage he took, the more it ramped up the effects of his Willpower.  This was the most damage Kyle had taken since that fight, and the level of clarity he was now experiencing was elevated far beyond the norm.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION worked on overtime to soothe and rebuild strained muscles.  Surgical application of HEAL mended tears and reduced strain on his organs.   As damage accumulated, his ability to recover amplified.

    Soon, Kyle hit an equilibrium.  The damage from IGNITION could no longer outpace his recovery beyond a certain level, though when he healed beyond that threshold the damage would again take the lead.  Kyle felt a dull roar of pain across his entire body, he could feel his heartbeat echoing in his head, yet at the same time his mind was crystal-clear.  It was paradoxical in many ways, with the flow of his mana raging like a wildfire, while at the same time moving as precisely as calligraphy.

    Soon, he came upon a grisly, though expected sight.  First was the mangled body of the dro¡¯khar the caravan leader had been riding.  It was torn and shredded, and from the look of things it was clear to Kyle that the flock of birds had eaten much of it.  Second, just slightly farther away, was the remains of the caravan leader himself.  His staff was splintered, and he himself was crushed into the ground.  It didn¡¯t appear that the man had even put up much resistance, as the surrounding area lacked the telltale signs of damage a Mage at his level should have been able to create.

    Kyle sighed, but kept moving.  While it was unfortunate the man had died, it was an outcome he had brought on himself.  If he¡¯d simply been able to put his ego aside, he and his men would likely all still be alive.  Instead, due to their loyalty to the hierarchy, they had paid a price in blood.  Part of him wondered when he¡¯d gotten so comfortable with death, but he pushed that aside as he pressed onward.  Some things weren¡¯t worth dwelling on.

    As Kyle continued his pursuit, he noticed a shift in the terrain.  The long, swaying grasses had receded, revealing craggy, rocky soil.  Looking ahead, he saw stone spires reaching towards the sky, creating a labyrinth.  From within, he could feel the distinct presence of the egg he needed to retrieve.  From what he could tell, it was no longer moving.

    [THEY¡¯VE STOPPED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded, slowing as he navigated around the pillars. Auric Perception revealed something else to him, and he decided to ask C.H.A.D.D. for confirmation.  ¡°How many are you detecting?¡±

    [THERE ARE SEVERAL AT THE FRINGE OF MY RANGE, THOUGH THERE APPEAR TO BE HALF AGAIN AS MANY AS ATTACKED THE CARAVAN, DR. MAYHEW.]

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    He had a decision to make.  Each step closed the distance on his targets, and Kyle knew he would catch up before long.  The wiser decision would likely be to stop, focus on recovery, and attack once he was fresh.  However, one thought persisted in his mind as the mana raged through him: what would it be like to fight in this state of focus?

    ~~~

    ¡°His trial is over, there¡¯s really no point in allowing it to continue.  He¡¯s just throwing his life away.¡±

    Suierrillax watched with interest as the senior proctors ¨C a skrell and a goblin - debated the future of the human applicant.  The second phase for him had really gone off the rails, and now his delivery was all but over.  The caravan leader had been killed, and the ebon pterix had secured the package and begun to head back towards their nest.

    While it couldn¡¯t be entirely attributed to his actions, ultimately the rules were clear.  Kyle Mayhew had failed.  The young man¡¯s foolhardy attempt at rescue spoke to poor judgment, and while he was certainly talented, there was little reason for the proctors to allow this to continue.  All he was likely to do was get himself killed, which would be a shame.

    Suierrillax had noted some of his most noteworthy achievements for senior management, particularly as a support player.  He could retake the Practicum again, likely pass, and be a major asset to whichever guild he joined.  There was no reason to let him die now.  The conversation between the senior proctors was heating up, and she turned her full attention back to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not that simple.  He¡¯s still actively choosing to pursue, which effectively means this is part of the same combat.  The rules clearly state that applicants are not to be rescued, nor are we to interfere if they¡¯re participating in the same combat.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a technicality and you know it!  Damn green-skins and their damn rules.  Look, any other applicant whose package was destroyed was failed, and allowed to leave. This is the same thing.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t because he still has a chance to recover the package!  It isn¡¯t damaged.¡±

    ¡°YOU¡¯RE NOT LISTENING!  If it was Arhades maybe he¡¯d have a shot, but from what we seen, Mayhew has a damn supportive class!  He¡¯s not geared for combat!¡±

    Now that was something Suirrillax disagreed with.  While Mayhew was certainly weaker than the velgian, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was being sold short.  Despite his questionable actions in Phase One, she didn¡¯t believe that the man was stupid ¨C far from it.  He¡¯d fought against the ebon pterix before, and seemed to have a good understanding of what he was up against.  From what she¡¯d seen, she doubted that he would pick a fight he didn¡¯t think he could win.

    The goblin was growing increasingly frustrated, baring pointy fangs at the Skrell as her ears flushed a darker green.  ¡°The regulations exist for a reason!  If we stepped in and erased the consequences for every applicant who made a foolish decision, there wouldn¡¯t be any point in doing the Practicum in the first place!  You¡¯re a proctor, you¡¯re supposed to follow the letter of the law!  It¡¯s your JOB!¡±

    The skrell seemed to deflate a bit at that, and when he spoke his voice was softer.  ¡°I know it¡¯s our job.  It¡¯s also our job to help ensure the guilds have a great pipeline of talent.  The outcomes this time aren¡¯t good, you know that.  We have less than twenty applicants who actually managed to succeed this time around, and there¡¯ll likely be far less who finish Phase Three.  I just don¡¯t want to see more promising talent die.¡±

    Suierrillax had to admit, that was sound reasoning.  Phase Two had been rocky from the start, with an abnormally high number of deviations from their models.  To an extent, that was expected when dealing with differently affiliated groups, however they were well past the norm.  Several applicants had been killed during their attempts, which was always a loss to the guilds, in terms of both credits and future talent.

    Again, however, she couldn¡¯t help but think they were missing crucial factors.  If they didn¡¯t both outrank her by two steps, she would have pointed out that Mayhew had outperformed expectations with the first engagement, which likely led to the deviation in the first place.  Suierrillax really wanted to see what came next, and failing the young man now just felt premature to her.  Still, she had her own career to think about.  Overstepping her place wouldn¡¯t be wise, so she would simply have to let it get sorted out.

    Suierrillax¡¯s hopes sank as the goblin who was arguing to let the Practicum continue seemed to falter for a moment, appearing to be moved by the other skrell¡¯s words.  The goblin seemed about to speak, when she and the skrell she was arguing with both perked up.  Suierrillax shivered as she felt the whisper of a C Grade aura float through the room, then focused on the two senior proctors.  That meant the guild liaisons were involved, and they were individuals Suierrillax wanted nothing to do with.

    While the proctors technically had authority to pass or fail individuals, nobody wanted to move against the guild liaisons, nor the power they represented.  Both visibly paled as a message of some sort was relayed, and they shared a look before departing, leaving Suierrillax with her screen.  The Practicum would continue.

 Chapter 167

    [I WANT THE RECORD TO BE CLEAR THAT I DISAGREE WITH THIS PLAN OF ACTION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.  Probably.  More than likely.¡±

    The truth was, Kyle didn¡¯t completely know what to expect.  The equilibrium he achieved in his body was tenuous.  He understood that he wouldn¡¯t be able to afford to take much damage before it was thrown off entirely.  At the same time, he relished the challenge, the opportunity to push himself again.  At some point during his scramble to survive on Earth, he¡¯d grown to embrace the adversity.  How could he just turn away from an opportunity to test his limits like this?

    The river of mana flowing through Kyle¡¯s body pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat as he navigated the craggy ground toward the center of the birds¡¯ territory.  Natural stone spires and arches dotted the landscape, punctuated only by the occasional low brush or shrub.  Kyle had to admit, it was the perfect territory for the avian creatures.  Their powerful legs would allow them to make use of the spires to attack from above, and if they were able to exhibit the same pack tactics they had when attacking the caravan, they¡¯d be difficult to pin down in conventional combat.

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map showed the signature of most of the birds, including the D Grades, clustered around the egg.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what they were doing with it, but breathed a sigh of relief as he both saw and felt the now-familiar mana signature.  Not wasting any time, Kyle put on a burst of speed, flowing across the last stretch of rocky ground like the wind itself.

    While most of the birds were closer to the egg, others still maintained the perimeter.  Unfortunately for them, they didn¡¯t have the means necessary to detect mana across a wide spectrum, nor the ability to see through the labyrinthine landscape they called home.  Using the map as a guide, Kyle easily swept past the perimeter as he closed on his target.

    The birds stood around the egg in a loose circle, postures almost seeming confused as Kyle saw them.  Heads were tilting back and forth as the creatures took shuffling steps toward then away from the egg, as if they knew they wanted it, but weren¡¯t sure what to do next.  Suddenly, the head of one of the birds, likely one of the D Grades, snapped up and its yellow eyes fixed on the rapidly-approaching Kyle.  It gave off a low croak of warning, but it came too late.

    Tendrils of mana connected to several of the unsuspecting birds, and a quick push of Willpower saw them collapse to the ground, dead.  Long, black feathers fell to the ground like snow as the circle of avians scrambled to get out of Kyle¡¯s range, a cacophony of screeches and croaks echoing through the canyon.  Kyle scooped up the egg, which was the size of a large watermelon, and then nearly dropped it as he had to duck to avoid a set of talons angling directly towards his face from a bird that jumped down at him from one of the rocky spires.  It bounded away behind another pillar of stone, and Kyle felt the subtle flow of mana in the area change.

    Mesmerizing patterns appeared across the bodies of the large birds as the D Grades activated their buffs.  The energy flowing through each of the birds was more powerful than Kyle felt before, which is when he realized his miscalculation.  When they had attacked before, each of the D Grades was leading their own flock.  Now, in response to his invasion of their territory, they were each stacking the boosting skills on top of each other.

    Kyle knew from experience that their decision was a double-edged sword.  Ultimately, they were using D Grade boosting skills on E Grade bodies.  While Ignition was qualitatively more powerful, their layered approach would likely create even higher levels of strain.  The birds were put on a timer, but Kyle knew that he couldn¡¯t afford to get sloppy.

    Holding the egg tight against his chest with his left arm, Kyle drew his baton with his right and took a brief, stabilizing breath.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map was in the corner of his vision, highlighting the relative position of the creatures, and with Auric Perception he could feel the flow of mana through them.  A brief flash of orange light appeared in his vision as a warning, and Kyle¡¯s body seemed to move on its own as Covert Dexterity helped him avoid another attack from above.  He sidestepped a beak that was snapping towards his shoulder, retaliating with a twist of PARASITIC RESONANCE as another bird bounded over the lifeless body of its comrade, aiming directly for his face.

    The beak was met with a baton, and Kyle was again impressed by the quality of the boosts as he barely redirected the attack.  He felt the wind from the passing strike as he stole a quick glance at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  He saw on the projected image more beasts closing in ¨C one from his right flank and more from behind.  He dodged to his left, dropping the one he¡¯d stunned with his baton with another surge of PARASITIC RESONANCE, draining some of its mana as it fell.  Tendrils reached towards his new pursuers as well, barely missing as they aborted their attack and ran behind the stone spires.

    Another bird came in low, on track to take him out at the knees while yet another jumped directly towards his chest, talons extended.  Kyle knew that even if he killed both birds, their momentum would still likely take him to the ground, which was the absolute last place he wanted to be.  A barrier of energy erupted to life around him as STORM SHELTER activated, courtesy of Instinctive Intelligence.  The birds smashed ineffectually against the skill, bouncing away with angry croaks.

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    All around him, Kyle could hear the cacophonous cries of the creatures as their croaks echoed through the stony land.  Between his initial surprise attack and the quick exchanges he¡¯d had, Kyle already killed six of the birds, significantly weaking the flock.  Still, there were the three D Grades remaining.  While Kyle felt confident in his ability to survive the scenario, he wasn¡¯t sure how durable the egg was.  The whole exercise would be a waste of time if he ended up breaking the delivery, after all.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ANOTHER PRESENCE IS APPROACHING.]

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice snapped Kyle out of his thoughts, and as he focused on Auric Perception he felt it, too.  There was a mana signature that was distinct from the birds, though it carried with it some similarities.  At the same time, the birds also began to calm down, though Kyle could still see the telltale markings that their boosting skills were active.  That left Kyle with a choice.  He could deactivate the skill and try to make a break for it, or stay to see how things played out.

    He was curious.  Incredibly curious.  At the same time, the job was to deliver the damn egg.  With a sigh, Kyle allowed the barrier of STORM SHELTER to dissipate as he bolted towards the perimeter of the birds¡¯ territory.  His action seemed to take them by surprise, and the avian beasts croaked in alarm as they took up the pursuit.

    Four of the creatures were between Kyle and his destination, and closed in to cut off his path of escape.  PARASITIC RESONANCE was already reaching out, and in just a moment Kyle was leaping over four bodies as he continued his path out of their territory.  With each step he took, the frantic croaking and chirping of the birds faded.  Despite the power provided by their boosted state, the ebon pterix were simply too slow to catch up.

    Still, Kyle knew that he wasn¡¯t out of the woods.  Even when sealed away, the egg gave off an aura that attracted beasts.  Without the protective containment, that aura had been magnified.  It would only be a matter of time before something else would try to interfere with his delivery.

    [PRESENCES DIRECTLY AHEAD, DR. MAYHEW.  THEY APPEAR TO BE REPTILIAN IN NATURE.]

    Kyle simply nodded, power continuing to flow through him as he vaulted over the lumbering crocodilian beasts.

    [YOU¡¯RE NOT GOING TO FIGHT THEM?]

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to that I can see.  They¡¯re easy enough to avoid.¡±

    [WHAT IF THEY¡¯RE GUARDING A NATURAL TREASURE?  MAYBE YOU COULD MAKE ARMOR OUT OF THEIR SCALES?] the drone offered, a hint of hope in the robotic voice.

    Kyle sighed.  ¡°You¡¯re just getting bored of running.¡±

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    The viewing room was silent as the proctors watched the events unfolding before them.  When the senior proctors had been arguing, they were primarily focused on their interpretations of the integrity and spirit of the Practicum.   Both thought that Kyle¡¯s decision was doomed to fail.  Now both stood with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense at all.  Everything is just¡­ dying.¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, he¡¯s just killed some E Grades.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but how?  His Assessment records show that he has a variant on a D Grade Healer class, with broken fundamentals.  There¡¯s no indication of skills or abilities that would allow him to do something like this.¡±

    Suierrillax simply listened to the exchange as she watched the recording.  In the broader context of her observations, she knew that Mayhew had some unusual skills.  This was, in her view, the first time that they got to see them on full display.  The boosting skill was of the greatest interest to her, though the Death Field, as they¡¯d come to call it, was garnering the most attention from her peers.

    She reflected on the previous engagements with the ebon pterix, and she realized a miscalculation she¡¯d made.  Just a couple of days ago, she was convinced he¡¯d be a top-tier supportive member to a group, best able to showcase his skills and abilities to elevate other, powerful party members.  Now, after watching his performance when facing opponents like these alone, she reconsidered.  While Kyle Mayhew would still be a valuable member supporting a team, she now believed he could showcase his true value the best when working alone.

    They watched as he continued to put distance between himself and the ebon pterix nest, and Suierrillax felt some tension melting away.  There were some other factors at play, and he¡¯d shown great judgment not staying longer than necessary.  While the others still focused on Mayhew, she flipped her view back to the birds¡¯ stony territory, where a man could be seen, kneeling over the body of one of the dead pterix.

    He was human, like Mayhew, but entirely bald, scars crossing the top of his head.  He wore thick leather armor, and his face was twisted in an expression of rage as he moved between the bodies.  Suierrillax had no doubt that the man was D Grade, and likely well into it from the aura he was giving off.  She commended Kyle¡¯s wisdom for not staying to meet him after killing members of his flock.  The man looked up then, and yelled to the sky.

    ¡°You bastards leaked the transport details to us for your little ¡®test,¡¯ and now the lizards have their egg and I¡¯ve lost a third of my birds.  There was no good faith here.  You owe us a name, and you¡¯ll pay up.¡±

    The image distorted a bit, as a small tear in space itself seemed to open up in front of the man.  He stepped through with no hesitation, and was gone.  Spatial manipulation¡­  Suierrillax thought, stunned.  To meaningfully tap into concepts around space was incredibly challenging, particularly without the aid of designated technology.

    One thing was certain, she doubted it was the work of the man who had been standing there.  Suierrillax¡¯s train of thought was interrupted as she felt multiple wisps of C Grade energy, setting the whole room on edge.  Whatever this man said provoked a response, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of storm Mayhew kicked up.

 Chapter 168

    Kyle finally deactivated IGNITION when C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners had been devoid of awakened life signs. Every fiber of his body ached, and despite his mana reserves staying relatively full he felt absolutely exhausted. His skill had been active for hours, and his body was paying the price for it. Mana-enhanced recovery was wonderful, but when it was all said and done, Kyle was looking forward to getting a good night¡¯s sleep in his own bed.

    For now, however, he kept moving, though his pace slowed to a walk. His body felt¡­ off. Even though it had only been for a short time, he¡¯d quickly grown accustomed to the equilibrium between constant damage and rejuvenation. The more he recovered without IGNITION active, the slower the pace of the recovery became. He couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed in the mundane feeling of Adaptive Regeneration, after having experienced the magnified version when Ignition boosted it.

    On the other hand, this had given him a great opportunity to reflect on his next big milestone: Level 60. It was where he¡¯d be able to upgrade HEAL, and Kyle hoped he still had time to apply the skill in ways that would nudge it in the direction he was hoping for. Overall, it was a great basic skill, and was foundational to most other types of recovery skills. It simply used mana to encourage cellular regeneration and recovery.

    Because of its widespread use and availability for most Healer classes, it came with a wide variety of well-documented upgrades. The most common directions were to either add range, increase the potency, or add secondary effects. Kyle figured his use of the skill in conjunction with PARASITIC RESONANCE would likely contribute towards unlocking some sort of ranged option, which was entirely unnecessary given that he had, well, PARASITIC RESONANCE.

    He was confident that he would be able to unlock options in the other two veins as well. What interested him the most, however, was trying to tie together both components.

    If, during the process of rejuvenating damaged cells, he was able to leave either some remnant energy or cellular directive to enhance further healing and replication, he would be able to build stronger synergy alongside his other skills and his own ridiculously high Vitality to allow for even more seamless recovery. Even more, it was the type of upgrade that would make his skill more valuable in group environments, rather than being entirely self-focused. Kyle recognized a project like that was much easier said than done, but was a direction that excited him, and one that promised even more the further he progressed.

    While it was true that he¡¯d grown far more powerful than he¡¯d ever dreamed, Kyle¡¯s eyes had been opened to the scope of the universe. While much about the C Grade evolutions and beyond was unknown to him, Kyle¡¯s destination was set firmly at the peak. Even if he found answers to who was behind the destruction of Earth, Kyle was simply too powerless to do anything about it. The testimonial of a backwater D Grade wouldn¡¯t mean much to the Collective if there were B Grades or higher working against him.

    As he grew in power, however, that would change. While organizational power and reach was important in the Collective, personal power still went a long way. His time learning about the fae from Tillienne was proof of that, with their leaders still being widely respected despite their limited reach. It was a stretch to think he¡¯d get that far, but Kyle was determined to make it happen. Everything he¡¯d accomplished so far had been in defiance of the odds, and to him this would be no different.

    A particularly sharp pain in his side brought Kyle out of his thoughts. Let¡¯s get recovered first. ADAPTIVE REGENERATION was still hard at work, and he shelved his practice theories for the time being, instead turning his attention to something else that had been on his mind. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you tell me about the boosting skills the birds were using? From what I could tell, it felt pretty comprehensive, and without a lot of backlash.¡±

    [THAT¡¯S AN APT SUMMARY, DR. MAYHEW. WHILE I CAN¡¯T SPEAK TO THE NUANCES OF THE SKILL, IT APPEARED TO PROVIDE MANA IN PROPORTION TO MUSCLE DENSITY. FOR EXAMPLE, NEARLY SIXTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL MANA OF THE SKILL INFUSED THE CREATURES¡¯ LEGS, WHILE LESS THAN TEN PERCENT INFUSED THE MUSCLES ALONG THEIR SPINES.]

    ¡°Do you think the backlash is mitigated by doing so? Effectively putting most of the strain on the parts of the body that are best equipped to handle it?¡±

    [I BELIEVE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, TO AN EXTENT. WITHOUT FURTHER DETAIL I CAN¡¯T BE CERTAIN, HOWEVER THAT IS A REASONABLE HYPOTHESIS.]

    Kyle nodded thoughtfully. There was almost certainly more to it, and given that beasts tended to get more passive skills in the early grades, it was likely that their anatomy in E Grade was bolstered specifically to be able to handle the types of skills the D Grade variants were using. Even so, it offered room for continued refinement in his application of both IGNITION, and to a lesser extent IDENTIFY.

    Right now, the skills worked more or less evenly across their effective areas, and he hadn¡¯t taken the time to refine them like he had with HASTE back in E Grade. Even though his ¡°to-do¡± list was growing, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought. If Phase One of the Practicum had allowed him to shore up some of his physical foundations, Phase Two had really opened his eyes to improving his mana control. Challenging environments were the crucibles he needed to refine himself, and he¡¯d missed the challenge during his months of study.

    Looking at his nav bracelet, Kyle anticipated that it would take another day of travel to reach the city. He could cut that time down significantly with the use of IGNITION, but ultimately decided against it. His plan was to walk, practice some energy control, and hopefully develop some exercises for control he could take with him when he returned to the Hub. First though, it was time for a snack, and to reflect on his gains. He felt it during his escape from the flock that he¡¯d managed to gain one more level, and it had been a little while since he¡¯d truly reflected on his status.

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    After gulping down some dried rations and a healthy drink from his canteen, Kyle settled into meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW. ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST. LEVEL 47 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 751

    ENDURANCE: 872

    STRENGTH: 329

    DEXTERITY: 582

    WILLPOWER: 1095

    INTELLIGENCE: 1095

    PERCEPTION: 843

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Even though his leveling had slowed quite a bit, Kyle was still impressed with his overall attributes. With a thought, he allocated his free attribute points between Endurance, Willpower, and Intelligence. Still, there was one thing that still confused him as he looked at the status. What is this core, and how do I develop it? It had been quite a while since he defeated the Storm and absorbed the last essence he needed to get his Adaptive Anatomy completed, and yet the core hadn¡¯t seemed to budge.

    It was a problem that both relieved and frustrated Kyle. On one hand, he wanted to figure out what moved the needle for it; while on the other, he was thankful that it wasn¡¯t growing without him having any idea why. Between it and the World Tree Seed, he had two enigmas he needed to try and solve.

    Shelving those thoughts, Kyle exited meditation and continued his journey towards the city. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me images of my mana concentration?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    As the day wore on, Kyle immersed himself in the process of refining his skills. Unlike HASTE, which drew on his existing mana reserves, IGNITION drew in atmospheric mana it two locations on his back below his shoulderblades. As a result, the energy was raw and less filtered than his own energy, which is partly why it was so damaging to his body.

    Kyle¡¯s first task was to try and direct the flow of the power, which was easier said than done. He would activate the skill, draw in the mana, and it would race through his mana pathways in an instant, behaving almost like a high-pressure environment flooding a low-pressure one. When this happened, he would deactivate the skill, perform a quick application of HEAL alongside ADAPTIVE REGENERATION, and then try again. In this way, he was able to practice some foundational concepts of both projects.

    Even though the progress was frustratingly slow, Kyle felt that he was on the right track. His first minor breakthrough came after nearly six hours of travel, and almost entirely by mistake. In his haste to try and control the mana that he was drawing in, he found that he narrowed the pathway slightly. That resulted in the flow being more directed, even though it dispersed through his body just as rapidly afterward. Still, it gave him an idea.

    Kyle activated PARASITIC RESONANCE, taking advantage of the flexible mana pathways granted by the skill. Focusing tendrils from the skill around the areas he would draw in mana, he then activated IGNITION. He completely failed to interact with the skill, but his gut told him he was on the right track. After another half an hour of practice, he managed to replicate the first feat once. Another half an hour, and he could consistently shape the direction of the intake, even if was immediately undone.

    It wasn¡¯t an elegant, or even feasible solution for combat, and Kyle recognized that. He tied up nearly half of the tendrils he could create, and in conjunction with his use of HEAL and ADAPTIVE REGENERATION the mana cost for this method marginally outstripped what he would recover through absorbing the atmospheric mana. Even so, using the skill as a crutch was important for him to get the feel of drawing the energy in.

    As always, C.H.A.D.D. proved invaluable. With its sensors upgraded for D Grades, the drone had no problem showing him detailed illustrations of how the mana was being drawn in, only enhancing Kyle¡¯s understanding of his work. He was reminded of their time training in the cave before his fight with the Infernal, and a wistful smile played across his lips. He hadn¡¯t received any messages from Earth in a while, and wanted to check in with Garth, Thomas, and Amir when he had some spare time back at the Hub.

    He was just about to attempt another quick test as he crested a hill, and his breath caught. It was well into the evening, and as he looked out into the fields, he saw the border of a magnificent city. He could make out the outline of guard posts along a wall, behind which stood towers and buildings with mind-bogglingly bright colors. Even in the darkness, the city glowed like a brilliant, multifaceted jewel. Before he could fully appreciate its beauty, a chill ran up his spine.

    Auric Perception screamed a warning as he felt a surge of incredible power in front of him. Space itself seemed to tear in his path. A leather boot stepped through the tear, and soon the form of a man appeared, shadows obscuring everything but two orange eyes. Space mended itself as the mana faded. Kyle didn¡¯t need C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warning to understand the threat posed by the man now standing before him.

    Kyle activated IDENTIFY as his other skills were prepared, ready to engage at a moment¡¯s notice. He saw mana flowing around and through the man, and he saw the circulation of energy around his eyes. He¡¯s scoping me out, too. Kyle got strong impressions around Perception and Dexterity, with Willpower and Strength not too far behind. Intelligence was his lowest attribute, which told Kyle that he likely wasn¡¯t a Mage, at least not classically.

    Most significant, however, was the overall level of power the stranger displayed. As D Grades were concerned, the only two Kyle had met who were stronger were Duroc and the mysterious velgian. And while Kyle didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s intentions, he didn¡¯t suspect that many folks casually stepped out of tears in space for a casual stroll.

    The two stood for an eerie moment. Kyle¡¯s senses were alert to the distant sounds, the shifting lights of the nearby city, and the gentle rustling of the tall grass. Finally, the man spoke, his voice rough as gravel. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be so kind as to hand over the egg?¡±

 Chapter 169

    The simple request took Kyle by surprise.  Before responding, he clutched the egg tighter to his chest.  ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.  I don¡¯t know who you are, or why you¡¯re here.  I¡¯m just doing a job, and I intend to see it through.¡±

    The man gave a rough chuckle, though his orange eyes didn¡¯t show a hint of mirth.  ¡°I know that you¡¯re here as part of some Collective test, and that this job only means a pass or fail to you.  Well let me tell you something, it means a hell of a lot more to me and mine.¡±

    His expression grew angrier, and through IDENTIFY Kyle could see energy moving through him in cadence with his apparent frustration.  To his credit, he took a stabilizing breath, then a second, before continuing.

    ¡°We¡¯ve lived under the oppression of the damn lizards for millennia.  This is a chance to spit in their eye.  You killed a lot of the birds I helped raise, but I¡¯m willing to look past that.  Give me the egg.  Fail your test, and retake it again.  We all walk away alive, and you can thank your stars you¡¯ll never have to cross us again.¡±

    The implication was clear, but Kyle decided to ask anyway.  ¡°And if I don¡¯t?  What happens then?¡±

    ¡°Then I kill you, take it, and get on my way.  From what I can see, you¡¯d have a hard time keeping up with me even if you didn¡¯t have to protect it.  You pick this fight, you don¡¯t have a chance.¡±

    Given what he understood of the man¡¯s level of power, he tended to agree.  At the same time, however, Kyle also knew that he had more than a few cards to play that most identification skills wouldn¡¯t reveal.  Between IGNITION, PARASITIC RESONANCE, and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s ability to manipulate plant life, Kyle was confident that he¡¯d be able to put up a better fight than the mysterious stranger anticipated.

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°I believe you when you say this means a lot to you and your organization, but I¡¯ve got goals of my own.  The egg is going to make it to that city.¡±

    The man¡¯s expression broke into a sneer, and Kyle reflexively swayed back as a whip cracked the air where his face was just moments before.  Instantly, Kyle found himself being pushed back.  His opponent wove a long chain of attacks together, staying just outside the range of PARASITIC RESONANCE as he did.  Each strike split the air with a peal of thunder, and the mana flowing through the weapon was clear to Kyle¡¯s Auric Perception.

    Kyle felt an impact against the bracer on his right forearm, then heat against his cheek as the weapon grazed him, managing to draw a thin line of blood.  ADAPTIVE REGENERATION healed the minor injury in moments, though the stranger only seemed to press harder after drawing first blood.

    Kyle found himself slowly pushed back under the ferocious assault.  Kyle couldn¡¯t advance any closer to the city without putting the egg at risk of damage, and even though his opponent struggled to land any meaningful strikes, he was slowly gaining ground.

    How does he know the range on PARASITIC RESONANCE so well?  That bothered Kyle more than anything else.  Even if he had some sort of a mana-detection skill, Kyle hadn¡¯t extended the tendrils anywhere close to their full range during their fight.  Kyle turned his shoulder to absorb a blow aimed for the egg, the small pauldron of his armor absorbing the attack.  Is it a danger sense?  Maybe a D Grade version of a skill like ANTICIPATION?

    Kyle¡¯s train of thought was interrupted when his assailant decided to change things up.  C.H.A.D.D. highlighted three balls that were thrown in his direction, and without hesitation Kyle activated STORM SHELTER.  The grenades exploded against the shield, significantly weaker than he¡¯d expected.  Their purpose became clear to him when he felt the subtle presence of mana inside the thick smoke.

    [THERE APPEARS TO BE A NEUROTOXIN PRESENT IN THE CLOUD, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded, IDENTIFY already active as he tried to figure out the different components that made up the poison gas.  ¡°What else are you detecting?¡±

    [IT ALSO CONTAINS MUSCLE RELAXANT PROPERTIES, IN ADDITION TO A VARIETY OF SEDATIVES.  WHILE IT IS UNLIKELY TO BE DEADLY, I DO NOT ADVISE INHALING THE GAS.]

    That was consistent with what Kyle was observing as well.  The mana in the air didn¡¯t have major ill-intent that he could see, rather being focused on stability, keeping the curtain of smoke condensed in the air around him instead of dispersing.  The toxins themselves were all quite a bit weaker than those he¡¯d encountered against the D Grade monsters on Earth, though Kyle knew it would still take some time for him to eliminate the poison entirely.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me an idea of what other equipment he has?¡±

    A moment later, a projection of his opponent appeared within the barrier of STORM SHELTER, and several items were zoomed in on and highlighted.  Tucked into the armor were two daggers, one more grenade, and what looked to be some type of revolver with odd bullets that seemed to contain some type of liquid.  ¡°Any idea what the bullets do?¡±

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    [NONE AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW.  MY SCANNER ISN¡¯T ABLE TO DETECT THE COMPONENTS OF THE LIQUID WITHIN, IT¡¯S CONTAINED QUITE EFFECTIVELY.]

    With only a few scant seconds remaining until STORM SHELTER would drop, Kyle considered his options.  The stranger had a flexible style that centered around the use of his whip, but clearly had options in place to fight at a variety of ranges.  From what he¡¯d seen so far, Kyle knew that in terms of pure martial skill, he was simply outmatched.

    Not seeing many other choices, Kyle took in a deep breath of clean air as he activated IGNITION.  The moment the barrier dropped, Kyle exploded through the cloud directly towards the man.  C.H.A.D.D. flashed warnings as the whip lashed towards him, and with his senses enhanced by the boosting skill Kyle dodged it with little effort.  It was odd, using the skill in combat like this.  This activation was disappointing compared to the state of clarity he¡¯d experienced before.  How can I get to that state faster?

    Even so, judging by the loud string of curses coming from his opponent, the stranger certainly didn¡¯t seem to think so.  Kyle closed the distance rapidly, and the tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE finally got their mark.  While the man¡¯s Willpower was nothing to scoff at, it was still weaker than Kyle¡¯s.  Slowly, inexorably, Kyle broke down his defenses as he attempted to wrest control of the mana pathways away from his assailant.

    A look of grim determination came over his face, and the man grabbed the final grenade, detonating it between Kyle and himself as the Survivalist closed within a few steps.  This one didn¡¯t release a cloud of toxic gas, instead exploding with massive concussive force.  Kyle barely got his body between the explosion and the egg as he was hurled away, turning midair to take the impact of his fall on his back.

    Kyle clambered to his feet to see his opponent doing the same nearly twenty meters away.  He¡¯d hurt himself more than Kyle with the blast, his armor tattered and body bleeding from multiple small cuts.  Despite that, the look on his face was calm.  ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one more chance.  Give.  Me.  The.  Egg.  Now.  There¡¯s no going back from what¡¯s coming, and even if you manage to survive by some miracle, you¡¯ll have a target on your back the rest of your miserable life.¡±

    IGNITION was still burning away at him, bringing him closer to his prime equilibrium.  While Kyle wasn¡¯t a big fan of the whole ¡®mid-fight banter¡¯ thing, every moment he waited was a moment that he would gain an advantage.  ¡°How generous of you, letting me surrender after you nearly blew yourself up.  I¡¯ll counter.  Get out of my way, take the loss, and move on.  I have no interest in you or your organization, and this isn¡¯t personal.  At all.  You leave now, and we¡¯ll never have to see each other again.¡±

    A sneer broke out over his adversary¡¯s scarred face, orange eyes meeting Kyle¡¯s without a hint of fear.  ¡°Cocky rich brats like you are everything that¡¯s wrong with the Collective.  You¡¯ve probably never had to struggle a day in your life, getting all the benefits of a nice sponsor or patron.  You have no idea what it¡¯s like to try to scrape by while being pushed into the muck under the lizards¡¯ claws.¡±

    ¡°And I told you before, that¡¯s not my issue.  It¡¯s yours.¡±  Even though he¡¯d have liked to wait a little longer, he was closer to the point of equilibrium he was searching for.  In a blur of motion, Kyle darted outside the range of the whip and started running towards the city.

    Auric Perception warned him of an odd flow of power, followed by a warning from C.H.A.D.D.  Kyle ducked, and he could feel the air move above his head as the whip cracked.  I knew I was out of range, what the hell?  Before Kyle could continue his train of thought, he was forced to dodge twice more.  He finally had space to turn around, and his eyes widened at what he saw.  The same markings that had covered the birds now covered the scarred man¡¯s body.  Kyle could sense the mana flowing through him, and understood in a moment that their duel was far from over.

    ~~~

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely not allowed!  Mayhew was free and clear.  This is a clear violation of no less than seven different statutes for outside interference.  Get a representative from the Archdrake Supremacy, right now!  This will not be tolerated!¡±

    The goblin woman was in an absolute rage, cheeks flushed a dark green as she barked orders.  Suierrillax understood the sentiment.  The Practicum environments, though not necessarily controlled, were curated thoughtfully.  When the news of the transport caravan was leaked to local revolutionary factions within the system, it was done thoughtfully.  All reports indicated a cell that was operating alone, with a leader in middle D Grade.  The Archdrake Supremacy would come out well either way ¨C with the task complete, or more information regarding local rebels that they could quash.

    Instead, a Backer got involved, and not a weak one.  While upper C Grade was possible, it was more likely a B Grade that tore open the spatial rifts from such a distance, allowing what they thought was the rebel leader to confront Mayhew directly.  It was a grave miscalculation.  The balance of Phase Two in its entirety ¨C at least for the human ¨C was thrown into complete disarray.

    The largest problem now, and the one the goblin was trying to resolve through her shouting, was what they could do from here.  There were pages upon pages of regulation on proportionate response both within the Guild system, as well as throughout all Collective law.  While the rebels may not abide by Collective law, it was something they clearly understood and benefitted from in this case.  Had the B Grade backer shown themselves, or ripped Mayhew apart with a spatial storm, both the Guilds and Archdrake Supremacy would have responded with B, and possibly even A Grade force.

    But what was the appropriate response to this type of interference?  It was direct manipulation, yet at the same time only indirectly harmful in that it didn¡¯t touch Mayhew¡¯s person.  Still, it could have.  As such, directly protecting his person could be deemed inappropriate.  Working with the Verdant Republic was always challenging in this way, and Suierrillax knew that it was well and truly out of her hands at this point.  Nonetheless, she watched the screen as the two humans fought.  At this point, she just hoped Mayhew would come back alive.

 Chapter 170

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brat?  Did you think you were the only one who could ramp up your power?¡±

    The man sneered as he spoke, each word punctuated by further strikes with his whip.  With IGNITION active, however, Kyle found that he was in a better position than before.  While the boosting skill his opponent used was undoubtedly high quality, it still fell short against Kyle¡¯s own.  That was something he could use.

    Actively trying to keep up the fa?ade of being pressured, Kyle used IDENTIFY to track the movement of the man¡¯s mana.  As with the birds, this skill seemed to focus the boosts in the areas that could handle it the best.  Kyle could see rivers of power flowing through the arms, legs, and back as he dodged.  Perception doesn¡¯t seem to have a meaningful benefit.  Kyle ducked under another strike that cracked the air.  Doesn¡¯t feel like Willpower or Intelligence get a boost either.

    That wasn¡¯t much of a surprise, as from what Kyle had been reading, boosting skills for non-physical attributes were incredibly rare.  The fact that IGNITION boosted Intelligence, while Unbreakable Will boosted Willpower with damage made his skill one of the absolute highest quality in that regard.  Still, Kyle didn¡¯t want to get too cocky.  He knew the birds also had regenerative properties alongside their skill, and he expected that would be the case here as well.

    Kyle sidestepped another strike with the whip, then he made his move.  Accelerating forward with a burst of speed, he closed the gap between them once again.  C.H.A.D.D. followed up by projecting bright orange light in the man¡¯s eyes, causing his next strike to go wide. It was all Kyle needed as PARASITIC RESONANCE connected.

    Like with the birds before, he was met with increased resistance due to the nature of their boosting skill, which was only magnified against the man standing before him.  Still, Kyle was unrelenting.  He met the opposition with the full force of his Willpower, and saw the bravado in the man¡¯s face get replaced with a look that could only be described as disbelief.  Kyle gritted his teeth as he continued to push, slowly gaining ground against the protection of his opponent¡¯s skill.  Frantic attacks were launched at him as the man tried to get back out of range, belatedly realizing his mistake.  Now Kyle made no show of weakness.  He was too close for the long whip to be at its most effective range, and Kyle¡¯s speed prevented escape.

    The man swore as he dropped the whip, and then did something unexpected.  He charged directly at Kyle, drawing his daggers.  C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning, and Kyle hopped backwards, narrowly dodging three quick strikes.  At the same time, PARASITIC RESONANCE was hard at work, and the runes covering the man¡¯s body began to fade one-by-one.  Kyle took the moment to look at the weapons with IDENTIFY.

    Each dagger looked metallic, though his skill showed they were actually crafted from organic material.  Each of the thin blades was coated in a deadly neurotoxin, likely potent enough to kill some early D Grades outright.  His opponent tensed as he leapt for Kyle again, and the secret of the daggers was revealed.  Mana flowed into them, and more of the toxin was released.  He sidestepped three more attacks, and a flash of his baton made the man jump back, only to reengage.

    At this point, the boosting skill was almost entirely spent, and Kyle frowned.  The outcome was clear, at least to him.  When the protection of the skill was fully dismantled, PARASITIC RESONANCE would be free to overwhelm the man¡¯s mana pathways.  His opponent was clearly aware of this danger, even at the outset of their fight.  Why isn¡¯t he trying to disengage?

    C.H.A.D.D. offered a flash of warning, and Kyle glanced at the projected map.  Dots began to appear, one after another, cutting a path directly towards him.  Kyle felt a snarl bubbling in his chest as his frustration rose.  Of course this bastard brought the damn birds.  Refocusing, he pushed even harder with PARASITIC RESONANCE, and the final runes covering his opponent¡¯s body faded.

    Coming to a quick decision, Kyle drained as much of the man¡¯s energy as he could before once again taking off toward the city.  For a moment, he was tempted to try and kill his opponent, but with the support of the birds on the way, it was just too risky.  If the D Grades were able to support his assailant the way they had their flock, Kyle would be in for a bad time.

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    With IGNITION active and his opponent¡¯s skill broken, however, Kyle had a window to escape.  Ultimately, his job was to deliver this blasted egg, and he couldn¡¯t lose sight of that.  In moments, he was out of range, the other man needing precious time to reactivate his skill.  Kyle thought he¡¯d made it, when Auric Perception felt a surge of energy from behind him.

    Kyle turned to see the scarred man had stopped pursuing, and instead was leveling the strange weapon at him.  Instinctively, STORM SHELTER sprang to life around him just as the weapon fired.  A blast unlike anything Kyle had experienced slammed into his barrier, immediately causing spiderweb cracks to appear all over it.  His eyes widened at the damage, which felt far too high for an attack like this.

    Before he could fully appreciate what had happened, a second wave struck the shield.  It dampened the blow before breaking, and in the last instant before it did, Kyle tapped into his stonebloom armor.  The material was specialized to resist mana-based attacks, though that was hardly all there was to it.  Between the impressions offered by the world tree seed and IDENTIFY, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had learned that the stonebloom¡¯s true value came not from simply resisting mana, but through outright rejecting it.

    By awakening the dormant cells of the wood with PARASITIC RESONANCE in conjunction with the drone¡¯s unique control, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. dramatically expanded the passive protection offered by the armor.  It was far weaker than STORM SHELTER, but it managed to rebuff the remnant energies that had broken through.

    There was an eerie silence as the dust settled, and Kyle looked around the area. Everything surrounding where his shields had been was pulverized, a deep crater all around him.  Whatever that gun fired, it was incredibly powerful.  With STORM SHELTER still needing time to recharge, Kyle was wracking his brain for what to do next.  As he got a better look at the man who had fired the weapon, however, he felt a bit of relief.

    The arm holding the strange silvery firearm was twitching, covered in burns and bruises.  Even without using IDENTIFY, Kyle could tell that several of the man¡¯s bones had been completely splintered by the recoil.  What¡¯s more, glowing blue veins pulsed up his ruined arm from the weapon, extending as far as his jawline.  He looked to barely be able to stand, and Kyle put the pieces together when he saw that two of the bullets of strange liquid were gone.

    They weren¡¯t bullets, they were batteries.  To launch kinetic attacks of that level was far beyond what his opponent should have been able to do ¨C frankly, Kyle wasn¡¯t sure if any D Grades should have been able to launch attacks like that without major drawbacks.  In this case, the man had used whatever was in the ¡°bullets¡± as a fuel source for the weapon to function, and the backlash from doing so was immense.

    All power came with a cost, and in this case the man had clearly borrowed too much.  Mana-based technology was complex, and the more power that was drawn out, the more runic inscriptions and materials would be necessary to stabilize it.  In that sense, starships were easier to make than weapons like the one his adversary had used.

    Using IDENTIFY, Kyle could see now that the weapon was designed with power output and durability in mind.  It needed the external power source to charge enough to fire, and at the same time there were no discernable impressions indicating protections for its user.  Kyle was honestly surprised that his opponent was able to fire it twice, which said a lot about just how powerful his enemy was.

    Still, Kyle felt confident he wouldn¡¯t be able to fire any more rounds with accuracy.  That is, until he saw runes reappear on the man¡¯s body.  Kyle¡¯s heart fell as he saw the damage to his opponent¡¯s arm visibly lessen.  Loud croaks broke the silence, and soon three D-Grade presences stood alongside the scarred man, gazing across the crater at Kyle.  The weapon was leveled at him once more, and Kyle wrapped his arms around the egg as he turned away, hoping beyond hope he and C.H.A.D.D. would somehow survive the blast.

    Auric Perception went wild as Kyle felt an immense surge of power, followed by¡­ nothing?  As quickly as it came, the mana had disappeared, leaving in its wake nothing but bone-chilling cold.  Kyle opened his eyes to see the entire field before the city covered in a heavy layer of frost.  He turned to see his assailant and the birds, each encased in a tomb of glacier-thick ice.  Kyle saw the strange bullet, the glow slowly being leeched out of it by the entrapping ice.

    The man¡¯s orange eyes burned with hatred, and Kyle could make out movement.  It was clear he was searching for a means of escape, but had none available to him.  He was well and truly stuck.  Ordinarily, that would have been a relief to Kyle, except he had no idea who or what had created this frozen snowscape.  The only thing he knew for certain was that if it wanted him dead, he¡¯d be dead.

    As if in answer to his thoughts, an impossibly loud roar echoed out from the city, shattering the frozen strands of grass.  Frigid wind blew hard against Kyle, and he found himself holding tighter to the egg, which had somehow survived the encounter.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what was that?¡±

    [A DRAGON, DR. MAYHEW.]

 Chapter 171

    No sooner had the drone finished its sentence then Kyle felt it.  Waves of power rippled across the frozen plains, and Kyle struggled to keep his grip on the egg.  He turned to see a winged form fast approaching from the city, wreathed in a mist of white flame.  As it closed in, Kyle could make out a lithe, thin shape with two enormous wings.  The dragon was covered in opalescent white scales, from its head down to its whip-like tail.

    Ice cracked as it landed, two large horns that reminded Kyle of a bull sticking out on either side of the beast¡¯s head.  It stood just shy of three meters tall, smaller than Kyle expected a dragon would be.  Still, there was no mistaking the presence it gave off.  Piercing blue eyes regarded Kyle, and it opened its jaw, revealing a line of sharp, serrated teeth.  Its voice was the rumble of an avalanche.  ¡°You did well, human.  The egg is intact.¡±

    Remembering his lessons, Kyle averted his gaze as he held up the egg in still-trembling limbs.  ¡°Yes, your excellence.  May I consider the delivery complete?¡±

    ¡°Your task was to ensure safe delivery to the city.  That is as yet undone.  Consider it fortunate the elders spurred me to act, otherwise your life would likely have ended here.¡±

    The dragon turned; wings poised to take flight.   ¡°I will resolve the issue of Ger¡¯Sinh and his flock, then return.  Complete your task, human.¡±

    Kyle simply nodded, rose, and took his first shaky steps towards the egg¡¯s final destination.  Curiosity warred with reason as he considered activating IDENTIFY to get a measure of the creature before him, and reason won out.  Kyle knew all true dragons were born at C Grade, and there was no doubt in his mind that he¡¯d just met the genuine article.  Any risk of offense, and Kyle could find himself disposed of as easily as the man with the orange eyes.  Ger¡¯Sinh, Kyle thought, wanting to at least remember the man¡¯s name.

    The fact that a bona fide C Grade dragon knew the man¡¯s name, much less that it came to handle him personally, spoke to the danger Ger¡¯Sinh posed.  In Kyle¡¯s eyes, the whole point of the Archdrake Supremacy¡¯s structure was so that dragons could focus on their growth and cultivation, leaving the administrative work of day-to-day governance to subordinates.  A true dragon showing up to handle something like this personally was unusual.

    He hadn¡¯t taken more than five steps before he paused, unable to move.  For a single, sickening moment, everything seemed to stop.  He heard a grinding, shrieking sound, and it felt as though space itself had been torn.  Then, with a peal of thunder, everything snapped back to normal.  Against his better judgment, Kyle turned to look.  The space that Ger¡¯Sinh and the birds had occupied was simply gone.

    Judging by the terrifying roar of anger that followed, this development was not the dragon¡¯s doing.  Giving one more primal roar, the beast took to the skies, leaving a trail of frozen mist in its wake.  ¡°Any idea what¡¯s going on with that, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NONE WHATSOEVER DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Did you get scans?¡±

    [I HAVE RECORDING OF THE MOMENT WHEN EVERYTHING WAS PAUSED, BUT MY SENSORS ARE INADEQUATE TO THE TASK OF IDENTIFYING THE COMPONENTS OR MOVEMENTS OF MANA ON THAT SCALE.]

    ¡°Can you show me?¡±

    The drone obliged, a projection appearing before Kyle.  The dragon was mid-flight, condensing an orb around its front claws that would have executed the trapped rebel and his birds in a flash.  Suddenly, everything stopped.  The orb dissipated, and the space around Ger¡¯Sinh and the D Grade birds warped, then vanished, leaving nothing but empty space.

    The recording cut off, and Kyle could only stare.  He¡¯d felt the complexity of using spatial movement techniques with the Transportation Array, which had plenty of drawbacks of its own.  For something to be able to target those areas with such precision and power was absolutely mind-boggling to him.  I¡¯m such a small fish in this pond.  A shiver of cold broke him from his stupor, and he trudged across the frozen land to the city gate where a crowd had gathered.

    ¡°State your business!¡±  A shrill voice called from a guard post near the main gate.  A goblin, and a weak one from the looks of it.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to complete a delivery.¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice carried with it his bone-weariness, and he was thankful for the nav bracelet which sent the details of the mission to the waiting guard.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have a representative with you shortly.  Given the¡­ unusual circumstances, we will not be able to allow you passage into the city.¡±

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    Kyle toyed with the idea of objecting, particularly given their difference in power, but knew it was the wrong decision.  Instead, he stood out in the cold for what felt like hours until the gate opened and a delegation came out to meet him.  A goblin less than a meter tall in trailing purple robes approached, flanked by two guards.  She took out a small monocle, examined the egg, and gestured for the guards to take it without so much as a word.

    Kyle got a notification on his nav bracelet that the delivery was complete, and that extraction would take place shortly.  After the stress of getting to this point, the whole interaction felt incredibly anticlimactic.  More than anything, though, Kyle was simply exhausted.  I¡¯ve got the best nap of my life waiting for me.

    After being teleported back to the Insititute¡¯s foyer, Kyle was cleared to leave, receiving a message on his nav bracelet that he barely registered.  The important piece was that he successfully completed Phase Two of his Practicum, and that he had time to rest before Phase Three started.

    Soon, he was greeted by the familiar sight of his apartment, disheveled desk exactly where he¡¯d left it.  After taking a long shower, Kyle whipped up a stew of exotic mixed vegetables with some poultry, which he was looking forward to eating far too much.  He let out a sigh of satisfaction after tasting the rich, spicy broth, and turned to his robotic companion as he poured a bowl.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., while I¡¯m eating would you mind pulling up footage of the encounter with Ger¡¯Sinh?  If the dragon hadn¡¯t shown up, I¡¯m not sure we would have made it out.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.  WHILE BRAIN SCANS DON¡¯T INDICATE ANY TRAUMA, I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE OTHER MEANS AVAILABLE FOR PROTECTION AND ESCAPE.]

    Kyle paused to swallow a mouthful of spicy stew before responding.  ¡°I know, but I didn¡¯t want to count on them.  Besides, the egg might have gotten broken if we¡¯d used them.¡±

    The drone conceded the point, and Kyle watched the entirety of his skirmish multiple times.  He¡¯d been taken by surprise far more often than he should have, between his and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s various means of detection.  Even if he¡¯d cheated to get to the battlefield, Ger¡¯Sinh was a great example of the types of opponents Kyle needed to be able to handle.

    Once his stomach was full, he cleaned up; mind already developing ideas and plans to better deal with enemies like this in the future.  For now, however, he collapsed into his comfortable bed, drifting off to a dreamless sleep.

    ~~~

    Suierrillax observed the chaos in the proctor¡¯s room continue to froth, long after Mayhew had been extracted.  While she understood the magnitude of the interference, she was still left scratching her head about the sheer level of madness occurring.  It was over and done, and they had to move on.

    As a junior proctor, many of the responsibilities surrounding Mayhew¡¯s Practicum had been taken out of her hands after Phase Two had gone sideways.  The seniors, including Rupiniax, were all far more interested in trying to prove their usefulness to the higher-ups than actually evaluating Mayhew.  As far as they were concerned, he was a minor player in the grander scheme of the recent developments, a sentiment with which Suierrillax strongly disagreed.

    Had it not been for Mayhew¡¯s exemplary performance against Ger¡¯Sinh, the beastmaster responsible for no fewer than a dozen high-profile terror attacks across Supremacy planets, the layers of the scheme never would have been revealed.  Why the mysterious Backer decided to show their hand in some D-Grade conflict was beyond her, but now that was all the senior proctors were focused on.

    That left Suierrillax to watch the remaining applicants conclude their duties.  As usual, nearly two-thirds of the applicants who made it this far had already failed and returned.  A handful of deliveries had also been completed, many of which were far simpler affairs than the one Mayhew had gotten sucked into.  Arhades had naturally completed his delivery with little trouble, and though it was taking them longer, both Tillienne and Jax Cain were still putting up impressive performances.

    Tillienne¡¯s group consisted of members of two feuding clans, who were each actively trying to sabotage the other.  While she wasn¡¯t able to convince them to put all the bad blood behind them, after watching her cleave through a hulking lizard, they were willing to keep the peace.  The large, shambling creatures that attacked their group were powerful, but straightforward.  Tillienne¡¯s abilities both in leadership and combat were more than up to the task, and Suierrillax expected the delivery would be done shortly.

    Jax Cain, on the other hand, had one of the more complex situations she¡¯d seen.  It was an urban delivery, and he was tasked with coordinating a delivery team riding small personal transports instead of a larger caravan.  The otherwise timid young man rose to the occasion beautifully, earning the buy-in and trust of his team in short order.  What¡¯s more, he tuned his lightning-based skills down to be non-lethal against the poor and desperate people who tried to mob them for the crystals they were delivering.  By doing so, he avoided becoming the cause of greater civil unrest.

    Suierrillax prepared the same note that she had for everybody who had succeeded in Phase Two.

    [Applicant],

    Congratulations on the successful completion of Phase Two of your Practicum.  We will send out messages when all applicants have either passed or failed this phase, where we will detail the expectations for Phase Three.  Phase Three will begin exactly one cycle after the completion of Phase Two by the final applicant, so be advised that you will have time to rest, recover, and prepare as necessary.

    We look forward to your continued success.

    Satisfied her work was done, she turned her attention back to the screens.  While proctor work was often hectic, this had been far more eventful than she¡¯d ever expected.  One thing was certain; Suerrillax was going to follow Mayhew¡¯s career with interest.  She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he was the fulcrum to something, and she was excited to see what it was.

 Chapter 172

    When Kyle woke the next day, the only thing he wanted to do was roll over and get some more rest.  His body ached all over.  He had missed the simple luxury; a bed, soft pillows, and a blanket to pull over his shoulder during his time away.  As he was contemplating how much more sleep he could sneak in, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice rang through the apartment.  [DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯RE AWAKE.  YOUR NAV BRACELET HAS ALERTED WITH MULTIPLE NOTIFICATIONS, AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CHECK THEM.  I¡¯M QUITE CURIOUS, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO TELL ME WHAT THEY SAY?]

    With a groan, Kyle lifted himself out of the bed and made his way over to where he¡¯d set both C.H.A.D.D. and the nav bracelet.  Sure enough, he had five messages waiting; more than he¡¯d expected.  Two were anticipated ¨C the ones from the Institute and Tillienne.  The ones that made him frown were from somebody named Jax Cain, one from Themestra, and the last from an unknown sender.  Kyle decided it would be wisest to start with the devil he knew, and opened the message from the Institute.

    Congratulations once again on completing Phase Two of your Practicum, Applicant Mayhew.

    Phase Three will begin in one cycle¡¯s time; and unlike the previous phases of your Practicum, you will determine the type of examination you undergo.  Your selections are as follows:

    <ul>

    <li>Artifact Retrieval: You will be dropped off in a ruined city, and expected to tag and retrieve as many marked artifacts as possible during the time allotted, or until you give up. Can you handle the dangers as you delve deeper?  </li>

    <li>Arena Combat: You will be faced with varied waves of enemies, each stronger than the last.  Defeat as many as possible during the time limit, or until you withdraw.  Do you have what it takes to stand as a champion?</li>

    <li>Target Hunt: You will be given a contract for specific beasts to slay.  Upon completion, new contracts will be issued.  Complete as many contracts as possible in the allotted time or until you withdraw.  Will your marks shudder at your approach?</li>

    <li>Defend Position: You will be given command of a squadron of E Grades, and three hours to prepare a defense of a tactical position.  You will be faced with waves of increasingly powerful opposition trying to take your position.  Hold until the time limit, or until you withdraw.  Is yours the bulwark that will remain unbroken?</li>

    <li>Labyrinth Escape: You will be sent to the core of labyrinthine caves.  You will climb to the surface, overcoming each obstacle in your way.  You will either escape, survive until the time limit, or withdraw.  Will you be able to overcome the odds?</li>

    </ul>

    Unlike Phase One and Phase Two, Phase Three is not a simple pass/fail.  Instead, you will be evaluated on your overall performance, and assessed a score between zero and one hundred points.  Furthermore, representatives from the guilds will be watching your performances live, which may influence the offers you will receive.  You will select your trial upon arrival.  We look forward to your performance, and congratulations once again.

    <ul>

    <li>Collective Institute of Independent Licensure.</li>

    </ul>

    This was far different than Kyle had expected, and he read the letter over several times to make sure he wasn¡¯t missing anything.  He appreciated why it was designed this way, as people with different classes and goals would shine better in some environments than others.  Kyle himself was immediately drawn to Labyrinth Escape, as it felt like a natural fit for his own abilities.  Still, there was time to weigh the pros and cons before he had to make a decision, so he moved on to the message from Tillienne.

    Kyle,

    I¡¯m assuming you passed, so congratulations!  If not, this message is going to be a bit awkward.  Either way, interesting information for Phase Three, isn¡¯t it?  I¡¯d love to talk about it and see if we can get some training time scheduled.  Free for a meal in the next thirty hours or so to talk about it?  My sister¡¯s restaurant is taking reservations, and I can get us on the schedule.  Let me know!

    -Tillienne

    Kyle could practically hear the fae woman¡¯s bubbly voice through the message, and couldn¡¯t help but smile.  Both the thought of the delicious food and her company were pleasant, and he quickly responded that he¡¯d be available to meet soon.  While the idea of training with her gave him flashbacks to Skippy, he also appreciated that any time he had to train between now and Phase Three would be time well-spent.

    His brush with death against Ger¡¯Sinh had led to another level, but he was still a good distance away from his next skill upgrade at Level 60, as well as the next D Grade skill at Level 70.  Even if there was no feasible path to getting to those milestones before Phase Three, Kyle wasn¡¯t satisfied with another prolonged period of stagnation.  If training with Tillienne would help keep him progressing, he would take the opportunity happily.

    He was surprised, then, to find that the next message was largely a mirror of the one he¡¯d gotten from Tillienne.

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    Mr. Mayhew,

    I¡¯ve heard your performance in the last round made a real stir.  I also passed, and am getting prepared for Phase Three.  I hope this message isn¡¯t too much of an imposition, but Tillienne sent your information my way.  I¡¯m looking for sparring partners, and was hoping you¡¯d be willing to make yourself available.  My family has solid resources for training, and we¡¯d make it worth your while.  Feel free to message me back if you¡¯re interested, if not I understand.  I wish you the best either way.

    -Jax Cain

    Kyle filed it away, not thinking on it much further.  He¡¯d ask Tillienne her thoughts when they met for a meal, and he¡¯d make a decision at that point.  Assuming Jax Cain was powerful enough to catch Tillienne¡¯s eye, he would likely be a good partner, but he wanted to hear it from her first.

    Next, he opened the message from Themestra.

    Mayhew,

    This is unofficial communication, but I thought you¡¯d be interested.  After seeing what your drone could do, Corthian Mining decided to reach back out to Marcus Kulhavey, on Greil.  From the sound of things, he¡¯ll be out of pocket for a while, but I¡¯ve attached the information to his office.  If you¡¯re looking for more enhancements for your drone, he¡¯d be the place to go.  Offer still stands if you want to sell the drone to us ¨C we¡¯ll pay handsomely.

    See ya!

    -Themestra

    The information here was far more startling, though Kyle quickly pieced together the motivation.  He could see Chester¡¯s hand behind every word ¨C and he had to admit, it was effective bait.  Marcus Kulhavey was the Originator that his grandfather had worked alongside, and he was the only lead Kyle had about those who left Earth.  Kyle¡¯s initial searches had all been rebuffed ¨C his pockets simply weren¡¯t deep enough to break into the circles where he¡¯d be taken seriously.

    Now that he had direct contact information, things might be different.  It was a long shot.  Still, if he had the chance to meet one of Earth¡¯s first C Grades, he would take the chance.  At the same time, Themestra was right on the money that Kulhavey would be the best possible person to help C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s progression, as he was the original designer of the model.

    As for what Corthian Mining got out of the deal?  His first thought was the possibility of a favorable impression from the man.  Depending on how things went, there was also a chance that he could make them custom drones based on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s adaptations.  There were likely more layers to it Kyle didn¡¯t fully appreciate, though to him it didn¡¯t matter.  He knew he had to reach out, even if it was just to get a chance to talk.

    Pushing down the bubbling emotion, he opened the last message.

    Mayhew,

    Don¡¯t choose the Labyrinth.  It¡¯s a trap.

    -A Friend

    Before he could do anything with the message, the text seemed to warp, then scramble.  A moment later, the message was gone from his nav bracelet, as though it had never been there in the first place.  Kyle stared at the space the message had been displayed, feeling his pulse quicken.  What the hell was that?

    While Kyle was no expert at nav bracelet communications, he¡¯d used them often enough since working with Corthian Mining to understand that this was incredibly out of the ordinary.  Secure messages with varying levels of encryption were common ¨C and he¡¯d received his fair share.  His mana signature was required to access them, so the security was high.  This was something entirely different.

    The problem that now faced him was how seriously to take the message.  Whoever had sent it had an intimate enough understanding of Kyle¡¯s abilities that they knew he would likely choose the Labyrinth Escape option.  They were also connected enough to know what choices were available for Phase Three, which reinforced his impression that whoever sent the message was fairly high up in the overall Collective hierarchy.

    That forced the question to a relatively simple crossroads ¨C were they looking out for Kyle¡¯s interests, or not?  While Kyle didn¡¯t think he¡¯d made many true enemies since arriving at the Hub, there was always a chance that he¡¯d slighted somebody important.  Still, it felt like an awful lot of work to go through, only to dissuade him from his best showcase.  If he was honest, he felt that he could perform admirably at all of them, even if it wasn¡¯t his absolute strongest work.

    That left Kyle inclined to think whoever risked sending the message was looking out for his interests, or at a minimum knew something that he didn¡¯t.  Fortunately, he had time to decide.  With a cycle left between now and the beginning of Phase Three, Kyle did what he always did when there were too many moving parts.  He made a list.

    <ul>

    <li>Meal with Tillienne

    <ul>

    <li>Discuss training, Jax Cain</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Practice HEAL and IGNITION.</li>

    <li>Review footage from Phase Two

    <ul>

    <li>Learn about the egg</li>

    <li>Watch Ger¡¯Sinh</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Send a message to Greil to connect with Marcus Kulhavey</li>

    <li>Decide on a test for Phase Three</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°What am I missing, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [THE FIRST SHUTTLES FROM EARTH SHOULD BEGIN ARRIVING SOON, DR. MAYHEW.  WE COULD MAKE TIME TO VISIT, IF YOU¡¯D LIKE.]

    Kyle thought about it for a moment as silence filled the room.  A big part of him wanted to, but he knew that, aside from a select group, he didn¡¯t belong with them anymore.  Not truly.  ¡°Let¡¯s wait until we hear from Garth.  We¡¯ll give them time to get settled, and see about a visit after getting independent licensure.¡±

    [IF THAT¡¯S WHAT YOU¡¯D LIKE, DR. MAYHEW.  YOU FOUGHT SO HARD TO HELP THEM GET THIS OPPORTUNITY.  FOR WHAT IT¡¯S WORTH, I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD MAKE TIME TO SEE THEM.]

    Kyle sighed as he accepted the drone¡¯s words.  There was truth there, and he had to admit it would help put his heart at ease to see them well.  ¡°I appreciate your thoughts, C.H.A.D.D.  For now, let¡¯s tackle what¡¯s in front of us.¡±

 Chapter 173

    Kyle gritted his teeth as the electricity coursed through him, nearly bringing him to his knees.  He ducked behind some rubble just as another bolt struck where he¡¯d been standing, a peal of thunder ringing in his ears.  Does this even count as sparring?

    After meeting with Tillienne, Kyle had agreed to meet with Jax Cain, who he¡¯d learned was the young man he¡¯d observed after the completion of Phase One.  Apparently Tillienne¡¯s family had dealings with Cain Jewelers before, which was part of what inspired their connection.  She¡¯d convinced him that he¡¯d be a good partner to train with, and so the three of them had made their way to the Cain family training grounds.

    Jax was young and handsome, his boyish features far clearer as Kyle spent time with him before their match.  He was earnest, smiled easily, and Kyle understood why people seemed drawn to him.  For others, the idea of trying to organize this type of training may have seemed ridiculous.  After all, who wanted to help potential competitors?  For Jax, extending the invitation just made sense.

    The complex was effectively a dusty wasteland inside an enclosed dome, though the overall size was almost as large as Nierburg.  Jax had settled on Defend Position for Phase Three, which was what they were currently training for.  Kyle and Tillienne were trying to break through to his position, and he was doing his best to hold them back.  And his best was pretty damn good.

    The constant barrage of precise, long-range electric attacks was incredibly difficult to deal with, as STORM SHELTER would leave him a sitting duck when he dropped it.  That left Kyle and Tillienne dodging and weaving through rubble and stones to close in on the vantage that Jax had selected.  The fae woman was worse off than Kyle, lacking the ability to heal in the same way he did, though Kyle had a distinct impression that she was still holding back quite a bit.  Then and again, so was he.

    Another bolt split the air, and Kyle could feel the heat as his hair stood on end, the strike barely missing his left ear.  While he didn¡¯t want to get hit too much, Kyle found that the residual shock from the attacks made for a great opportunity to practice HEAL in conjunction with ADAPTIVE REGENERATION.  He felt his conceptual understanding of cellular regeneration improving, and was optimistic that the upgrade options he¡¯d receive for HEAL would be impressive.

    Tillienne took the opportunity provided by Kyle taking fire to dash closer to the young man, covering ground at an alarming rate as a boosting skill activated.  Kyle prepared to activate IGNITION to join in, but there was no need as the young man seemed to grow flustered, shifting focus and firing a sloppy shot that didn¡¯t manage to get close to her.

    Scorched and smiling, Tillienne touched the bottom of the rock formation Jax had chosen as his defensible position.  She let out a quick laugh, then looked up at Jax while Kyle approached. ¡°That was a good showing.  Your lightning magic is no joke!¡±

    Jax looked at his feet, a blush already rising in his cheeks.  ¡°Uh, thanks.  It still wasn¡¯t enough to keep you guys away though.  I have a lot to work on.¡±

    [YOU WOULD DO WELL TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PRESENCE OF BOOSTING SKILLS, MR. CAIN.  FROM WHAT WE¡¯VE EXPERIENCED, THEY ARE FAIRLY COMMON AMONG ELITE FIGHTERS.]

    Jax nodded, not seeming bothered at all to be receiving feedback from Kyle¡¯s backpack.  ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.  I don¡¯t have as much experience fighting against people like you two.¡±

    Tillienne looked at Kyle, and raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Are you just going to stand there, or can I get some healing?¡±  Tossing a glance back at Jax, she quipped ¡°And don¡¯t feel bad about it, Jax.  There¡¯s nobody else out there quite like me.¡±

    Kyle and Jax shared a look as she laughed at her own comment, Kyle resting a hand on her top left shoulder as he activated HEAL.  The burns left by Jax¡¯s lightning were tricky to mend, but Kyle had plenty of experience treating his own.  He focused his energy first on neutralizing any of the electric-affinity mana still flowing through Tillienne, and then on promoting cellular regrowth beneath the burned tissue.

    Her smile turned into a grimace of pain as the fresh skin grew.  Kyle¡¯s Enhanced Carapace had prevented a lot of these issues, proving far quicker and easier to mend.  It was a qualitative aspect of his Adaptive Anatomy he didn¡¯t reflect on often, but one that was incredibly useful.  It also drew him to reflect on his relationship with pain.  While Tillienne and Jax were both powerful D Grades in their own right, IDENTIFY had shown him just how little they¡¯d invested into Endurance and Vitality.

    He couldn¡¯t help but compare them to Duroc and Skippy, who had both seen real combat in the frontier, and how even Skippy had invested more than these two had.  He knew they both had powerful backers and guides along their paths, but he felt that their investment was still lacking.  While they each had powerful skills they could bring to bear, they didn¡¯t have the durability for long, drawn-out engagements.

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    Kyle knew he was a bit of a monster in that regard, and after his fight with Ger¡¯Sinh he knew that he still had a long way to go.  The beastmaster had used a trump card beyond anything Kyle expected to see at D Grade, but that certainly didn¡¯t mean it was the last time he¡¯d encounter something like that.  If anything, it was a gauntlet that the universe had thrown down, challenging him to go even farther.

    Satisfied the worst of the burns were healed, Kyle activated IDENTIFY once more to check for any irregularities.  Tillienne met his eyes as he did so, and he saw mana gently projecting out from her, reaching out towards both him and Jax.  Now it was Kyle¡¯s turn to raise an eyebrow, to which she only smiled as her skill deactivated.  Kyle did the same.

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame a girl for getting curious about your identification skill, just wanted to see if I could pick up any more details on it.¡±

    Jax, who seemed oblivious, looked to Kyle and Tillienne with surprise.  ¡°You both have identification skills?  What¡¯s it like to use them?¡±

    It turned out that Jax, while not having such a skill of his own, was deeply interested in the different types.  Kyle and Tillienne both spoke in general terms, not oversharing, but still giving their earnest host a good picture of how they perceived mana.  Kyle described his more as understanding the general flow and magnitude, while Tillienne described hers more as an instinctual measure of the people she met.  Jax was fascinated by both, and continued asking question after question until they made it to the training facility¡¯s cafeteria.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always hoped to get an identification skill, but it¡¯s just never come up.¡± Jax complained between mouthfuls of food.  ¡°It would be so nice to be able to see more of what people are doing, sometimes it feels like I¡¯m fighting blind.¡±

    Kyle was enjoying the taste of his own meal, which reminded him of fried rice mixed with battered meat.  After swallowing a particularly tasty bite, he met Jax¡¯s eyes.  ¡°The accuracy you had with the long-range lightning attacks was way too precise to be ¡®fighting blind.¡¯  Surely, you¡¯ve got some sort of long-range Perception skill, right?¡±

    Jax nodded, finishing his bite before responding.  ¡°I do, but it isn¡¯t all that exciting.  It was one of the earlier skills I picked up.¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°So, focus on it.  When it¡¯s time to upgrade it, hopefully you¡¯ll have a solid enough foundation in sensing mana to be offered an upgrade that¡¯s in line with what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    Jax and Tillienne just stared at him, and Kyle began to realize that maybe he should have kept his mouth shut.  Tillienne was the first to speak, her expression more serious than he¡¯d seen it before.  ¡°Kyle, that¡¯s easier said than done.  If any of us even make it to a high enough level to get all the upgrades to our E Grade skills, taking skills into strange directions can have unintended consequences.¡±

    Kyle had to admit, his curiosity was piqued.  Both of them were receiving guidance from their seniors, and were following proven paths to power.  The level of support that both received was a large part of why they¡¯d been so set apart from their peers, after all.  Kyle wanted to hear more about their thoughts, but before that, something Tillienne said bothered him.  ¡°What do you mean ¡®if¡¯ we make it to a high enough level?  Isn¡¯t something like that a given for us?¡±

    Jax and Tillienne shared a look, and this time it was the young man who responded.  ¡°Middle D Grade is a bottleneck for a lot of people that get this far.  Fewer D Grades make it to C Grade than E Grades making it to D Grade.  Even working with the Guilds, it¡¯s rare to get the kind of experiences that¡¯ll push you to the higher echelons, even if you have the talent.¡±

    Kyle folded his arms as he leaned back, taking in their words.  While he understood what they were saying, there was something inside him that bristled against the very notion of a bottleneck.  Neither Tillienne nor Jax had been through the kind of life-or-death struggles he had.  And with the essence of the riftwyrm flowing through him, Kyle expected his circumstances would be considered abnormal by any measure.

    ¡°That may be so,¡± Kyle said, trying to offer some grace.  ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, what would be wrong with steering your skill upgrade in a different direction?  If anything, wouldn¡¯t fewer upgrades make it less of an issue?¡±

    Jax shook his head, brushing dark strands of hair out of his eyes.  ¡°First, the goal is still to keep advancing.  I can¡¯t speak for Tillienne, but our family has invested a lot in the hopes I¡¯ll make it to C Grade.  If that does happen, then a more well-defined upgrade path makes sense.

    ¡°You stop getting new skills at C Grade, and have to work on upgrades.  Information on upgrade paths at that level is rare and expensive, so we try to stay in the realm of what we know works.  If we deviated too far, and can¡¯t upgrade any skills, advancement in C Grade stops entirely.

    ¡°Besides that, at least for my family, having a level of consistency across our skills lets us work together more seamlessly.  It¡¯s less about the individual degrees of power, and more about cohesion.¡±

    Tillienne nodded in agreement at Jax¡¯s explanation, serious expression still on her face.  ¡°Kyle, has your backer seriously not talked with you about your skill development?  With how much they¡¯ve probably invested in you¡­¡±

    Her voice trailed off, and Kyle suppressed the fire bubbling in his veins as the food he was chewing lost its flavor.  It was as if they were telling him that the path he¡¯d walked to this point was somehow wrong, or lesser.  Kyle bristled at the notion.  He hadn¡¯t gotten this far because he was following some sort of playbook, he¡¯d fought to get where he was.  He paid for his strength in blood.  ¡°No, and I prefer it that way.¡±

    A tense silence settled over the room like a blanket, which apparently was too much for C.H.A.D.D.

    [WHAT IS THE NEXT EXERCISE?  I BELIEVE IT¡¯S MISS TILLIENNE¡¯S TURN, IS THAT CORRECT?]

    Some of the tension left the room, and soon Tillienne¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°That it is, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯ll be selecting the Arena Combat option.¡±  She met Kyle¡¯s eyes as her smile deepened.  ¡°And I¡¯d like for you to be my first opponent, Kyle.  Let¡¯s see if your assessment about being a bad matchup is correct.¡±

 Chapter 174

    Kyle stretched as he regarded the fae woman on the other side of the ¡°arena¡± they¡¯d selected.  In reality, they¡¯d just drawn a large circle in a relatively flat portion of the training grounds.  While they had no idea exactly what the rules or terrain would be in Phase Three, this was the most neutral approximation they could come up with.  With Tillienne still being a bit fatigued from training against Jax, their hope was to simulate a later-round battle.  Kyle fully expected early to mid-tier D Grade obstacles to pop up in the later portions of Phase Three, and after their conversation, Kyle was more than happy to play the final boss.

    The sky lit up with a bolt of lightning, and the crash of thunder marked the beginning of the fight.  Kyle took a defensive stance, expecting Tillienne to close in to engage in melee.  Instead, she touched one of the charms on her bracelet, and Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he activated IDENTIFY.  The metal of the bracelet began to flow, and in mere seconds she was holding a greatbow nearly as tall as she was.

    A click could be heard across the arena, and the weapon expanded further, now shaped like an ¡°X.¡±  Two of Tillienne¡¯s arms pushed the bow out, as the other two pulled back a wicked-looking arrow, which she promptly released.  Kyle darted out of the way, not daring to look away as she drew another.  ¡°Can you project the flight targets of the arrows, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [DR. MAYHEW, THE POSSIBLE TRAJECTORIES OF THE ARROWS ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE WEAPON, AND DIFFICULT TO PREDICT.]

    ¡°Do your best, I won¡¯t hold it against you if you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    Dozens of lights sprang up as C.H.A.D.D. lit up the angles of approach, right as Tillienne released her next shot.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s predictions were slightly off, though it was close enough for him to avoid the shot, this time getting lightly grazed across his left arm.  The barbed arrow cut through his shirt, but was unable to break the skin thanks to his Enhanced Carapace.  Still, he was sure that he didn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of a direct hit.  Those arrows moved fast.

    A third arrow was nocked, and Auric Perception warned Kyle that this one was different.  As she released it, the projectile accelerated, closing the distance even faster than the others.  STORM SHELTER instinctively sprang to life, barely intercepting the arrow as the barrier formed.  He dropped the skill nearly as quickly as he¡¯d activated it, and now dashed directly towards his opponent.

    One thing he¡¯d noticed as she shot the arrows at him was a shift in the mana coming from her bracelets.  Each shot may have gotten more powerful, but IDENTIFY showed him that they each got more costly to fire, and took slightly longer to produce.  Tillienne drew the largest arrow yet, setting it against the string of her strange bow.  Kyle¡¯s blood burned in his veins as he activated IGNITION, and he was on her in a moment.

    To Tillienne¡¯s credit, she didn¡¯t skip a beat.  Though her face betrayed a moment of surprise, both the bow and arrow flowed into silver metal as she released them, returning to her bracelets.  Kyle could feel the mana around her stir as her own boosting skill was activated, and was prepared when her hands flashed out in a swift unarmed combination attack.

    Risking a quick glance with IDENTIFY, he could tell that the boost was purely physical, though still qualitatively impressive.  Kyle quickly found himself on the back foot, dodging attacks and trying to stay just outside of her striking range.  Simply based on the number of charms she had on her bracelets; Kyle assumed she could draw out more weapons.  As the frenetic pace of their battle picked up, Kyle fully expected she would have quite a bit to showcase.

    Fighting an opponent with four arms was a real challenge, particularly given Tillienne¡¯s raw physical Strength.  He had to be careful to evade every blow, as each punch packed enough power to cause real damage.  Even with two batons, he was forced almost entirely on the defensive, each counterattack he managed to launch nullified by her unorthodox style.  Despite his situation, Kyle felt a smile growing across his face.

    Suddenly, Tillienne slowed down, taking three quick strikes from Kyle¡¯s batons.  He pushed his advantage, as Tillienne tried and failed to activate her boosting skill again.  Realization seemed to dawn on her face as she met his eyes.  ¡°How are you blocking my skill?¡±

    Kyle grunted as he narrowly blocked a counterpunch, feeling the impact running all the way up his arm.  ¡°Are you offering a trade in the middle of a battle?  This doesn¡¯t seem like great timing.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, instead ducking to the ground and spinning.  The move took Kyle by surprise, and he reacted too slowly as Tillienne swept his leg with hers.  He swore as he felt himself falling backwards, her fists threatening to smash him into the ground.  Cursing his carelessness, he pushed harder on PARASITIC RESONANCE.  Her eyes widened as the muscles in her arms strained against the twisting mana, slowing her just enough for Kyle to regain his footing.  Now that she was fully aware of the skill¡¯s presence, she railed against it, but it bought him the time he¡¯d needed.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    His fight with Ger¡¯Sinh had shown Kyle that his current application of the skill was sloppy.  Before upgrading the skill, he could only use RESONANCE while in physical contact, so he had grown accustomed to immediately trying to overpower his opponents¡¯ Willpower and gain control.  While that worked fine against beasts operating on instinct, more intelligent enemies could fight against his skill, or take measures to avoid it altogether.

    After taking time to rewatch his fight against the beastmaster, he¡¯d realized that he needed to shift his thinking.  His inspiration came from the concept of parasites themselves ¨C the longer they went undetected, the more dangerous they were.  Why should he be any different?  Forgoing the priority on immediate attack, Kyle had instead been practicing making the tendrils of PARASITIC RESONANCE thinner, more subtle.  He was plenty happy with the results so far, even if there was still room to improve his application of the skill.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t rest on his laurels, however, as the brief break in their engagement had given Tillienne the time she needed to pull out three items from her bracelets.  With PARASITIC RESONANCE still active, he was surprised to see that there was no real mana manipulation involved.  Instead, the bracelets seemed to just draw mana out of her, with the items themselves doing the work of shaping the weapons.  The pink-skinned woman stood before him with a spear in one hand, a shield in another, with two hands grasping a colossal battleaxe.

    Her expression had grown serious, and Kyle thought he saw a flicker of anger in her eyes.  ¡°You¡¯ve been holding back on me.  That¡¯s not just a nullification skill, is it?¡±

    Kyle shook his head, not seeing a reason to lie about it.  ¡°It¡¯s not one that I particularly like using in a friendly match.¡±

    She responded by leveling the spear and raising her shield.  ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate being treated like a child, Kyle.  I¡¯m D Grade nobility of a fae house, and I will not be toyed with.¡±  Without another word, she charged.  Kyle avoided several thrusts with the spear, though with the shield raised there were few opportunities to counterattack.  He kept his connection with PARASITIC RESONANCE to suppress the activation of her boosting skill, and fought defensively, waiting for an opportunity.

    One thrust from the spear overextended, and Kyle seized the moment.  He batted the weapon to the side with a baton, creating a small opening.  He rotated back as he brought both batons down, catching her lower-right arm which held the spear.  His blow caused her to drop the weapon, which turned to silver liquid and flowed back into the bracelet around her wrist.

    Kyle was celebrating internally, when he realized his error.  Against a normal human, this would have disarmed their primary weapon.  Because she hadn¡¯t used the axe thus far in their fight, Kyle only now realized how exposed he was.  The weapon came crashing towards him in a brutal arc, a light jab with the shield forcing him further off-balance.  STORM SHELTER was an option, but some part of Kyle felt like using the skill was admitting a loss.  Instead, he went with plan B.

    ¡°Now!¡±  Kyle¡¯s cry was answered by orange light flashing brightly in Tilliene¡¯s eyes, while at the same time Kyle pushed energy through PARASITIC RESONANCE, focused on the hands holding the axe.  Kyle tucked his legs tight to his chest as he moved with the force of the shield bash, falling to the ground and landing on the C.H.A.D.D.pack.  The ground shook as the axe crashed into the ground where he¡¯d been standing.  He used the surface as a foundation to roll backwards, managing to clamber to his feet.

    Another thrust with the spear was headed directly towards him, and there was no avoiding it at this range.  The weapon struck him in the chest, puncturing his armor and managing to draw a thin trickle of blood. Embracing the pain from the injury and IGNITION, Kyle stoked the skill further as he regained his distance.  Connecting C.H.A.D.D. to his stonebloom armor, the wood began to slowly grow to repair the hole caused by the blow.

    Tillienne paused several steps away, her gaze landing on the wound that was already closing.  Turning her eyes to meet Kyle¡¯s she spoke. Her voice was calm, not a hint of flirtation.  ¡°You¡¯re a real monster, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ouch.  ¡°Monster¡¯s a little harsh, don¡¯t you think?  But I told you, I¡¯m a bad match for you.  There¡¯s no shame in that, it was a great fight.¡±  Kyle could tell from the change in her tone and attitude that she¡¯d genuinely expected this fight to go an entirely different direction.  He couldn¡¯t blame her ¨C she was a true elite after all ¨C but he hoped that they could call it here.  Pushing much farther could get dangerous for her.

    ¡°Matchups?  That¡¯s an excuse for the weak.  I¡¯m not stopping here, Kyle.  Not for you.  Not for anybody.¡±

    Kyle felt a chill go through his body as the air around Tillienne began to shimmer.  PARASITIC RESONANCE didn¡¯t reveal any mana moving differently in her body, so he activated IDENTIFY.  His eyes widened as he saw her pure vital energy seeming to surge like magma, pulsing through body in conjunction with her heartbeat.  Then, she moved.

    In a flash he could hardly follow, she was in the air above him, axe poised to cleave him in two.  This time, Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate.  STORM SHELTER sprang to life, deflecting the blow.  As she bounced off the shield, she launched several other mighty blows against the barrier, each landing with the force to pulverize stone to dust.

    Still, Kyle¡¯s skill held up.  There was a component of STORM SHELTER that scaled with his Willpower, and he was well beyond what most D Grades around his level would achieve.  IGNITION continued to burn in his veins, the ramping effect offered by Unbreakable Willpower becoming truly noticeable.

    He met the woman¡¯s eyes through the barrier, and a moment of silence was shared between them.  When STORM SHELTER expired, there was an unspoken guarantee that their fight would be escalated well beyond the level of a training match.  He saw her pride, her drive to prove her path.  And he knew, without a doubt, that he would need to take her completely seriously when things continued.

    With a sigh, he deactivated his skills and raised his hands.  ¡°I give up.  You win.¡±

 Chapter 175

    For a moment, Kyle was concerned that Tillienne was going to attack him anyway.  It was clear, at least to him, that she wanted to push herself further, to prove that she was stronger.  Frustration was plain on her face, and he noticed her hands clench a little tighter on the axe before the air around her stopped shimmering, the weapons turning back to liquid metal as they entered the bracelets.  Tension seemed to melt out of her as her shoulders slumped.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a win, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Do you really look down on me that much?  You couldn¡¯t even trust me enough to know my limits?  What, did you think I was on some death-or-glory mission here?¡±

    Kyle sighed, meeting her eyes.  ¡°Maybe you would have, maybe you wouldn¡¯t.  What I do know is that to keep pace with you, I wouldn¡¯t have had the luxury to hold back.  And that¡¯s not something I was willing to risk.¡±

    She snorted.  ¡°And you think I couldn¡¯t handle it.¡±

    Kyle felt a familiar heat bubbling in his chest, and he didn¡¯t hold it back as he stepped towards her, meeting her eyes.  ¡°I know you couldn¡¯t handle it.  You called me a monster; and believe me when I say you don¡¯t know the half of it.  I get to choose how far I¡¯m willing to go.  I don¡¯t owe you a fight.  This is supposed to be training for Phase Three.  Giving each other serious injuries for our own pride isn¡¯t part of the equation.¡±

    She looked away, folding her arms.  There was a tension in the air, broken when Jax arrived.  ¡°That was a hell of a fight!¡± He grinned, brushing his long, dark hair out of his eyes.  ¡°Looks like you got him at the end, Tillienne.  Not much of a surprise there.¡±

    She looked at Jax, and when she spoke the weariness was clear in her voice.  ¡°I could use a rest.  Is there somewhere I can go lie down?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jax said, his expression shifting from joviality to concern.  ¡°I¡¯ll have a room ready for you, do you want me to get transportation arranged back to the compound?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk.  Thank you.¡±  Tillienne turned and started the journey back towards the nearest entrance to the estate.  It would probably take her an hour or more to get back, and Kyle hoped the time to clear her head would be helpful.  He could appreciate that their sparring match didn¡¯t end the way she¡¯d hoped, but was optimistic that she¡¯d come around to his way of thinking with some time to cool down.

    Jax and Kyle stood in silence as she left, with the young man finally turning to Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°So, which option are you going to choose for Phase Three?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.  I¡¯m a little split between the Artifact Retrieval and Labyrinth Escape.¡±

    [I ALSO BELIEVE THAT DR. MAYHEW COULD PERFORM ADMIRABLY IN THE ARENA COMBAT.]

    Jax nodded.  ¡°With a performance like that one, I think you¡¯d probably do well in any of them.  Still, if you haven¡¯t decided, what kind of training do you think would benefit you?  We could probably simulate something for each, but I¡¯m not sure where you¡¯d like to start.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re up for it, I think I¡¯d like to practice avoiding attacks under sustained fire.¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Really?  I can see if we can get some of the staff and maybe a family member or two together, but is that all you want?  We could try to tailor more.¡±

    ¡°It is.  Besides, that¡¯ll give you an opportunity to keep practicing against difficult targets, too.¡±

    Jax nodded, clearly warming up to the idea.  ¡°We can see if Tillienne will want to join as well, those arrows were no joke.  It¡¯ll be a little while for me to get something set up, I¡¯ll send you a note when we¡¯re ready.  Do you want a lift back to the compound?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°No, I¡¯ll be okay.  I appreciate it, Jax.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good, see you soon!¡±  The dark-haired youth headed towards the compound, following the retreating form of Tillienne.  Once he was a little farther away, Kyle let out a breath, running a hand through his hair.  Coming here might have been a mistake.

    [WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°They¡¯re just so¡­ different.  Jax¡¯s family owns an entire moon.  It doesn¡¯t feel like Tillienne has ever been in a position where she¡¯s lost.¡±  Kyle paused as he looked at the dark void in the sky, stars twinkling in the perpetual night, despite the glowing spheres of light illuminating the training ground.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like I belong here.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, YOU DON¡¯T BELONG HERE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The drone¡¯s abrupt response startled him.  ¡°What do you mean by that, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YOUR EXPERIENCE ON EARTH WAS TRAUMATIC, DR. MAYHEW, AND NOT A TRAUMA THAT MANY WILL SHARE.  IT UNDOUBTEDLY SHAPED ASPECTS OF YOUR WORLDVIEW, AND JUDGING YOUR BELONGING BASED ON SHARED EXPERIENCE WILL LEAVE YOU WITH VERY FEW WHO CAN UNDERSTAND.  PRESENT COPMANY EXCLUDED, OF COURSE.]

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I need people to have gone through the same thing.  Even before the cataclysm, I don¡¯t know that I would have had a lot in common with these two.  It¡¯s a whole different world ¨C literally.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    [I AGREE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HAD NOTHING IN COMMON BEFOREHAND.  AS THINGS STAND NOW, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE YOU ARE OVERLOOKING THE OBVIOUS POINTS OF SIMILARITY.  ALL OF YOU ARE PURSUING STRENGTH.  ALL OF YOU ARE LOOKING TO WORK INDEPENTENTLY, WITHOUT TIES TO EXISTING FACTIONS.]

    ¡°I get that, C.H.A.D.D.  It still feels like they both see this as more of a game.¡±

    [SHOULDN¡¯T THEY?  THE STAKES ARE RELATIVELY LOW FOR THEM, AND APART FROM THE ODD CIRCUMSTANCES IN PHASE TWO, THEY WERE LOW FOR YOU, TOO.  I¡¯LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS, DR. MAYHEW: DON¡¯T ALLOW THE FOREIGN NATURE OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES TO PREVENT YOU FROM FORMING RELATIONSHIPS.  YOUR GOALS WILL BE BETTER SERVED WITH A NETWORK TO SUPPORT YOU.]

    Kyle was silent for a moment, thinking about the drone¡¯s words.  They were surprisingly insightful, though Kyle expected the psychology files C.H.A.D.D. had were the largest contributor.  He didn¡¯t feel better, not yet, but it was worth reflecting on.  For now, he changed the topic.  ¡°So you think Arena Combat could be a good fit?¡±

    [I DO.  IF WE TAKE THE MESSAGE ABOUT LABYRINTH ESCAPE SERIOUSLY, THERE¡¯S A POSSIBILITY THAT ARTIFACT RETRIEVAL COULD BE SIMILARLY COMPROMISED DUE TO ITS SIMILAR NATURE.  ARENA COMBAT, BY CONTRAST, IS THE WIDEST DEPARTURE IN TERMS OF STRUCTURE.  FURTHERMORE, IT LIKELY HAS MORE CONTROLS IN PLACE TO PREVENT TAMPERING.]

    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting take.  I¡¯m concerned that it wouldn¡¯t showcase what we need to get into the Courier¡¯s Guild.¡±

    [THAT¡¯S A RISK.]

    It¡¯s all a risk.  Kyle knew that whatever he chose, there were a great deal of unknowns.  A part of him still bristled at the message, wanting to choose Labyrinth Escape for the simple fact of spitting in the eye of whoever tried to set a trap for him.  There were still aces he hadn¡¯t shown, and unless the trap was at or above the level of Ger¡¯Sinh, he was confident in overcoming it.  At the same time, the rational part of his brain knew it wasn¡¯t wise.  There were other options available to him.  Good options.

    Kyle understood that he was among the highest tier of candidates in his Practicum.  Of the people he¡¯d seen, only Arhades, Jax, and Tillienne truly stood above the rest.  Reflecting on that fact calmed him.  Assuming he didn¡¯t fail Phase Three miserably, there would be an opportunity of some sort waiting for him.  He exhaled as his heart settled on the next step.  Artifact Retrieval.

    Part of him was tempted to tell Jax, but he stopped before activating his nav bracelet.  C.H.A.D.D. was right in that sabotage to Labyrinth Escape could be easily translated over, and sharing that information now could be dangerous.  Even if he trusted the young man, it was wiser to keep his decision closer to the chest.  I probably shouldn¡¯t have shared as much as I did.

    Kyle¡¯s self-admonishment was cut short as a message came through.

    Kyle,

    I¡¯ve got a group together, including a member of the family¡¯s security forces also in D Grade.  Tillienne agreed to come, though she said she won¡¯t be able to use the bow for a while.  I still think it¡¯ll be worth having her.  A transport is on the way to pick you up, training will start in a little over an hour.

    -Jax

    Despite himself, a grin crossed his face.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how are you feeling about manipulating the stonebloom armor¡¯s properties?¡±

    [QUITE COMFORTABLE, DR. MAYHEW.  WITH THE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, I BELIEVE THERE ARE VARIOUS APPLICATIONS THAT CAN BE EXPLORED AS WELL.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°For now, let¡¯s stick to the basics.  It¡¯ll be good to get some practice in with what we know.¡±

    [A PRUDENT DECISION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°While we wait, can you pull up your scans of the egg?¡±

    The drone obliged, and Kyle gazed at the endlessly complex series of sigils and runes covering its surface.  Despite his and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s best efforts, they still had no idea what the purpose of the inscriptions were, other than collecting ambient energy.  He hoped to learn more after the Practicum was over, as there could be some interesting applications if he could apply the principles to organic material, his armor being the first candidate.  If it could grow stronger naturally, why not explore it?

    The duo discussed their plans for several more minutes, before Kyle heard a whirring sound.  Looking up, he saw the transport that Jax mentioned, surprised at how different it looked from those utilized by Corthian Mining.  Instead of rune-powered thrusters, this vehicle used two large turbines on either side of a small, spherical cockpit.  In many ways, the design reminded Kyle of old-world helicopters.

    Red dust was kicked up as the turbines rotated vertically, slowing its descent until it finally touched down with a thud.  The cockpit door opened, and Kyle walked in, seeing a comfortable seating area in the back.  As soon as he sat down, the doors closed and sealed.

    The pilot nodded in greeting.  ¡°Thank you for your patience.  We¡¯ll be at the training center shortly, sir.  I apologize for any turbulence.  The artificial atmosphere can make it rough from time to time as the pressure is maintained.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem at all.  How long have you been working for the Cain family?¡±

    ¡°Most of my life, sir.  Started in the mines as a young man, and earned my way to the estates a few years ago.¡±

    ¡°How did you get involved with them?¡±

    ¡°My family hired on a couple of generations back, and they¡¯ve treated us well.  Pay is fair, and they¡¯ve been good to us through the years.  Young Master Jax looks to be continuing that trend.¡±

    As they flew, Kyle asked the pilot more about the Cain family.  In many ways, their story was similar to Corthian Mining¡¯s.  They were human led, fell under the banner of the Gray Conglomerate, and built their brand through acquiring treasures and natural resources.  The key difference was that, as they grew, Cain Jewelers focused their business exclusively on extracting and refining mana crystals, while Corthian Mining was far more general.

    Kyle was most surprised to learn how many people effectively served the Cain family as intergenerational careers.  There was a lot Kyle still wanted to learn, but before he could ask more, they approached their destination.  Kyle looked out from above, seeing a long strip of land surrounded by raised platforms.  As they descended, he recognized Tillienne and Jax, who stood next to a Phytan.  There were well over a dozen others present, all wearing the standard uniforms of the Cain family.

    He thanked the pilot as he debarked, activating Identify as he looked at the group.  The awakened staff were nothing special, mostly Mages with a couple Rangers sprinkled in.  Nobody was stronger than middle E Grade, though the impression he got from the Phytan more than made up for it.  The creature appeared as a floating, swirling mass of algae, the cloud nearly three meters around.

    It was heavily specialized into Vitality, Willpower, and Intelligence.  While Kyle didn¡¯t know its level, he fully expected it to be well into the middle of D Grade or even beyond.  It was engaged in a conversation with Tillienne and Jax, the latter of whom stopped to walk over to Kyle.  ¡°Welcome!  This is Trex, they¡¯re long-standing members of our security team.¡±

    Trex floated closer, their voice a strong whisper as the algae vibrated.  ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡­ Kyle Mayhew¡­  Thank you for the honor¡­ Of being able to assist with your¡­ Training.¡±  The pitch of Trex¡¯s voice was odd, volume fluctuating with each word.

    ¡°Thank you for offering to help,¡± Kyle said, offering a respectful bow.

    Jax smiled.  ¡°Well, with introductions done, should we get started?¡±

 Chapter 176

    [DO THEY SEEM A LITTLE TOO EAGER TO YOU, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Definitely.¡±  Kyle stood at one end of a path, surrounded by raised pillars of various elevations.  The path ended with a round area with some brush, and Kyle¡¯s goal was to make it to the end while avoiding or blocking ranged attacks from his training partners.  The idea was great, but after seeing the cheery atmosphere while they sat together, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d made a mistake agreeing to this type of training.

    Kyle could appreciate the excitement from the D Grades, particularly in that they could each test their skills against somebody who could take them.  He hadn¡¯t counted on the E Grades mirroring that enthusiasm.  Even as far away as he was, Kyle could make out broad smiles on most of their faces.  I suppose they don¡¯t get many opportunities to let loose.

    A flare shot into the sky from the ending point, and the air around him was instantly filled with colors as C.H.A.D.D. highlighted over a dozen incoming attacks.  C.H.A.D.D. and Kyle had developed a system to differentiate physical and mana attacks, and he immediately realized that it was worthless in a situation like this one.  There were simply too many attack types coming in for him to realistically adapt to all of them.

    He pushed mana through his connection to the drone, activating the properties of his stonebloom armor.  ¡°Just highlight the physical attacks!¡±  C.H.A.D.D. obliged, now only highlighting two incoming techniques.  Kyle ducked as a stream of fine glass shards sliced the air above his head, then stepped to the side to avoid a lance of ice jetting towards his position.

    Bolts of lightning mingled with gouts of flame and shockwaves of pure force, lighting up the sky before fizzling into nothing before they could even touch him.  Kyle felt a grin growing across his face.  His first field test of his armor had been against Ger¡¯Sinh, and had been easily overwhelmed.  He¡¯d known it wasn¡¯t fair to use that as the sole measurement of its ability, but part of him felt like he¡¯d made a mistake investing so heavily into it.  Now, he was vindicated.  The attacks from E Grades were entirely nullified, not even touching him.

    Another volley of glass projectiles shot towards him, highlighted by C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors.  Kyle sidestepped this one too, only to raise his arms just in time to divert a javelin thrown with insane speed by Tillienne from across the training field.  The sharp edge of the weapon left a cut on his right arm, which he repaired with a quick Heal.  The ground behind him shook, and walls of earth sprang up, forming a semicircle to limit his movements.

    This time, the volley of attacks was joined by a bolt of lightning as thick as his wrist, splitting the air like rifle fire.  He activated the ability of his armor again, this time attempting to focus the effect in an area directly in front of him.  It wasn¡¯t nearly enough to stop the full force of Jax¡¯s attack.  The bolt slammed into him with enough physical force to smash him into the earthen barrier.  Kyle was disoriented, the smell of ozone overpowering.

    [YOU MAY WANT TO MOVE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The drone¡¯s flat tone brought him back into focus as a storm of ice and cold began to rain down on him, courtesy of the same E Grade who threw the lance of ice before.  A thin layer of frost began to build on his armor, and Kyle sighed.  Not seeing a way around it, he activated Ignition.  Power surged through him as he felt the tingling pain across his body, the nullification from the stonebloom boosted by the flowing power.

    The storm of cold was pushed back by the enhanced range of the armor, just as the atmospheric mana replenished his reserves.  Another javelin flew his way, and this time Kyle ducked under it.  He felt the shrapnel from the remains of the earthworks behind him as it exploded, then raised his arm to intercept a small cloud of glass heading directly towards his face.  Each shard was no larger than a grain of sand; trying and failing to break his skin.

    [IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN EXPECTED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°No joke,¡± Kyle said, jumping to avoid a pitfall created by the earth manipulator.  ¡°They coordinate exceptionally well.¡±  He was genuinely impressed with their overall level of ability, and could easily see this team putting up a meaningful fight against most early D Grades, even without Jax and Tillienne involved.  Speaking of, Trex hasn¡¯t done anything yet.  Kyle risked a glance down the field with Identify active, and saw the floating mass of algae veritably glowing with mana.  It seemed to be charging for an attack of type, though Kyle couldn¡¯t figure out what it could be.  Maybe light mana?  Whatever it was, Kyle had never come across the energy it was converting before, and it gave him a bad feeling.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He didn¡¯t get an opportunity to analyze further as Jax launched another precision bolt, which Kyle barely managed to avoid thanks to the boost from Ignition.  Flame and lightning swirled around him, though with the expanded range and power of the stonebloom armor, the E Grade attacks weren¡¯t even getting close.  A warning flash from C.H.A.D.D. alerted him to another javelin, and this time he dodged underneath, before taking his first real step toward the finish line.

    Kyle heard energetic shouting from the pillars as he advanced, the E Grades near the beginning running to try and keep pace with him.  The sounds were drowned out by the peals of thunder as Jax launched bolt after bolt, Kyle only managing to dodge two before being blasted backwards.  His muscles twitched as the electricity flowed through his body.  Still too difficult.  Kyle¡¯s attempts to shape the field from the stonebloom were unsuccessful, the field responding too slowly to Jax¡¯s sharp attacks.

    More earthen walls sprang to life between Kyle and his objective, and he saw ice begin to coat the ground and walls.  A hazy cloud coalesced, and Identify showed Kyle a combination of the small shards of glass in conjunction with fire and ice mana being blended in near-equal proportion.  They¡¯re shifting from offense to control.  It was a good decision on their part, showing quick adaptation to the circumstances.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can your sensors see through the cloud?¡±

    [EASILY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    An orange overlay sprang to life around him, highlighting the environment as Kyle dove into the cloud.  The ice on the ground wasn¡¯t yet thick enough to provide a meaningful obstacle, though that was changing with every step.  Auric Perception alerted him to a surge of energy in the ground in front of him, and he vaulted over stone spikes that erupted toward him.  The mist swirled around his body, shards of glass and ice both failing to find purchase against his armor and skin.

    A bolt from Jax went wide, missing him by nearly a meter.  It¡¯s hampering their visibility too, Kyle realized, once again thankful for the nearly endless utility that C.H.A.D.D. provided.  Then why are they keeping it up?  As soon as he had the thought, he felt a shift in the ambient mana.  Without a second thought, he activated Storm Shelter.  Just as the barrier sprang to life, a blast of heat and light struck the area around him.

    Stone and earth shattered as the mist burned away, and cracks began to form across the surface of his shield.  From within, Kyle activated Identify as he observed the attack.  Light, fire, and force certainly.  What else?  It was a truly impressive attack, a charged beam with both heat and weight, pulverizing nearly the entire pathway.  While Kyle didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be in mortal danger from taking it head on, he knew it would have taken him out of the fight.

    As Storm Shelter faded, however, Kyle realized the attack wasn¡¯t done.  The attack left hundreds of glowing spheres of energy in its wake, dotting the remaining path like stars.  Kyle¡¯s eyes widened just as they began to streak towards him from all directions.  He dodged what he could, but the sheer number of attacks was too much.  Each blow left scorch marks, and another bolt from Jax knocked him back completely.  As he tried to get up, a thrown javelin from Tillienne landed next to his left ear.

    The ground below him began to wrap around his arms and legs, while a layer of ice started to form over it.  No way around it, Kyle had been thoroughly trounced.  Despite himself, Kyle smiled, indicating through the nav bracelet that he accepted his defeat.  A cheer rang out through the assembled E Grades, and the ensnaring skills deactivated.  Kyle sat up, deactivating Ignition as he felt Adaptive Regeneration work on healing his injuries.  His armor was scorched and cracked in a couple of places, but he felt confident in repairing it in short order.

    Trex was the first to arrive, followed by Tillienne and Jax.  The E Grades stayed back, seeming more than content to celebrate their victory together.  Kyle sat up, greeting the Phytan.  ¡°That was one hell of an attack.  Way beyond my expectations for this training exercise.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­  Kyle Mayhew¡­ Your barrier was¡­ impressive as well.¡±

    Jax just grinned.  ¡°I think we all deserve some recognition.  I¡¯ll give it to you though, you¡¯re really tough. I can¡¯t believe how many hits you were taking.¡±

    Tillienne nodded, meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes.  ¡°In case you were wondering, Kyle, that¡¯s what a victory is.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he finished getting to his feet.  ¡°No complaints from me.  Thank you for the experience.¡±

    He truly was thankful, as amidst the training he felt he¡¯d gained another level.  Apparently handling sustained attacks at this level was a method of progression as a Survivalist.  Coupled with the practice using his armor¡¯s abilities, it was a truly valuable experience.

    Jax looked him up and down, a frown on his face.  ¡°We might have overdone it a bit.  How long do you think you¡¯ll need to recover?  I can call for another medic if you want.  We also have armorers on staff if you need them to take a look at any of your gear.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be alright, should be right as rain in a day or so,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°Though if you have any mechanics or drone technicians on staff, I¡¯d love to learn more about the equipment your family uses.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see if anybody would be available.  For now, let¡¯s call it a night.  Trex, if you¡¯re free tomorrow, we¡¯d love to have you help with more training.¡±

    The phytan swirled in the air as if moved by an undetectable wind.  ¡°We have¡­ several other assignments¡­ but will join when¡­ we can.¡±

    Jax nodded to Trex.  ¡°Just let us know, you¡¯re more than welcome.¡±  Turning to Kyle and Tillienne, he said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get some food and rest.  Tomorrow we¡¯ll be back at it again.¡±

 Chapter 177

    Kyle sidestepped the bolt from Jax before vaulting over a wall of stone and running toward the end of the objective.  Motes of light still lit up the air as the remnant of Trex¡¯s attack pursued him, and Kyle drew in even more energy through Ignition.  His body burned with the power as the stonebloom armor¡¯s rejection field amplified around him, taking most of the edge off the blows.  He ducked under an arrow fired by Tillienne, opening himself up to another bolt from Jax.  Gritting his teeth, Kyle barely managed to keep his footing.  Eyes focused on the goal; he ran.  Just a little farther.

    Trex let out another, far weaker blast in attempt to stop him.  It ripped up the ground in front of Kyle, but it was simply too slow.  Storm Shelter activated on instinct, blocking the beam.  The moment the attack faded, Kyle deactivated his skill and continued forward.  Tillienne jumped down to intercept him, Jax a half-step behind.  A silver spear and shield appeared in two of her hands as a crackling bar of lightning appeared in Jax¡¯s.

    Kyle changed his approach, moving directly toward Jax.  Dark hair swirled around him as he held his ground, raising the bolt of lightning into a swordsman¡¯s stance.  Electricity crackled across his skin as he activated his boosting skill, expression resolute.  This wasn¡¯t the first time Kyle had seen the young man fight in melee, and while he was certainly competent, he was the weakest of the trio by a fairly wide margin.  Parasitic Resonance connected, forcing Jax to focus his energy on keeping his skills under control.

    The moment of hesitation was all Kyle needed, dodging a sweeping slash while landing three hard strikes with his baton.  As Jax reeled back, Kyle blew past.  Tillienne was rushing to intercept him, but was too far away.  A smile broke across Kyle¡¯s face as he took the final step to the target destination.  What a way to end the training.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time that Kyle broke into the destination over the last three weeks, but he failed twice over for each time he succeeded.  More often than not, however, his failures were a result of mistiming Trex¡¯s large-scale attack.  Tillienne and Jax had managed to stop him on their own a few times as well.  Their daily training had resulted in each of them further refining their approach to the different challenges, with each finding opportunities to come out ahead despite squaring off against one another.

    Jax and Tillienne walked up, both wearing satisfied expressions.  He couldn¡¯t blame them, they¡¯d each performed exceptionally well during their last exercises, too.  Trex floated down as well, algae swirling in the air behind the other two.  ¡°It has¡­ been a pleasure¡­ training with you.  We wish you¡­ all success in your¡­ final trial.¡±

    Kyle inclined his head in a polite bow.  ¡°Thank you.  It¡¯s been a great experience.¡±  After a pause, Kyle turned to Jax.  ¡°And thank you for the offer to train at your family¡¯s facilities.  It was generous, and appreciated.¡±

    Jax just smiled.  ¡°It¡¯s a networking expense, and well worth it.¡±

    Tillienne nodded her agreement, a twinkle in her eyes.  ¡°Then let¡¯s enjoy a last meal together before we depart.¡±

    Kyle smiled, glad that she¡¯d returned to the same bubbly personality he¡¯d gotten to know before Phase Two.  Things had been tense for a couple of days after their first sparring match.  He could tell that it bothered her to think that Kyle didn¡¯t have to take her seriously, though getting opportunities to see both him and Jax struggling in their respective training sessions seemed to take the edge off of it.

    Soon, Kyle found himself standing on the teleporter, bags in tow.  Jax walked up and clasped his hand.  ¡°Enjoy a little break, see you at the start of Phase Three.¡±

    ¡°You as well,¡± Kyle said, before turning to Tillienne.  ¡°And thank you for the introduction.  Let¡¯s get together at your sister¡¯s restaurant when this is all done to celebrate getting our licenses.¡±

    The fae woman¡¯s smile deepened at the words, as she gave a gentle bow.  ¡°I would very much enjoy it.¡±

    With that, Kyle was whisked back to his district in the Hub.  His body was still sore, but he had just over 10 days before he had to report to the Institute to start Phase Three, which was plenty of time to recover.  As he walked back to his apartment, he couldn¡¯t help but look at the splendor around him.  The bustling city was spectacular, and it felt oddly comforting to be back after having spent so much time away at the Cain family¡¯s facility.  I never would have guessed I¡¯d feel so comfortable in a big city, Kyle mused, a wistful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

    Getting back to his apartment, he cleaned up before resting in his bed.  He knew there was plenty to work on before arriving at Phase Three, but for now he wanted to reflect on his gains before making a list.  Closing his eyes, Kyle entered meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 53 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 832

    ENDURANCE: 966

    STRENGTH: 351

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    DEXTERITY: 628

    WILLPOWER: 1178

    INTELLIGENCE: 1178

    PERCEPTION: 932

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    His leveling speed was surprising, though he supposed confronting multiple D Grade powerhouses through several weeks of intense training aligned pretty well with his path.  He hadn¡¯t invested any of his free attributes into Intelligence or Willpower through the last few levels, instead opting to shore up his physical attributes and Perception.  With Ignition providing a boost to all attributes, Kyle figured the higher his baseline, the more impact he would see from the skill.

    Even more exciting to him was how quickly he was approaching Level 60, and the upgrade to HEAL.  He didn¡¯t expect to cross that threshold during Phase Three, but he didn¡¯t think it would take too long afterwards if he found the right environment.  He¡¯d been getting a lot of practice with his skill over the last few weeks, and his control was improving daily.  Kyle had no doubt he¡¯d get some interesting upgrade options when the time came.

    Of course, levels and attributes weren¡¯t the only things Kyle gained from his time training.  His ability to manipulate and enhance the field offered by the stonebloom armor had improved significantly.  The effect was still too weak on its own to fully nullify the mana from potent D Grade attacks, but it still managed to mitigate the force somewhat.

    Kyle had also grown far more comfortable with the prolonged use of Ignition in combat, feeling at ease as the skill ramped up to its equilibrium.  It had yet to reach the effortlessness that he¡¯d enjoyed with Haste, though he was more than satisfied with the progress.  As Garth had shown him so long ago, there was a distinct difference between prowess and levels, and the intense training had been fruitful for both.

    He smiled as he thought about his friends making their way to the Hub, making a note to reach out to them soon to check the status of the evacuation.  With the first shuttles from Earth set to arrive soon, Kyle knew he¡¯d at least want to check in with Corthian Mining to see how the relocation efforts progressed.  With luck, some of his friends would be among the early arrivals.  In any event, it would have to wait until he finished Phase Three.  Jumping out of bed, Kyle began to pace through the room.

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to update some of our supplies, and get more pogrit seeds, just in case.  C.H.A.D.D., how confident are you in drawing energy from the World Tree Seed into the armor?¡±

    [I¡¯M QUITE CONFIDENT IN THE APPLICATION, THOUGH THE CONTROL WILL BE DIFFICULT.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°No way to make it more subtle at this point?¡±

    [IT IS UNLIKELY, DR. MAYHEW.  EVEN LIMITED, THE POWER FROM THE SEED IS IMMENSE.]

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll keep that in reserve, no need to show all the cards right away.¡±

    He¡¯d first noticed the change after the return from Phase Two.  It was slight, but there was a gentle shift in his relationship to the World Tree Seed after drawing in the atmospheric mana for so long.  In some ways, it reminded him of a similar shift during his fight with the Storm.  He found that, with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s assistance, he could draw faint streams of energy from the seed.

    The power was incredible, though Kyle was loath to do it outside of a genuine emergency.  If there was one thing he appreciated, it was the value of a treasure like the seed.  All it would take would be the wrong person to see him use the energy and put two and two together for him and C.H.A.D.D. to wind up in peril.

    Outside of his own power, C.H.A.D.D. was able to glean some insights as well.  Kyle was able to negotiate with the Cain family mechanics to purchase several of their schematics.  Their drones were far more reliant on mechanical components rather than runic inscription, but it was still information that C.H.A.D.D. was reviewing when considering the next steps in its upgrades.

    [YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE OTHER PROJECT WITH THE SEED WAS A SUCCESS, DR. MAYHEW.  THE POGRIT SEEDS AND STONEBLOOM BOTH HAD CHARACTERISTICS THAT WERE ABLE TO BE ARCHIVED WITHIN THE WORLD TREE SEED.]

    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news, C.H.A.D.D.  What does that mean in practical terms?¡±

    [THE MOST IMMEDIATE BENEFIT WILL BE EFFICIENCY IN GROWTH OF BOTH PLANT TYPES.  IN THE LONGER TERM, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO APPLY THE CHARACTERISTICS TO OTHER PLANT LIFE WHEN USING THE ENERGY FROM THE SEED.]

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a long way before we¡¯re drawing more out of it, but this is a great start.  Other than restocking supplies and recovering, I still want to get a message sent to Marcus Kulhavey, though that shouldn¡¯t take much time.  What are we missing from the list?¡±

    [I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD COVER YOUR NEEDS BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT PHASE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    The remaining time flew by, Kyle largely spending his days in light training and reflection.  His message was sent to Kulhavey¡¯s office within a day, his shopping was complete, and all that remained was counting down the time.

    Anticipation warred with excitement in his chest as he approached the entrance to the Institute.  He was one of the first applicants to arrive, watching as others entered through the door.  Judging by the expressions on their faces when they walked in, his mix of emotions was far from unique.  He nodded at Tillienne and Jax, who waved in return.

    Time ticked down, and when there was only a minute left Kyle realized that Arhades wasn¡¯t present.  There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t pass Phase Two, is there?  As his curiosity began to run wild, the door opened once more, revealing the velgian clad in his resplendent armor.  At a glance, his expression appeared bored.  Looking more closely, however, Kyle thought he saw the man carrying more tension than usual in his shoulders.

    ¡°Welcome, applicants!¡±  The familiar voice rang out through the hallway, and the gentle murmurs of conversation were all cut short.  ¡°This marks the beginning of Phase Three of your Practicum.  You¡¯ll approach the teleportation platform, one by one, and let the proctor know which trial you¡¯ve selected.  You will then step back, with every different group being teleported at once to your various destinations.

    ¡°We will call you by name, and the breakdowns of each individual trial will be available to you on your nav bracelet.  Arhades, of the Alabaster Court, please step forward.¡±

    The velgian practically glided across the floor, making his way to the dais with unmatched grace.  ¡°Arena Combat.¡±  He spoke two simple words, then stepped back into the prepared waiting area.

    Kyle looked at his nav bracelet, and saw a name entered underneath the header.  As more names were called, Arena Combat was far and away the most popular choice.  Over half of the remaining applicants signed up for it, including Tillienne.  Mercenary Guild is popular for a reason, I suppose.

    Jax was one of the few to elect for Defend Position, and Target Hunt was similarly sparse.  Labyrinth Escape had a few more applicants, while Artifact Retrieval had yet to see a single applicant.  When it was Kyle¡¯s turn, he strode up confidently, looking forward to be the first to choose that trial.

    ¡°Kyle Mayhew, you¡¯ll be pleased to know we have already received your request to participate in Labyrinth Escape.¡±

 Chapter 178

    Kyle stood for a moment, dumbstruck.  ¡°That¡¯s not right, I haven¡¯t sent anything in.¡±

    The goblin looked at her tablet, then back at him with a frown.  ¡°I¡¯m showing that you sent in your reply just a week after Phase Two.  Perhaps it was your sponsor, on your behalf?¡±

    Kyle shook his head, the words coming more quickly now.  ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have had any hand in it.  I¡¯m telling you, there has been an error.  The policy is that we decide when we arrive, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    The goblin nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Then whatever happened here is an exception protocol at best, and an error at worst.  I want to do Artifact Retrieval.¡±

    Kyle raised his voice a little at the end, having already heard the ping on his nav bracelet indicating he would be doing Labyrinth Escape.  Murmurs began to move through the room, and he risked a glance toward Jax and Tilliene, both of whom had confused looks.

    The goblin, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, flushed a deeper shade of green.  ¡°If you¡¯ll step to side, Mr. Mayhew, I¡¯ve already elevated to the proctors.  We¡¯ll have an answer for you shortly.¡±

    Kyle did as he was asked, trying with all his might to keep his face impassive despite his quickening heartbeat.  If there was a shred of doubt remaining before, it was gone now.  Somehow, he had a target on his back.

    ~~~

    Suierrillax sighed with relief when she saw the request come in from the main hall.  Shortly after Mayhew completed Phase Two, inquiries were placed about the nature of the disruptions his performance caused.  From there, a second request was put in, asking for all records of his performance.  Ordinarily, this information would have been rejected and classified, yet for some reason the higher-ups allowed it.

    The final clue for her was when inquiries were made on the nature of this cycle¡¯s Phase Three.  As new as she was, she didn¡¯t have access to see all the details, but talking with Rupiniax, she understood that a new version of the Labyrinth Escape had been approved.  That was incredibly unusual, and with everything else, she had a strong feeling it was directed at Mayhew.

    With few options available to her, she¡¯d ¡°borrowed¡± Rupiniax¡¯s credentials to sneak a message out to him, in the hopes that he¡¯d take it seriously.  Fortunately, it seemed he had.  Now that the supervisors were involved, she was confident that things would get resolved.  The Guild Representatives were all C Grades, and an important part of the management structure.  The integrity of the Practicum was crucial to them.

    ~~~

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure out what the hell happened here.  This is highly irregular, and the applicant is correct.  His word should be all that¡¯s necessary to enact the changes.¡±

    A skrell in deep blue armor scoffed.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t disagree more.  Wherever the request came from, he had plenty of time to request a change after the completion of Phase Two.  He¡¯s made enough waves already; this is clearly a grab for more attention.¡±

    The goblin who spoke first frowned, crossing her gloved hands.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe we have sufficient evidence to back any of those conclusions.¡±

    A human woman spoke up, not turning away from the window she was gazing out of.  ¡°In any event, it¡¯s clearly stated that the applicants get to choose.  Even if he¡¯s changed his mind, so what?  We have more than enough different scenarios available, regardless of what he selects.¡±

    There were murmurs of assent across the room, until a presence descended on it.  All sound ceased as a newcomer stepped inside, a tall slender velgian carrying a staff and wearing simple golden robes.  It was as if all the air in the room was sucked out, the ambient mana being drawn to the visitor in a palpable flow.

    The room¡¯s occupants assumed postures of respect; some falling to their knees, others bowing or saluting.  The goblin spoke with a shaky voice.  ¡°Lord Perhades, we were not expecting a visit today.  To what do we owe the pleasure?¡±

    One corner of Perhades¡¯s mouth lifted in a facsimile of a smile.  ¡°My dear nephew is participating in the Practicum.  I heard another applicant has caused quite a commotion, drawing attention away from where it ought to be.¡±

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    The draw of mana in the room intensified, and the Guild Representatives shifted uncomfortably.  The goblin replied, avoiding eye contact.  ¡°Lord Perhades, young master Arhades is still the true standout of the generation.  There¡¯s truly nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Because from what I heard, there was quite a bit of attention directed towards this young man.  Is he truly exceptional enough to warrant such focus?¡±

    ¡°Lord Perhades, it had less to do with him, and more to do with his exceptional circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have no issue allowing him to experience some other exceptional circumstances.¡±

    The goblin gulped, sweat beading her brow.  ¡°He reserves the right to choose his own trial for Phase Three, Lord Perhades.  We are not going to revoke that, even for you.¡±  She flinched as she said the last part, as if waiting for the B Grade velgian to obliterate her for the comment.

    Instead, Perhades smiled.  ¡°Then let him choose.  I see he wanted Artifact Retrieval, let me choose the destination.¡±  With that, coordinates projected out from his nav bracelet.

    The goblin¡¯s eyes widened as she recognized the coordinates.  ¡°Lord Perhades, that¡¯s not a sanctioned training ground.  There are too many variables for us to ¨C ¡°

    ¡°As I said: Exceptional.  Circumstances.  If it¡¯s too overwhelming for the pup, he can withdraw.¡±  The presence in the room intensified, small cracks forming on some of the furniture.  ¡°My brother and I have waited a long time for another of our kin to join the Guilds.  You don¡¯t want us to be disappointed in the results.¡±

    The mention of his brother fell across the room like a shadow.  After a moment of oppressive silence, the goblin nodded.  ¡°We can arrange it, lord Perhades.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±  With that, the pressure receded and the velgian left the room.  His voice called back, causing them to flinch collectively.  ¡°I look forward to watching the streams.¡±

    The room remained silent long after he departed, with the skrell representative being the first to collapse back into a comfortable chair, azure armor clinking loudly.  ¡°That was terrifying.  I¡¯m glad you made the call to bend, I thought we were all dead for a moment there.¡±

    The human representative tried to stay composed, though it was clear that she was shaken.  ¡°Why was he so interested in the first place?  From everything I know of the Twin Prodigies, affairs like these are well below their station.¡±

    The skrell grunted.  ¡°If they felt that their pride was on the line, this is exactly the kind of response I¡¯d expect.  I feel for the kid though.  This is going to be rough.¡±

    The human frowned.  ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the coordinates.  Where is Mayhew going to be sent?¡±

    The goblin woman sighed, having just finished transmitting the information to the main hall.  ¡°It¡¯s a defunct trial world.  Old city, dying star system.  It was removed from the list a long time ago as the environment grew more hazardous, but the infrastructure to facilitate a trial is still functional.¡±

    Everybody present knew what that meant.  Phase Three trials were always challenging, and with an added layer of danger, it was more likely than not to result in a poor performance.  Despite admirable results in Phase One and Two, it was still necessary to do well to receive placement.  What¡¯s more, which Guild Representative would want to risk crossing one of the Twin Prodigies if the young man did too well?  They stood at the pinnacle of the Mercenary¡¯s Guild fighting power, and were not to be crossed lightly.  No matter what, Mayhew was going to have a difficult time.

    The goblin just shook her head.  What else can be done when a B Grade makes demands?

    ~~~

    Kyle looked at the woman expectantly, everybody else having been sorted.  The goblin looked at her tablet as a ping resounded, and met his eyes.  ¡°Apologies for the confusion, applicant Mayhew.  You have been approved for Artifact Retrieval.¡±

    Kyle let out a sigh of relief, watching his name move to the correct slot.  One crisis averted.  Some of the nervous energy in the room settled, and the goblin regained control of the room.  ¡°Apologies for the delay, we will begin the departures.  When I call your name, please step up to the platform once more, and we will send you to your destination.

    ¡°As before, you have the ability to withdraw at any time.  It was stated in your initial instructions, but the Institute wants to make it clear that choosing to withdraw does not result in failure.  In fact, there may be circumstances where withdrawal is the wisest decision.  The Guilds have little need for people who will throw their lives away in pursuit of glory at the expense of completing a job.

    ¡°Once your Phase Three trial is completed, you will have 12 hours to rest receiving your evaluation.  You may receive feedback from the Proctors and Guild Representatives, at which point you will be informed if you¡¯ve qualified to receive a license, as well as potentially receive offers from the Guilds.

    ¡°As a general rule, you will not be allowed to accept any offers until this meeting has been concluded, regardless of your feelings of your own performance.  All formal communications will come through the Guilds.  It is strongly encouraged that you report any such attempts to us directly.  With that said, Arhades, please step forward.¡±

    The velgian did, disappearing as soon as he stepped on the platform.  One by one, the applicants were sent to face their final trials.  Kyle shared a warm smile with Tillienne and Jax as they were called up, each returning the gesture.  Soon, Kyle was standing alone in the main hall, his name the only one that hadn¡¯t been called.  The goblin looked conflicted as he stepped up to the teleporter, but remained silent.  Kyle gave her a shallow nod before he, too was teleported worlds away.

 Chapter 179

    The first thing Kyle noticed was the heat.  A scorching wind rustled his clothes, the temperature nearly as hot as the planet he¡¯d visited during Phase One.  The sky was enveloped in a dull, crimson haze.  The culprit was the oversized red giant star lazily dropping below the pitch-black horizon, bathing the world in the final dredges of its energy.  Before Kyle could get a better look at his surroundings, a message pinged on his nav bracelet.

    Applicant Mayhew,

    You have selected Artifact Retrieval as your Phase Three trial.  You are standing on the outskirts of what was once home to a thriving human colony.  It collapsed when their star expanded, making the once-lush lands uninhabitable ¨C at least to humans.  As you navigate the wastes, your goal is to uncover artifacts of value and return them to the designated drop, where they will be evaluated.  The farther you move into the city, the more valuable the artifacts you¡¯re likely to uncover.

    Your overall evaluation will be based on the quality of the artifacts you retrieve, the speed with which you complete your work, and an overall assessment of your ability as you navigate a hostile world.  There is no time limit, however supplies provided are limited.  When you are satisfied, or no longer want to continue, send a message through the nav bracelet and you will be extracted.

    -Collective Institute for Independent Licensure.

    Kyle stared at the message for a while.  It was simultaneously simpler and more challenging than he¡¯d expected it to be.  Based on the initial description, he was planning on a focused raid to get a singular item, not a full-blown collect-a-thon.  Finding interesting items and dropping them off at a dedicated point was straightforward, though the ominous wording also made it clear that he¡¯d have opposition.

    The issue was magnified as Kyle looked out over the landscape before him.  As far as the eye could see, there were waves of rolling black sand.  What looked like the corners of buildings were revealed from time to time, but by and large the ebbs and flows of the drifts covered the area that had once comprised the settlement.  In fact, only the platform he stood on seemed immune to the encroaching sand.  A question for another time.

    Layered on top of all these issues was the harsh weather.  The heat was oppressive, and Kyle¡¯s canteen was struggling to find much moisture to draw from the surrounding atmosphere.  It was functional, if far from comfortable.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?] C.H.A.D.D. asked, somehow conveying concern in its robotic voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m just really thankful.  This environment will be perfect.¡±  Kyle wasn¡¯t exaggerating.  His Enhanced Carapace and Adaptive Regeneration were more than up to the task of handling the heat.  He had a solution for water, and had options for food.  Most importantly, he had a drone companion with a proverbial nose for treasure.

    A glowing domain lit up nearby, indicating the drop zone for anything he found.  Moments later, a bundle of supplies appeared.  As Kyle looked through them, he expected there was enough for roughly ten days.  With his canteen, he could expand the timeline by another week if he rationed the food, though it would be best if he could find options to replenish those resources too.

    ¡°What do you say to doing some exploring, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YES PLEASE, DR. MAYHEW.  I WAS WORRIED YOU WERE GOING TO STAND HERE EVEN LONGER, WHICH WOULD BE DREADFULLY BORING.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep you entertained,¡± Kyle said dryly.

    He took a trepidatious step off the platform, finding the dark sand swallowed his foot up past his ankle.  Each footfall was slow and deliberate as Kyle tried to get a better handle on the environment, and he found that moving through the dunes was far more akin to traversing snow than sand.  There was an odd surface tension holding the top layer together, and when it was broken Kyle found himself sinking deeper into the stygian mass.

    Wind howled against him, and Kyle had to raise an arm as a swirling mass of dark sand blew directly into his eyes.  Feeling it pelt against his skin, something about it felt wrong.  He bent down, grabbing a handful with his bare hand and rubbing it between his fingers as it fell through.  It was far rougher than any sand he¡¯d seen before, and he fully expected that if he was back in E Grade, his hand would have been sliced several times over by the material.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you tell me more about composition of this sand?¡±

    [CERTAINLY DR. MAYHEW.  PLEASE BE ADVISED, INORGANIC MATERIAL IS NOT MY SPECIALTY.]

    ¡°Just do your best, buddy.¡±

    The drone was taking its time projecting various structures and comparing notes to its records, while Kyle continued his slow navigation towards the corner of the nearest building.  The architecture bore a striking resemblance to the skyscrapers he¡¯d seen on Earth, bearing sharp angles with at least four stories worth of windows.  I suppose humans have a tendency of doing things the same way, Kyle mused.

    The building looked to have fallen almost entirely on its side, though Kyle didn¡¯t find that to be a particularly large issue.  Most of the windows were cracked or broken, and with a few quick strikes of his baton he easily made a hole large enough to fit through.  The first thing Kyle noticed upon entering was the dull red light provided by the sun wasn¡¯t enough to pierce the shadows inside the building.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., any chance you could give me some light here?¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    [YOU¡¯RE BECOMING AWFULLY RELIANT ON ME, DR. MAYHEW.  ANALYZE THE GLASS, SHOW THE LIGHT.  ARE WE CERTAIN THAT THIS ISN¡¯T MY PRACTICUM?]

    ¡°Given I chauffer you across the universe like a glorified pack mule, you might be onto something,¡± Kyle grumbled, though a smile still crept across his face.  There was something he truly enjoyed about bantering with the drone.

    Gentle orange light bathed the area, and Kyle got his first good look at what he assumed was some sort of office building.  Torn and broken furniture was piled off to the right side of the building in the direction of its slant.  The former floor was to Kyle¡¯s left, and he could see scuff marks that survived the test of time, showing paths often walked by the building¡¯s former occupants.

    Kyle saw what looked like a stairwell farther up the inclined floor, though he decided his first step should be to check the furniture.  He rested his hands against the floor, taking a breath as he activated Ignition.  While Strength wasn¡¯t his strong suit, by now he was confident in putting any of the awakened on Earth to shame.  He felt the tile crack under his fingertips, the ancient material being crushed to powder under his mana-empowered grip.

    He was trying to limit the flow of the skill to just his hands, though his control wasn¡¯t at that level yet.  Soon, he had a line of handholds across the floor, leading him down to the furniture below.  A cursory glance showed that it was mostly made of some type of composite material, and thus unlikely to be of real value.  Auric Perception didn¡¯t offer any impressions of mana-rich items in the vicinity, though he considered that there was a difference between culturally significant artifacts and mana-rich natural treasures.

    That¡¯s how he found himself spending the next half an hour opening up desk drawers and sifting through broken junk.  Yes, junk.  Why did I expect to find culturally significant items in the middle floor of an office building?  The only items he felt could be worth keeping were two inert tablets that still looked salvageable.  He tucked them into the C.H.A.D.D.pack, prompting a response from its resident.

    [I BELIEVE I HAVE A RELATIVELY COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF THE GLASS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Glass?  Don¡¯t you mean sand?¡±

    [NO, I MEAN GLASS.  THE COMPOSITION IS CONSISTENT WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF VOLCANIC GLASSES, DEMONSTRATING BOTH ORDERED AND DISORDERED ARRAYS IN THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE.  THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT ALSO APPEARS TO HAVE HIGH QUANTITIES OF DYSPROSIUM, IN ADDITION TO CARRYING A VERY MINOR AMOUNT OF CRYSTALLIZED MANA.]

    Kyle had no idea what dysprosium was, though the results were still interesting to him.  Whether it was due to the crimson star in the sky or some other large-scale volcanic event, the creation of the black sand was interesting to him.  Arbitrarily, he also decided it would be of interest to the team evaluating his performance.

    ¡°Is there anything interesting your sensors can pick up, C.H.A.D.D.?  Now that you¡¯re done working on the sand problem, that is.¡±

    [GLASS PROBLEM, DR. MAYHEW.  AND THERE DOESN¡¯T APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY, ASSUMING YOU¡¯RE LOOKING FOR MORE OBJECTS LIKE THE TABLETS YOU PLACED IN THE PACK.  I AM DETECTING SOME SIMILAR ITEMS HIGHER UP IN THE BUILDING, HOWEVER.]

    ¡°Then higher in the building we go,¡± Kyle said, grabbing the handholds and beginning his ascent.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners indicated that there were four floors above the one they entered, with two more buried beneath the sand.

    With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s attention on the project at hand, they made great time.  In less than half an hour, they had cleared out the next three floors, and were beginning the ascent to the fourth.  Kyle¡¯s pack now contained three more tablets, a shiny medal of some sort, and a small golden cube that gave off a very faint mana signature.  Kyle had no idea what any of these objects were, but they were interesting.  Still, he was excited as he climbed through the stairwell to the final floor of the building.

    Just as with buildings on Earth, the furniture got noticeably nicer as he climbed.  His expectation of the best being at the top was confirmed by C.H.A.D.D., who still detected the mana signatures coming from this floor.  Popping his head up through the final doorway as he climbed through, he was met with a nearly empty room.

    Kyle could see broken windows below, and fully expected that most of the furniture had fallen out over time.  What he could see, however, was a beautiful stone desk, veins of grey running through immaculate white.  It appeared to be secured to the floor, though Kyle didn¡¯t see any obvious mechanical connection.  Activating Identify, he saw three faint traces of mana within the desk.

    He climbed his way down to it, holding onto a makeshift handhold with his left while running his right over the cool, smooth surface.  It didn¡¯t appear to have normal drawers, though with a gentle push of mana sigils appeared.  Activating one, a compartment opened up, revealing a small journal.  Identify confirmed it was one of the items he¡¯d seen, and he quickly activated the others.  An ornate dagger and small, rune-inscribed device were the next items to appear, joining the others in the pack.

    ¡°Any idea what these do, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NONE WHATSOEVER, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Identify didn¡¯t offer much either, the mana within simply too faint to give much of a reading.  Kyle expected that would change as he moved his way farther into the heart of the settlement, but for now he was pleased with his haul.

    He was considering his exit when the whole building began to shake, forcing Kyle to grab onto his handholds lest he lose his grip.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you ¨C ¡°

    Before he could finish the sentence, he felt it through Auric Perception.  A flash of orange was all the warning he got before he let go, falling towards the broken windows at the bottom of the building.  A moment later, a pitch-black form smashed into the space where he¡¯d just been hanging.

    His hands smashed into the floor before he fell through the windows, stabilizing his position.  Kyle looked up to see rust-colored scales, sharp fins, and then orange as another warning flashed across his vision, prompting him to let go once more as two more distinct impacts broke through the glass below and came for him.  Without hesitation, Ignition activated, his body burning from within as the blazing sun scorched his skin.

    He dove through the window towards the sea of darkness below, the black sand agitated like the ocean in a storm.  Only then did Kyle realize his mistake.  ¡°How many are there, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [UNCERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  DOZENS, AT LEAST.]

    Kyle nodded as he fell, an odd sense of serenity despite the mana raging through him.  Phase Three was going to be more difficult than he thought.

 Chapter 180

    C.H.A.D.D. projected a hastily-constructed map of the area below, as two more of the creatures exploded out of the sand towards him.  With Ignition enhancing his Perception, he got a better look at the approaching beasts.  They were a moving horror; about a meter long, with a good third of their body encompassed by a large mouth with sharp teeth.  Thick orange scales coated their bodies, with small fins on their back, sides, and tail.  They reminded Kyle of living torpedoes, and Kyle understood their movements as he recognized familiar concepts in the mana surrounding them.  Magnetism.  Their bodies, the volcanic sand, it¡¯s all magnetic, Kyle realized.

    That was all he had time for as one of the beasts drew within his range, Kyle using his Corthian Mining-issued baton to meet it midair.  The force from the blow deepened the network of cracks on the failing weapon, even as it redirected the fish.  The second one flew by right where Kyle had been, his body having repositioned from the first clash.

    As he fell toward the shifting dunes alongside the first fish, Parasitic Resonance grabbed hold.  He was surprised by the overall level of resistance, the beast¡¯s Willpower markedly greater than the Wall¡¯s had been.  Unfortunately for it, Kyle was at an entirely different level.  A push with his skill left the creature finishing its descent as nothing more than a corpse.

    Already more of the creatures were closing in on his location, while the ones that had flown past were beginning to reposition.  Kyle looked at the map, mind struggling to keep pace.  Not used to trying to respond to multiple targets from all angles, gotta work on that.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance were reaching out as the black sand below shifted and surged.  Seven of the creatures exploded out towards him, and Kyle grunted as he was hit by the first.

    Trusting his Enhanced Carapace and stonebloom armor to handle the brunt of the blow, he used the creature¡¯s momentum to knock him away from the others.  Jagged, rocky teeth ripped at his arm, hurting like hell but unable to find much purchase against his skin.  He felt a soft impact as he was slammed down into the sand, an explosion of black dust thrown up into the sky.  Parasitic Resonance did its job, and Kyle threw the body away as he stood up, already seeing the other fast-approaching presences.

    Adaptive Regeneration was repairing the small tears in his arm.  The damage was minor, though he didn¡¯t relish the thought of being buried beneath a pile of the monsters.  Storm Shelter sprang to life around him, and soon the air was filled with the sound of crunching bones and shattering scales.  Kyle smiled, the resilience of his barrier far beyond what the fish could handle.

    Tendrils of mana snaked out a moment later as Storm Shelter deactivated, and the disoriented fish scattered around him died swiftly.  Still, more came.  Pushing Parasitic Resonance to its limits, more tendrils slowly appeared.  Twelve had been Kyle¡¯s maximum when he¡¯d first upgraded the skill, and he¡¯d never been forced to really push beyond it.  Sixteen, eighteen, then twenty threads of mana sprang out from him as he pushed, a dull ache pressing against the back of his eyes.

    For whatever reason, the fish appeared to have no sense of self-preservation.  They continued to launch themselves at him, and soon a cycle of slaughter was born in the black sand.  Deep orange bodies littered the ground as Kyle drained the beasts¡¯ mana before reaping their lives. Unfortunately, Parasitic Resonance did nothing to halt the momentum of the fast-moving creatures.

    He was knocked into the sand for what felt like the hundredth time as another lifeless shell smashed into him at high speed, taking his footing from him.  He was panting, the physical exertion from moving in the deep sand taxing him to the limit.  More than twenty of the fish were dead, and more were still circling.

    [RETREAT MAY BE A WISE DECISION, DR. MAYHEW.  THIS ENVIROMENT IS QUITE DISADVANTAGEOUS.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ be fine, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle gasped, using a quick Heal to repair some strained tendons in his right leg.  The drone was right; this wasn¡¯t a great environment for him to fight.  The deep sand severely limited his mobility.  Even with Covert Dexterity, he couldn¡¯t adapt quickly enough to the constant changes in footwork.  Even more, the sand would agitate when the fish approached.  Identify showed Kyle that this was a result of their magnetic manipulation, but neither disruption nor death would change the magnetic field created by the fish.

    ¡°How many more can you detect?¡±

    [EIGHTEEN, DR. MAYHEW.  THOUGH BE ADVISED, THERE MAY BE MORE.  THE MANA CONCENTRATIONS MAKE THE EDGE OF MY SENSOR RANGE¡­ FUZZY.]

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    One of the fish exploded out of a nearby drift, aiming for the back of Kyle¡¯s head.  He ducked, a tendril of Parasitic Resonance ripping out its mana as it continued its journey.  ¡°Seventeen now.  Let me know if the situation changes.¡±

    Looking at the body of the nearby fish, an idea began to form in Kyle¡¯s mind.  Dodging two more of the creatures, he stepped on it.  It sank slightly into the sand, but soon stabilized.  Another shot straight towards him, and he leapt to a nearby body, the rusty scales providing a stable platform.  As if something clicked in his mind, Kyle found himself jumping between them with ease, Covert Dexterity somehow grabbing onto the knowledge that there was solid footing available.

    Kyle leapt between the bodies, the pace of the battle shifting dramatically in his favor.  Before, he was being consistently battered by the creatures in exchange to land decisive blows with Parasitic Resonance.  Now, his evasion was near effortless.  Adaptive Regeneration was hard at work patching up his bruises and scrapes.  The equilibrium with Ignition stabilized, and his mana remained topped off through a combination of the atmospheric energy and ripping mana from the fish themselves.

    Whether or not the fish realized this, Kyle couldn¡¯t say.  Their tactics remained unchanged, exploding towards him from the dunes again and again.  They fell one by one, until only three remained.  One moved to attack, and Kyle killed it with Parasitic Resonance.  Before he could step out of the way, however, immense pain shot through him, emanating from his core.

    Taken by surprise, Kyle doubled over before being smashed off his platform and into the sand by the lifeless body of the fish.  The pain continued to twist and burn, and Kyle felt the control over his skills beginning to slip.  He screamed as it continued to burn, barely noticing the impact as the two remaining fish barreled into him.  Teeth ripped at his armor and exposed skin, razor-sharp grains of volcanic glass getting into each minor wound that opened up.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WHAT¡¯S WRONG?  WHAT HAPPENED?]

    Kyle heard C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice, but found himself unable to respond, a raw scream the only sound he could muster.  He felt the mana in his body going wild, all being drained towards the central point above his navel.  He blacked out for a moment as the pain hit a crescendo, and then it was gone.  All at once, the sensation of his cells being ripped apart vanished, leaving a hollow relief in its place.

    Finally registering the fish trying unsuccessfully to devour him, he reactivated Adaptive Regeneration and Parasitic Resonance.  The latter skill jumped to life with unusual speed, and the fish died near-instantly when the skill connected.  He pushed the heavy bodies of the creatures off of him as he stood on shaky feet.  His left arm had been mauled pretty badly by one of them, and he rested his right hand on it to channel Heal to speed his recovery.  Thankfully, the other fish hadn¡¯t been able to bite through the D Grade stonebloom armor, leaving little more than some ugly gouges in the material.

    [WHAT HAPPENED, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, C.H.A.D.D.  Whatever it was, it came out of nowhere.¡±

    [I¡¯M STILL DETECTING UNUSUAL FLUCTUATIONS IN YOUR MANA, DR. MAYHEW.  IT MAY BE WISE TO GO BACK TO THE ENTRANCE TO REGROUP.]

    Kyle suspected he¡¯d need to enter meditation to get answers, and he nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s a good call.  Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Trudging through the volcanic glass, he grabbed the body of one of the fish.  It was heavy, even with his Strength, but with little effort he hefted it over his right shoulder.  [WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE BODY, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I want to make sure it wasn¡¯t connected to what happened.  It also looks like it could be good to eat, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    [I DOUBT IT WILL BE MORE NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE THAN THE BEETLES, BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO RUN AN ANALYSIS.  I CAN ALREADY ADVISE NOT EATING THE SCALES.]

    While it would be faster to activate Ignition to make the journey back, Kyle ultimately decided against it.  It was simply too risky to use his boosting skill when his mana was exhibiting irregularities.  The safe decision was to go back to base, figure out what was going on, and then continue exploration when he had answers.

    Kyle only made it four or five steps before an orange warning light flashed.  He ducked reflexively as a blade of obsidian rushed through the air where his head had been.  The fish he¡¯d been carrying was less fortunate, two neat halves falling to the ground as blood flowed out into the arid ground.  So much for cautious.  Power coursed through Kyle as Ignition activated, Auric Perception warning him of his opponent before he even turned to face it.

    A single, slate gray fin as tall as Kyle broke the surface of the dune, beelining toward him at incredible speed.  It moved through the sand with the grace of a bird in flight.  When it was just ten meters from him, it burst forth.  It had a rotund body nearly four meters long covered in dark gray scales.  A mouth that best resembled a grouper¡¯s opened, sharp teeth bared and ready to swallow him whole.

    Storm Shelter activated at the last moment.  Despite himself, Kyle smiled at the sound of cracking teeth as the beast recoiled, diving back into the dunes.  His mirth was short-lived, however, as he felt mana building in the air around him.

    The dunes of volcanic glass began to swirl and shift, the bodies of the fish stirring as well.  Identify showed him the magnetic fields he¡¯d grown accustomed to from the smaller creatures taken to an entirely different level.  If it had thought him easy prey before, its actions now indicated it was taking him far more seriously.

    [DR. MAYHEW, BE CAREFUL.]

    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D. Keep watch, and stay ready.¡±  A long rest wasn¡¯t an option anymore; not against an opponent like this.  Another D Grade.

 Chapter 181

    Kyle ducked and weaved as blades of volcanic glass formed from the dunes and ripped towards him.  Each blade was packed with mana, and he had no doubt that they would inflict meaningful damage if he got caught.  Risking an activation of Identify, he realized that a good chunk of the energy was being drawn from the mana already infused in the glass.  That allowed the giant fish ¨C which Kyle had taken to calling the Maw ¨C to expend far less power maintaining the chain of attacks.

    Unfortunately for Kyle, understanding the mechanics did little to help him counter them.  The Maw simply floated through the dunes at a distance, seeming perfectly content to allow its attacks to whittle him down at range.  From the impression offered by Identify, it was a fairly lopsided creature.  It was highly specialized in Endurance, Willpower, and Intelligence, with laughably low Dexterity and Perception.  But Kyle had no time to laugh.

    Its overall level of power was significantly lower than any of the D Grade beasts he fought on Earth, and in a different environment Kyle would have had no issues taking it down.  It was highly specialized to fighting in the dunes, and that was the first challenge to overcome.  It reminded Kyle of his fight against the Storm, though this time he didn¡¯t have the means to separate the creature from its home field advantage.

    Sidestepping another blade, Kyle darted toward the creature.  Many of the dead fish had been cut by the stream of attacks, leaving numerous footholds for Kyle to use.  The Maw¡¯s tire-sized eyes regarded his approach impassively, and a fierce grin broke out on Kyle¡¯s face as invisible tendrils of Parasitic Resonance lashed out, connecting to it.

    The moment they did, Kyle¡¯s mana began to fluctuate wildly.  Mana was ripped from the Maw, being drained at an alarming rate.  Rather than replenishing Kyle¡¯s own, he felt the energy get drawn into his core with an almost ravenous hunger.

    In a panic, Kyle struggled to deactivate the skill.  It persisted longer than it should have, as though it had a mind of its own.  Finally, the tendrils dissipated as the Maw thrashed and dove beneath the swirling black sand.  Kyle let out a bitter breath.  He couldn¡¯t risk another episode in this fight.  Still, without his trump card skill, he had little confidence in his victory.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THIS IS GETTING DANGEROUS.  THE MANA SIGNATURE FROM THE CREATURE IS SPIKING.]

    ¡°I feel it too, though I lost sight of it when it dove away.  Any idea what it¡¯s doing?¡±

    [NONE IN THE SLIGHTEST, DR. MAYHEW.  I DOUBT YOU WILL FIND THE EFFECTS BENEFICIAL, HOWEVER.]

    ¡°Thanks for the advice.¡± Kyle said dryly.

    A map popped up in front of him, as well as a gentle orange light guiding him to the beast¡¯s location.  It was a good fifteen meters below him in the sand, mana appearing to build with every moment.  Even if C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t know what the specifics of the technique were, it didn¡¯t take a genius intellect to understand that Kyle didn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of it.

    With Ignition still functional, Kyle sprinted away from the creature.  He darted toward the entrance platform, where hopefully the Maw would expend its energy on a big attack.  If he was right, Kyle would be out of range by the time it took place.  Without warning, everything within two hundred meters of the Maw began to swirl and float.  The fish body Kyle was standing on was no exception, and Kyle found himself hanging on as he was enveloped in a tornado of black sand.

    Coarse grains scratched against his skin as larger metal objects that were obscured in the dunes flew in circles, rapidly picking up speed.  The sand climbed into the sky in a pillar over a dozen meters high, with the Maw waiting below.  C.H.A.D.D. highlighted all the debris as it flew, specks of orange in the obsidian vortex.  In that moment, Kyle soon realized that their usual tactic wouldn¡¯t be effective.  The projected highlights were dispelled too quickly by the magnetic pulses, and Kyle couldn¡¯t keep his eyes open long enough to make good use of the information.

    He clung desperately to the thick, hard scales, his only handholds in the storm.  What the hell can I do?  He wracked his brain as he was struck over and over by flying debris.  Blunt force was still one of his greatest weaknesses, but between his natural resilience and recovery he was able to shrug off most of the damage.  His biggest problem was his lack of offensive power, particularly against a creature with such high Endurance.  Attacking a beast that size with his baton would be laughable, even with Ignition active.

    Even worse, he didn¡¯t dare use Parasitic Resonance to connect to C.H.A.D.D., which also prevented him from making full use of the various seeds in his pack.  If he failed to control the skill, there was a real risk of accidentally killing his drone companion.  That was simply an unacceptable risk in his eyes.

    He opened his mouth to ask if C.H.A.D.D. identified any weak spots in its scales, and immediately shut it as razor-sharp glass flew in and cut the inside of his cheek.  He spat it out, the iron taste of blood fresh on his tongue.  That made him pause, an idea coming to life.  Before he could figure out how to put it in action, an obsidian blade slammed directly into his back.

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    The stonebloom armor absorbed the cutting edge, but the sheer force of the strike knocked him wildly, the scales of the fish he¡¯d been holding onto no longer able to keep their form.  As his handhold disintegrated, another blade of black sand caught him, this time tearing a line in his left thigh.  He winced in pain, the glass biting into him like a rotating saw blade.

    Kyle was in a free fall now; his momentum being shifted back and forth as more and more of the attacks connected.  Adaptive Regeneration and Heal were put on full display as he desperately knit together torn flesh.  His armor was getting battered by the assault, and he could only hope that he could repair the damage afterward.

    As the seconds wore on, Kyle lost track of his orientation, spinning through the air as he endured what felt like an endless assault.  Just as panic was truly beginning to set in, the attacks stopped.  Kyle felt himself plummeting, and as he opened his eyes, he saw a rain of black sand falling alongside him.  He turned wildly, trying to find his opponent.

    He spotted the Maw, directly below him with its mouth open, as if to swallow him whole.  A quick use of Identify showed that its mana was moving sluggishly, the power barely a fraction of what it had been just minutes ago.  Kyle found some comfort in the notion that he¡¯d survived its trump card attack head-on, though he had no doubt that he looked like a bloody mess.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING. YOU¡¯LL BE -]

    The Maw jumped, propelled by its magnetism.  Like a trout jumping out of the water after a bug, its jaws snapped shut, swallowing Kyle whole.

    [- EATEN.]

    Kyle swore as he pulled his left leg in, the force of the bite breaking his ankle despite the boots he wore.  He could recover broken bones, but they hurt. The jaws pumped up and down, trying to chew the Survivalist into pulp.  Kyle rolled up into a ball, keeping his extremities away from the jagged, stony fangs.  Its breath smelled like rotten fish, and he fought to avoid gagging.

    He felt the Maw growing more agitated by the moment; frustration apparent in its movement as it tried, and failed, to digest him.  Kyle knew he didn¡¯t have much time until it changed tactics, and moved quickly.  Reflecting on the training with manipulating the stonebloom armor¡¯s passive field, he tried to apply the same principles to one of his most-used skills: Storm Shelter.

    Kyle¡¯s experience with the skill left him with a strong understanding of the fundamentals.  Using his center as the origin, mana was projected outwards to form the dome of the skill, with the structure solidifying when it reached an appropriate distance.  Using Parasitic Resonance, Kyle had been able to create multiple instances by tapping into another person¡¯s mana network and using it as the ¡®origin¡¯ of the skill.  Now, he wanted to manipulate the formation of the structure.

    Instinctive Intelligence had, on multiple occasions, brought the barrier up faster than when he put conscious effort into it.  To him, that hinted at the ability to speed up or slow down the formation of the structure of the barrier.

    With a breath, he tried to activate the skill.  Nothing happened, as the mana wasn¡¯t able to meaningfully project in the small space.  The pressure from the beast¡¯s mouth weighed down on him, increasing the difficulty.  He tried again, thinking about manipulating the field from the stonebloom armor.  The principles were the same, shaping and moving the mana according to his will.  He tried again, and failed.

    The Maw was thrashing now, and Kyle wasn¡¯t able to entirely keep up with the movements.  Heavy bites cracked both armor and bone, and the pain was immense.  He tried a third time, feeling the shape come together before a particularly violent movement made him break focus.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WHATEVER YOU¡¯RE DOING DOESN¡¯T SEEM TO BE WORKING.  MAY I ADVISE GETTING OUT OF THE FISH¡¯S MOUTH?]

    Ignoring the drone, Kyle inhaled and closed his eyes.  He felt the mana leaving his body, the clarity provided by Unbreakable Will near its all-time high.  He solidified hexagonal pieces of the barrier¡¯s structure, while keeping the ¡®joints¡¯ between the hexes flexible.  The partial structure formed around him in the tight space, and something in his mind clicked.  Pushing with all the Willpower he could muster, the barrier sprang to life.

    The hexagonal plates snapped into place, forming the spherical shape Kyle strove to create.  It met resistance inside the Maw, which was now twisting and turning as it tried to spit out what it once thought to be a tasty morsel.  Between Ignition and Unbreakable Will, the force of Kyle¡¯s mana was beyond anything he¡¯d felt before.  The resistance broke a moment later, Storm Shelter fully forming around him, destroying everything in its path.  The Maw exploded outward, a glowing barrier in existence where it¡¯s head had once been.

    Kyle stood as he deactivated the barrier, his body screaming in protest.  He made it seven shaky steps before collapsing into the sand, allowing Adaptive Regeneration and Heal to mend bleeding cuts and broken bones.  He looked at the now-headless body of the Maw, considering the implications of what he¡¯d done.

    In many ways, Storm Shelter was one of his most powerful skills, both at a conceptual and practical level.  The barrier was significantly more powerful than many people thought it should have been, and had saved his life more times than he could count.  It was profoundly simple, and exceptionally effective.  While he hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to use it in this way again, it made him think about his next two D Grade skill selections.  It was easy to get wrapped up in complexity, and this reminded him of the importance of simplicity.  Sometimes the best tool is the one that can be used in any circumstance.

    Kyle reflected on that idea as he healed, too pained to enter meditation as he mended broken bones.  An hour later, he stood.  The worst of the damage had been worked through, and Kyle was ready to get back to the entrance and confront the culprit behind his episode: the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.

 Chapter 182

    ¡°This is insane.¡± Rupiniax was on his feet, eyes glued to Mayhew¡¯s screen.  ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be confronting D Grades this early in Phase Three.  I¡¯ve seen the Artifact Retrieval calibrations; these should be reserved for the last third of the sector.  Hell, the difficulty of that encounter would have been appropriate for a later round of Arena Combat.¡±

    Suierrillax agreed, though she didn¡¯t say anything.  She simply nodded and took notes, watching as Kyle limped away from the body of the D Grade fish.  He struggled far more than she thought he would, a testament to the enhanced difficulty.  She¡¯d hoped her warning would have circumvented the problem entirely, but it was clear now that whoever was behind the irregularities had multiple layers of contingencies.

    ¡°Do you think his Death Field was stopped by the creature somehow?  Maybe it doesn¡¯t work against D Grades?¡±  Rupiniax asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  The encounter felt off to me, but I don¡¯t have any idea what means the fish had available to it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll ask him when he¡¯s back.  I¡¯m already getting preparations together for an early return.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t,¡± Suierrillax said.  ¡°If there¡¯s one thing we should know about Kyle ¨C Mayhew ¨C it¡¯s that he¡¯s stubborn.  I doubt he¡¯ll leave early.¡±  She tried to cover the slip, but the other skrell noticed, eliciting a smirk.

    ¡°You have a soft spot for him,¡± Rupiniax said with a snort.  ¡°I don¡¯t blame you, but if he¡¯s been injured this badly after an encounter like this, there¡¯s not much chance for him to accomplish more.  I¡¯ve looked at the schematics for this planet, and it¡¯s not great.¡±

    Rupiniax pulled up a projection on his nav bracelet, and Suierrillax read it through.  This entire planet had been removed from Practicum circulation due to mounting danger posed by both the environment and the fauna.  She had to control her reaction upon seeing the expected values of the artifacts.  Virtually all the peripheral zones carried near-worthless items.  Even if he cleared them all out, his scoring would be middling.

    Items of real value were far more plentiful in the city¡¯s heart, and if Kyle¡¯s first encounter was any indication, he¡¯d be a dead man walking if he so much as set foot inside.  She sighed as she looked away, prompting Rupiniax to close the projection.  ¡°You see?  He¡¯s not stupid, he¡¯ll understand.  He¡¯ll get an opportunity to reapply, and when there¡¯s no risk of him upstaging Arhades things should get back to normal.¡±

    ¡°What does Arhades have to do with it?¡±

    Rupiniax looked around conspiratorially before leaning in, voice low.  ¡°The events of Phase Two drew a lot of attention to Mayhew¡¯s performance, and I heard the twins caught wind of it.  If the rumors are true, this came directly from them to make sure he remembered his place, and to send a message to anybody interfering to make him look better than he is.¡±

    ¡°The Archdrake Supremacy would never have allowed something like that to happen of their own volition!  It wasn¡¯t a planned event.¡±

    ¡°As if that matters to a couple of B Grades,¡± Rupiniax scoffed.  ¡°By the way, don¡¯t let anybody know I showed you those reports.  Not strictly supposed to have access.¡±

    Suierrillax nodded, looking at Mayhew sitting cross-legged at the entrance.  Satisfied that he was stable, she pulled up the feeds from the other applicants.  Kyle was in the worst condition by a wide margin, with everybody else putting up admirable performances.

    The most popular choice by far was Arena Combat, and across the board the first rounds of opponents were dispatched without trouble.  The difficulty would start ramping up with tomorrow¡¯s rounds, with the battles designed more to show endurance and problem solving rather than simple combat power.

    The ability to properly regulate power output and engage in prolonged conflicts was critical to both Mercenary and Security functions, and in that regard both Arhades and Tillienne were exceptional.  Neither of them had used as much as a skill, with Tillienne actually fighting barehanded so far.  Many of the proctors were glued to those screens, preferring the action-oriented nature of the engagements.

    Defend Position was the least interesting, with the few participants still shoring up defenses.  Each area they were in had a variety of defense mechanisms that they could activate, which in addition to understanding the E Grade forces at their disposal meant the real action would start in several more hours.  Jax was the applicant getting the most attention at this point, demonstrating more confidence than earlier in his Practicum.  His assigned proctor was a phytan, swirling in the air with pride.

    Suierrillax couldn¡¯t fault the feeling.  Of all the applicants he may have shown the most personal growth.  It was widely understood that individual development was foundational in finding a good spot in the Guilds.  Any and all offers involved were an investment, and the Guilds weren¡¯t typically interested in bringing people on who would be stagnant.  Even if their power eventually hit a plateau, the right mindset could allow for potential decades more improvement.

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    There were outliers, such as Arhades, that so far hadn¡¯t gotten pushed to their limits during the Practicum, but the vast majority were forced to adapt and demonstrate flexibility in their approaches.  In some ways, that concerned Suierrillax when she thought about Mayhew.  Not only was he facing open antagonism from the Guild power structure, his personal achievements had been largely overshadowed by the circumstances surrounding his Practicum.  What would that mean for his placement?

    She was drawn away from her train of thought as an explosion rang out, followed by cheering from one of the other Arena Combat screens.  She glanced over as a muscular reptilian activated a series of mana-infused strikes, causing his opponents to explode in flame.  The attacks were visually impressive, though she just sighed and turned back to Mayhew¡¯s screen.  Using big attacks this early was simply a sign of inexperience, at least in her view.

    ~~~

    Kyle stretched, testing his range of motion.  The damage from the battle with the fish had been painful to heal, and he wanted to make sure that everything recovered appropriately.  ¡°Is there any damage lingering that you¡¯re seeing, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING MEANINGFUL, DR. MAYHEW.  THE CRACKED BONES SEEM TO HAVE MENDED NICELY.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  Kyle said, finishing his stretches before settling on the platform with crossed legs.  ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I can get to the bottom of the episode I had.  If anything big starts happening, please yell for me.¡±

    The drone was silent for a moment, before speaking softly.  [IS THIS WISE, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    [THE LOCAL FAUNA ARE DANGEROUS ENOUGH TO POSE A MATERIAL THREAT TO YOU, YOUR BODY IS GOING THROUGH SOME TYPE OF CHANGE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT ITSELF SEEMS PARTICULARLY DISADVANTAGEOUS FOR YOU.  IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE PRUDENT DECISION WOULD BE TO RETREAT, REFLECT, AND REAPPLY ANOTHER TIME FOR MORE FAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.  I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT CREDITS TO DO SO.]

    Kyle bristled at the idea of retreating, which itself gave him pause.  Why am I so resistant to it?  He thought about the drone¡¯s words, and recognized that there was wisdom in them.  His lifespan was likely measured in centuries at this point, he had plenty of opportunities to try again.  At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to retreat.  Kyle¡¯s path was survival through endurance, stubbornly refusing to be crushed in the face of adversity.  C.H.A.D.D. had his interests at heart ¨C Kyle knew that ¨C but it wasn¡¯t advice he could accept.  Not yet.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, that would be the prudent decision,¡± Kyle said, choosing his words carefully.  ¡°But overcoming challenges like these are how I grow.  I can¡¯t go back to sitting at a desk for months on end.  It¡¯s not who I am.¡±  Not anymore.

    [THEN DO WHAT YOU FEEL YOU MUST, DR. MAYHEW.  JUST KNOW I PREFER YOU ALIVE AND HEALTHY.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    With that, Kyle closed his eyes and entered meditation.  He felt himself drawn into his core, and focused on it.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 54 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 0.4%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 7/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE, AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 840

    ENDURANCE: 977

    STRENGTH: 353

    DEXTERITY: 634

    WILLPOWER: 1191

    INTELLIGENCE: 1191

    PERCEPTION: 941

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    He noticed the level first, and quickly allocated his Free Attributes towards Endurance.  Taking a page from the D Grade fish¡¯s book, he understood that toughness would be crucial to his survival in this environment.  Then, he turned his attention to the other change:  The Core of the Parasitic Devourer had finally stirred.

    Before focusing on the number itself, Kyle watched the core, superimposed on his center as it swirled and pulsed.  The crimson sigils looked to be rippling over the surface, like magma roiling beneath cooled obsidian.  He could see faint tendrils of red energy playing over the surface of the core like lightning, a notable change from when he¡¯d seen it just days ago.

    Kyle felt a phantom ache and shuddered as he regarded the movements of the core.  Before he realized it, he felt the activation of Parasitic Resonance, tendrils expanding out around him.  The skill had changed, some of his own mana being gently drained.  Kyle watched with fascination as he saw it feeding into the core, ever so slightly increasing the pace at which the core roiled and swirled.  Deactivating the skill, he felt the mana it had drawn dissipate, hardly any having been consumed.  It¡¯s like my mana was being used as a primer, Kyle realized.

    Wanting to do one more qualitative test, he activated Ignition.  The energy around him was drawn in as he felt the power from the boost flowing through him.  Despite the shift in his internal energy, the core didn¡¯t change, nor did it absorb any of the atmospheric mana.  The moment he activated Parasitic Resonance, the slow drain began again, being replaced with atmospheric mana as he sat.

    Deactivating both skills, Kyle focused his attention on the number, 0.4% as the mana swirling around the core dissipated once more.  He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what it represented, but he had an idea.  Other than a few of the large birds, Kyle hadn¡¯t killed large numbers of creatures with Parasitic Resonance after his fight with the Storm.  It made sense, at least to him, that his wholesale slaughter of the fish had triggered some sort of condition, filling the core as they died.

    To the extent that he was going to kill his opponents, the change in Parasitic Resonance made sense.  The faster, more brutal consumption of mana was undoubtedly effective.  Unfortunately, these new properties posed an issue if he wanted to use it with C.H.A.D.D. and the World Tree seed.  It all comes down to control.

    In that, at least, Kyle felt confident.  And if the endless dunes held more schools of the fish, where better to practice?

 Chapter 183

    Kyle swore as the lifeless body of a fish crashed into him.  He¡¯d gotten much better at dodging in the volcanic glass sand, but he still felt clumsy.  Standing up as the wind blew, Kyle brushed himself off and looked around.  His clothing was reduced to little more than tatters, his stonebloom armor resting back at the entrance platform until he was confident in controlling Parasitic Resonance.

    If he messed up when connecting to the armor, he would risk damaging the natural properties that made it so useful to him.  Instead, he relied on his Enhanced Carapace to keep up with the scouring blades and stony teeth, even though it meant allocating more resources to healing.

    This was the fourth school of the fish he¡¯d encountered during his exploration, and he knew what to expect.  Where¡¯s the D Grade?  As if on cue, a blade of black sand materialized.  There.  Kyle focused as C.H.A.D.D. highlighted the location of the creature, sidestepping the blade.  Once it had passed, he didn¡¯t give it a chance to change tactics.  He burst into action, Ignition burning in his veins.

    With an enormous effort of Willpower, Kyle pushed the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance into the Maw, connecting with its pathways.  The beast¡¯s jaws closed around him as Kyle prepared a smaller Storm Shelter, protecting him from being chewed up while his other skill worked.

    Kyle gritted his teeth as he resisted the skill¡¯s natural inclination to rip the mana away from the creature, holding the effect at bay for one second after another as the tendrils further infected the beast.  The Maw, seeming to realize that something was wrong, tried to spit Kyle out.  He pushed the plates of Storm Shelter out just a bit, wedging him inside the mouth as Parasitic Resonance spread.

    Finally, after nearly a minute, Kyle shifted his focus from infection to destruction, tearing away the monster¡¯s energy and life.  It thrashed in the sand twice before collapsing, motionless.  Just like the last two D Grades he¡¯d encountered; it didn¡¯t even have an opportunity to use its trump card.  As powerful as the fish were, their combat style was simplistic.  For whatever reason, they didn¡¯t view Kyle as a threat worthy of their best until it was too late.  That was fine by him, because being wrapped up in a magnetic storm like he had in the first encounter was terrifying.  It was enough being surrounded by goo and bladed teeth.

    The barrier provided by Storm Shelter faded away as Kyle extricated himself from the fish¡¯s mouth, slime dripping all over him like rain before he could fully escape.  Wiping his slime-covered hands on the ruined shreds of his trousers, he looked out at the crimson glow on the horizon.  With the sun as large as it was, there wasn¡¯t a meaningful night, at least that Kyle could tell.

    The indicator on his nav bracelet showed that he¡¯d been on the planet for just under four days, and he¡¯d barely made any progress toward the center of the settlement.  Calling the schools of fish territorial was an understatement, and shortly after drifting past some indeterminable threshold he found himself under attack.

    Kyle let out a sigh as he grabbed a couple of the fish and started walking back to the entrance.  There were a few office buildings nearby he could explore, but the results from the last couple were disappointing.  The Practicum offered no insight in regard to the value of the items he retrieved, though from what he could tell there wasn¡¯t much of value.  That wouldn¡¯t stop Kyle from scouring them later, but he had a more pressing issue to deal with.

    He got back to the entrance where a small cooking fire burned, fish meat smoking over the coals.  He heaped the undamaged fish in a pile, where they awaited their turn in the heat.  Kyle decided pretty early on not to trust the rations, given that somebody seemed to have it out for him.  Neither Identify nor C.H.A.D.D. saw anything inherently dangerous, but some risks weren¡¯t worth taking.  Fortunately, there were also tools he was able to put to use.

    A small kit, including a portable torch were in the supply case.  After bringing out piles of broken wood from the ruined furniture inside the buildings, he repurposed it as a fire starter.  A tent was also provided, which Kyle used as his loot bag.   The fibers of the material were thick, and resisted being slashed open by the blowing glass.  The makeshift bag wouldn¡¯t hold up against direct attacks, but worked just fine after he cleared out a section of the city.

    And of course, he was thankful for his canteen.  Despite the arid and hot climate, the little bottle continued to do its job, providing plenty of fresh water for him to drink.  It was one of the best survival purchases he¡¯d made, and was baffled that any human looking to leave the safety of the Hub wouldn¡¯t buy one.  The inscriptions were simple, and the value was incalculable.

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    He took the fish off the fire, not even bothering to put on gloves.  Steam rose off the scales while the meat underneath sputtered and sizzled.  While his unseasoned, smoked fish wouldn¡¯t be winning any culinary awards, Kyle thought it tasted downright gourmet when compared to the beetles he¡¯d subsisted on back on Earth.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you willing to let me run a test?¡± Kyle said between bites of flaky whitefish.

    [AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW ALL CLINICAL TEST PROTOCOLS.]

    Kyle took a swig from his canteen, which had refilled to the brim.  ¡°Very funny.  Seriously though, if anything feels off, I need you to tell me right away.¡±

    [I WILL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I¡¯m holding you to that.¡±  Kyle finished his meal in silence, watching the dunes shift in the wind.  The last thing he wanted was to put the drone at risk; at the same time the risks were too great if he didn¡¯t have access to C.H.A.D.D. through the link.  Regenerating his armor, manipulating the negation field, and tapping into other plant life in an emergency were all too valuable to leave off the table.  Whatever hunger his skill developed, it was something he¡¯d have to control if he wanted to survive.

    Extending a furtive tendril of energy, he connected first to C.H.A.D.D., and then to the World Tree Seed.  He felt a reflexive action to try and drain their energy, which he clamped down on immediately.  Instead, he gently fed some of his own mana through the connection.  Easy part down, Kyle mused.  More tendrils of energy began to bloom around him, connecting to the discarded scales and bones.

    Even though the materials had no mana running through them, Kyle worked to make subtle changes by infusing them with his own, all the while keeping his focus on the tendril connected to C.H.A.D.D.  As minutes passed, Kyle became more and more comfortable managing both. He certainly wasn¡¯t completing detail work; although using Parasitic Resonance to kill hordes of weaker enemies didn¡¯t require much detail to begin with.

    He continued to practice for several more hours, enjoying the challenge of splitting his mental focus in this way.  Up to this point, Kyle hadn¡¯t been pushed to need this level of control of his skills, which opened up a challenging question to him.  What other skill improvements could he focus on?  Already, this experience had forced him to work on different applications for both Parasitic Resonance and Storm Shelter.  Phase One had allowed him to take advantage of Adaptive Regeneration.  Phase Two helped him refine Ignition.  What about Heal?  Identify?

    Kyle still had his sights set on C Grade and beyond, though he understood that he still had a long journey ahead of him in D Grade.  Finding more opportunities for incremental enhancements would be time well-spent along the way.  For now, however, he had other work to do.  Standing, he retracted all the tendrils of his skill but two, one of which was connected to C.H.A.D.D., as the other reached out to his armor.

    Putting it on, he sighed in relief as the wooden plates began to visibly mend.  The stonebloom material greedily drank in his mana as C.H.A.D.D. guided the recovery process, encouraging new growth from the core of the hardy plant.  As it regenerated, Kyle tested the field provided by the armor, expanding and shaping it.  Even though the armor itself required a little more time to fully mend, its special properties still worked just fine.

    Taking a little more time to practice with the mana-negating barrier from the stonebloom armor, Kyle finally felt it was time.  He hefted the empty loot bag over his right shoulder.  ¡°Are you ready to go scout the buildings?¡±

    [I WAS AFRAID YOU¡¯D NEVER ASK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle activated Ignition as he sped through the dunes, still stumbling occasionally as he misread the depth of the sand.  Covert Dexterity was doing its part, even though there was only so much that he could expect when moving on terrain like this.  Kyle idly wondered how easily he could have moved if he selected Strider instead of Ignition, and dismissed the thought shortly after it popped into his head.  No need to reflect on what could have been.  He was happy with his choice.

    Soon, he was back at the area he¡¯d finished clearing.  The buildings jutted out of the dunes like misshapen teeth, and he broke the closest window to enter the first building.  The structures were similar; each building consisting of several floors, broken furniture, and very few items of significance with the exception of the top.  The highest floors universally had desks and other features that could only be activated by awakened.  Typically, there would be a couple items within that would give him an impression that they were worth taking, though the purpose of the trinkets was a little beyond him.

    What he did know was that he wasn¡¯t satisfied with either the quantity or quality of what he¡¯d retrieved so far.  He didn¡¯t have a rubric or ongoing score he could follow, and he held no confidence in getting a good evaluation based on his accomplishments thus far.  Compared to the high-quality natural treasures he helped scout with Corthian Mining; these could barely be considered interesting.

    While there were still a couple more peripheral areas in the city he could explore, Kyle didn¡¯t see much purpose.  Leaping out of the last building onto the sand, he hefted his half-empty bag.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., is there anything else we¡¯re missing?¡±

    [NOTHING GIVING A MEANINGFUL IMPRESSION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded.  Going back to the bodies of the fallen fish, he grabbed two more.  ¡°I think we¡¯re about done in the outer zone.  Tomorrow we¡¯re going deeper.¡±

    [IT WILL BE DANGEROUS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle smiled.  Overcoming dangerous circumstances and surviving against the odds was central to his path, after all.  ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡±

 Chapter 184

    The closer Kyle moved toward the center of the ruined city, the denser the buildings became.  What once reminded him of jagged teeth now resembled the forest after a storm, buildings strewn about the dunes like fallen trees.  Each structure was larger, the smallest of them three or four stories taller than those around the outskirts.  And with taller buildings came better treasures.  At least, that was what Kyle told himself as he ran like a madman across the side of a building, an army of fish in hot pursuit.

    C.H.A.D.D. warned him that circumstances would get more dangerous, and the drone wasn¡¯t wrong.  Well over 100 of the fish were pursuing him, resulting in an endless barrage of rust-colored cannonballs slamming into the buildings, the dunes, and occasionally Kyle himself.

    ¡°How many D Grades have you spotted?¡±  Kyle shouted, a note of panic in his voice.

    [AT LEAST THREE, DR. MAYHEW.  I SUSPECT THERE IS A FOURTH LURKING BELOW.]

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    Before the drone could respond, Storm Shelter sprang to life, five of the fish slamming into it with resounding thuds.  The barrier dissipated a moment later as Parasitic Resonance hungrily drained their mana and reaped their lives.  Kyle kept moving, barely evading magnetic blades of swirling obsidian.  The attacks rose into the sky with a whisper before running out of power, leaving a gentle rain of razor-sharp glass.

    [THERE ARE INCONSISTENCIES IN THE MOVEMENTS OF THE GLASS.  IT ISN¡¯T CERTAIN, BUT I BELIEVE THE PRESENCE OF A FOURTH, MORE POWERFUL CREATURE WOULD EXPLAIN THE PHENOMENON.]

    Kyle nodded to himself as he evaded another fish erupting from the black sand.  He sidestepped as he swung his baton down, stunning the creature and allowing Parasitic Resonance to do its work.  A moment later, he was back on the move, taking a moment to look at his handiwork.

    Before he even set foot in the new region, Kyle had allowed Ignition to build up to equilibrium.  The clarity and power provided by it allowed him to cut a swathe through the simple creatures, who had yet to adapt to his presence.  As evidenced by his sparring sessions with Jax, fighting multiple D Grades was a challenge, even more so if they had support.

    If Tillienne, Jax, and Trex were coordinating an E Grade force this size, Kyle would have been dead a dozen times over; Ignition or not.  Despite D Grade power, the fish were little more than beasts driven by instinct.  The awakened insects Kyle faced on Earth were far more intelligent by comparison, which magnified the danger they posed.

    The D Grade fish seemed content to let Kyle fight through their schools, only contributing occasional supportive fire from long range.  Kyle had no idea what type of hunting these beasts usually did, but based on the lack of any other living organisms their style was unquestionably effective.  Hell, they¡¯d taken him by surprise the first time around.

    Unlike the fish, however, Kyle adapted.  He understood their strengths, their weaknesses, and their patterns.  Between the state of clarity provided by equilibrium and the advanced warnings provided by C.H.A.D.D. and Auric Perception, Kyle was confident, even against overwhelming odds.

    The densely-packed buildings worked in his advantage as he leapt from structure to structure, avoiding the need to step into the sand entirely.  The school thinned more as he weaved back and forth in the small area, and soon the D Grades were the only fish remaining.

    Predictably, two of them charged directly towards him while the third sent waves of sharpened sand.  He got clear of the ranged attack first as the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance invaded the bodies of the grouper-like D Grades, then he pushed with all the Willpower he could muster.  The creatures tried to put up resistance, but it was futile.  They crashed into the dunes, dead.

    The one that stayed back began gathering mana, forming a technique that Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. both recognized.  He burst towards it as quickly as Ignition would allow, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reaching towards the immobile fish.  Kyle felt the sand around him begin to float as the magnetic storm started, his footing giving way below him.

    Parasitic Resonance connected, and he felt the stirring power inside the beast.  Kyle grabbed onto a revealed piece of metal piping, gripping with all his Strength as his Willpower surged against the fish.  The fish¡¯s skill put up fierce resistance, but Kyle overwhelmed it with sheer force of will. The magnetic storm faded before it could whip up into the hurricane he¡¯d endured in his first encounter, followed shortly by the death of the monster.

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    Still, Kyle didn¡¯t drop his guard.  The magnetic field was persistent, and he was suspended in the air by the pipe he was gripping.  Where¡¯s the fourth?  Kyle trusted C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s judgment, but so far, the final D Grade hadn¡¯t revealed itself.  He was just about to ask his drone if anything appeared on its sensors when he felt the ambient mana in the air begin to shudder.

    Everything around him froze for a moment before accelerating directly down.  The buildings were revealed floor by floor as the attractive force drew everything to a central point far below.  Identify activated on instinct, and Kyle frowned when it revealed nothing.  He could see the flow of mana from the epicenter, but the cloud of volcanic sand obscured what lie beneath.

    Kyle released his grip on the pipe, allowing gravity to guide his descent while the world around him shook.  He was pelted by a rain of dark glass and debris, once again thankful for the protection provided by his Enhanced Carapace as he shrugged off the worst of the damage.

    He could make out what could best be described as a blender of swirling onyx blades at the epicenter of the magnetic force.  They hissed as they crossed one another, and Kyle marveled at the scale of the power he detected from the newly-formed pit.  He suspected it to be between 30 and 40 levels higher than the other D Grades, with at minimum one upgraded skill, if not its second offered at D Grade.

    The blades of volcanic glass were dangerously close now, and Kyle banked on the efficacy of Parasitic Resonance.  The tendrils extended deep into the sea of sand, exploring for the body he detected underneath.  They found their prey, and Kyle didn¡¯t hold back as he drank the creature¡¯s mana hungrily.  The energy giving form to the blades was disrupted, and Kyle fell headfirst into the darkness.

    Auric Perception had a strong feel for the fish¡¯s energy, even though his eyes were closed in the roiling sands.  The fish was swimming away, even as Parasitic Resonance ravaged its body.  Kyle gasped in shock as he landed hard on the ground, the sensation of cool stone against his skin nearly as jarring as the impact.  His eyes opened as he saw the swirling mass of sand enveloping the retreating form of the fish, finally out of range of Parasitic Resonance.

    Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate.  The last thing he wanted was for the beast to attract another school, particularly if they were of similar size and power to its own.  He marveled at the smooth, almost marble-like stone underfoot as he exploded after the creature, waves of volcanic sand collapsing back onto the ground in its wake.

    For all its speed, it couldn¡¯t keep up with Kyle when Ignition was fully active.  Kyle drew in power liberally as he exploded forward, and soon he was back in range.  The beast turned back as it felt the connection reestablish, dull eyes meeting his own as their light faded.  The sand cascaded in without the creature magnetizing it, serving as its grave.

    Kyle climbed back to the top of the dunes, now strangely peaceful without the interference of the local wildlife.  He drew in a calming breath as he looked out into the crimson skyline, broken by the jutting forms of the buildings.  They stood in defiance of the ruin that befell the planet, which brought a smile to his lips.

    ¡°Well, C.H.A.D.D., what do you think?  Is it time to get to work?¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯VE BEEN FORCING ME TO WORK FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.  I BELIEVE I DESERVE A VACATION, PER CENTRAL HEALTH POLICY, OF COURSE.]

    ¡°You¡¯d get bored in 15 minutes.¡± Kyle chuckled.

    [YOU UNDERESTIMATE ME.]

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Kyle asked, eyebrow raised.  ¡°I could always go back and drop you off at the entrance before exploring all these ancient buildings, if that¡¯s what you prefer.¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. was silent a moment before responding; a hint of resignation somehow coming through its words.  [WE¡¯D BEST GET SEARCHING, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Climbing through the shattered windows of the first building, Kyle immediately felt a difference.  Somewhere above him, he could feel faint pulses of mana.  C.H.A.D.D. seemed to sense the same, and the duo ascended flight after flight, ignoring the lower floors altogether.  Starting at the fourth floor, Kyle found six desks requiring mana to open.  His smile broadened as he opened the first.

    Inside, he saw three journals, two tablets, and six strange orbs that gave off an unfamiliar energy.  Identify revealed a strange attunement with the heat coming off the red giant star that served as the planet¡¯s sun.  Storing them away, Kyle continued to sift through each of the desk drawers.  When it was all said and done, he¡¯d uncovered nearly as many trinkets on this floor alone as he had in the entire outer area.

    The fifth floor was an even more extravagant executive suite.  The desks contained more documents and trinkets, though the real prize was folded neatly in a closet.  A set of exquisite enchanted robes sat, unperturbed by the passage of time.  Kyle used Identify on them, and could make out pieces of the inscriptions, some relating to drawing in mana, others with amplifying its output.  Clearly a mage, then.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what do you think?¡±

    [THE MATERIAL APPEARS TO BE A WOVEN METAL OF SOME TYPE, AND THE INSCRIPTIONS ARE HIGH-QUALITY.  MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE IS LIMITED, BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE THIS TO BE NO LESS VALUABLE THAN YOUR ARMOR, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle had to agree, which made him excited.  Most of the items he found were difficult to value; Kyle had no idea what the evaluators would look for in a journal or tablet, after all.  The orbs and small weapons were interesting, but qualitatively fairly boring.  To find an item at the robe¡¯s level was proof that he¡¯d started to locate the good stuff.  If there were more like it within the dozens of other buildings, Kyle was confident Phase Three would be a success.

    He placed the robe almost reverently into his bag, then climbed the final set of stairs to the top floor.  Kyle was met by a locked door, which required a significant amount of mana to power open.  He expected resplendence, a beautiful desk, opulent furniture.  Instead, he was met with a familiar sight.  He was standing in the heart of a laboratory.

 Chapter 185

    Unlike the previous floors, the laboratory was virtually undamaged.  A quick use of Identify showed Kyle inlaid enchantments to prevent mana leakage and reinforce the structure.  Outside of a thick layer of dust, the room was in immaculate condition.  Rows of metal tables were off to his left, with a series of monitors to his right.  Directly ahead, in the center of the room there was a large shard of obsidian contained within a metal and glass sphere.

    The device itself was filled with an unidentifiable liquid, in which the shard was suspended.  Auric Perception was muted with all the runic inscriptions at play, though he could feel echoes of the energy as he stared at the shard.  Fire, earth, and wind affinities were prominent inside the crystal.  The longer he stared, the more he thought he spotted traces of other concepts as well.

    If he were an Elemental Mage of any of these varieties, he fully expected he could draw significant insights into his skills simply by studying the shard for an extended period.  Part of him suspected that was exactly what the researchers here were doing.  The oddest part to Kyle, however, was the resemblance of the crystal to the omnipresent dunes of black sand.  Were the dunes already present when this civilization fell?

    While staring at the suspended stone likely wouldn¡¯t yield any answers, searching the rest of the lab might.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you decipher any of the information here?¡±

    [I¡­ AM UNCERTAIN, DR. MAYHEW.  MUCH OF THE ANALYSIS AND INFORMATION IS WELL OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF BOTH MY PROGRAMMING AND RECORDS.]

    ¡°Would you be able to store copies and images of everything we come across in the lab?¡±  Kyle asked, not surprised at the drone¡¯s answer.  The changes C.H.A.D.D. had undergone allowed for a lot of flexibility, though it was still far more specialized towards organic life than stone and metal.

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Unlike the wanton ransacking of the previous rooms, Kyle took his time.  The duo organized different types of documents, tablets, and other records.  Several smaller samples of the dark glass were sealed away in drawers, which he liberated with quick application of his D Grade Strength.  It took them over an hour to finish sifting through the various items in the room, with only the suspended shard left.

    ¡°Any idea how to open it up?¡±

    [NONE WHATSOEVER.]

    Kyle sighed.  There was likely some type of access needed to actually drain the liquid and release the crystal, which Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. did not possess.  The documents and reports they reviewed offered no assistance, which meant he would have to do it the hard way.  He stacked the documents neatly into his sack, and wrapped one end around his wrist as he grasped the container and activated Ignition.

    Kyle most often relied on the mobility and clarity from the skill, using the boosts to support his offensive application of Parasitic Resonance.  The significant boost to Strength didn¡¯t mean much when his opponents dwarfed him in size and power.  An issue that Kyle didn¡¯t have against the housing for the containment sphere.

    With a solid lift, he felt the fasteners give way, releasing the sphere entirely.  Lights flashed across the lab, and without hesitation Kyle dashed toward the door to the lower floor, which was now closing.  Seeing similar activity across the building, Kyle gritted his teeth as he jumped out the nearest window, nestling the sphere and shard under his left arm.

    His right arm grabbed the windowsill on the way down, halting his descent.  With the aid of his Covert Dexterity, he scaled the exterior of the building until his feet rested against the sand below.  As he got closer, he could feel an odd connection between the shard and the volcanic glass.  Faint pulses of energy were released by the shard, and the stygian sand seemed to ripple outward with each.  Identify didn¡¯t reveal any of the specifics, and Kyle didn¡¯t want to waste more time than necessary.

    Ignition active, Kyle began the long trek back to the starting area.  His haul this time was far from disappointing.  The region he¡¯d just cleared had over a dozen buildings of similar size to clear, each of which held the promise of treasure.  This second layer had at least two other sections he could explore when he¡¯d finished with the buildings, and the heart of the city still lied beyond.  This is going to take a while, Kyle thought, feeling the heat of the red sun beating down.  I wonder if Jax and Tillienne are dealing with similar issues?

    ~~~

    The atmosphere in the room was tense as the proctors looked on at Tillienne¡¯s final fight.  A leonine fighter four meters tall brandished two broadswords, blood matting the fur on his chest as it flowed out from an arrow wound.  It was a stark contrast to the small woman in front of him, though she brandished her weapons with grace.  The warrior was a mid-tier D Grade criminal, captured after a rampage that devastated over a dozen frontier settlements.  He roared, shaking the air before charging the diminutive form of the fae woman.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Tillienne dodged with grace entirely inconsistent with her condition.  She was bleeding from multiple cuts, and one of her four arms had been badly broken in an attempt to block a particularly vicious strike.  She held her lance in one hand, and the battleaxe in the remaining two.

    The outline of butterfly wings could be seen on her back as she dipped and dodged, lance and axe each finding small opportunities between her opponent¡¯s endless attacks.  Each wound only seemed to stoke the leonid¡¯s rage, roars echoing out as his furious assault continued.

    Tillienne¡¯s boosting skill was on full display, power blazing to life as both her mana and physical energy burned away.   It was a truly impressive display, though Suierrillax knew the fight would be over soon.  She had watched Tillienne¡¯s matches over the last six days, and from everything that Suierrillax could see, the fae simply lacked strong finishing moves.  While her boosting skill highlighted her impeccable technique and fighting skill, she was focused far more on mobility and technique than raw, instantaneous destruction.

    The focus led to an undeniably strong foundation, proven by Tillienne¡¯s rapid progression through the Arena Combat trial.  Other than Arhades, she made it the farthest of any other applicant.  She cleared the stages consisting of waves of E Grades with ease, and had little more trouble against the early D Grades.

    In fact, the previous match was the first time she seemed struggle at all.  She¡¯d squared off against an enormous ore turtle, which was content to hide in its shell and bombard the woman with shards of stone and steel from long range.  It took Tillienne significantly longer than expected, which is when Suierrillax realized her area of weakness.

    The leonid was less durable than the turtle had been, though its natural recovery and ability to ignore the injuries kept it on its feet and fighting.  She watched as one of the broadswords clashed with the battleaxe, the force of the impact impressive, even through the screen.  The axe was sent flying as the blade twisted, the second sword descending to cleave her in two.  You¡¯ve come as far as you can, don¡¯t be foolish, Suierrillax thought.

    Tillienne ducked underneath the blow, landing two more shallow stabs with her lance.  There was a brief stillness as she locked eyes with her opponent, before she dismissed the lance and raised her hands. ¡°I surrender.¡±

    The leonid snarled, but pressure descended on the arena for a moment before both were whisked away.  Even though Suierrillax didn¡¯t miss the disappointment on the woman¡¯s face, the fae had a lot to be proud of.  Hers was the last Arena Combat trial still active, and her performance would no doubt lead to many offers from the Guilds.  For the trial itself, she made the farthest of any bar Arhades.  When coupled with the prowess she demonstrated, she would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to any Guild.

    An alert flashed on one of the screens, followed by a series of cheers.  Jax Cain¡¯s trial had ended the previous evening, with the young man sustaining a grievous injury.  His condition was serious, and the notification let them know that he had stabilized.  Suierrillax couldn¡¯t hold back a smile at the news.  The young human had really grown on the proctors, and his heroics in Phase Three only magnified their goodwill.

    Like Tillienne, Jax also performed admirably, quickly rising to the level where he was holding his position against D Grade forces.  His tactical coordination was put on display as his squad rebuffed wave after wave of incoming forces.  Even when the enemies took to the sky, the young man adapted flawlessly.

    The final opponent that he faced was a D Grade drone with long-distance suppressive fire capabilities.  Blasts of crimson thermal energy retaliated against precise arcs of lightning, while mundane arms fire and missiles ravaged the defensive lines that Jax established.  Jax was holding his own, until one of his squad members was caught out.

    The E Grade soldiers all knew the risks; that¡¯s why they got paid so well.  When the drone launched its attack against the exposed soldier, Suierrillax expected that Jax to use the opening to land another attack.  Instead, the young man activated his boosting skill and shoved the soldier out of harm¡¯s way, being hit head-on with the thermal lance.

    In many ways, Jax made a foolish decision by doing so.  The judgment he¡¯d shown was questionable when the mission was put at stake.  At the same time, he was just so damn likeable.  All the proctors wanted to see him succeed, and hearing news of his recovery raised the attitude in the room noticeably.  Suierrillax had no doubt that he¡¯d still get numerous offers, despite his lacking judgment.  Nepotism was a powerful tool, after all.

    With one notable exception, the other applicants were all wrapping up Phase Three as well.  Despite smaller numbers than expected, the performances had generally been quite good.  Only a couple of casualties, which was a relief compared to the disaster that was Phase Two.  Offers were being generated and sent out, and already proctors were discussing what they would do with their free time when this Practicum ended.

    Suierrillax held back, watching the outlier as he added more broken furniture to his cooking fire.  Kyle Mayhew had been in his Practicum for over a week, and from the looks of things he wasn¡¯t planning to leave any time soon.

    His performance so far left many of the proctors uncomfortable.  While everybody loved seeing a young talent rise and succeed despite the odds, it was clear to everybody that Mayhew wasn¡¯t supposed to succeed.  The human had garnered far more attention than he should have, and Suierrillax knew that much of it wasn¡¯t positive.  The longer Mayhew continued his trial, the more their collective discomfort grew.

    She suppressed her smile as she watched him cook, still not having touched the provided supplies.  She settled into her chair and continued to take thorough notes.  She had a feeling that he still had a long way to go.

 Chapter 186

    Kyle yawned, opening bleary eyes as he looked out into the red glow above the sea of black glass.  Absent mindedly reaching for some smoked fish, he began to chew as he looked over his haul.  In the four weeks since arriving on this planet, Kyle had managed to clear out the entirety of the outer segment and most of the second layer.

    Each building he explored in the second layer held a wide variety of different treasures, many of which were of a similar quality to the woven robe.  Sadly, none had an affinity he could use, so one by one they were sent off to be evaluated.  He hoped he¡¯d secured enough to earn some offers, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.

    His eyes drifted to the pile of obsidian shards he¡¯d set aside, eleven in total.  While he was no expert, he felt confident that these were likely the most important pieces he¡¯d uncovered during his exploration.  Buildings with the labs were few and far between, and each time Kyle broke into one, he found one of the shards prominently displayed.

    Much of what they had put together was conjecture, though the implications were interesting.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans indicated that the shards resonated with one another the same way they did with the volcanic glass below.  Looking at projections, it appeared that they fit together in some type of three-dimensional puzzle.  From what Kyle could tell, there was one piece left, a jagged piece that would help form a rough sphere.

    Their understanding was incomplete, though C.H.A.D.D. had been able to decipher some of what had happened.  It appeared as though the unified orb was recovered from a crater not too far from the city.  The material took inscriptions effectively, and it could be separated and rejoined with little effort, which the local scientists were quick to do.

    Layers upon layers of inscriptions were put on the material as the scientists split and rearranged it.  Their goal appeared to be tied to energy creation, but they overdid their experimentation. Eventually, the shards reached a point where they were unable to fuse again due to the sheer number of inscriptions.  That¡¯s when they¡¯d contained each shard, with the intention of repairing whatever damage had been done.  Kyle didn¡¯t know why that was so important to them, though he hoped more of the mystery would be revealed when he found the twelfth piece.

    He absently reached out an arm to touch one of the containment spheres, and jumped at the look of his arm.  Veins of dark gray ran down its length, branching out like spiderwebs across his flesh.  Kyle gave a gentle pull with his Willpower, reducing the mana circulating through his skin.  That¡¯s still going to take some getting used to, he thought, watching the pattern recede.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IS THERE A REASON YOU¡¯RE DEACTIVATING YOUR ABILITY?]

    ¡°It¡¯s a little unsettling, that¡¯s all.  Besides, it¡¯s not like I need it right now.¡±

    [LIKELY A WISE DECISION.  CENTRAL HEALTH HAD REGULATIONS ABOUT TATTOOS FOR A REASON, AFTER ALL.]

    Kyle looked at his arms again, allowing the grey veins to reappear.  I guess it does kind of look like a tattoo.  ¡°That was a dumb policy, and you know it.  Somehow, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll care.¡±

    [IN FACT, I BELIEVE MS. ROCHELLE MAY APPROVE.]

    Kyle rolled his eyes as he looked outside his makeshift shelter, reflecting on all that had happened over the past four weeks.

    Even though Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. found very little that they could personally use, Kyle found a treasure of a different variety.  The second layer of the city had been rife with schools of the magnetic fish.  No longer.  Kyle¡¯s encounters with the creatures had not ended well for them, with scant few remaining.  He would have been content to leave them be, but their aggression left him little choice.

    Some of the D Grade variants had proven challenging, some shrouding themselves in armor made of volcanic glass while others attempted to crush him underneath cascading waves.  Kyle adapted and faced them all.  Weaker Willpower was a consistent theme among them, and Parasitic Resonance greedily consumed their energy.  The Core of the Parasitic Devourer filled with every kill, until it hit 10%.

    Kyle still remembered the kill that had topped it off; a D Grade fish shrouded in a swirling armor of volcanic glass from his second-to-last encounter.  After Parasitic Resonance connected, it drained just a little of the creature¡¯s energy before the effect stopped.  He felt his body begin to itch all over as the skill reverted to what it had been before fighting the fish.  His core had been satiated.  For now.

    Finishing off the school hadn¡¯t resulted in any further response from the core, nor did the deaths of the final school that he defeated.  Instead, when he entered meditation, he saw a notable change to his status.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 59 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 10%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 8/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION, EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

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    VITALITY: 880

    ENDURANCE: 1050

    STRENGTH: 363

    DEXTERITY: 664

    WILLPOWER: 1300

    INTELLIGENCE: 1300

    PERCEPTION: 988

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    Like much of his Adaptive Anatomy, the Ferric Augmentation gave him very little when he focused on it.  Fortunately, the effect was evident when he allowed his mana to flow freely through his body.  Veins of biological metal formed and hardened under the woven carapace of his skin, creating the unusual web pattern.  Kyle experimented with it a bit, though at this point he could do little outside of suppressing its effects, leaving only faint traces of gray.

    He looked back down at his arms, then sighed as he allowed the mana to flow freely, the pattern growing more pronounced once again.  Why should I care?  Ultimately, it took a modest level of focus to keep his new ability suppressed, and for what?  To intentionally weaken himself to appear more normal?  The thought almost made him laugh.

    Kyle wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much tougher he was by comparison, but if C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans were correct, it was a lot.  Coupled with the improvements to his Endurance, Kyle suspected that Tillienne¡¯s lance attack would now have a hard time even piercing his skin.  He said a quiet thanks that Skippy wasn¡¯t around, as the skrell would certainly want to take the opportunity to see how he measured up.

    The other important development was, of course, his increased level.  Kyle just crossed the threshold to Level 59, though he didn¡¯t expect to make it to Level 60 before Phase Three was done.  The entire Practicum had proven to be an excellent training opportunity, pushing him to his limits time and time again.  Will levels come this easily in the future?

    There seemed to be diminishing returns as Kyle adapted to the challenges he faced, coupled with marginally increasing difficulty between each level.  The peak of D Grade was Level 125, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it would take to get there.  The thought was both exciting and overwhelming, and Kyle took a moment to resettle himself.  There would be plenty of time to focus on that later ¨C for now he had a job to do.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you pull up the rough map you have of the inner area?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    A three-dimensional map expanded inside the makeshift tent, highlighting his exploration so far.  The heart of the settlement was still largely obscured, though Kyle had ventured in a few steps to help C.H.A.D.D. get some readings.  Between the notes they found in the labs and the drone¡¯s analysis, they expected the central area contained the central lab, and little else outside of residential housing.  The final lab was the most important, nestled into the very heart of the city.

    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to access.  Every glimpse Kyle got was obscured by swirling volcanic glass.  Visibility was near-zero, which was only the first problem.  The density of the fish had increased nearly threefold between the outer layer and the second, and Kyle suspected that would hold true for the inner area as well.  If that was true, he would end up fighting virtually the entire time he was exploring.

    As powerful as he¡¯d become, it was difficult to overcome the advantage of sheer numbers.  The presence of multiple D Grades in the smaller area also meant that the lab could more easily get caught in the crossfire.  Enough powerful attacks could still damage the structure, protective inscriptions or no.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think a full exploration is going to be an option.¡± Kyle mused, looking at the map.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what can you tell me about how the fish detect prey?¡±

    [FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IT¡¯S A COMBINATION OF MANA SENSE AND SENSITIVITY TO CHANGES IN THE VOLCANIC GLASS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s consistent with what I was expecting.  If we want to get to the final lab, we¡¯ll need to mitigate both.  I can suppress my mana, any thoughts on limiting the disturbance in the sand?¡±

    [DUE RESPECT, DR. MAYHEW, BUT I DOUBT YOU¡¯LL BE ABLE TO MINIMIZE THAT TYPE OF DISTURBANCE.  YOUR ANATOMY DOESN¡¯T LEND ITSELF TO SKATING OVER OR SWIMMING THROUGH THE SAND.]

    ¡°We can probably afford to attract some attention; I just don¡¯t want to have an entire school after me at once.¡±

    [THE MOMENT YOUR SKILL ACTIVATES, STEALTH IS OUT OF THE QUESTION.  DRAWING IN ENERGY THE WAY YOU DO ISN¡¯T SUBTLE.]

    ¡°Do you think they can even detect me through the cloud of glass?¡± Kyle asked, hopefully.

    [ALMOST CERTAINLY.  THE MAGNETISM IN THE CENTRAL AREA IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE¡¯VE SEEN FROM THE OTHER FISH, ALBEIT FAR MORE PRONOUNCED.  IF ANYTHING, THE CLOUD LIKELY MAKES DETECTION EASIER.]

    Kyle felt his brows crease as a frown began to take shape.  He stood and began pacing, thinking through the problem.  A full search was out of the question, and Kyle contemplated for a while if it was even worth sticking around to try and enter the inner area.  He was curious about the scans of the shards, particularly about the applications of layering different types of inscriptions in rearrangeable patterns.

    As they were, each shard had static layers of enchantments, which were impressive.  If the notes were correct, when the whole construct was put together, those layers could move up and down, creating a mind-boggling number of possible combinations.  The twelfth shard was the final piece of that particular puzzle, and with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans, there was a good chance they could reverse-engineer the process.  Assuming they could find a qualified crafter, of course.

    There was also his next skill upgrade to consider.  He might be able to eke out another level, but it was far from guaranteed.  He¡¯d have to slaughter a lot of the fish.  While time wasn¡¯t an explicit factor, he understood that the evaluators would be adding a qualitative evaluation to his process.  He had to assume the slow speed with which he completed the acquisitions would count against him, so he would need both the quality and quantity of his retrievals to be exceptional to make up for it.

    He stopped then, an idea coming to him.  He looked at the piles of damaged furniture he¡¯d set aside to keep the cooking fire going, and grinned.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., your understanding is that their detection through the sand is mainly due to the presence of foreign objects obstructing the natural movement, is that right?¡±

    [A RUDIMENTARY, BUT ACCURATE ASSESSMENT.  YES.]

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think that stealth is probably the wrong approach.¡±

    [YOU INTEND TO FIGHT THEM?]

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got something a little different in mind.¡±

 Chapter 187

    It took Kyle two days to get his preparations completed, and he was happy with the results.  Using broken pieces of furniture, strips of cloth, and bits of scrap metal, Kyle created several dozen small decoys.  Figuring out the weight of the metal components was the most difficult piece, but with some trial and error, he managed to find a size that would get caught in the magnetic fluctuations without getting swept too high or simply falling into the glass.

    The wooden furniture remains, secured by ballistic cloth, dragged across the black sand wildly.  Kyle knew the chunks of wood wouldn¡¯t last long against the abrasive material, though he hoped it would buy him a few hours at least.  That should give him enough time to get in, access the lab, and run away.  Hopefully.

    The plan in general was simple: Kyle would release the decoys from several different spots, watching for a reaction from the sand.  If things looked too dangerous, he¡¯d leave and gamble with his current results.  If the response seemed manageable, he would move forward with the infiltration.  He hoped that the fish relied more heavily on their mana sense than the movements on the volcanic glass, which would give him the best opportunity.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you ready?¡±

    [ALWAYS.  RELEASE THE POORLY MADE DISTRACTIONS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Come on now, they¡¯re not that bad.¡± Kyle griped, following the drone¡¯s instruction anyway.  The strange contraptions began to float across the surface of the dunes, misshapen pieces of furniture tracing odd paths through the glass as the metal swayed along with the magnetic pulses.  Kyle trusted that C.H.A.D.D. would track their movements as he walked to the second location, then the third, releasing decoys in each.

    He grimaced as he watched several of the cloth ties get cut through, while another decoy got snagged in a dune, unable to free itself.  The plan wasn¡¯t particularly elegant, and Kyle was thankful that his opponents were unthinking fish rather than sapient beings.  Ger¡¯Sinh wouldn¡¯t be terribly impressed, Kyle concluded.  Of course, nobody else will be either if C.H.A.D.D. decides to share the recordings.

    ¡°Hey buddy, there¡¯s no need for anybody else to see the decoys, ok?¡±

    [I AGREE THAT IT ISN¡¯T PARTICULALRY NECESSARY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad we agree becau-¡°

    [HOWEVER, I¡¯M CONFIDENT THAT MS. ROCHELLE WOULD FIND IT AMUSING.  AS WOULD MS. TILLIENNE AND MR. CAIN.  TREX MAY ALSO ENJOY IT.  NOT TO MENTION AMALIA AND GWEN WHEN WE NEXT MEET.]

    ¡°Sometimes I wonder when you got so petty.¡±

    [WHEN YOU MADE ME SIT AND OBSERVE YOUR LACKLUSTER ATTEMPTS AT DECOY CREATION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that boring.¡±

    [OH LOOK, THE DECOYS ARE HALFWAY ACROSS.]

    Kyle felt a grin on his face as he looked out into the swirling storm of black glass.  He¡¯d lost sight of most of the decoys, but trusted C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners.  Kyle was used to the sound of fish exploding out of the dunes, and so far, it was blessedly quiet.

    ¡°Is anything coming for them?¡±

    [NOT THAT I CAN TELL.]

    That¡­ was unexpected.  He thought at least a few of the fish would have come up to check out the disturbances.  For none to be in range of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scanners was odd.  Of course, the lack of attacks didn¡¯t mean that there were no enemies in the vicinity.  Caution was still a must.

    Kyle drew in a stabilizing breath, focusing on suppressing and containing the flow of his mana.  It was the first time he¡¯d tried to do this in a while, and he immediately ran into trouble.  His ascension to D Grade and subsequent levels made the suppression much more challenging as the energy raged within him.  He grit his teeth and clamped down on it immediately, restraining the energy as it resisted in turn.  His focus on Intelligence and Willpower paid off as, slowly, his internal mana settled.

    That¡¯s not to say that Kyle fully accomplished his goal.  He felt like a balloon that was slowly filling with water, knowing that at some point the natural D Grade aura would have to be released again.  Still, he had time.  Raising his arm to cover his face, he stepped into the swirling sands.

    He felt tension as he took each step across the black glass, waiting for an assailant to come.  None did.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a map of its scanner radius directly in front of him, showing all of the functional decoys still ambling about in the storm.  One foot followed another, and within twenty minutes Kyle had crossed halfway to the lab.

    There were no ruins to be seen in the inner area apart from the single, imposing tower at the center.  The houses had long since been destroyed, and Kyle was surprised when C.H.A.D.D. indicated he should stop.  ¡°What is it?¡±

    [BODIES, DR. MAYHEW.  FOUR HUMAN REMAINS ARE ROUGHLY THREE METERS BELOW YOUR CURRENT STANDING POSITION.]

    ¡°Are these the first you¡¯ve detected?¡±

    [YES, THOUGH NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR, I¡¯M SPOTTING OTHERS.]

    Kyle nodded gravely.  ¡°It¡¯s sad, but not unexpected.  Humans weren¡¯t meant to live in environments like this.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    [CERTAINLY, ALTHOUGH THEIR CONDITION IS UNUSUAL.]

    With that, C.H.A.D.D. projected an image of the skeletons in orange light.  Even without the color, Kyle could see what the drone meant.  The bones were clearly human, though it looked like the bone had been fused with the black glass, reminding Kyle of fossils.  It was easy for him to imagine the obsidian color instead of the orange of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s projector.  Crystalized skeletons, not what I expected, Kyle thought, considering.  Are they valuable?

    He dismissed the idea, continuing to trudge forward.  There were still unknowns in this part of the settlement, and Kyle didn¡¯t believe for a minute that the area was truly empty.  Whatever beasts lurked here might not respond to him walking on the glass, but digging into it was a surefire why to stir up activity.  The smart play was to stick to the plan, and get to the lab.

    C.H.A.D.D. highlighted more skeletons as they walked, the numbers in their path alone growing into the hundreds.  It was sobering; the lives of so many snuffed out virtually at once.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what happened on this planet; but his heart ached for Earth.  Would it float, desolate?  Would it continue to rotate?  Or would it crumble into dust, its core destabilized?

    The duo moved in silence, until they finally set foot on the entrance to the lonely tower.  Unlike the other buildings, there were no windows.  The outside wasn¡¯t crumbling; it wasn¡¯t slanted.  It stood tall, a dark sentinel over the devastated land and rolling dunes.  It was then that Kyle realized he had a problem.  The building had no door.

    A full circle of the tower revealed the same, with no discernable entrance.  At this point, containing his mana was growing truly uncomfortable, and he knew he didn¡¯t have much time.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you see an entrance?¡± Kyle whispered.

    [NONE THAT ARE CLEAR, DR. MAYHEW.  THERE DO APPEAR TO BE MANA SENSORS INSIDE, HOWEVER.]

    Kyle considered.  If he would need to release his energy to open the lab, attempts at stealth would be far less successful.  At the same time, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it all the way out of the inner area while suppressing his energy.  The timing will be a gamble either way.  Kyle closed his eyes for a moment, resolving himself.  ¡°Show me.¡±

    Orange highlights appeared on the building, indicating the panels.  Kyle reached out, resting his palm against the hot stone.  His skin sizzled, though the burn was swiftly negated by Adaptive Regeneration.  Again, he was thankful for his resilience.  Even most of the D Grades he knew, with the exception of Duroc and Arhades, would have been burned severely by the tremendous heat coming off the building.

    He focused his mana, and let go of the suppression.  His energy flowed freely; the shift physically painful to him as the telltale D Grade aura reemerged.  At the same time, the wall responded.  With an ominous groan and creak, a panel on the sealed wall of the tower moved to reveal a triangular opening.

    Heat like a blast furnace struck Kyle from the entrance, but he simply gritted his teeth and walked in, trusting in Adaptive Regeneration to keep him standing.  The panel on the wall returned to its position, sealing Kyle inside.  When it did, the dull red glow of daylight was gone, leaving Kyle in darkness.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give some light?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The gentle orange glow revealed the area, showing an empty room covered in ash.  He¡¯d hoped that there would be notes remaining, but with the heat scorching the interior of the tower for centuries, that was dashed.  Red light joined the orange as Kyle activated Ignition, boosting his healing even more.  He suspected he¡¯d need it to reach the top.

    Their ascent was quiet and unimpeded, save for the heat.  All furniture had been long burned away, as with all decorations on the walls.  The occasional scorched shell of a tablet could be found, though its contents were long destroyed.  On the ninth floor, they found a couple of the crystalized obsidian skeletons.  They were slumped against a wall, which gave Kyle pause.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., have you seen any of the volcanic glass in the tower?¡±

    [OTHER THAN IN THE REMAINS YOU¡¯RE STARING AT AND TRACE AMOUNTS THAT BLEW IN WHEN WE ENTERED, NONE.]

    Kyle assumed that the strange crystals formed on the skeletons due to prolonged exposure to the heat and pressure of the sand-like glass outside, making these a bit of an anomaly.  Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have time to investigate it further, his skills pushing hard to mitigate the damage from the extreme heat.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you make sure to get some quality scans as we move past?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    More skeletons appeared as they rose, until Kyle finally reached the top of the tower, the thirtieth floor.  The now-familiar lab doors were warped and cracked, with an orange glow coming from behind them.  The ancient metal didn¡¯t budge when Kyle pressed his hand to the normal panel, but his Ignition-boosted Strength was enough to pry the damaged material apart.

    Suspended in the air was the final shard of obsidian, though unlike its counterparts it wasn¡¯t in a containment sphere.  What¡¯s more, it was the source of the dreadful heat, energy pouring off of it in veritable waves.  His skin was beginning to burn, despite the power of his healing.  He didn¡¯t have much time.

    Casting a glance around the room, he spotted the remains of a shattered and melted containment sphere on the ground below.  Otherwise, not a single protective inscription remained.  ¡°Any idea how to grab this thing?¡±

    [WITH CARE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle rolled his eyes.  ¡°You know what I mean.  The heat is going to be a problem.¡±

    [THE MATERIALS FOR THE CONTAINMENT SPHERE ARE DAMAGED, BUT NOT DESTROYED.  PERHAPS YOU COULD USE THEM AS MAKESHIFT PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT?]

    The drone¡¯s idea was the best he had, so he grabbed some of the warped metal in each hand.  Gently, he pressed the pieces together on either side of the shard.  He almost laughed at the absurdity, the orange glow¡¯s contrast against the metal reminding him of a molten slag hot dog.

    The moment he pulled the shard out of where it was floating, the glow receded.  It was still emitting heat, though far less than it had been.  What the hell?  Before he had a chance to examine the shard with Identify, the whole tower shook.

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    A prolonged sound that made the whole world tremble stopped him in his tracks.  He could feel the sound reverberate through his body, and his eyes went wide.  Mana at a level he¡¯d only recently experienced began to suffuse the area, and Kyle exploded into action, darting immediately for the door.  What¡¯s a C Grade doing here?

    He only made it two steps down the stairs when he heard the scraping of crystal against crystal.  An obsidian skeleton turned the corner, looking up at him with empty eye sockets.  Another appeared, then a third.  They moved like puppets, each motion jerky and unnatural.  Kyle stared at them, ignoring the searing pain in his left hand and side from the shard.

    One of them blurred toward him, its hand outstretched to claw at his face.  He ducked underneath, smashing its ribs with the baton he held in his right hand.  The skeleton was far heavier than it should have been, and it turned unnaturally in the air, preparing for its next attack.  I just had to get the last shard.

 Chapter 188

    Kyle dodged blow after blow, baton flashing out as the skeletons advanced.  The bones were dense, each strike only managing to knock chips of obsidian free.  The narrow hallway made the battle even more difficult, as he was unable to easily push past.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out toward them, with nowhere to connect.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what the hell are these things?¡± Kyle yelled, allowing an obsidian claw to rip at his arm for an opportunity to advance farther down the hallway.  The crystalline hand didn¡¯t manage to break skin, though Kyle was more concerned about being grabbed and bogged down by sheer numbers.

    [THEY ARE JUST SKELETONS, DR. MAYHEW.  THEIR BONE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN REINFORCED AND COATED IN THE VOLCANIC GLASS.]

    ¡°Then how are they moving?  Skeletons don¡¯t move, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, YOURS IS MOVING RIGHT NOW, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle winced as he misjudged a dodge, a shallow cut opening above his left eye.  Before Adaptive Regeneration could heal the injury, the oppressive heat from the shard seared it shut.  Only three more skeletons remained in the stairwell hallway, barring his path into the open office floor, and Kyle tried to push the pain down as he charged forward.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and you know it!¡±

    [MY SCANNERS DON¡¯T DETECT ANYTHING MOVING THE BONES INTERNALLY.  THERE IS NO MANA NETWORK FOR THEM TO MOVE, NOR ARE THERE MECHANICAL MEANS OF MOTION.  MY BEST ESTIMATE IS CONTROL VIA MAGNETISM, THOUGH THAT IS SPECULATION AT BEST.]

    Kyle activated Identify as he knocked away two of the skeletons, focusing on the third.  Instead of looking directly into the empty eye sockets, he turned his attention to the air around it.  As C.H.A.D.D. guessed, he could see traces of familiar energy in the air, reminiscent of his fight with the fish.  Damn.

    In all of his risk calculations, he¡¯d failed to consider that there would be a blasted C Grade variant dwelling in the innermost zone.  There was no reason to have a challenge at this level present for a D Grade trial, so the thought never crossed his mind.  He believed the Dragon he encountered in Phase Two to be C Grade, and it had dispatched Ger¡¯Sinh with ease.  If this beast was similarly powerful, he¡¯d be dead.

    His baton came down on the skull, knocking it to the ground.  It grasped at him with its arms as it fell, but Kyle was already past it.  More of the skeletons were shambling about in the room ahead, moving toward the hallway he¡¯d just exited.  Kyle smiled.  The beast made a major miscalculation.  In the narrow hallways, Kyle was forced to engage to get past them.  In an open, empty room he wasn¡¯t constrained.  The full power of Ignition went on display as he danced past the skeletal assailants, not even bothering to attack.  ¡°How many are accounted for?¡±

    [ALL BUT THREE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle let out a sigh of relief.  Even if three were barring his path in another narrow hall, he felt confident in his ability to get past.  A loud crack snapped him out of his thoughts, and a searing pain in his left arm drew his attention.  The stonebloom bracer on his left arm had been scorched through, cracking and falling to the floor.  Kyle saw similar damage appearing on his left side, and his eyes went wide.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., focus on mending!¡±

    [I¡¯M TRYING, DR. MAYHEW.  THE DAMAGE FROM THE HEAT IS ACCUMULATING FASTER THAN I CAN RECOVER IT.]

    Kyle¡¯s mind raced as he dashed down one flight of stairs, then another.  One of the missing skeletons was waiting, but he simply blew past it.  I can¡¯t afford to lose this armor. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., use it.¡±

    Kyle instantly felt a heavy pull through his link to the drone, as if he was trying to bench press an elephant.  A slow trickle of power fed through the link, moving through the tendril like molasses.  Motes of golden energy appeared in Ignition¡¯s crimson aura as the residual power of the World Tree Seed was drawn in.  Kyle could feel the stonebloom armor begin to twist and shift around his torso, though he didn¡¯t have a chance to look.

    The heat from the shard also abated significantly, though his arm was still taking severe damage.  The last two skeletons were standing in the stairwell leading to the ninth floor, and Kyle vaulted over their heads and past them, landing hard on the stairs below but not stopping for a moment.  Elation bloomed in his chest.  He¡¯d made it!

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    His hope wilted immediately as he felt an incredible surge of mana through Auric Perception.

    [JUMP, DR. MAYHEW!]

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Kyle didn¡¯t need to be told twice.  He leapt back up the stairs, nearly crashing into a pursuing skeleton.  A sound like a million power saws screeched through the air, and a wave of darkness passed below, right where he¡¯d been a moment before.  Flashes of blue and white were present in the arcing wave, the high-pitched whine of the attack now joined by the sound of rent metal and collapsing stone.  The upper part of the tower where he now stood began to slide downward, and he saw the dunes below rise up.

    With an anticipatory breath, he jumped through the space toward the top of the sheared-off stairwell.  The upper third of the tower fell to the dunes with a loud crash, though Kyle didn¡¯t watch it land.  His eyes were fixed on a fast-retreating arc of pure black, an unstoppable blade made from the obsidian sand, moving towards the horizon as if it were ready to split the very sky.  He couldn¡¯t help but shake as he saw the neat line cut through the tower.  If he¡¯d been just a moment slower, he would¡¯ve died.  Even if he used Storm Shelter, it couldn¡¯t protect against an attack of that magnitude.

    Turning his eyes to the dunes around him, he saw the landscape of the inner area had changed quite a bit.  The ever-present storm had abated, offering a bird¡¯s eye view.  The tower still stood, albeit a third shorter, but the volcanic glass had receded significantly, likely used as fuel for the massive attack.  That might have been a comfort, if it wasn¡¯t for the shambling forms of nearly a thousand skeletons, with more pulling themselves out of the dunes.

    Where¡¯s the C Grade? Kyle thought, looking out from his position.  He hoped to get a look at the creature to see what he was dealing with, but he couldn¡¯t find it.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you detecting its location on your scanners?¡±

    [NO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Let me know when you do.¡±  With that, he dashed down the stairs again, descending as quickly as he could manage.  He made it all the way down to the third floor when he heard the beast¡¯s cry again.

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    Kyle didn¡¯t feel the surge of energy like he had before, but he felt the whole tower lurch as something massive collided with it.  Looking up, he got a glimpse of dull gray scales as the tower was rocked to its foundation, being ripped from the very ground.  Kyle tightened his grip on the shard as he fell, his baton being dropped in the madness.

    He staggered to his feet, standing on what had been a wall just moments before.  Kyle¡¯s vision swam, attempting to shake off the disorientation.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., where¡¯s the nearest exit?¡±

    A string of orange lights were projected out in front of him, and Kyle followed the trail, stumbling out into the dunes.  He stopped, taking in the sight before him.  The fish was huge, easily 400 meters long.  A nose that reminded Kyle of a swordfish had pierced all the way through the tower, and it was shaking its head vigorously in an attempt to dislodge it.  Resplendent orange and black fins jutted up from its spine, standing in contrast to the deep gray scales of its body.  It boasted front and rear legs that seemed almost reptilian in nature, though Kyle could make out webbed toes.  Its tail was long and thick, with fins the same color as those on its back like the fins on a missile.

    It was as regal as it was bizarre, and Kyle would have loved to take the time to admire it further.  As it was, he didn¡¯t have the time.  C.H.A.D.D. pointed lights in the direction he¡¯d come from, and Kyle burst into motion.  The swarming skeletons moved at him like puppets, but were unable to keep up with his speed as he accelerated.  The golden energy from the World Tree Seed was beginning to fade, and he didn¡¯t want to risk drawing more.  The only thing on Kyle¡¯s mind was escape.  Covert Dexterity helped him as he moved across the dunes, and he was making good time.

    Suddenly, a shadow appeared overhead.  He looked up to see the broken piece of the tower soaring through the air, and he had to adjust his course to avoid being smashed.  A cloud of volcanic glass erupted from the landing zone, and Kyle swore as broken pieces of skeletal remains began to pour out of the damaged structure.

    Despite understanding that they were magnetically animated, a part of Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was in a bona-fide zombie apocalypse.  He could feel the beast¡¯s attention turning towards him, and considered for a moment if he should just leave the shard.  Kyle was fairly certain that he was inconsequential in the creature¡¯s estimation, and that it was far more interested in keeping the unique treasure.

    Kyle bristled at the thought, shoving it aside as it came.  He¡¯d lost part of his armor, been burned, and bled for this shard.  It was his now.  He found himself snarling as he jumped over a grasping skeleton, running toward the entry area.  He had no idea how long the fish would pursue, but he wasn¡¯t going to leave empty-handed.

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    Kyle braced himself, risking a glance as he looked back towards the creature.  His eyes widened as he saw the fragmented skeletons rise into the air, thousands of body parts suspended in the sky.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, until he felt the sand beneath his feet shift.  He dove to the side as one of the skeletons was blasted towards the place he¡¯d been standing, striking the sand with the force of a bomb.

    It¡¯s using them like a thrice-damned rail gun, Kyle realized in horror.  The sand beneath him shifted again as he ran, two more explosions sending him flying.  Storm Shelter sprang to life around him as three more skeletons impacted the barrier, leaving a thick network of cracks on his shield.  A fourth, fifth, and sixth struck in short order, and a seventh broke the skill entirely.  Kyle was already moving, the explosion from the barely-dodged skeleton propelling him back toward the entrance to the second layer.

    More explosions sounded behind him as more skeletons were used as ammunition, ripping apart the dunes.  Kyle got behind one of the ruined buildings, which crumbled under concentrated fire from the monstrous fish.  He continued to run, the devastation following close on his heels.  His cover was rapidly disappearing, and a sinking feeling began to well up in his stomach.  Even if he made it through the second layer, could he make it out of the first?  The buildings were less numerous, and without them taking the brunt of the attacks, he¡¯d be an easy target.  He gritted his teeth as he ran, silencing the lingering doubt.  No room for doubt.  The only way out is through.

 Chapter 189

    ¡°This is ridiculous.  End the trial!¡±  The goblin spent the last two minutes shouting at the screen; the only sound in the room.  Even she, with her passion for regulation, had been pushed past her limits.  Suierrillax didn¡¯t disagree, though she kept her mouth shut.  Mayhew¡¯s Phase Three had dragged on far longer than anybody expected, at this point competing for the record for ¡°Longest Phase Three¡± in their branch¡¯s history.

    The last several weeks had been full of grumbling as Mayhew worked his way through the settlement systematically, which she could understand.  The provided resources were meant to put a timer on the applicants, a sentiment which he subverted entirely.  With no other Practicums still going, all attention had been focused on him.

    The results were twofold: everybody agreed that the difficulty for his trial was the highest among any applicant in his group, just as everybody realized that there would be consequences for mentioning the fact.  Still, his performance had been good.  Despite the relative boredom of watching him explore, he probably would have passed if he¡¯d just finished the second layer and called it quits.  Instead, he ventured into the heart of the settlement, and woke something that had no business being there.

    Suierrillax pulled up her dossier, looking at the titanic creature Kyle stirred up.  It was part of the igneous sandfish species that had infested the area, though this variant was particularly powerful.  Igneous Glaivebeak¡­  The information freely provided from the Collective was always sparse where C Grades were concerned, and this was no exception.

    Igneous Glaivebeak ¨C a rare mutation of igneous sandfish, believed to be among the apex of their species.  They drain heat from their surroundings to provide energy, and are highly resistant to most forms of physical and energy-based attacks.  They are territorial and boast significant offensive potential.  Any sightings should result in evacuation and deployment of a C Grade or higher Mercenary team.

    While they didn¡¯t stack up particularly well against many of the other C Grade threats that existed, they were nothing to scoff at.  Hiring a C Grade Mercenary squad was expensive enough to nearly bankrupt most regular factions in the Collective.  Some C Grade monsters could be handled by a high-leveled D Grade group, and this wasn¡¯t one of them.

    All this to say, Mayhew didn¡¯t have a chance.  She watched as he dodged behind the dense city structure in the second layer, only for it to be ripped to shreds by a seemingly endless barrage of obsidian skeletons.  She estimated that the beast still had over half of its total ¡°ammunition¡± ready to be fired off, and from what she¡¯d seen, his barrier skill wasn¡¯t up to the task of blocking that much damage.

    She sighed, slumping forward into her chair.  Suierrillax had been genuinely interested to see what the young human would be capable of, and now his life would be cut short due to some big-shots politicking.  It really didn¡¯t seem fair, but she already did what she could.  If the Artifact Retrieval had been compromised in this way, how bad would Labyrinth Escape have been?  C Grade threats were never meant to be part of a Practicum.

    A whisper of power flowed through the room, and the proctors grew silent, looking around.  A deep, masculine voice rang out, an unmistakable aura of authority and power behind it.  ¡°Job accepted.¡±

    A figure appeared in the entrance hall, stepping onto the teleportation platform. Before she could get a decent look at who it was, the platform flashed, leaving an empty room.  Suierrillax perked up, eyes fixed back on the screen.  Maybe there¡¯s a chance¡­

    ~~~

    Kyle dove as far as he could, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough.  The beast was pursuing him to the outer layer of the settlement, and without cover he would be dead.  An explosion sent him flying once more, and he struggled to stand.  He still clutched the remaining shard tightly, though his arm was becoming a scorched mess.  Although he¡¯d avoided getting struck head-on by the attacks, the shockwaves alone were wearing him thin.  His condition had gone from ragged to truly wretched, pushed well beyond anything he expected.

    He looked up, feeling the sand below him start to rise as the target for the makeshift rail gun was locked.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    He watched as the distant skeletons flew toward him, and knew he wouldn¡¯t survive the attack.  He activated Storm Shelter, one last act of defiance.  I didn¡¯t want it to end this way.

    A loud explosion rang out, followed by five more in short order.  His barrier was pushed to its limit, and as before, the seventh would break it, taking his life along with the barrier.  Auric Perception was going wild, a testament to his impending death.  See you soon, Grandpa.

    He closed his eyes, waiting for the last attack to come.

    He waited some more.

    [DR. MAYHEW, YOU MAY WANT TO OPEN YOUR EYES.]

    Kyle did, and his jaw dropped.  A 3-meter-tall figure wearing red and silver armor stood before him, a massive shield in one arm, a hulking greatsword slung in the other.  It looked at him, and Kyle could make out dark green skin and two small tusks beneath the helm.

    ¡°Gotta say, kid, some nice work here.  Your Practicum is over.  Go back to the camp and get settled.  I¡¯m going to handle things here, and we¡¯ll return to the Hub together.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Kyle looked at the figure, not entirely sure what to say.  ¡°But it isn¡¯t over yet.  Does this mean I fail?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know why that was the first question he had, and immediately regretted it.  If the ogre cared, he didn¡¯t show it.  ¡°There¡¯ll be time to talk about that later.  Now head back.  I got hired to do a job, and it¡¯ll be nice to stretch my legs a bit.¡±

    With that, the ogre strode forward, mana pouring out from his body with nearly physical force.  Only then did Kyle appreciate how powerful the aura was; surpassing both the monstrous fish and dragon by a fairly wide margin.  His gaze looked back to the now-approaching form of the fish, and his eyes widened.  The skeletons that had been suspended the air were gone.  How did he -

    SKREEE-AAAAAAAWWWW

    A familiar energy washed over the area, and Kyle watched as the volcanic sand swirled around the beast¡¯s broadsword-like nose, flashing out towards the ogre, creating the same onyx blade that had sliced the tower in two.  Only now could he appreciate the true magnitude of the strike as he heard the high-pitched whine.  The beast hadn¡¯t used it on Kyle during his retreat, but was clearly holding nothing back now.

    The ogre raised his shield, and a quiet whisper of energy seemed to flow out.   A silvery outline of a barrier sprang to life, and it was as if the very concept of the onyx blade ceased to exist as it crossed the line formed by the ogre¡¯s skill.  The sand fell to the ground in a pitch-black rain, none of the agitated violence remaining.  The ogre didn¡¯t even break stride as he advanced, clearly unbothered by the attack.

    As much as Kyle wanted to stay and watch, he knew when it was time to follow orders.  Focusing all his healing energy on his left arm as it burned, he limped back to camp.  The sounds of battle were fierce behind him, explosions ringing out as the creature shrieked and roared.  What felt like an eternity later, he made it.  The shard seemed to let out a pulse as they approached, harmonizing with its brethren.

    Looking back the direction of the ruined settlement, he could see massive gouges cut into the dunes, the remaining pieces of the city being reclaimed by the dunes as the two C Grades clashed.  Kyle heard that when two C Grades clashed, maps would need to be redrawn.  He chalked that up to hyperbole, but no longer.  He couldn¡¯t make out the specifics, but the sheer scale of their fight made it feel like he was watching a natural disaster.

    Shaking his head, he dropped the shard, looking first at the mottled and scorched flesh of his arm, then at the angry dark scars on the stonebloom armor.  As he watched, the burned piece of armor was infused with veins of golden light, then regenerated back to the dull gray he was used to.  His arm would take longer to heal, though without the constant damage from the explosions he was able to focus on it.

    For now, he had one more task to accomplish.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., get as detailed a scan as you¡¯re able.  I¡¯m going to try putting these back together.¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    With that, he began to break open the containment spheres, each shard beginning to glow and pulse in unison with the others.  Carefully, he layered them together according to C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s schematics.  They seemed to ripple as they flowed into one another, until the final piece was inserted.  The complexity of the work was incredible, each of the formations flowing and shifting into one another.

    He sat near the orb, deactivating Ignition as he felt his body slowly recover.  The orb wasn¡¯t emitting heat anymore, though Kyle suspected it still could.  The notes they recovered indicated that the inscriptions that prevented realignment had been mostly removed, and it appeared as though they were correct.

    It was well beyond his current understanding, but based on the notes, Kyle fully expected that this was far and away the most valuable artifact he¡¯d retrieved.  It would be invaluable for a fire-affinity awakened, likely able to provide insights and value beyond D Grade.  Even to non-awakened, it had the potential to contain and release tremendous amounts of energy, likely making it possible to power entire cities with thermal power alone.

    While that was of limited use to Kyle, the most interesting piece was the way the inscriptions were able to flow together.  He could already see applications with different types of plants and seeds.  If he inscribed them correctly, he could theoretically configure the growth to create a variety of effects.  C.H.A.D.D. would be the ultimate beneficiary of any breakthroughs in that regard, which excited Kyle.  Creating opportunities for his companion was still important, even if C.H.A.D.D. encouraged him to be more selfish.

    He leaned back in the shade of the tent, watching the inscriptions move.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you have enough?¡±

    [I BELIEVE SO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    With a nod, Kyle stood, lifting the orb and moving to the depository.  Nothing happened.  Kyle frowned, and tried again.  Still, nothing.  ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡±

    [I NOTICED.]

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working?¡±

    [I HAVE NO IDEA.]

    ¡°That¡¯s not particularly helpful.¡±

    [I¡¯VE BEEN HELPFUL ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR IT.]

    ¡°Fair point.¡±  Kyle didn¡¯t have the energy to argue, and slumped back down, listening to the sounds of combat as his eyes closed.

    Nearly an hour later, Kyle woke to the sound of whistling.  He saw the hulking form of the ogre as he ducked through the tent, looking around.

    ¡°Good place you got here.¡± The ogre finally said, sitting down cross-legged.

    Kyle saw some fresh cuts and a few new scratches in the armor, but otherwise the man was unharmed.  Something to look forward to, I suppose.  ¡°Thank you for rescuing me, though I¡¯m still not entirely sure why or how you got here.¡±

    The ogre grinned, revealing his tusks.  ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to save you, that would be against the rules.  I was hired to hunt an Igneous Glaivebeak, which I did.  Anything else is just a happy accident.  The name¡¯s Ghork, by the way.  I¡¯m with the Mercenary¡¯s Guild¡±

    ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Ghork.  So where does this leave us?¡±

    Ghork sighed, expression getting more serious.  ¡°Your Practicum officially ended the moment before I accepted this job.  You¡¯ll be evaluated on everything you turned in up until that point.  I got paid full price to kill that Glaivebeak and return with any stragglers, and you fall into that category.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so the shards ¨C ¡°

    ¡°None of ¡®em count for anything.¡± Ghork confirmed, a smile on his face.  ¡°Though, since the practicum is over, I¡¯d imagine you can sell that orb for a pretty penny.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s head swam with all the information.  All that work, and I won¡¯t get anything for it.

    Ghork seemed to see the frustration in Kyle¡¯s features, and patted him on the shoulder with a hand that could easily crush stone.  ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up; you¡¯re alive after all.  Come on, let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Kyle nodded numbly, grabbing the sphere before walking back to the teleportation platform.  The exhaustion washed over him like a tsunami.  One way or another, it was done.  With one last look at the remains of his camp, he stepped onto the platform.  A moment later, the two were whisked away.  The volcanic sand was already moving to reclaim the destroyed city; covering the lifeless body of the beast that had once claimed the area as its domain.

 Chapter 190

    ¡°Applicant Mayhew, welcome back.¡±

    Kyle was met on the platform with a group of tense-looking skrell and goblins.  ¡°Please leave the item with us, and see yourself home.  We will send you an update tomorrow morning with your final calibrated score.¡±

    Instinctively, Kyle clutched the sphere tighter.  ¡°Will it count toward my final score?¡±

    The goblin woman who spoke before shook her head.  ¡°No.  Your Practicum ended under¡­ unusual circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m keeping it.¡±

    The goblin woman had a pleading look in her eye.  ¡°Please, just give us the sphere, applicant.  Trust me.¡±

    He was about to protest further, when a weighty hand landed on his shoulder.  Ghork gave his shoulder a firm squeeze.  ¡°The applicant is merely tired.  I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t have any complaints passing it along.  Right, Mayhew?¡±

    The squeeze tightened a little at that, Kyle¡¯s Enhanced Carapace doing little against the pressure.  Still, he got the point.  With a sigh, he extended his left arm, sphere held in his outstretched hand.  The goblin took it, a look of relief plain to see on her face.  She nodded at him, and spoke under her breath.  ¡°Thank you.  For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡±

    With that, the retinue of goblins and skrell left, walking down a hallway deeper in the complex before disappearing down a corridor.  Kyle nearly fell over as the hand left his shoulder and clapped him on the back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ghork laughed.  ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll return it to you.  If there¡¯s one thing we¡¯re good at in the Verdant Republic, it¡¯s following protocol.  The sphere is yours by right, nobody here would dream of contesting it.¡±

    That did make Kyle feel a little more at ease, though more than anything else he was exhausted and sore.  The angry burns on his left arm would still take quite a while to heal, and he would need to examine his stonebloom armor for any other damage.  First, however, he had a question.  ¡°Who paid for you to come?  Was it Corthian Mining?¡±

    Ghork laughed again.  ¡°You¡¯ll find out in due time.  Monster hunters are always in demand.  Take care of yourself, Mayhew.  You owe me a drink next time we meet.¡±

    With that, the ogre strode out of the room, carrying himself as though he¡¯d finished a particularly nice walk in the woods instead of a deathmatch against a veritable leviathan.  Kyle watched him go as he, too walked deeper into the complex, before letting out a sigh.  ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for us to go home.  What do you say, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The moment he stepped out of the Collective Institute, he received a stream of messages on his nav bracelet.  He saw several from Tillienne and Jax, one from Angela Corthus¡¯s office, and several from various administrative agencies.  Apart from letting Tillienne and Jax know that he was done and back safely, he set them all aside to review later.  There would be time to read and reply in more detail after he had a chance to clean up and get some sleep.

    He got some odd looks as he walked to the teleportation platform outside the Institute, which he ignored.  He was disheveled, his clothes were in tatters, and he had a nasty scar on his exposed left arm.  That¡¯s to say nothing of the smell.  The trend continued when he got closer to his apartment complex, and people gave him a wide berth as he scanned into the main lobby.  Finally, he got to his door and stepped inside.  He could already feel the warm shower, followed by a nap coming on.  After the chaos of his practicum, Kyle was looking forward to some peace and ¨C

    ¡°SURPRISE!¡±  The lights in his apartment flipped on all at once, as confetti began to fall from the ceiling.  Ignition activated immediately as Kyle¡¯s adrenaline spiked, right hand falling to his hip where his baton usually rested.  It only grasped air, and he felt a pang of regret.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance swirled around him, and he looked around his apartment for the source of the sound.  He found¡­ nothing.

    ¡°Come on, you can be more hospitable than that.  I thought humans loved surprise parties?¡±

    Kyle whirled toward the sound, again seeing nothing.

    ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing in my apartment?¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice was a snarl, and he felt his muscles tensing.  ¡°If you think this is a joke, you¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡±

    The voice let out a chuckle.  ¡°Big talk for somebody who can¡¯t even see me.¡±  With that, a figure appeared in a puff of smoke, floating in the air right in front of Kyle¡¯s face.  It was no more than two feet tall, purple skin visible on its bald head, three-fingered hands, and small, batlike wings.  It had a thin tail extending behind it, and small cloven hooves that stuck out beneath a tailored suit.  Two deep violet horns budded out of its forehead, curling back like a mountain goat.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Kyle activated Identify on instinct, and his eyes widened when he got nothing at all.  No mana could be visibly seen, no impression of attributes, not a single hint as to its power.  He tried to hide his surprise, though the smile on the intruder¡¯s face told him that he knew Kyle tried, and failed, to use an identification skill.

    The figure bowed with a flourish, crimson eyes meeting Kyle¡¯s.  ¡°Jarberry Bandersnatch, the pleasure is all yours.  We have a lot to discuss, so grab a seat.¡±  Before Kyle could so much as move, the diminutive form floated over and sat down in one of Kyle¡¯s chairs, then pulled out one of Kyle¡¯s plates that held a heaping pile of vegetables.

    He took two bites before grimacing and setting the plate aside.  ¡°You really oughtta have something more palatable for guests.  Ya ever heard of protein?¡±  He pulled a drink out of thin air, downing it in a single gulp before looking back at Kyle, who was still standing, dumbstruck.  ¡°You gonna stand there all day or sit down?  I told you, we have things to discuss, and I¡¯ve got a busy schedule.¡±

    ¡°This is my apartment.¡± Kyle said, still in disbelief.

    ¡°And we established that.¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°Now sit down.  Also, good to meet you, Mr. Drone.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, I DO NOT HAVE A GENDER.]

    Jarberry shrugged as Kyle removed the C.H.A.D.D.pack and sat across from him.  ¡°Works for me.  Now, both of you have found yourselves in a rather uncomfortable position.  That¡¯s not to say you¡¯re not without options, courtesy of my timely involvement.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®courtesy of your involvement?¡¯¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°Ghork came to rescue me, and we¡¯ve never met before today, when you ambushed me inside my own residence.¡±

    Jarberry leaned forward, steepling his hands.  His voice was low and serious.  ¡°Who do you think hired Ghork?  He¡¯s one of the top talents in the Mercenary¡¯s Guild, do you think his services come cheap?  Fortunately, he and I go way back.  So, you¡¯re welcome.  And that¡¯s only the beginning.¡±

    Pointing between them, Jarberry said, ¡°The two of you have done a fine job stirring up trouble during your Practicum, though I have to admit that it¡¯s not your fault.  Not really, in any event.  See, your batch of applicants included a talent that the Alabaster Court has been nurturing for the better part of a century, and the fiasco in Phase Two led to you upstaging him.  Which is not something they appreciated.¡±

    ¡°So what?  It¡¯s not like I had much of a choice.  Besides, I¡¯ve seen Arhades.  It doesn¡¯t take much to understand that he¡¯s more powerful than I am, and by a pretty wide margin.¡±

    Jarberry shook his head.  ¡°That¡¯s not the point.  The whole Practicum was supposed to revolve around him as the main character.  Your exploits took away from that, and powerful connections of his took it personally.¡±

    Kyle crossed his arms.  ¡°So all this happened because Arhades threw a tantrum.¡±

    Jarberry chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t think he had a clue any of this was happening.  It¡¯s politics, kid.  Turns out, old timers with power, influence, and egos can stir up a lot of trouble all by themselves.  Regardless, that led to your Phase Three.  From everything I can gather, you were supposed to show up, see what a mess it was, then nope the heck out of there.¡±

    Pieces started to click into place for him.  The difficulty seemed off from the beginning, and he understood why.  ¡°But instead, I kept going.  I explored, cleared out the wildlife, and stuck around longer than they expected.¡±

    Jarberry flashed a grin.  ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it!  Exactly.  You subverted expectations, again.  But there¡¯s a problem.  You see, the trial you were sent to has been off the list for a long while due to the level of danger.  So not only are you making it through, you¡¯re advancing.  And you¡¯re really dragging it out, so more and more eyes are on you.  Compared to Arhades, who was done in just a handful of days, everybody sees how far you¡¯re getting.  Everybody sees how broken your trial is.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°And that just makes the people responsible more upset.¡±

    ¡°Bingo.  But now they have a problem they didn¡¯t expect.  Old records indicated the presence of peak D Grades in the inner area, but nobody expected that one would advance to C Grade.  Hell, maybe it was there from the beginning and we just didn¡¯t know.  If you died fighting some D Grades, it could get hand waved away.  Dying to a C Grade though?  That¡¯s investigation worthy.  They¡¯re looking at sanctions, and major reputational damage for having a hand in this sort of shady business.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it worth it?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°If I die, they get a slap on the wrist, Arhades goes on with a bright career, they still win.¡±

    Jarberry shook his head.  ¡°Nah, your death would be talked about way more, and believe me when I say the folks in the know have long memories.  At least, that¡¯s what we¡¯re pitching them.  The Guild Liaisons made the call to intervene, and this is how things are going to play out.  Tomorrow, you¡¯ll hear back from the Institute.  Your overall score will be low, and it will be leaked to the public.  You¡¯re going to get one offer.  You¡¯re going to take that offer.  You¡¯re going to be sent off on an assignment to the middle of nowhere, and you¡¯re going to keep your head down.  This storm will blow over, and you¡¯ll get to move on with your life, Independent Licensure secured and a Guild Membership established.¡±

    Kyle stared at the diminutive figure, trying to wrap his head around everything he¡¯d been told.  ¡°What if the offer isn¡¯t from a Guild that I want to work with?¡±

    The purple visitor shrugged.  ¡°Then you reject the offer, but believe me when I say no others are coming in.  Trust me, you¡¯ll want to accept.  I¡¯ve got an eye for talent, and I¡¯ve been impressed by you two from day one.  You¡¯ve got the chops to be something special, particularly with the right tutelage.¡±

    ¡°And I take it you¡¯re the right tutelage?¡±

    Jarberry¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°Damn right.  I¡¯ll let you get some rest, keep an eye on your messages tomorrow.¡±  He floated off the chair and toward the door, before pausing mid-flight.  He raised his hand, and the sphere appeared out of nowhere.  ¡°By the way, I took the liberty of grabbing this for you.  It¡¯s yours, but it might be wise to let me hold onto it for a while.  You getting a treasure like this was not part of the deal, and I don¡¯t think it makes sense to muddy the waters.  Fair?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s jaw dropped upon seeing it, and he could do little more than nod.

    ¡°Good.  We¡¯ll talk soon.¡±  With that, Jarberry Bandersnatch disappeared, the door not even opening.  The confetti that had littered the floor vanished with him, though the dirty dishes were left behind.

    He looked around the room, feeling wearier than before.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what just happened?¡±

    [I BELIEVE YOU GOT A JOB OFFER, DR. MAYHEW.]

 Chapter 191

    One beautiful, unintended consequence of the Practicum was the sleep Kyle got after returning home.  He¡¯d passed out almost immediately after cleaning up and eating food, and for the first time in a while took a good look at himself in the mirror as he shaved.  C.H.A.D.D. wasn¡¯t far off when it said he looked like he was tattooed all over, with more of the gray lines becoming visible as he removed the stubble.

    While the look was unsettling, Kyle wasn¡¯t as bothered by it as he thought he would be.  His body had changed a lot after he first changed to a chimera, and it felt like those changes would only become more numerous as he grew in power.  Something about his spiritual parting of ways with Earth had been freeing in that regard.

    He stared at his reflection as he actively suppressed the veins of grey, only to let them fill back in a moment later.  If people viewed him as a freak, so be it.  He was well and truly into territory that few people could enter.  He wasn¡¯t up to fighting city-sized fish yet, but compared to the average awakened he might as well be.  Even with the other D Grade elites, Kyle stacked up well.  Power spoke a lot louder than appearances these days.

    He finished cleaning up, then heated up some food before focusing on the day¡¯s work.  More messages were waiting on the nav bracelet, and he quickly sorted through the information.  The majority were personal messages from Tillienne and Jax, both asking for details of his Phase Three, as well as sharing their successes.

    Tillienne finished her trial with a score of 87.4, the second-highest of any applicant in their group.  Given the apparent attention on Arhades, a first-place finish was only expected.  Jax also performed admirably, earning a score of 83.5 and cinching the third spot.  Both of them received offers from all the major guilds, which was no surprise to Kyle.

    From what he could gather, Tillienne accepted a position in the Mercenary¡¯s Guild, as had Arhades.  The resources available to them were extensive, including sparring pits, training manuals, and opportunities to be selective with the jobs they took.  Kyle fully expected that Tillienne would continue to improve by leaps and bounds, adding real combat experience on top of her solid foundations as she progressed down her path.

    Jax, by contrast, chose the Private Security Guild.  The risks were far lower than the Mercenary¡¯s Guild, though Kyle felt that the opportunity was perfectly suited to the affable young man.  His power was the real deal, and the connections he¡¯d make would undoubtedly benefit both him and his family for years to come.

    Kyle sent messages of congratulations, and let them know he hadn¡¯t seen his results yet.  The next grouping of messages was more administrative in nature.  Angela Corthus¡¯s office let him know that the first shuttle from Earth had arrived, and that a good portion of the awakened population decided to sign on with them.  She included travel itineraries, and he filtered through to see that Garth and many of his friends would be on one of the last shuttles.  DeRosa¡¯s had been bumped up, though with Thomas and Amir on board with him he hoped they¡¯d be able to help with damage control.

    The next message was from Greil, sent by Marcus Kulhavey¡¯s assistant.  The Originator was out performing upgrades on an unnamed drone fleet, and as such was unavailable.  However, when things settled down after his return, he would be open to a meeting.  His assistant cautioned it could be up to a year, and said they would message Kyle to coordinate logistics when things got closer.

    He filtered out the passive messages ¨C mostly to do with upcoming grocery deliveries and rent, and considered his next steps.  Phase Three cost him both of his weapons and one of his bracers, and his gut reaction was to schedule time at the Emerald Armory to at least get new weaponry.  He¡¯d definitely need to get some new cloth armor to replace the pieces that got shredded.

    At the same time, their products were pricey.  Kyle hadn¡¯t minded spending a little more loosely beforehand, but with his tenuous career prospects, he didn¡¯t want to overdo it.  He looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists.  The fighting style he¡¯d learned from Frank was flexible.  While he¡¯d practiced with sticks, it could translate seamlessly to both bladed and barehanded applications.  Even though close combat wasn¡¯t central to his success, Kyle didn¡¯t want to neglect it.  It had saved his life multiple times.

    Right after scheduling his appointment with the Emerald Armory, a new message came through.

    Applicant Mayhew,

    Congratulations on completing Phase Three of the Practicum: Artifact Retrieval.  A group of third-party evaluators observed your performance throughout the trial, and you have earned a score of 47.8.

    This score puts you in the 4<sup>th</sup> percentile of all applicants to make it to Phase Three, and ranks you 24/24 of all applicants in your group.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Please be advised that your license to operate independently must be sponsored to be in effect, and any offers will be extended directly from the Guilds.

    We thank you for your time, and congratulate you on completing the Practicum.

    -Collective Institute of Independent Licensure

    Kyle read the message over, numb.  He knew the shards were the most valuable items he found, and Jarberry warned him that his score would be low.  47.8 out of 100 was far worse than he expected.  The fact that his performance was apparently among the worst of any historical applicants only compounded his worries.  A score this bad, in conjunction with a fixed job offer, meant that he had virtually no bargaining power.

    Crunching the numbers, he could still make it for another 6 odd months before he would really stretch his credits.  Angela¡¯s list had other options with promise, though he¡¯d need to figure out where to start.  And do it without making waves this time.

    [DR. MAYHEW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?]

    Kyle sighed, running his hand through his hair.  ¡°Sorry, C.H.A.D.D.  The score was a lot worse than I thought, and I¡¯m trying to get a backup plan together.  I don¡¯t want to feel backed into a corner if the offer is too predatory.¡±

    [DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IS LIKELY AFTER THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY?]

    ¡°I can¡¯t dismiss it.  This whole situation took a lot of our agency away, and we¡¯d be foolish not to at least think about other avenues.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s just hurtful.  Smart, but hurtful.¡±  Jarberry said.

    Kyle jumped, looking around his apartment.  Nothing was there.  As before, he activated Ignition and Identify, allowing tendrils of Parasitic Resonance to flow around him.  He didn¡¯t think the Guild Liaison was out to harm him, but caution was warranted.

    Jarberry appeared, lounging on a nearby chair with a broad smile on his face.  ¡°No need to get all worked up.  I couldn¡¯t hurt you if I wanted to, and there¡¯s not much you can do to me.  It¡¯s a good instinct to develop, just a little wasted on me.¡±

    ¡°How do you keep getting in here?¡± Kyle asked, nerves turning into exasperation.  ¡°I was told these apartments are secure.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re definitely secure.  Most C Grades would at least get noticed and announced.  I¡¯m just special in that regard.¡±

    Kyle sighed as he deactivated his skills and sat down.  He didn¡¯t believe that the purple intruder was out to hurt him, and recognized that there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it if he was.  The little guy had means that Kyle just didn¡¯t understand.  ¡°You¡¯re something alright.  The question stands; why are you here?¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, DR. MAYHEW, YOU ASKED ¡®HOW HE GOT IN,¡¯ NOT ¡®WHY. HE¡¯S HERE.¡¯]

    ¡°Not helping, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Jarberry barked out a laugh, hands on his stomach.  It took him a moment to calm down, and he leaned forward, making eye contact with Kyle.  ¡°I knew I liked the two of you.  I¡¯m feeling generous, so I¡¯ll answer both.  I got in because I¡¯m the best damn infiltrator in the Courier¡¯s Guild, and I¡¯m here because I have a job offer for you.¡±

    The moment Jarberry finished speaking, an alert popped up on Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet.  Kyle glanced toward his wrist, then back at the purple figure.  ¡°Go ahead, check it.¡±

    Kyle opened the message warily, the words appearing in the air before him.

    Applicant Kyle Mayhew,

    The Courier¡¯s Guild would like to extend you an invitation to work as a licensed Courier.  Should you accept, you¡¯ll be allowed to take jobs from the public notice board for which you¡¯re qualified, as well as special jobs where you¡¯ve been requested by name.

    If you choose to accept the offer, further details will be provided.

    We look forward to hearing from you soon.

    -Collective Courier¡¯s Guild

    Kyle read the message over.  It was vague, which made him suspicious.  He tried his best to hide it, though beneath Jarberry¡¯s appraising eyes he might as well have been an open book.  ¡°I can tell you¡¯re not convinced, and I get it.  You feel like you don¡¯t have options, and you don¡¯t want to get stuck with a deal you don¡¯t like.  Believe me, if anybody out there understands, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Forgive me if I¡¯m not going to take that at face value.¡±

    Jarberry nodded, his jovial smile gone.  ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, in person.  Tell me, kid, what do you know about imps?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment, then shook his head.  ¡°On a universal scale, nothing.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard about you before.  I take it you are one?¡±

    ¡°Yep.  There were never a lot of us, but you could almost always see a few of us out and about.  Let¡¯s just say that my people made a bad deal a few centuries back.  A really bad deal.  And now I¡¯m it, as far as I know.  I wouldn¡¯t want anybody else put into a position like that.¡±

    Jarberry paused a moment, seeming to contemplate something before continuing.  ¡°I¡¯ve got an eye for people, and I can tell your path is a unique one.  You¡¯ve got potential, and I want to see you realize it.  If you do, I think you¡¯ll be able to help me with a¡­ side project once you¡¯ve grown.  Both of you.

    ¡°So, if you¡¯re looking for the catch, it¡¯s that I¡¯m gambling on you getting strong enough to matter.  At the same time, I¡¯m confident the Courier¡¯s Guild will give you the opportunities you need to get there.  With eyes like mine looking out for you, I can guarantee you¡¯ll find them.¡±

    Kyle regarded the imp for a moment, looking for any sign of deceit.  Jarberry was apparently a C Grade with centuries of experience, and Kyle knew that he wouldn¡¯t win this game of mental chess.  Ultimately, he wanted to work with the Courier¡¯s Guild to begin with.  If the fit was as good as Jarberry hinted, then it was a relationship that could be beneficial.  If not, he could find a way to untangle himself down the line.

    The worst outcome for him right now would be to get stuck ¨C unable to find work in the factions, unable to retest, and with an openly antagonistic force working against him.  That wasn¡¯t something Kyle could accept.  Kyle let out a breath, set his jaw, and nodded.  ¡°Then I¡¯m in.¡±

 Chapter 192

    No sooner did the words leave his mouth, did his nav bracelet indicate another notification. Kyle opened the message.

    Kyle Mayhew,

    Congratulations on accepting a contract with the Courier¡¯s Guild. Your signing bonus of 150,000 credits will be sent directly to your account. You now have access to the ¡®Quests¡¯ menu, where you will find qualified jobs. There are three types; public, private, and Guild-Sponsored. A Guild Liaison will be in touch shortly to discuss next steps.

    Welcome to the Courier¡¯s Guild

    Kyle¡¯s eyes kept going back to the signing bonus, and he had to reread the short message a second time to make sure he really understood it. 150,000 credits, that feels like way too much. His mind was already racing with the different possibilities. A good portion would be earmarked for his standard expenses, and with the rest he could buy ¨C

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Kyle snapped back to the moment, offering a sheepish grin as Jarberry looked at him. ¡°Glad you¡¯re back with us. Now, as you know, there¡¯s still some ripples from all the events of your Practicum. You need to lay low for a while, which is why I pulled some strings to get a private job held just for you. It should come through any moment.¡±

    Kyle opened the Quest menu that appeared in his nav bracelet, and saw that there were no jobs available for him, even the public ones. A pit started to form in his stomach. ¡°Jarberry, is it normal for there to be no jobs on the board?¡±

    ¡°Nope. There¡¯s thousands of public jobs that come in every day. Consider this an orientation of sorts. We haven¡¯t turned you on for them, because we don¡¯t want to stir up trouble. Well, any more trouble.¡±

    A moment later, Kyle saw a private job appear. Selecting it, a row of text appeared.

    Client ¨C Ma Enterprises

    Affiliation ¨C Gray Conglomerate

    Details ¨C A new planet was recently acquired and brought to the Ma family cluster. Much of the planet¡¯s surface is ravaged by fierce storms, making establishing a teleportation network difficult. We are requesting a Courier to bring the more delicate components from Hsei-Tan to three other settlements within the storm-covered zones.

    We are requesting the Courier stay on-planet until the network is established to assist with any further deliveries necessary. Room and board will be provided in all cities, as well as a 1,000 credit per diem. Successful completion of the task will pay an additional 80,000 credits.

    Kyle looked at the job, frowning slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Ma Enterprises before.¡±

    Jarberry shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t see why you would have, they deal in a very niche business, though they¡¯re the best at it. Ma¡¯Rin and I go way back, and I called in a favor.¡±

    ¡°Do they really need a D Grade Courier for this?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Not at all. But it¡¯s marginally less expensive than hiring a sturdy enough vessel to make the trip from orbit, and they don¡¯t have a major time crunch to get the work done.¡±

    Kyle looked at the job once more. ¡°So, you think taking this job will buy time for most of the trouble to blow over?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Well, mostly. And unless I miss my guess, you¡¯ll get more out of it than you¡¯re expecting.¡± Jarberry paused, then waved his hands in the air for a moment. Looking into the blank space, he made a couple more gestures, before nodding to himself, then turning back to Kyle. ¡°Sorry about that, can¡¯t be too careful. Anyway, unless I miss my guess, your path is somehow tied to getting hurt, then recovering. Is that right?¡±

    Kyle just stared at the imp, his pulse quickening. It wasn¡¯t a completely accurate description, but it was close. Silence hung in the air for a couple of seconds before Kyle finally responded. ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Jarberry waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You don¡¯t need to get into specifics, I already had a good feeling about it. My identification skill gives me insights into all sorts of interesting things, and after reviewing your growth during Phase One and Phase Two a lot of pieces clicked into place. And no matter what your path is, surviving an encounter with a C Grade would almost assuredly help things along.¡±

    Kyle nodded at the explanation. Jarberry was right; his encounter with the Igneous Glaivebeak had pushed him, and he felt that he was near the threshold for Level 60, and the upgrade to Heal. Kyle told the imp none of those specifics. ¡°And you think I¡¯ll be able to progress further by taking this job? Will it really be that dangerous?¡±

    The imp laughed. ¡°The job won¡¯t be dangerous at all. I just think that you¡¯ll have some opportunities as you wait for it to get completed to consolidate some of your experiences, that¡¯s all.¡± His gaze shifted to where the C.H.A.D.D.pack sat. ¡°And I think you¡¯ll find some of the different technology there pretty interesting.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    [I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ACCEPT THE JOB, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Really took C.H.A.D.D. some convincing, Kyle thought. Still, the drone wasn¡¯t wrong. It¡¯s not like he had an endless assortment of options laid out before him. Ultimately, he trusted that this was more an opportunity than a threat. If Jarberry wanted to do Kyle harm, there were easier methods available to him. Kyle believed the imp was a true C Grade, even if he didn¡¯t give off any aura whatsoever.

    ¡°Then I accept,¡± Kyle said.

    The imp grinned. ¡°Great! Then you need to get going. You leave in an hour.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kyle asked.

    [HE SAID WE LEAVE IN AN HOUR, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I understood that part, why so soon? I set up appointments, I thought we¡¯d have some time.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll cancel them for you,¡± Jarberry said. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s best for you to get out of town. Trust me on this one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any weapons, and hardly any clothing for my armor.¡± Kyle protested.

    Jarberry rolled his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t a combat tour, Kyle. You¡¯re delivering mana crystals for goodness¡¯ sake. And we all know that you¡¯re plenty dangerous without your weapons.¡±

    Kyle sighed in frustration, understanding full well that this conversation was going to get him nowhere. ¡°Is this how all the jobs will be? Accept it, then be rushed out the door in an hour?¡±

    ¡°Depends on the job. It¡¯s generally good form to get started as soon as you accept though. Builds a good reputation, lets the sponsors know you¡¯re serious. If you get into the habit of taking jobs as placeholders, you¡¯ll find that not many factions will continue to work with you.¡±

    That was a point Kyle hadn¡¯t considered, and it made a lot of sense. A good courier was a reliable courier, and Kyle could ill-afford to be known as unreliable. ¡°Then I¡¯d best get ready.¡± He looked down at his lounge clothes, then at Jarberry. ¡°Do you mind waiting outside?¡±

    The imp snorted. ¡°As if you¡¯d know if I was. Just don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡±

    With that, Jarberry vanished, leaving a couple more dirty plates behind. Kyle got to work, finishing getting ready. He put on the stonebloom armor over his regular street clothes, packed some extra changes in the C.H.A.D.D.pack, and was out the door in just a few minutes.

    ¡°Took your sweet time,¡± Jarberry¡¯s voice said, though Kyle couldn¡¯t see the imp. ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me, I¡¯m not going to make myself visible. As you¡¯re walking to the teleportation platform, I¡¯ve got some advice. Off the record.

    ¡°The planet you¡¯re delivering to is an E Grade world, with a few D Grade environments. Ma¡¯Rin¡¯s great nephew is the regent, he¡¯ll be your on-site point of contact. Get to know him, train with him, and make some time to consolidate what you¡¯ve learned.¡±

    Kyle nodded, and opened his mouth to speak before Jarberry continued.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush your return trip. I¡¯ve got some things to organize here before you get back, and some of it could take a while. When you do get back, I strongly encourage you to take some low-priority public jobs. They¡¯ll mostly keep you in the Hub, the pay will be garbage, but it¡¯ll keep your profile low and help build credibility. I¡¯ll probably be on assignment when you get back, so good luck. When I¡¯m back I¡¯ll pop by and we can catch up. Good luck out there Kyle, drone.¡±

    With that, the voice stopped. Kyle was tempted to ask aloud if Jarberry was still around, though he decided against it. The imp knew that neither Kyle nor C.H.A.D.D. were able to detect him, and asking would only be an admission. Instead, he turned his head slightly and spoke to the drone. ¡°I haven¡¯t even had a chance to ask, is there anything you need before we leave? We still have time.¡±

    [NOTHING AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW. IT¡¯S A SHAME WE WON¡¯T BE ABLE TO RECONNECT WITH THE FIRST SHUTTLES, I¡¯M SURE AMALIA WOULD LIKE TO SEE RECORDINGS OF YOUR RECENT ADVENTURES.]

    The notion brought a smile to Kyle¡¯s face. If he took Jarberry¡¯s advice seriously, he¡¯d have plenty of time when he returned from this job to pay his friends a visit. All but the final shuttles should be set to arrive by the time he wrapped it up, and it would be good to see how the groups from Earth were settling in.

    For now, however, there was work to do. Kyle caught a few glances here and there as he walked to the nearest teleportation platform, and he paid them no mind. He admitted he was likely a strange sight, particularly without weapons at his hip to signify that he was on official business. He stepped onto the platform, entered the coordinates from his nav bracelet, and was warped through a dizzying number of different platforms before his final arrival.

    Kyle stood alone on a large raised platform made of a material that closely resembled marble. The runes that powered the platform were inlaid in a sparkling, golden metal. Looking around, only one word came to mind: opulence. When Kyle was told he would be visiting a ¡°new¡± planet, he expected he would be in the frontier, something similar to the old western films he¡¯d seen as a child. Instead, he was standing in the heart of a true metroplex.

    A well-dressed woman in a smart business suit walked up to him and offered a shallow bow. ¡°You must be the courier. Welcome to Pokke, Mr. Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle returned the gesture. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure. Where are the materials that need delivery?¡±

    She offered a warm smile. ¡°Please, follow me. We have prepared the materials in a warehouse near the outskirts of the city, and supplies have also been set aside for your journey.¡±

    ¡°How long do you think it will take?¡±

    ¡°That all depends on your pace, Mr. Mayhew. The young master does not expect to receive the materials within the cycle.¡±

    They wound through beautiful streets, and Kyle was struck with how empty the city felt. A metroplex this size could easily support a population of hundreds of thousands, and yet people were few and far between. Those they passed stopped and waved, and the quiet rested over the city like a blanket.

    ¡°How many people live here?¡± Kyle finally asked.

    ¡°Roughly 4,000 at present.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the city a little big for that?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s guide turned, offering a small smile. ¡°It is unwise to plan only for what is, Mr. Mayhew. The Ma family prefers to plan for what will be.¡±

    Kyle considered the words as they approached a large warehouse. Inside, a gruff man was checking thick leather straps on an oversized pack. He looked up at the approaching duo and squinted, eyes focused on Kyle. A large hand patted the bundle as he let out a huff of air. ¡°And here I thought the courier would be bigger. Think you¡¯ll be able to move with this thing?¡± He asked, rapping the bundle.

    Kyle simply walked up to the pack and hoisted it over his shoulder. At 363, his Strength was beyond what most peak E Grades could bring to bear. The bundle of supplies likely weighed at least two hundred kilograms, and it hardly bothered him. ¡°I think I can handle it.¡±

 Chapter 193

    Garth sighed as he initialed the last form on his desk, authorizing resources to be diverted to mend some cracked sections of wall around Nierburg.  The world was dying, and yet bureaucracy was alive and well.  Another wave of shuttles was getting loaded the next morning, and he¡¯d much rather have spent his time reviewing those logistics.  Nobody would have blamed him, which is exactly why he forced himself to engage with the request.  His people deserved that much.

    Garth stepped out onto his office balcony, feeling the warm breeze on his face as he looked out at the city.  His chest tightened as hope warred with grief, seeing families preparing to depart, as others entrenched themselves deeper.  He¡¯d dedicated so many of the Central Authority¡¯s remaining resources to educating the survivors about the impending death of Earth, and yet the faction insistent on staying had only grown in number.

    Of those who had decided to leave, nearly two-thirds had already boarded.  Soon, it would be his turn.  He lifted his gaze to the night sky, his mind drifting to the young Healer.  I hope you¡¯re doing well out there, Kyle. His friend had been faced with some hard choices, and made the best he could out of them.

    Garth dismissed the offer from Corthian Mining at first, though the longer he thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make.  His people would need opportunities, and the mining company was their only in.  He¡¯d had to make a difficult decision since the kid left, and all he could hope was that he made the right one

    ¡°Mr. Boltsbury, sir.¡±  Garth turned to see Thomas standing near the balcony door, standing at crisp attention.  Garth rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into you, but we¡¯ve been on a first name basis for a long time.  It¡¯s just Garth.  It¡¯s always just been Garth.¡±

    Thomas shook his head slowly.  ¡°Maybe before, sir.  Times are changing.  Have changed.¡±

    ¡°Not so much that you can¡¯t address me as a friend.  What do you have to report?¡±

    Thomas stood for a moment, seeming deep in thought before he responded.  ¡°DeRosa has continued to be an asset.  I can¡¯t be completely confident, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s involved with the propaganda convincing people to stay.¡±

    Garth swore.  He had been so sure.  ¡°Another dead end.  Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Only that he¡¯s preparing to board on the next group of shuttles.  He said his work is done to the best of his ability, and that he¡¯s ready to go.¡±  Thomas opened his canteen, drinking generously before lowering it from his lips.  He met Garth¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Will that be a problem?¡±

    Garth shook his head.  ¡°No, he¡¯s done a lot already.  Honestly, I¡¯ll feel better with him gone, even though his people have contributed so much to the reconstruction.¡±  The words felt inadequate.  A wave of nearly unprecedented work was accomplished under DeRosa¡¯s direction, leaving virtually no planning left.  All that was yet to do was execution.  It made Garth wonder if Kyle made the right choice, putting Garth in charge.  We all had to make hard choices.

    Garth shoved the thought down, turning his attention back to Thomas.  The young man had grown far more formal over the recent months, as had Amir.  Garth couldn¡¯t blame them ¨C both were tasked with supervising and assisting one of the harshest taskmasters from the old Central Authority.  Both men had risen to the occasion, and Garth suspected that they were just exhausted.

    ¡°At least you and Amir can take a well-deserved vacation after he goes.¡± Garth said, a tired smile on his face.

    Thomas stood for a moment, shifting his weight side to side.  ¡°Actually, sir, I spoke with Amir.  We want to go with him.  We¡¯ll be able to serve more effectively, and report everything that happens on board when you arrive.¡±

    Garth eyed him skeptically.  ¡°Is that really what you want?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Garth reached out his hand, and Thomas took it.  The young man¡¯s grip was firmer than Garth remembered.  ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ be safe out there, Thomas.¡±

    ¡°I will.  Care for a drink before I leave, sir?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Garth grabbed a couple of glasses out of his desk, and pulled out the nearly-empty bottle of aged whiskey.  Thomas drew a flask out of his jacket, pouring a ruby liquid into his glass.  He reached to pour some for Garth, who shook his head.  ¡°Just the whiskey for me.¡±

    Thomas looked as though he was about to continue to pour for a fraction of a second, before placing the cap back on the flask.

    ¡°As you wish, sir.¡±

    Garth poured a finger for himself, then raised his glass.  ¡°To a well-deserved rest.¡±  Garth said.  ¡°And to new beginnings.¡±  Thomas replied.  They toasted, and Garth felt the alcohol¡¯s burn as he downed his drink.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ~~~

    Victor DeRosa was having a great day.  Not one without complications, yet a day where he struggled to keep the smile off of his face.  He swirled the deep violet liquid in his glass before pouring it, the subtle mana within apparent to him as he attuned to it.  He drank deeply, and his body felt invigorated, vital energy surging through every cell.  Victor shuddered at the feeling, and the thirty workers nearby stopped and trembled in response, before continuing their work.

    Victor nodded as they returned to their efforts, releasing a pulse of energy from deep within his chest.  Smaller pulses were released from his workers in response, bringing with them tidbits of information on their efforts.  The data was processed by the mycelium that grew within him, allowing Victor to make small changes in direction at will.

    Unlike the ants, which could only perform the most basic of tasks, human hosts for the fungus were far more valuable.  Through the link, he could see his team of Alchemists brewing more of the health serum that contained the subordinate fungus, while others disseminated it.  DeRosa didn¡¯t believe it was necessary to continue giving the potions to those in whom a mycelium had taken root, though he kept the directive in place.  After all, one couldn¡¯t be too careful.

    He felt the approach of one of his faithful, and extended a tendril of mana to open the door before the young man could reach out his hand to it.  Enter.

    In obeisance to the command, the sandy-haired individual stepped inside before immediately falling to a knee.  His right fist was held over his heart as his eyes looked to the ground.  ¡°Lord DeRosa, I come with a report.¡±

    Victor noticed with displeasure that the young man¡¯s left hand twitched slightly, and before allowing Thomas to report, he sent another mental command through the bond.  Drink.

    Thomas did, taking out a flask and draining it to the last drop.  He was a more recent convert, and it was to be expected that there would be challenges from time to time.  The other spy that Boltsbury had placed in his office had taken to it much more strongly, and was currently working on preparations to move the alchemy labs onto the shuttles off world.  So much to do, Victor thought.

    He looked back down at Thomas.  Speak.  Without so much as looking up, Thomas began recounting his meeting with Garth.  The usurper trusted his spy¡¯s reports implicitly, not bothering to verify the information.  An unfortunate mistake on his part, if understandable.  DeRosa¡¯s methods were well beyond anything that Boltsbury was likely to expect, and the faithful played their part well.

    Victor dismissed Thomas with a thought, reviewing the items remaining before his departure.  He believed that the alchemy project would be allowed on the ship, broken down and taken as the personal effects of his faithful.  After all, what need did they have outside of his service?  There was enough of the draught already brewed to offer it to the uninitiated on the shuttle, which would be a major benefit.  He felt something stir within him, which caused him to sigh.  This will be the largest obstacle.  Collecting himself, he closed the door to his chambers and entered meditation.

    VICTOR DEROSA.  MYCOHOST, HIGH MAGUS.  LEVEL 73 (E)

    VITALITY: 584

    ENDURANCE: 73

    STRENGTH: 73

    DEXTERITY: 73

    WILLPOWER: 412

    INTELLIGENCE: 412

    PERCEPTION: 339

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 5

    Victor allocated his free attributes to Vitality, and considered the pace of his progress.  His change to a Mycohost had come with a staggering amount of Vitality, which paired well with the other benefits he received from his High Magus variant class.  While he was thrilled with the power he¡¯d developed, he knew beyond a doubt his ascension to D Grade would result in a shift away from his human form.  Already the controlling mycelium writhed within him as they grew in power, and he suspected that Corthian Mining would be less than keen to have him on board.

    He would need to move with haste when the time came.  Breaking through to new heights of power was only to be expected, and Victor DeRosa had no intention of allowing his ascent to end with the death of his planet.  It was imperative that he and his faithful make it aboard a shuttle ¨C everything else would flow from there.

    A small tremor shook his mansion, bringing Victor out of meditation.  He knew the source, and this time failed to contain the smile as he walked down to what had formerly been his laboratory.  Now, it was an arena.  Reynolds kneeled on the ground, deep cuts in his chest already mending as wriggling tendrils of flesh connected to repair the damage.  Opposite him stood a man wearing a featureless metal mask, rapier in one hand and heavy dagger in the other.

    Both men turned to Victor as he entered, dropping to a knee with their heads bowed.  Victor counted more than 50 awakened among his faithful, and they progressed each day under his tutelage.  None of them compared to the two men before him.  Focusing on the connection between them, he could feel their level.

    Reynolds at 68, Valentine at 72.  Incredible.  Through their bond, he felt genuine reverence from Reynolds, who embraced the power he¡¯d been given.  He still felt hatred from Valentine.  Though he didn¡¯t need devotion, he demanded obedience, which was all but guaranteed.

    The only problem he encountered was an inability to influence skill selection for his faithful.  Reynolds confirmed that they still received skills as they grew in level, though Victor could only see them and choose if his faithful allowed him to do so.  Many of the awakened had reservations at first, though they were coming around slowly but surely.  Valentine¡¯s hate, however, burned as hot against him now as it ever had.

    He¡¯d break eventually, and Victor would savor the moment.  For now, however, there was work to do.

    Two days later, Victor found himself staring out at the receding form of the planet he¡¯d once called home.  He thought he¡¯d feel¡­ something.  Instead, the only emotion coursing through him was urgency.  He¡¯d just crossed to Level 74, and if his gambit failed, he¡¯d need to take quick action to gain control of the ship.  He waited patiently, counting the moments until the door of the viewing room opened up.

    A man in a black Corthian Mining uniform entered, with broad shoulders and a scar on his left cheek.  ¡°You must be this Victor DeRosa I¡¯ve heard so much about.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a more efficient boarding process, and your people have been a real help getting things set up for the journey.  I¡¯m Captain Phillip Rogers.  Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Victor smiled, tension leaving his shoulders.  ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well, Captain.  Care for a drink?¡±

 Chapter 194

    Kyle grunted as a heavy stone struck him square in the stomach, knocking him several meters back.  He was a little over 2 days into his delivery, and the storm was no joke.  From what C.H.A.D.D. told him, the swirling mass encompassed nearly half the planet¡¯s total surface, growing more hazardous closer to the center.

    At the onset, Kyle was simply faced with strong winds, rain, and hail.  It was laughable compared to the environments in his Practicum, and he made great time.  The farther he progressed; however, the more barren the landscape became.  The rains stopped.  The foliage disappeared.  Now, a constant stream of sand and debris scoured the planet¡¯s surface.  Kyle was left with little more than the scent of ozone, the drab grey of swirling clouds, and a rocky, lifeless landscape.

    Now, he began to appreciate the difficulty of the delivery.  There was no shelter, no caves, no outcroppings.  All he could do was continue forward.  More stones the size of basketballs flew through the air, and Kyle avoided most of them, allowing a couple to strike him so that he could keep practicing with Heal.  It wouldn¡¯t be long before his breakthrough to Level 60, though there was little chance of being able to meditate in the storm.

    [PREPARE YOURSELF, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle activated Ignition, trusting C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors.  A moment later, orange light flashed a warning.  Kyle followed the drone¡¯s instruction, sidestepping as hundreds of the large stones began to rain down in a squall.  They bombarded a zone nearly 10 meters across, moving rapidly through the storm.  Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. encountered this particular pattern twice before, and the last time Kyle had been forced to use Storm Shelter to avoid having his pack damaged.

    He was just a touch too slow to avoid it with consistency without Ignition active, though the boost made the storm trivial.  He dodged and weaved as the squall passed, the screaming winds picking up the stones as they continued on their endless journey.

    If anything, ensuring the goods made it to their destination undamaged was the most difficult part of this particular job.  He was assured they were durable; he knew they were packed well, but he would feel incredibly foolish if he completed the delivery, only to have to redo it.  He could afford to put his own body in peril; he couldn¡¯t do the same with the pack.

    The days wore on, each one bringing new challenges.  Massive bolts of lightning struck occasionally on day three, and day four added acidic eruptions from the planet¡¯s surface.  That was all well and good, until Kyle pressed forward during day five.  He was tired, worn out, and barely noticed the increasing heat around him.  C.H.A.D.D. offered a timely warning, and Kyle got out of the way just as the space he¡¯d been standing combusted in an explosion of green flame.

    At this point, Kyle was ready to be done with the delivery.  Outside of the occasional flash of lightning or flame, the only light remaining as he approached the eye of the storm was the gentle orange glow provided by C.H.A.D.D.  The morning of the 7<sup>th</sup> day, Kyle felt himself cross the threshold to Level 60.  The anticipation of choosing the upgrade to Heal proved to be sufficient motivation, and with a push of effort, he made it to the coordinates on his nav bracelet on the 8<sup>th</sup>.

    Sidestepping a particularly nasty series of stones, Kyle looked around.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s orange glow revealed nothing; only empty soil remained before him.  ¡°Is this some sort of joke?  C.H.A.D.D., what can you detect?¡±

    [IT APPEARS THAT THE SETTLEMENT IS SUBTERRANEAN IN NATURE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then how do we get down to it?  I don¡¯t see any stairs or elevators.¡±

    [PERHAPS YOU¡¯RE EXPECTED TO DIG, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Digging wasn¡¯t in the job description.¡±

    [AN OVERSIGHT?  AN OMISSION PERHAPS?]

    Kyle dodged as another squall of boulders came crashing down.  Ignition had been burning for over a day, and Kyle couldn¡¯t keep it up much longer.  He looked down at the coordinates on his nav bracelet, frowning.  This is definitely the spot.  The way Kyle saw it, his job was done when he dropped the pack at this location.  It wasn¡¯t his fault if nobody was around to pick it up.

    Just before he could unsling the pack from his shoulders, a message pinged on his nav bracelet.

    So sorry!  Your progress was faster than expected.  Stay where you are, I¡¯ll send people shortly.

    Ma¡¯Sai

    A moment later, a dome of crackling green energy appeared, nearly 100 meters in diameter.  The dull roar of the storm quieted instantly.  From the damage, Kyle doubted the barrier would last more than another handful of seconds.  Already small holes were being opened up as nature raged around it.  A set of stairs appeared nearby, descending into the planet¡¯s surface.  Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate to take them.

    The steps were made from a dark, heavy metal, though after crossing into a hallway, Kyle was met with the familiar luxury he¡¯d seen in Pokke.  The hall was made of beautiful marble with golden inlays, and a smartly-dressed figure was waiting for him at the end.  It was an older man, with pronounced crow¡¯s feet wearing an old-earth style suit.  The man was thin, though appeared to be fit underneath his clothes.  He bowed as Kyle approached.

    ¡°Courier Mayhew, my apologies for the delay in letting you in.  You completed the task far more quickly than expected, and the young master has not yet returned.  We have a transport ready to take the pack, and I would be honored to show you to your quarters.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°That sounds great.¡± Kyle said, not feeling up for a flowery conversation.  Even though his body was still in relatively good shape, the journey had taken it out of him.  He was tired, and hungry.  A large truck was waiting as promised, and he dropped the pack on it without ceremony.  If the gentleman cared, he didn¡¯t show it.  Another transport pulled up behind the first, and the man gestured for Kyle to enter.

    ¡°The young master would like to dine with you; however, he understands that will not be possible today.  We have many restaurants in Torrel, please select what you¡¯d like to have delivered and we will accommodate.  Courtesy of the Ma family, of course.  Regardless of your choice, it will not count against your per diem.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow as he surveyed the list.  ¡°There were only 4,000 people in Pokke.  You mean to say you have enough people here to support that many restaurants?¡±

    The corner of the old man¡¯s mouth lifted slightly.  ¡°No, we do not have the population to support them.  However, we do have other means to attract and retain the talent.¡±

    They drove through the subterranean city in silence after that, Kyle looking up at the brilliant lights that had been placed at the top of the cavern ceiling.  It really did feel like daytime, despite being underground.  A thriving, gorgeous city expanded all around them, while the planet¡¯s surface was made desolate by the endless storm.

    They pulled up before a manor on a hill that overlooked a good portion of the city.  ¡°This will be your home, should you find it to your liking.  When you¡¯re ready, please feel free to order whatever you¡¯d like.  The young master will coordinate with you when he returns.¡±  The old man bowed, then stepped back into the transport before Kyle had a chance to reply.

    [YOUR RAPPORT COULD USE SOME IMPROVEMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I¡¯m tired, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [THEN GET THE REST YOU NEED, DR. MAYHEW.  JUST DON¡¯T TAKE TOO LONG.  I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE IF THERE ARE UNIQUE PLANTS IN THE CAVERNS.]

    ¡°Sounds like a deal.¡±

    Kyle stepped inside the manor, and had to stop.  The luxury on the outside could hardly be compared with the lavish furnishings.  It was far and away the nicest room Kyle had ever been in, and he was suddenly very conscious of his general dirtiness, and he knew he didn¡¯t smell pleasant.  Oh well.  Their loss.

    An hour later, he was resting on an incredibly comfortable couch with a glass of cold water and piles of delicious food.  He decided on sampling a little bit of everything ¨C spicy, savory, sweet.  And it was all delicious.

    While he was eager to enter meditation and look at the level 60 skill selections, Kyle made the hard call to defer for the morning.  A full stomach and warm shower helped him relax, and now the fatigue settled deep in his bones.  The last thing he wanted was to make a decision when he was half asleep.

    The next morning, Kyle felt refreshed.  Heart beating with anticipation, Kyle crossed his legs and meditated.

    He jumped past the attribute points, allocating broadly to his lower attributes to keep rounding them out.  For the next little while he was going to focus heavily on Intelligence and Willpower, so a little investment elsewhere beforehand would help.  Most importantly, it brought his Perception over 1000, which was a milestone he was excited about.  The boost from Ignition was only as effective as his processing power, and Perception helped him make the most out of it.

    That done, Kyle focused his attention on the glowing orange orb signifying a skill upgrade.  Heal popped into his mind, and as before, 3 different choices made themselves known to him.

    Greater Heal:  This option was no surprise to Kyle, and he fought to keep his disappointment in check.  It was a standard upgrade path to the skill, and not a bad upgrade at all.  It took everything that Heal did, and made it, well, greater.  The speed and magnitude of the recovery were both increased significantly, and it was also widely known to be more mana-efficient than Heal.

    When applied with techniques like his venom isolation and removal, he expected it would truly shine.  Kyle¡¯s tribulations had led to a vast array of different injuries to heal, and Greater Heal would make that all easier.  However, it wasn¡¯t what Kyle wanted.  He already felt that his path was something unique, and this skill felt too generic.  Hoping for better choices, he moved on.

    Field Stimulant:  This upgrade was a major departure, only loosely relating to Heal.  From what Kyle could tell, the actual healing properties of the skill were worse than what he already had.  Instead, it offered an immediate boost of power.  It appeared that it would provide a material boost to Strength and Dexterity, and a modest increase to Perception.  The effects were short, and it looked like there would be a modest backlash when the boost ended.

    Kyle could already see many uses for an upgrade like this.  As it had with Ignition, Adaptive Regeneration could, with time, reduce the severity of the backlash.  It was his primary source of recovery as things stood, and stacking this boost on top of Ignition had the potential to turn Kyle into a real menace in close combat.  From an attribute perspective, at least.

    That was the key issue with Field Stimulant.  For all its power, it would be limited by the specialization Kyle had already been undergoing.  Strength and Dexterity were far and away his weakest points, meaning the boost wouldn¡¯t be as effective until he brought them more in line with his other attributes.  Lastly, it meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to meaningfully heal others.  It was silly, but part of him didn¡¯t want to give up that aspect of his class.  With a steadying breath, he looked at the final option.

    Healing Impetus:  This upgrade path changed the healing energy from a constant infusion to a major wave.  If Heal was a stream, Greater Heal was a river, and Healing Impetus was a tsunami.  Kyle couldn¡¯t keep the smile off his face, and there was still more.  The wave of energy looked to continue to circulate through the body, leaving traces of regenerative energy in each cell.  From what Kyle could tell, that power would be ¡°banked,¡± waiting for the next round of healing, effectively supercharging it.

    It wasn¡¯t a skill that would be well-suited to a hospital environment, and selecting it meant Kyle would lose flexibility.  In terms of emergency triage, however, he¡¯d be nigh unparalleled.  Stabilizing patients quickly and priming them for future recovery was the dream of most trauma doctors.

    When he factored in the more selfish element, and the synergy with Adaptive Regeneration, the decision was made.  Kyle chose Healing Impetus, then exited meditation.

    [I ASSUME YOUR SKILL SELECTION LIVED UP TO EXPECTATION, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Definitely.  We¡¯ll need to conduct some tests, but I¡¯m very pleased.¡±

    Just as he was considering heading back to the surface to get some practice with Healing Impetus, Kyle received a message on his nav bracelet.

    Mr. Mayhew,

    The young master will be returning in three hours¡¯ time, and will be meeting you at your residence upon his return.  Tailored formalwear will be delivered shortly.  We thank you again for your contributions, and wish you a productive and restful stay in Torrel.

    Kyle sighed as he closed the message.  Field testing would have to wait.

 Chapter 195

    True to their word, tailors arrived a half an hour later. They brought a startling amount of formalwear with them, already cut to Kyle¡¯s measurements. At least, they assumed it was.

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking off the armor. I¡¯m fine with something that can either cover it, or something that will fit underneath.¡± Kyle said, folding his arms. ¡°And the same goes with the pack.¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± one of the tailors said, exasperation clear in his voice. ¡°You are safe in the city, and your armor is hideous. You¡¯d look much more presentable in one of these suits.¡±

    ¡°All due respect, but I wasn¡¯t hired to be a dignitary. I was hired to deliver a package through a hazardous environment. That¡¯s what I did. I understand if your hospitality assumed I would be something different, and am more than willing to settle for less luxurious accommodations. In any case, the armor. Stays. On.¡±

    The tailors shared a beleaguered look, and Kyle was preparing to ask them to leave when Auric Perception warned him of a D Grade presence approaching. He had his suspicions, but stepped back into a comfortable stance anyway.

    [DR. MAYHEW -]

    ¡°I know buddy. I¡¯m ready.¡±

    The tailors didn¡¯t seem to know what to do with Kyle¡¯s sudden shift, faces far more alert as they slowly made room. Mana began to surge outside, and Kyle activated Ignition in response. The crimson glow was too much for the tailors to handle, and they immediately bolted to the door, only to step to the side and bow deeply. In unison, they spoke. ¡°Forgive us, young master!¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t relax. He kept his gaze focused on the open door, which was now occupied by a tall, lean man. He wore an immaculately tailored dark suit, with a white shirt and black tie. Dark gloves with golden inlays covered each hand, one of which stroked his sharp chin thoughtfully. Kyle noted a mop of styled black hair tousled gently as his almond shaped eyes looked Kyle up and down.

    Kyle activated Identify, and saw a similar skill at work in the youth. His entire suit glowed with energy; runes wrought in black metal inlaid into the dark fabric. There were pockets of incredible energy in several places on his person. Weapons of some sort? Their eyes locked, Kyle¡¯s emerald meeting Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s gold, and a broad grin spread across the young master¡¯s face.

    ¡°Excellent! I knew I¡¯d like you!¡± His voice was far louder and deeper than his frame would indicate, and the mana around him settled as he stepped forward and extended a hand. ¡°I am Ma¡¯Sai, the lord of this little world. It is a pleasure to have you, Kyle Mayhew of Earth.¡±

    Kyle froze at those words, looking at the outstretched hand, then back to Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s face. ¡°How do you know where I¡¯m from?¡± Kyle finally asked, not taking the grip.

    Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s smile only widened. ¡°Because it¡¯s only prudent to know with whom one enters into business.¡± He lowered his hand, seeming unbothered. ¡°Come, I am hungry. My associates tell me you¡¯ve tried many of the different foods available, but you¡¯ve not yet had the skewers native to my home. My treat, of course.¡±

    Kyle folded his arms, not deactivating Ignition. ¡°Due respect, sir, but you¡¯ll forgive me if I have some misgivings. Where I¡¯m from, the planet¡¯s leader doesn¡¯t take the delivery boy out for lunch.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t do that where I¡¯m from, either.¡± Ma¡¯Sai said, eyes sparkling. ¡°They do, however, treat potential allies and business partners quite well.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think we¡¯re allies now?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯d like to think we could be, however. Someday. For today, I believe credits and a unique opportunity would take steps to build that foundation. Now, shall we leave?¡±

    Without waiting for Kyle to respond, Ma¡¯Sai turned on his heel and walked toward a luxurious transport car.

    ¡°What do you think, C.H.A.D.D.?¡± Kyle whispered.

    [I THINK YOU SHOULD HEAR HIM OUT, DR. MAYHEW. I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THE CARDS HE¡¯S CARRYING.]

    ¡°What do you mean, cards?¡±

    Before Kyle could get a response, Ma¡¯Sai made it to the vehicle, and looked back expectantly. Kyle deactivated Ignition and followed, finding himself sitting in a spacious back seat that felt like a sectional couch.

    ¡°So what are you ¨C¡° Kyle began, but was stopped by a gesture from Ma¡¯Sai.

    ¡°Not now, we can discuss details when there is more privacy. The food is already being prepared; we¡¯ll be able to speak more openly soon.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s eyes were piercing, and Kyle reactivated Identify to confirm a suspicion. Sure enough, Ma¡¯Sai was using his own identification skill. Their eyes locked once again, and Kyle didn¡¯t look away. The impression he had was that Ma¡¯Sai was still a step below people like Tillienne or Jax in terms of overall power. He was also woefully lopsided, with Intelligence being his highest attribute; Willpower, and Dexterity being in a fairly distant second. In fact, Kyle felt confident in being able to overpower the younger man in raw Strength, which was an unusual experience for him.

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    If Ma¡¯Sai was bothered by Kyle¡¯s gaze, he didn¡¯t show it. He remained relaxed, golden eyes unwavering. One thing that Kyle found interesting was the quality of the young man¡¯s ability. From the amount of mana Kyle saw flowing through him, he was confident the other man¡¯s skill was already in the D Grade. Ma¡¯Sai shouldn¡¯t have had more than a handful of skills at that level, which meant that he intentionally invested either an upgrade or D Grade selection for it.

    They traveled in silence for about 10 minutes, before pulling up to a large estate. The best way Kyle could describe the compound was a full business park. In contrast to the rest of the sparsely populated city, this section was bustling with activity. Well-dressed people shuffled in and out of multistory buildings, many of whom were carrying various clipboards and mechanical parts.

    ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? Eventually, this will be representative of the whole city. In a decade or two.¡±

    He¡¯s not wrong, Kyle thought. As it grew, it would likely rival the best that the old Central Authority had to offer. Thinking of his home brought the dull pang of longing, which he ignored. Choosing his words carefully, Kyle replied, ¡°It certainly is.¡±

    They exited the vehicle and walked to the entrance of the large manor at the center. As they entered, Kyle saw a swarm of caterers laying out food, utensils, and setting up drinks. The motion stopped at once when they saw Ma¡¯Sai, and as one they bowed. With a gesture, the group made a quiet exit, leaving Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. alone with the well-dressed young man.

    ¡°Please, help yourself. I¡¯m going to seal the room from any prying eyes, your drone excepted.¡±

    Kyle frowned; reactivating Identify. Sure enough, mana began to flow through sigils under the floor and through the walls, though he couldn¡¯t tell their purpose specifically. ¡°Is that level of privacy necessary?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai smiled. ¡°One can never be too careful. I am taking a risk confiding in you and your drone, there is little need to expand it further.¡±

    Kyle had yet to move, and Ma¡¯Sai walked over to the food, filled a plate, then sat at a long banquet table and began to eat. Every movement was refined and precise, despite eating dishes that resembled street food back on Earth. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., does it look safe?¡±

    [IT APPEARS SO, DR. MAYHEW. I DO NOT DETECT ANY COMPOUNDS THAT APPEAR HAZARDOUS TO HUMAN BIOLOGY.]

    Ma¡¯Sai chuckled from where he sat. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d be so foolish as to try and poison you?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who just said ¡®one can never be too careful?¡¯¡± Kyle asked dryly.

    Ma¡¯Sai huffed a laugh. ¡°So I did. Now, please help yourself. We have much to discuss.¡±

    Kyle filled a plate with skewers of various meats, a bowl of grain that reminded him of fried rice, and a chilled fruit juice. The food was exceptional. The flavors were all wildly different; some spicy, others sweet, and it all worked together wonderfully. His meal yesterday was good, and this was on another level.

    Before he knew it, his plate was empty. He looked up to see Ma¡¯Sai smiling. ¡°Please, go get some more. I¡¯m planning to.¡±

    As they ate, they began to talk. Pleasantries at first, with the conversation growing deeper as they went. This planet¡¯s acquisition was a large expense, and there were many eyes on Ma¡¯Sai to make it worthwhile. Apparently Ma¡¯Rin had a soft spot for the young man; however, failure in planetary development would reflect poorly on both of them.

    For his part, Kyle shared a little about Earth, leaving out many of the important details. Instead, he talked about his own aspirations; to grow in power, and be able to stand on his own two feet. It was a sentiment that Ma¡¯Sai resonated with, and soon Kyle found the tension between them easing.

    When the last skewer had been consumed, Ma¡¯Sai leaned forward, hands clasped. ¡°If I may, I¡¯d like to share my reason for my invitation.¡±

    Kyle nodded. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°As you no doubt experienced, surface travel to this part of the planet is difficult, which is part of what makes it a defensible capital city. Our typical method of transportation has been through subterranean tunnels, which we carved out from our largest surface settlement on Pokke.

    ¡°As we continued expanding, however, we opened up into a cavern that contained some¡­ problematic creatures. They appear to be early D Grade variants, and they¡¯ve proven to make continued work and expansion in the tunnels quite dangerous.¡±

    Kyle stroked his chin at the explanation, several pieces falling into place. ¡°So, you hired a courier to help with the delivery overland to set up your teleportation network. But now you could use some help with extermination as well, is that about the size of it?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. While they¡¯re a bad match for me, I¡¯m more than capable of fighting my way through them. Your assistance in the matter would be appreciated, but I have another goal as well. Tell me, what do you understand about our company¡¯s products?¡±

    Kyle shook his head. ¡°Very little. The limited research I did mentioned more advanced and custom mana tech, with the bulk of your clientele being the ultra-wealthy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, and where we make most of our money. My family has one of the highest concentrations of Sealing Mages anywhere in the Gray Conglomerate. There are few places one can go to find similar quality rune and inscription work, and even fewer when you consider we have many C Grade inscribers as well.

    ¡°Believe it or not, Kyle, this part of our family¡¯s work started as an accident. My great-great uncle, the clan patriarch, forged a B Grade inheritance for us; one that every member of our family is trying to pursue. Those who fail along the way find themselves with a very niche set of abilities that have allowed our family to grow its wealth.¡±

    With that, his right hand moved in a flash, a shining golden card held in it. Kyle felt the mana begin to flow around the young man, and prepared himself for action if necessary. A moment later, the card glowed, and the room was full of a buzzing sound. Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at a spectral insect the size of his torso. It looked like a cross between a wasp and a scorpion, flying about with two large claws and a long, slender tail.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Kyle asked, not taking his eyes off the creature.

    With a gesture, it vanished, the card in Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s hand shifting to a dull bronze color. ¡°That was an E Grade insectoid that I bound; one of nearly a dozen in my deck. Kyle, I¡¯m not just asking you to help me exterminate the beasts, though I¡¯m happy to pay a bounty for their bodies. I¡¯m also asking you to help me capture them.¡±

 Chapter 196

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to capture D Grades?  In cards?  How does that even work?¡±  Kyle asked, bewildered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a complicated process, to say the least. And it grows more complicated the more powerful the creature I try to bind.  Let me ask you, Kyle, how familiar are you with the concept of a lineage inheritance?¡±

    Kyle thought back to Tillienne and Jax before responding.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them, but I¡¯m not familiar with the specifics.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai nodded, as though he expected the response.  He was silent for a moment, a faraway look in his eye as he considered his next words.  ¡°Our lineage is closely guarded, though it also has far more stringent requirements than most.  One cannot say they have stepped into it truly until partway through D Grade, at Level 35.  There are more requirements afterward, but that¡¯s the minimum requirement to set foot on the path.

    ¡°Kyle, you need to understand that any deviation up until that point means that the path is a failure.  I¡¯m the first in my generation to cross that threshold, despite being the eleventh to make it to this level in D Grade.  That means I¡¯ve earned my place as part of the main family.¡±

    Kyle nodded, everything so far making sense.  The idea of the inheritance being so difficult to follow was interesting, and Ma¡¯Sai seemed to anticipate the question before he could ask.

    ¡°But what happens to those less skilled or fortunate than myself?  Particularly those who enter into D Grade, only to find they are not offered the skills they need to progress further?  They have no future in combat ¨C they only have one offensive skill, after all.  Instead, they have a variety of skills tied to inscriptions, mana infusion, and sealing.  That specialization allows for the most beautiful part of our path.

    ¡°If they can¡¯t step into the path of a true Deckmaster, they have the ability to pivot into an ancillary inheritance.  We haven¡¯t been able to develop any of those to C Grade, though there are now several proven methods to progress to late D Grade, which is more than enough to be a renowned craftsman.  When coupled with hundreds of others with the same training, my family has built the foundation for their empire.¡±

    Kyle had to admit, it was an ingenious approach.  No matter where somebody¡¯s talents lay, they would be able to find a future in the family by following the plan.  With it explained more thoroughly, the allure was clear.  Kyle remembered the confusion on Tillienne and Jax¡¯s faces when he talked about upgrading his long-range scouting skill to be more in line with full identification.  Why risk it, when power felt assured down the line?

    At the same time, the whole notion felt stifling.  It could be that he was resistant to the idea that his path could be wrong.  His results so far seemed to prove the opposite, at least in Kyle¡¯s opinion.  Still, he regarded the dark-haired man in front of him in a new light.  Even if their struggles looked very different, there was no denying the effort Ma¡¯Sai put in.

    ¡°I appreciate you sharing.¡± Kyle said. ¡°I¡¯m curious though, what does this mean in terms of capturing the creatures in the tunnels.  If you¡¯ve taken the steps you need to take, what do you need me for?¡±

    ¡°Simply put, they¡¯re a bad match for me.  My skill requires that I complete a thorough Scan on the individual specimen that I want to bind, and then place three layers of Soul Binding from one of my cards.  If it dies before that happens, or I get injured during that process, I have to start it again.¡±

    ¡°So basically, you need me to be a meat shield for you to buy enough time to bind these things.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai grimaced.  ¡°I would have put it more eloquently; but yes.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something that¡¯s just not adding up for me, though.  I don¡¯t know the details, but it¡¯s pretty clear you have a lot of these cards.  Do you honestly expect me to believe that you don¡¯t have enough to distract one of these creatures?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai offered a sheepish grin.  ¡°My deck¡­ is not yet fully formed, even though I have completed making the cards.  I have filled 30 E Grade slots, and 4 of my 10 D Grade slots.  Three of the completed D Grade slots are individual Skills I¡¯ve bound, and not an allied beast.  Truthfully, I only have a dozen of the insectoids you saw before and one D Grade beast that serves as more of a guardian than a hunter.¡±

    Kyle paused, folding his arms.  ¡°You know, I was just beginning to like you, Ma¡¯Sai.  You¡¯re lying to me.¡±

    ¡°I am not.¡±

    ¡°Then why is my identification skill showing 35 readings?¡±

    There was silence in the room for a minute, and Kyle saw Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s jaw clench.  It was unfortunate, but Kyle wasn¡¯t about to step into a deal with somebody who was holding back critical information.  Finally, Ma¡¯Sai broke the tension.

    ¡°I have a hidden ace, that I would not think about using for a situation like this.  I will say no more on the matter.¡±

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    ¡°So that means you only have 5 D grade spots left.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai met Kyle¡¯s eyes, ferocity gleaming in his golden orbs.  ¡°No, I have 6.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me your ¡®trump card¡¯ is a C Grade?¡±

    ¡°Pray you never have to find out.  Regardless, I¡¯m not looking to capture 6 of the creatures.  I¡¯d like 2, which will leave me with flexibility as I grow.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense to me.  When do we leave?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai blinked.  ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°I asked when we¡¯re leaving.  You were level with me when I asked about the missing card, and I respect keeping some secrets.  You really should think about doing something to shield your cards from identification skills, by the way.¡±

    ¡°My suit should be doing that on its own.  Either the inscriptions got damaged, or your skill saw through it anyway.  In either event, there¡¯s no time like the present to go hunting.  Do you need to go back to your rooms to prepare?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got everything I need.  Like I told your tailors, the armor stays on for a reason.¡±

    A little over an hour later, Kyle and Ma¡¯Sai pulled up to the mouth of a large tunnel.  The driver bowed respectfully before getting back in the vehicle and driving off, leaving them alone.  They walked down a beautifully paved road, and Kyle was beginning to wonder if they¡¯d just left the entrance to the city unguarded.

    His doubts were assuaged when they came upon what Kyle could best describe as a miniature fortress in the middle of the road.  Large metal bulwarks were set up, and Auric Perception made it clear that the runic inscriptions were not decorative.  Kyle activated Identify, and saw layer upon layer of enchantments relating to both heat and light.  A respectable number of E Grade fighters were present, each of whom felt like a match for Rochelle.  Finally, a man clad in heavy armor and carrying an absurdly large rifle stepped down to greet them.  Definitely D Grade.

    ¡°Young master, it is good to see you, though I didn¡¯t expect it would be so soon.¡±  The man said with a bow.

    ¡°Go¡¯Wree, I should have informed you.  My guest and I are going to go spend some time in the tunnels, may we pass?¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡±  He turned to the people standing on the wall before shouting, ¡°Open the gate for the young master!  And pay close attention when you see him return, that he is not kept waiting!¡±

    The fortress was suddenly buzzing with activity, some opening the gate while others somehow closed the runic circles, keeping two instances intact on either door as they slid open.  I really need to learn more about rune inscription, Kyle thought.  Compared to what he¡¯d seen, his work on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s upgrades felt woefully insufficient.

    On the bright side, Kyle knew that C.H.A.D.D. was documenting everything they came across, and its sensors were definitely up to the task.  With time and resources, Kyle was confident that he¡¯d be able to work on some meaningful upgrades in the coming months.

    With the gates finally open, Kyle and Ma¡¯Sai walked into the tunnel beyond.  Immediately after passing through, Kyle heard a loud slam behind them as the barricade was restored.  ¡°Forgive the noise; my men are quite efficient in carrying out their duties.¡±

    ¡°I can tell.  So, where do we go from here?¡±  The main path ahead was a continuation of the nicely paved road, though there were now branching tunnels moving in different directions.  What¡¯s more, Kyle wasn¡¯t detecting any presences outside the fortress.

    Ma¡¯Sai didn¡¯t seem to have any doubt as he strode toward a tunnel branching off to the right.  ¡°I¡¯m not certain, though I believe our best chance is to go down the side paths.  With only two of us, we are certain to attract plenty of attention.  While we walk, there¡¯s the matter of compensation.  I¡¯m offering 20,000 credits for each of the beasts you help me capture, and then a further 10,000 credits for any that you kill during your stay.  Do you find these terms acceptable?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment.  While he wouldn¡¯t balk at the overall compensation, it felt fairly low for killing D Grade monsters.  He wasn¡¯t completely sure, but he seemed to remember the Mercenary¡¯s Guild being compensated closer to 50,000 credits for a successful D Grade hunt.  Then and again, he wasn¡¯t a mercenary.  He was a courier.  ¡°Why not?  You¡¯ve got a deal.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai beamed.  ¡°Excellent!  Now, do you have a source of light?  Otherwise I can provide one.¡±

    Without thinking, Kyle spoke.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you help us out?¡±

    An orange glow suffused the tunnel, revealing the cavernous space.  It stretched over 30 meters high, and Kyle was reminded of a forest as they weaved through a near-endless grove of stalagmites and pillars.  Auric Perception gave Kyle no indication that there were other presences in the cavern, and he turned toward Ma¡¯Sai.  ¡°Are you really planning on clearing all this out?  Even with Earth Mages, this would be an unbelievable undertaking.¡±

    ¡°We do, though it¡¯s been put on hold.  Our expectation was to open pathways into the larger cavern networks as we expanded to get a better feeling for the natural resources, as well as identifying suitable areas for our next settlement.  It hasn¡¯t quite worked out that way, but it will be course corrected soon enough.  It¡¯s far more effective to plan with better information, after all.¡±

    Kyle was about to question him more on his obsession with future planning, when he felt a whisper of foreign power.  Ignition bloomed to life as his energy burned, and Ma¡¯Sai was quick to respond as well, drawing a golden card.  An orange glow drew Kyle¡¯s attention as C.H.A.D.D. highlighted the creature. There!  He raised his hands in the unarmed stance he¡¯d been taught, interposing himself between the beast and Ma¡¯Sai just as it leapt towards the slender man.

    Claws ripped at his skin while teeth lunged for Kyle¡¯s face.  His Enhanced Carapace held against the scrabbling claws, and he growled as his hands held the beast¡¯s head back, putting as much pressure against it as he could.  The creature vaulted backward shortly afterward, letting out a deep hissing sound.  It circled, fangs bared, giving Kyle a good look.

    A rippling shadow dispersed from the beast¡¯s body, revealing a muscular feline form nearly Kyle¡¯s height at the shoulder.  Its skin was pale, with long flaps of skin connecting its front and back legs.  A stubby tail swished, though what Kyle noticed the most was its eyeless face and long, sword-like canine teeth.  It let out one more hiss, before cloaking itself once again in shadows, disappearing into the vast darkness of the cavern.

    A loud buzzing sound joined as three of the phantasmal insectoids from before took form, floating around their master protectively.  ¡°Impressive beasts, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ma¡¯Sai said.  ¡°Can you understand now why I want to add them to my collection?¡±

    ¡°I can also see why you need the help.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai shot Kyle a wolfish smile.  ¡°Yes!  A deal¡¯s a deal, Kyle.¡±

 Chapter 197

    The creature moved quickly, powerful limbs and sharp claws allowing it to use the stones to change direction in mere moments.  C.H.A.D.D. projected a small map, highlighting its location as it circled around.  It was moving to an angle where it could approach Ma¡¯Sai directly, though his insects were forming into a defensive pattern around him.

    Kyle saw 6 of the creatures, half of the total stock the aspiring Deckmaster said he had available.  The figure on Kyle¡¯s minimap dashed toward Ma¡¯Sai, and Kyle dove to interpose himself once more.  The defensive formation of summoned creatures moved to intercept, engaging the beast before Kyle could.

    The insects were potent for E Grade creatures, but simply lacked the durability to deal with the strange feline.  Two were ripped apart almost immediately by the beast¡¯s claws, while another was snapped up in its mouth.  Kyle felt the mana disperse into the air with each kill, which surprised him.  Why doesn¡¯t it go back to the cards?  A hiss snapped Kyle back to the present as the remaining insects were wiped out.

    Ma¡¯Sai dove backward, unleashing a volley of glowing blue darts.  The other insects were destroyed just as the arcane blasts struck the beast, leaving nasty burns on its pale skin.  Kyle was closer now, and without many better ideas he jumped for the creature as Ignition spurred him forward.  It growled as it swiped at him, then suddenly lunged at his left arm, attempting to take him down to the ground.

    Bite force that could turn stone to powder clamped down on him, followed by the sound of cracking bone as its teeth shattered.  The beast roared as it tried to pull its head back, its own blood and bone in its mouth.  Kyle couldn¡¯t hide the ferocious grin from his face as he grabbed the retreating creature, a wave of Healing Impetus mending the shallow puncture wounds in his arm as though he¡¯d never been bitten.

    Through his grip, Kyle could tell the pale flesh was actually covered in a very fine layer of needle-like fur, though it wasn¡¯t strong enough to pierce his skin.  The monster thrashed about again, managing to throw Kyle loose despite his enhanced Strength.  Kyle felt mana flowing through the air, and instinctively activated Identify.  His eyes widened as he saw a circular series of runes inscribed on the creature¡¯s forehead, cast in the same blue as the arcane darts Ma¡¯Sai cast.

    More runes were forming, and Kyle felt the ambient mana shift further, power condensing on Ma¡¯Sai and the silver card held in his hand.  The creature lunged for him again, and once more Kyle interposed himself.  With Identify active, he saw the runes beginning to expand across the beast¡¯s neck and shoulders.

    It changed tactics, leaping to one of the stalactites and climbing higher to the cavern¡¯s ceiling.  It reactivated its shrouding skill, though Kyle could see right through it with Identify.  It leapt into the air, the skin flaps catching the air like an oversized flying squirrel.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IT¡¯S ATTACKING.]

    Kyle barely had time to react as Ma¡¯Sai cried out, blood flowing freely from the left side of his face.  Kyle extended a tendril of Parasitic Resonance to the young man, Healing Impetus washing through the connection as soon as it established.  ¡°What did it use to attack?¡±

    [IT USED ITS FUR, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle was directly in front of Ma¡¯Sai by now, and raised his arms to better cover him from the beast.  ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Ma¡¯Sai panted.  ¡°Just took me by surprise.¡±

    Kyle saw the runes continuing to grow across the creature¡¯s flesh as it glided across the cavern, unleashing another volley of needle-like fur.  Kyle raised his left forearm to cover his eyes, feeling dozens of light impacts as the squall of needles bounced off his armor and skin.  It¡¯s like a weaker version of the Shadow, Kyle realized.

    The beast¡¯s stealth abilities were an inferior version of the invisibility the giant spider exhibited.  The bite force was superior, though it lacked the brutal necrotic venom.  Instead of toxic daggers, it shot sharp fur.  Kyle couldn¡¯t see Skippy or Duroc struggling against beasts like these, and fierce pride bubbled in his chest as he recognized that he could count himself among them.

    A loud hiss filled the cavern, followed by the crack of stone as the monster again leapt towards Ma¡¯Sai, jumping off a stalactite.  Kyle could see the runes around the beast, and felt a surge of power behind him as the card drew in mana.  The Deckmaster dodged the attack with grace, and Kyle repositioned just in time to intercept a claw swipe.

    Kyle¡¯s clothing tore, revealing his gray-veined skin.  It hissed once more, and the air around it began to shimmer.  Auric Perception felt a spike in its energy, and Kyle prepared himself.  It activated some type of boosting skill, and from the feeling it wasn¡¯t a weak one.

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    Just as its muscles tensed, blue light exploded out from it.  With Identify active, Kyle could see the beast¡¯s mana contort and compress as bonds of ethereal blue twisted around it.  He looked on in fascination as it struggled against the binding, finding itself unable to make any headway.  A moment later, the mana was torn out, flying through the air and into the silver card in Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s hand.

    The card glowed a brilliant blue for a moment, before fading back to a dull silver.  As it did, the creature¡¯s body fell lifeless to the ground.  Kyle grinned, and was about to ask about the beast when Ma¡¯Sai coughed up blood, slumping to the ground.  Kyle¡¯s smile vanished instantly as he stepped over to the younger man.

    ¡°Where did it get you?  C.H.A.D.D., give me a projection.  I need to know what we¡¯re working with.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai offered a weak smile as he raised his hands, palms out.  ¡°I¡¯m fine, truly.  This is simply the backlash from using the containment skill.  It requires me to superimpose aspects of my own core on that of the creature, which always has consequences.  I¡¯ll be fine soon, though if you wouldn¡¯t mind¡­¡±

    Kyle already activated Healing Impetus, as C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scan pulled up modest internal damage.  The wave of rejuvenating energy was up to the task, and Kyle was excited to see the recovery effects magnified by the motes of restorative power his first application left behind.

    Satisfied Ma¡¯Sai was alright, Kyle stood and looked about the cavern.  The last thing they needed right now was an ambush.  ¡°Are you able to move?¡± Kyle asked, watching Ma¡¯Sai get to his feet.  ¡°We should probably get you back to Torrel to rest, healing that quickly can take it out of you.¡±

    ¡°A wise idea.  We can come back out to hunt tomorrow.¡±

    They walked in silence for a little while, until Kyle¡¯s curiosity got the best of him.  ¡°So, I noticed you only summoned a few of the insects at a time.  Is there a limit to how many you can bring out at once?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.  I could summon everything at once if I needed to, though it would be unwise to do so.¡±

    ¡°Too much mana?¡± Kyle guessed.

    ¡°It takes very little to summon from the cards, the trouble comes from recharging them.¡±  Ma¡¯Sai held aloft one of the brass cards that contained the insect.  Kyle could see it was beginning to glow again, though it was still faint.  ¡°It takes me nearly 30 minutes to recharge an E Grade card.  Over 9 hours to recharge a D Grade.¡±

    Kyle nodded, pieces coming together in his head.  It made sense that Ma¡¯Sai wasn¡¯t able to use the card monsters back-to-back.  The low up-front cost would provide a spike in combat power early.  That advantage would turn sour when he no longer had the resources to bring his summons to bear.  A stringent inheritance for sure.  This also meant that somebody specializing in survival, like Kyle, was likely one of the worst possible matches against a Deckmaster.  Kyle excelled at long, protracted engagements, growing progressively more powerful as he fought.  It was valuable insight, even though Kyle hoped his days of squaring off against other awakened people were behind him.

    They turned a corner, stepping out of the tunnel and back onto the main road that had been excavated.  Kyle could see the glow of the barricade down the path a couple kilometers away.  Ma¡¯Sai was clearly exhausted, and Kyle was glad that he¡¯d get a chance to rest soon.  They had only taken a few steps before the hair on the back of Kyle¡¯s neck stood up.  Auric Perception felt something in the cavern, and a moment later C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning.

    Volleys of needle-like fur peppered them from the darkness.  Too many.   Kyle didn¡¯t hesitate as Storm Shelter sprang to life, covering Ma¡¯Sai from the angles he couldn¡¯t cover with his own body.  The young man¡¯s eyes were wide as he took in the surroundings.  C.H.A.D.D. was highlighting 6 feline shapes in the dim light, the space around all of them shimmering and shaking.

    Kyle let out a slow exhale as Ignition began to burn inside him, the glow of his crimson aura dancing with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s amber light.  He turned to Ma¡¯Sai, still protected by Storm Shelter.  ¡°Do you have any summons that can cover you while you get back to safety?¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai looked up incredulously.  ¡°I can still fight.¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°I¡¯m not arguing that fact, but you said yourself that these things are a bad match for you.  I need you to trust that I¡¯m a bad match for them.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s lips pressed into a line.  It was clear he wanted to say more, but a glance down the tunnel toward the barricade seemed to help him set his decision.  ¡°Buy me time to make it to safety.  I¡¯ll pay a one-time contract price of 50,000 credits.  This is not a suicide mission; I expect you to return in order to collect.¡±

    Kyle grinned.  ¡°I accept.  And after all, a deal¡¯s a deal.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai didn¡¯t respond as he drew one of his silver cards.  A massive green form appearing inside the barrier.  Kyle dropped Storm Shelter as the beast continued to grow, looking like a bizarre mix between a crocodile and a bear.  Thick scales covered its back, and large clawed limbs wrapped around Ma¡¯Sai before it lumbered down the tunnel.

    The beasts moved to attack the moment Storm Shelter dissipated, 4 angling toward Kyle while the remaining 2 pursued Ma¡¯Sai.  Kyle extended the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance toward the oncoming creatures as he took a stabilizing breath.  He had to fight the instinct to run right after Ma¡¯ Sai, instead trusting the young man and his summons.

    Fangs and claws ripped at Kyle as he defended his vitals and C.H.A.D.D., allowing the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance to deeply penetrate their mana pathways.  A moment later he was on the ground, unable to bear the cumulative weight of the beasts.  Still, he let his mana invade the creatures.  Then, in a single effort of will, Kyle pulled.  The mana of all 4 was ripped out, their bodies falling lifeless.

    He shoved the bodies off him as he turned down the tunnel, just in time to see a pillar of flame engulf one of Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s pursuers.  A loud crack of thunder roared through the tunnel as the final surviving beast fell, a bullet wound piercing its skull.  Kyle wanted to smile, but the pain coursing through him made it come out as more of a grimace.  The quality of the energy he¡¯d drawn from the monsters was high, and it only took 4 of them for his core to make a decision.  It was hungry once again.

 Chapter 198

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± Ma¡¯Sai said, wide eyes focused on the 4 corpses Kyle stacked outside the battlement.  ¡°I saw as they jumped on you, they were alive.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°They were.  And now they¡¯re not.  Are you going to let me in?¡±

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. stood outside the fortification, Kyle having taken the time to let the stirring in his core settle back down.  He didn¡¯t think Ma¡¯Sai would be able to notice anything, but it was worth it to him to keep some things hidden.  One thing was certain; Kyle still wanted that 10,000 credit bounty on top of continuing to fill his core.

    ¡°Styxlions don¡¯t just die, Kyle.  You did something to them, and I want to know what it was.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m a bad match for them.¡±

    ¡°The young master asked you a question!  You will answer with the respect he is due!¡± Go¡¯Wree roared.

    The hulking man¡¯s rifle wasn¡¯t pointed at Kyle, but it wasn¡¯t far off.

    Kyle met his eyes, allowing the burning red light of Ignition to illuminate the cavern.  ¡°I have a skill that gives me an edge in situations like this.  Nothing more, nothing less.¡±  The last thing Kyle wanted to do was explain all the details of Parasitic Resonance to them, and he hoped the explanation would suffice.

    Ma¡¯Sai opened his mouth as if to respond, but Go¡¯Wree spoke before he had the chance.  ¡°And could this skill be used against the young master?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kyle said flatly.  ¡°You hired a D Grade Courier.  You hired somebody who could survive a D Grade storm while carrying a pack full of fragile equipment.  People like me aren¡¯t harmless.  We can¡¯t afford to be.¡±

    Veins bulged on Go¡¯Wree¡¯s forehead, and Kyle was ready to move.  The whole confrontation with the large man felt so unnecessary, but he wasn¡¯t going to kowtow to paranoia.  Fortunately, Ma¡¯Sai stepped in, placing a hand on Go¡¯Wree¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Mr. Mayhew is correct; we knew who we were hiring.  At least, we thought we did.  Come, you¡¯ve earned your rest.¡±

    The large man seemed to relax, just slightly.  The gate opened, and Kyle walked through, hoisting the bodies of the styxlions as he went.  He didn¡¯t break eye contact with Go¡¯Wree, who offered a scowl in return.  Kyle suppressed the rising heat in his chest.  There¡¯s no reason to escalate things.  Keep calm.

    A car was waiting for Ma¡¯Sai and Kyle on the other end of the battlement.  They traveled in silence down the dark tunnel, until the sight of the battlement was long gone.  Ma¡¯Sai ran a hand through his hair as he sighed.  ¡°This hunt could have gone much better.  I apologize for Go¡¯Wree¡¯s¡­ enthusiasm.  He takes my safety very seriously, and today it nearly led to unnecessary conflict.¡±

    Kyle simply nodded.  ¡°It did.  Is there going to be a problem with me going out to explore the tunnels?  I¡¯m here to do a job, not to antagonize your security forces.  At the same time, I¡¯m not going to say no to earning some extra credits.¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.  I¡¯ll see to it that the guards are instructed to let you come and go freely.  Before that, however, you owe me one more for my collection.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°How soon are you going to be ready to go back out?  By my count you have 3 D Grade cards to charge, not to mention getting your injuries looked over.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly injured at all, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me your people aren¡¯t going to accept that as an excuse.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai groaned.  ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that.  Give me 2, maybe 3 days.  I¡¯ll be ready.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°That works.  I plan on heading back out tomorrow, but I¡¯ll meet you in 3 days¡¯ time for another outing.¡±

    ¡°So long as you¡¯re fit to help me acquire another of the styxlions, I have no complaints.  I¡¯ll have word sent to the battlements now.¡±

    The two said their goodbyes, and soon Kyle was closing the door to his temporary home.  [DR. MAYHEW, DID -]

    ¡°Just a minute, C.H.A.D.D.  Help me check to make sure that we¡¯re not being watched.¡±

    The drone obliged, scanning the estate as Kyle focused on Auric Perception, looking for any traces of mana leaving the home.  After a few minutes, Kyle was satisfied.  ¡°Alright buddy, go ahead.¡±

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    [AM I CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT YOU EXPERIENCED THE SAME PHENOMENON FROM YOUR PRACTICUM?]

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kyle said simply.  ¡°And this time we¡¯re going to get paid to explore it further.  In the same vein, what do you think about the sealing techniques Ma¡¯Sai used?  Anything you can apply?¡±

    [I BELIEVE SO, PARTICULARLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES I¡¯VE GLEANED FROM THE ORB.]

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    [I¡¯D PREFER TO EXPERIMENT MORE BEFORE COMMITTING, BUT I BELIEVE THE WORLD TREE SEED CAN PROVIDE A FOUNDATION TO ¡®SEAL¡¯ QUITE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FLORA.  THEORETICALLY, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GROW PLANT LIFE FROM SEEDS, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO SUMMON IT DIRECTLY.]

    Kyle hadn¡¯t considered an application like that before, and it was certainly interesting.  If C.H.A.D.D. was able to make use of the World Tree Seed in that way, it opened up a variety of avenues that they¡¯d be able to use in a pinch.  ¡°What do you need from me to test?¡±

    [MANA, MOSTLY.  I KNOW YOU¡¯VE INFUSED QUITE A BIT INTO THE WORLD TREE SEED, BUT FOR THIS TO WORK, I¡¯LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE AND DIRECT THE ENERGY.]

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve got it.  When do you think you¡¯ll be ready to start testing?¡±

    [WHENEVER WE FIND A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO PRACTICE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ~~~

    Jarberry zipped through the air outside the Collective Institute for Independent Licensure, unseen by everybody milling below him.  Details were getting finalized for his next job, and he had a few items left on his to-do list before stepping away.  She should be leaving any minute now¡­ there.

    An invisible grin crossed his face as he spotted his quarry, a skrell woman leaving the compound for the day.  Even better, she was leaving alone.  His scouting showed that she occasionally went out for a meal with her colleagues, delaying his plans until she was done.  Even when working the long game, Jarberry preferred saving time whenever he could.

    He zipped down, floating a meter above and behind her.  3 different skills activated as Jarberry analyzed the area around the woman as she walked, checking for tracking marks, eavesdroppers, and other annoying effects.  His grin grew fiercer as he spotted an innocuous sigil, invisible even to most C Grades.  The rune work looked to be Velgian in origin, intended to activate when a specific set of conditions were fulfilled.

    He wasn¡¯t sure what the conditions would be, though he suspected their trigger would be related to Kyle.  Not bad at all.  His fingers moved as invisible tendrils of mana twisted and turned, connecting to the sigil.  Jarberry could simply dispel the mark, however there was a chance that whoever placed it would be notified if that happened.  Even if most of the heat was off Kyle at this point, there was no reason to take risks.

    His brow furrowed as his skill worked, making subtle alterations.  Moments later, he finished his edits, regarding his handiwork.  The rune was still in place, though now it would only activate in response to the presence of a sea snail greater than 10 meters in length.  A fine alteration, if he said so himself.

    Satisfied with his work, he cast an isolation field around the woman.  One could never be too careful when it came to eavesdroppers, after all.  ¡°You¡¯re Suierrillax, right?  Don¡¯t look around, keep walking.¡±

    To her credit, the skrell woman handled the surprise well.  She continued to walk, barely missing a step.  He could see her subtly trying to get a view of him, and respected the effort.  ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me, you won¡¯t have much luck.  And relax a bit, I¡¯m not here to hurt you.  I¡¯m here to talk about a mutual friend of ours, and offer you an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±  Her voice was terse, body language betraying signs of her discomfort.  Jarberry could see a tension in the muscles in her neck and shoulders, hands clenched into fists.

    ¡°I told you, relax.  Records show me you were observing a colleague of mine during his practicum, Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to discuss the results of any of our applicants.¡±

    ¡°Sure you¡¯re not.  Just like you¡¯re not allowed to steal somebody else¡¯s nav bracelet to send them a warning about their Practicum.¡±

    At that, Suierrillax stopped walking.  ¡°If you know about that, I assume that you¡¯re here to administer punishment.¡±

    ¡°Nah, not at all.  It was good work, and I doubt anybody other than me noticed.  At least until they really start digging.  Also, keep walking.  I¡¯m blocking the sound, but it looks awful strange for you to stop in the middle of the sidewalk.¡±

    Suierrillax frowned as she resumed her stride.  ¡°You¡¯re not with the Institute?¡±

    ¡°Nope.  Like I said, I¡¯m a colleague of Kyle¡¯s.  And I gotta say, you impressed me.  You know as well as I do that he bit off a little more than he could chew during his Practicum, and now there¡¯s damage control to take care of.  From what it seems like, you¡¯re somebody who could help with that.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying you should come work for us.  Frankly, your talents are wasted at the Institute.  You¡¯ve got a great eye for detail, and you know how things work in the Hub.  Something Mayhew will need if he wants to have a chance at getting his feet under him.¡±

    ¡°This is an awful lot of trouble to go through for a brand-new hire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m protecting an investment.  Nothing more, nothing less.  I¡¯m going to have details sent to you through a secure channel, but if I was in your shoes I¡¯d take the offer seriously.  It¡¯s as much an opportunity for you as it is for him.¡±

    Suierrillax let out a breath.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on it.¡±

    Jarberry smiled as he flew away.  She tried to hide it, but he knew she was interested.  He had already prepared the message, and planned to send it later in the day.  He didn¡¯t want to come across as too eager, even if time was of the essence.  Speaking of¡­ Jarberry checked his nav bracelet, and let out a soft groan.  Ma¡¯Rin just arrived at the hub, and asked to meet him for a private meal.  Unfortunately, this was one obligation he couldn¡¯t ignore.  He sent a response that he¡¯d be at the restaurant shortly, and took off toward the designated meeting place.  Never enough time.

 Chapter 199

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you to keep me waiting, Jarberry.¡±

    The voice was soft, but carried unmistakeable power and authority. Ma¡¯Rin wore a stylish black suit, with a colorful floral robe draped around his shoulders. Silver hair and beard were trimmed close, contrasting with the man¡¯s sharp golden eyes. He sat with his legs crossed at the head of a pitch-black table, an empty setting directly in front of him.

    Despite being cloaked, the old man¡¯s gaze was fixed on Jarberry¡¯s exact position. Ma¡¯rin¡¯s Perception skill was one of the few Jarberry had encountered that could see through his stealth, even among B Grades. With a sigh, he deactivated his skill, offering a shallow bow before approaching.

    ¡°Things have gotten a little hectic lately. I appreciate the patience.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for an apology, old friend.¡± Ma¡¯Rin¡¯s expression softened, smile lines deepening on the sides of his eyes. ¡°Come, sit. It¡¯s been too long.¡±

    ¡°That it has,¡± Jarberry said. The imp floated up to the large table, hovering before a place setting opposite Ma¡¯Rin. As soon as he stopped moving, the plate in front of him was filled with piles of steaming food. Jarberry could make out the faintly glowing runes that ran along the plate¡¯s rim, and he raised an eyebrow at Ma¡¯Rin.

    ¡°That¡¯s a little excessive, don¡¯t you think? Spatially storing your own food when we¡¯re at a restaurant?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of being in B Grade, if not for the small indulgences?¡±

    ¡°If you insist, I¡¯d hate to be rude.¡± Jarberry already held an impressive pile of meat on his fork, which he promptly shoved into his mouth. The food was delicious, of course, and more kept filling his plate with each bite he took.

    Ma¡¯Rin was far more refined in his dining, though the steaming meats and vegetables disappeared nearly as quickly off the old man¡¯s plate as they did from Jarberry¡¯s. They ate in amicable silence until they were full, with Ma¡¯Rin pulling a bottle out of thin air as the plates disappeared. Two glasses were poured, and Jarberry felt the sharp gaze of the B Grade on him as he swirled his wine. ¡°I hear things have been quite eventful at the Hub since I last visited.¡±

    ¡°Eventful is probably an overstatement,¡± Jarberry said. ¡°Alabaster Court got a little worked up, though the dust is settling nicely. The next batch of Practicum applicants start soon, and their brat is still the talk of the town.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And here I thought that there was still a great deal of scrutiny on your little monster.¡±

    Jarberry froze mid-sip, and tried not to spill his wine. ¡°I think whatever you heard is wildly overexaggerated,¡± he finally said. ¡°I just hope Mayhew has proven himself at least a little helpful while you¡¯re getting your teleportation network up and running.¡±

    Ma¡¯Rin snorted. ¡°The brat has cost me over a million credits so far, and if my reports are correct, he¡¯s not done yet. He may turn out to be the most expensive courier Ma Enterprises ever hired.¡±

    Jarberry¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°He cost you what? The contract¡¯s terms were clear, it should have been less than a quarter million total.¡±

    ¡°That was before my buffoon of a nephew struck a deal with him to do some extermination work. All outside the scope of the original contract, of course. He underestimated just how efficient your prot¨¦g¨¦ would be, I think.¡±

    ¡°If you feel that Mayhew has taken advantage of your family, I¡¯m sure you and I can work something out.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Ma¡¯Rin said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s a good lesson for little Sai, and he¡¯ll have to handle the accounting on his side. But let¡¯s not pretend that the young man is normal. You clearly see potential in him, and from the reports I¡¯ve read I¡¯m inclined to agree.¡±

    Ma¡¯Rin leaned forward, steepling his hands. ¡°Tell me, Jarberry. Do you really think he¡¯ll be able to help you, where so many others haven¡¯t?¡±

    Jarberry sighed, setting down his wine glass. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot, but if he can avoid dying until he gets to C Grade he¡¯s the best bet I have.¡±

    ¡°Then for your sake, my friend, I hope he makes it. If the rumors that reached me are true, I believe his trials have only just begun.¡±

    Jarberry nodded, a somber expression on his face. ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. Still, I think it¡¯s important for him to show that he can protect himself. It¡¯s worth the gamble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too late for me to warn little Sai, you know.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it, I really do. But we both know that he wouldn¡¯t learn the lesson he needs if you did.¡±

    Ma¡¯Rin nodded. ¡°Just so. Then let us hope he is up to the task. At the least, I can help cover the fallout. Regardless of the outcome.¡±

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    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s more than I could ask.¡±

    A sly smile played over Ma¡¯Rin¡¯s face. ¡°Then consider another of my favors paid, old friend.¡±

    ~~~

    [IT¡¯S GETTING AWAY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I can see that, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle growled. ¡°Keep highlighting which tunnel it¡¯s using and I¡¯ll catch up.¡±

    A crimson glow lit up the cavern, competing with the orange light that suffused it. The styxlion was speeding down a smaller tunnel, using its boosting skill to expedite its retreat. Kyle swore as he weaved through stalagmites and pillars in the narrow tunnel, unfamiliarity with the terrain slowing his pursuit.

    Unfortunately for the beast, however, there was no overcoming the gap in their attributes. With Ignition active, Kyle gained ground. Slowly, inexorably, he ate away at the distance between them. The occasional volley of needle-like fur was shot toward him, though it wasn¡¯t enough to puncture his skin.

    Finally, seeming to realize it couldn¡¯t escape, the styxlion turned and lunged at Kyle. He raised his left arm to block, even as Parasitic Resonance took hold. Fangs dug at his arm while claws scrabbled against his chest. A moment later, the beast fell to the ground, unmoving.

    Kyle sighed as he activated Healing Impetus, the minor wounds on his body sealing in mere moments. The whole hunt left a sour taste in Kyle¡¯s mouth, and at this point he was ready to be done with it. Even early on, it struck Kyle as odd that the creatures seemed hesitant to attack him. As he began his extermination, that behavior became more pronounced.

    Kyle had been hunting them for nearly a full cycle, and the styxlions were now trying to avoid him like the plague. Whenever they detected his presence, they ran away. It resulted in many pursuits like the one he¡¯d just completed, and Kyle was getting tired of slaying creatures that went out of their way to avoid a conflict.

    This phenomenon turned his last hunt with Ma¡¯Sai into a complete circus, with them having to chase their quarry for the better part of a day before the Deckmaster was able to finish his seal.

    Still, he doubted the Core of the Parasitic Devourer would be thrilled about being left partially sated. He couldn¡¯t be sure, but Kyle suspected that the mysterious core had requirements it needed to fill to progress. If it didn¡¯t cross the threshold to a new Adaptive Anatomy, he theorized that it wouldn¡¯t be able to grow any further at all.

    While he wasn¡¯t sure what new benefits it would bring, Kyle didn¡¯t want to leave any advantages on the table. So, he¡¯d gone about his work. At least it¡¯s making the planet safer, he thought. The justification was dismissed as soon as it entered his mind. At the end of the day, he was finishing something he started. Over 100 styxlions had already fallen, and he knew there would only be a few more needed before his core would be filled 20%.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I¡¯M DETECTING ANOTHER ROOT SYSTEM. I¡¯D VERY MUCH LIKE TO INVESTIGATE.]

    Kyle grunted as he hoisted the body over his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯ve got it, C.H.A.D.D. Show me where it is.¡±

    The drone projected a map of the area, with a bright sphere indicating the location of the root network. [WHILE YOU WALK, DO YOU MIND IF I BORROW SOME MORE MANA? THIS PROJECT HAS BECOME MORE DEMANDING THAN EXPECTED.]

    With a thought, Kyle opened the connection with C.H.A.D.D., allowing it to draw on his mana reserves. The draw was significant, nearly as much as it took Kyle to keep Ignition active, though without the benefit of drawing in atmospheric mana to replenish his reserves. ¡°Anything else you¡¯re ready to share about your project?¡±

    [NOT AT THIS TIME, DR. MAYHEW. AND YOU¡¯RE CERTAIN THE ADDED WEIGHT ISN¡¯T AN ISSUE?]

    Kyle snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve hardly noticed. Once we get back home, we¡¯ll work on making your pack a little more spacious, though. I don¡¯t want you getting too cramped in there.¡±

    [I HAVE NEVER HAD A CRAMP, DR. MAYHEW. AS A REMINDER, I DO NOT HAVE A MUSCULAR STRUCTURE.]

    ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech, buddy.¡±

    [WELL, IT¡¯S AN INACCURATE ONE.]

    Kyle smiled as he wound through the tunnels, following C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map. Soon, he came upon a large chamber, with the root system the drone identified. This was the fourth such formation they¡¯d discovered, and C.H.A.D.D. was particularly interested in how the plants drew nourishment from the surface.

    The desolate landscape above seemed devoid of life, but from what C.H.A.D.D. could tell, these root systems somehow converted kinetic energy from the raging storms above into a form of nourishment. The root systems formed a pseudo-web just below the surface, with twisted root structures that resembled shock absorbers leading down to a singular node like the one before him.

    More conventional roots dug into the stone of the cavern below, leaving an impressive sight. Rhythmic mana pulsed through the large knot of wood, reminding Kyle of a heartbeat. White pill bugs the size of pigs crossed the network of roots, nibbling at the hardy wood. From what Kyle was able to see, the seeds of the plant were actually present in the roots, allowing the arthropods to spread the seeds deeper into the caverns.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t confirm it, but he also suspected that these bugs were the primary prey of the styxlions. The whole ecosystem deeper into the caverns was interesting, and he was looking forward to no longer being a disruption.

    [CAN I HAVE THIS ONE, DR. MAYHEW?]

    Kyle sighed. At least one of them was looking forward to not being a disruption. ¡°I told you, C.H.A.D.D., you can¡¯t take all of its information. If you can be satisfied with drawing only a little mana, I¡¯ll help.¡±

    [IS 80% CONSIDERED A LITTLE, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°You can take 20%. No more.¡±

    [I COULD GROW THE SEEDS MORE EFFECTIVELY IF I TOOK MORE.]

    ¡°I think you¡¯re doing just fine with what we¡¯ve got.¡±

    [FINE. 20% IT IS.]

    Kyle extended a tendril of Parasitic Resonance toward the thrumming heart of the plant. True to its word, C.H.A.D.D. only drew 20% of the total mana from the plant. It was still a marvel to Kyle that the drone was able to contain so much energy, though he suspected a good amount of it was being fed to the world tree seed.

    The year he¡¯d been able to spend gently influencing it with Parasitic Resonance had helped a lot, but Kyle was still very much in the dark compared to his drone companion. C.H.A.D.D. invested an incredible amount of time and energy trying to uncover the seed¡¯s secrets, something its class helped with significantly.

    C.H.A.D.D. spent about an hour scanning the root system, while Kyle thought about his next steps. The teleportation network would be up and running in a little over a week, which left him plenty of time to hunt his final styxlions. Ma¡¯Sai was planning a celebratory dinner the night the project was done, and Kyle was looking forward to a relaxing few days before returning home. About time things settled down.

 Chapter 200

    [I DETECT ANOTHER STYXLION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. were nearly back to the battlement when the drone made its announcement.  Kyle reflexively looked at the body slung over his shoulders.  ¡°Has it seen us?¡±

    [I DON¡¯T BELIEVE SO, DR. MAYHEW.  THOUGH IT DOES APPEAR TO BE MOVING AWAY FROM OUR LOCATION.]

    C.H.A.D.D. highlighted its position on the map, and Kyle watched as it slowly made its way through the labyrinthine tunnels.  It was heading toward an area he hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to explore, which piqued Kyle¡¯s interest.  On the other hand, he didn¡¯t want to carry the body of his first hunt through the tunnels.  Just a quick drop off, then we¡¯ll pursue.  10,000 credits was a substantial paycheck, and Kyle wasn¡¯t about to miss out on it.

    ¡°Another beast, Mayhew?  If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say you¡¯re determined to bleed every last credit out of the Ma family before you go.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, too Go¡¯Wree.  Now are you going to take the body or not?  I¡¯m about to head back out.¡±

    The gate to the battlements opened, and Kyle felt dozens of eyes trained on him.  Staffing had increased at the battlement over the past weeks, in preparation for further expansion.  Go¡¯Wree had made his displeasure with Kyle apparent, and his opinions were clearly shared by the other guards.  Kyle handed off the styxlion corpse to a waiting attendant, who looked at him with a hint of revulsion before walking away with the body.

    ¡°I¡¯m struggling to understand why we continue to pay for your luxurious accommodations, when you¡¯re spending most of your time out in the caverns.¡±

    Kyle looked at the larger man, measuring his response.  On one level, he understood that he¡¯d made some mistakes in his interactions with the Ma family.  The weeks exploring the tunnels and hunting had given him time to reflect, his paranoia having led to some unnecessary abrasiveness.

    At the same time, Kyle¡¯s presence was nothing but beneficial for the settlement.  He was paid well below Mercenary Guild rates for the exterminations, while also dealing with the roving predators far more effectively than the others would have been able to.  Had Go¡¯Wree and his teams attempted the extermination, they would have paid a steep price in blood.

    ¡°I understand you¡¯re frustrated.  I¡¯ll be out of your hair soon enough.¡±

    ¡°At least make sure you¡¯re back in time for the young master¡¯s banquet.  You¡¯re an invited guest, and failure to attend would reflect poorly on the family; particularly if you miss it to chase down a few extra credits.¡±

    Kyle ignored the jab, opting to take the high road.  ¡°Understood.  I¡¯ll be back in plenty of time.¡±

    Once he and C.H.A.D.D. were out of earshot, the drone piped up.  [I DON¡¯T THINK HE LIKES YOU VERY MUCH, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he does either, C.H.A.D.D.  All the more reason to get the hunting done and get out of here.¡±

    [THE LAST ENHANCEMENT PROVED QUITE SIGNIFICANT.  DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THIS ONE WILL DO?]

    ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m close.  If the next styxlion doesn¡¯t bring me over the edge, I¡¯m certain the one after will.¡±  In addition to taking the next step for his Core of the Parasitic Devourer, Kyle also suspected the next fight would push him to Level 65.  Hunting styxlions wasn¡¯t a particularly efficient way for him to gain levels, but slaying over 100 of the creatures had been enough to keep him progressing.

    Kyle followed C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map, moving through the tunnels in the direction they¡¯d spotted their prey.  Unfortunately, Kyle had no skill whatsoever when it came to tracking.  He would have struggled above ground, but the stony floor coupled with the dim light left him clueless.

    ¡°Are you picking it up on your scanners?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [I AM NOT, DR. MAYHEW.  HOWEVER, THE TUNNEL SYSTEM APPEARS TO NARROW AHEAD.  IT IS LIKELY THE STYXLION MOVED FURTHER IN, AND WE COULD CATCH UP.]

    Kyle weighed his options for a moment before deciding to continue onward.  They hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to map out much of the caverns in the area ahead, and part of him was wary of exploring unknown territory.  At the same time, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s ability to map out the tunnels had proven to be invaluable.  He was confident his robotic companion could keep them from getting lost, even if the hunt turned into a prolonged one.

    ¡°Do you have enough of my mana to continue with your work?¡±

    [I SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT RESERVES FOR A WHILE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Just let me know when you need me to give you some more.¡±

    Crimson light mingled with the orange as Kyle activated Ignition, dashing ahead down the tunnel ahead.  True to C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words, the tunnel narrowed as he moved deeper and deeper, until it was only a little larger than Kyle himself.  It constricted even more, and he nearly turned back before it opened on the other side.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Kyle took one step, then another before stopping, standing on the edge of a large chasm.  Orange lights danced over the abyss, easily 50 meters across.  Stalactites hung down from the ceiling, making the cavern look like the open maw of a ravenous beast.

    He could easily envision a styxlion leaping into the air, then gliding on its bat-like wings across to the other side of the chasm.  Alternatively, they could likely scrabble high enough up the wall to jump, grab a stalactite, and then glide down from there.  All solutions that Kyle lacked.

    ¡°Well, it was worth a look.  I know you¡¯re still working on your project; I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have the bandwidth to make a bridge across out of bamboo?¡±

    [A BRIDGE IS LIKELY OUT OF THE QUESTION, DR. MAYHEW.  IF YOU¡¯RE WILLING TO DRAW A VERY MODEST AMOUNT OF ENERGY FROM THE WORLD TREE SEED, HOWEVER, I SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH EXCESS CAPACITY TO REINFORCE SOME BAMBOO PITONS TO AID YOU.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±  Immediately after speaking the words, he felt a heavy draw on his mana.  It was as if he was struggling against a massive set of gates, only succeeding at opening them the barest crack.  Still, it was enough.  Golden energy began to flow through, and Kyle held out his hand as the first golden-veined shoot of bamboo was grown.

    It looked like a sword, with a sharp end glowing golden, the other side looking like a relatively normal shoot of bamboo.  It felt solid, more like he was holding metal than the fibers of a plant.  With a decisive movement, Kyle struck the side of the cavern wall with the glowing golden end.  It pierced the stone with virtually no effort, and he could hear the gentle sounds of the plant taking root deep in the stone.

    C.H.A.D.D. soon produced another, and Kyle took a tentative step onto the first before affixing the second.  The bamboo didn¡¯t even flex under his weight, and soon Kyle had a small walkway set into the side of the cave.  Kyle set his final piton, then jumped to the cave floor on the other side.  A quick activation of Ignition kept his mana reserves fairly well topped off, but mentally he was wearing thin.  The strain from manipulating the world tree seed was immense, even for small projects like this.

    Even so, Kyle was getting more and more excited about the prospects it presented.  Working alongside C.H.A.D.D., they could create some incredible effects.  Kyle could envision both offensive and defensive applications, offering more flexibility inside and outside of combat situations.  Of course, he¡¯d need to get a lot more powerful before he could fully make use of the seed.

    ¡°Do you see the styxlion anywhere?¡±  Kyle asked, a headache beginning to throb behind his eyes.

    [I BELIEVE I DETECTED IT AT THE EDGE OF MY RANGE, THOUGH IT DIDN¡¯T STAY IN LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO CONFIRM.]

    Kyle looked at the extensive network of tunnels, and the mark C.H.A.D.D. left to signify the location.  With a sigh, Kyle activated Ignition again, and resumed his pursuit.  He passed the remains of several of the pill bugs, and soon the styxlion was back on the map.

    [DR. MAYHEW, THERE ARE TWO MORE OF THE ROOT SYSTEMS IN THE AREA.  I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE STOPPING AT THEM ON THE WAY BACK.]

    ¡°We can do that,¡± Kyle said, eyes fixed on the map as he leapt over stalagmites and through the tunnels.  The styxlion seemed to notice his presence once he drew within a couple hundred meters, and the chase was on.  As with the one he¡¯d hunted before, the difference in raw attributes with Ignition active proved to be a gulf it couldn¡¯t cross.  Kyle¡¯s pursuit took the better part of an hour, but soon he got within range, allowing Parasitic Resonance to do its work.

    He felt the core cross its threshold, and immediately afterward felt his entire body begin to itch.  Kyle gritted his teeth against the sensation, which only intensified as the moments wore on.  As it was growing unbearable, Kyle was hit with a bout of vertigo.  What the hell?  The space around him felt wobbly, and coupled with the incessant itching it was growing to be too much.

    Kyle placed a hand against the cool stone as he slumped to the ground, trying to get his bearings.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., something feels very wrong.  What can you tell me?¡±

    [A CURSORY SCAN INDICATES HIGHLY ELEVATED NERVE ACTIVITY, WITH RECEPTORS SPREADING ACROSS YOUR BODY.  IT ALSO APPEARS THAT YOUR BRAIN FUNCTION IS ELEVATED.]

    ¡°What¡¯s causing it?¡±

    [LIKELY THE NEW MECHANOSENSORY HAIRS ACROSS YOUR BODY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The what?  Kyle looked down at his arm, rolling up the sleeve.  Sure enough, he could barely make out short, almost barb-like hairs sticking out of his arm.  He reached out with his left hand to touch one, and his headache grew as he felt the air around his body shift with the movement.  When his finger finally brushed the hair, it felt more like a small spike than normal body hair.

    ¡°And you think these ¡®hairs¡¯ are sensory receptors of some sort?¡±

    [THAT IS THE MOST CONSISTENT EXPLANATION I HAVE, YES.]

    Kyle drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to understand the foreign sensation.  Sure enough, he could feel the flow of air in the cavern, the wall behind him, and even the nearby body of the styxlion.  He wasn¡¯t sure how long he sat, breathing deeply, but as time wore on the sensation of vertigo started to recede.  Kyle was finally stable enough to enter meditation.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 65 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 20%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 976

    ENDURANCE: 1119

    STRENGTH: 375

    DEXTERITY: 720

    WILLPOWER: 1386

    INTELLIGENCE: 1386

    PERCEPTION: 1045

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Kyle immediately split his free attributes between Willpower and Intelligence, before focusing his attention on the Synaptic Barbs change to his Adaptive Anatomy.  No impression came to his mind, though from the name alone he felt that C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s analysis was on the right track.

    Kyle was reminded of the Anticipation skill he¡¯d been offered back in E Grade, and couldn¡¯t help but feel that this change to his Adaptive Anatomy was similar.  Unlike the skill, however, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could turn this skill off.

    He stood on shaky legs, trying to process all the new information his body was taking in from the world around him.  The vertigo immediately returned as he started to move, and he settled back down on the ground.  This is going to take some getting used to.

 Chapter 201

    [DR. MAYHEW, I¡¯M BEGINNING TO GROW CONCERNED WE¡¯LL MISS THE BANQUET.]

    ¡°Just keep working on your project, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle growled. The sensory overload was bearable when he sat still, but grew progressively more challenging the more he moved. It had been 3 days since he acquired the Synaptic Barbs upgrade, and his progress back toward Torrel was glacial.

    Kyle had no doubt the skill would prove useful, even though the timing of the upgrade couldn¡¯t have been more unfortunate. It didn¡¯t exactly offer an entirely new sense, though the degree to which it magnified his feeling of the world around him was massive. Kyle estimated that he could perceive the flow of air nearly 15 meters around him.

    He was already dreading his return to the Hub, imagining the sensory overload he had waiting for him. Even the near-emptiness of the caverns was a lot to handle. Of course, he hadn¡¯t been offered the opportunity to just sit in peace to process. C.H.A.D.D. was willing to wait just over a day before beginning an incessant stream of suggestions; asking Kyle to continue his progress toward the other root systems.

    They had just left the second, and C.H.A.D.D. was greedily drinking in Kyle¡¯s mana while he walked. Once the drone was done, Kyle was feeling up to using Ignition for a while to make up ground. He¡¯d tested it a few times, and while the migraine was brutal, he could manage. Adaptive Regeneration was already hard at work repairing and enhancing his nerve ganglia, and he hoped that a few more weeks of practice would get him acclimated.

    ¡°Any chance you can turn the lights down, just a little bit?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW. I WOULD SUGGEST YOU TRY NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR FOOTING, HOWEVER.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be much of an issue anymore, buddy.¡±

    Kyle meant it, too. There was still a lot to learn about the new sense he¡¯d discovered, but he could already make out the physical obstacles around him as though they were in plain daylight. Other than a couple of curious pill bugs, Kyle hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to track other moving creatures, but he hoped it would be just as easy.

    Once he adapted to the new sensations provided by Synaptic Barbs, Kyle expected that his reaction speed would be boosted to ridiculous levels. It was as close to a direct combat enhancement as Kyle could hope for, and he was eager to get a chance to test it out.

    They had to make the difficult decision not to bring the final styxlion corpse along, as Kyle was concerned it could hamper his understanding of the new abilities if he was carrying the body around the whole time. Already he could feel small pockets of ¡°static¡± where his clothing and the C.H.A.D.D.pack blocked some of his barbs. He could certainly survive without another 10,000 credits, though part of him stung at leaving money on the table.

    ¡°So, are you willing to share what you¡¯ve been working on?¡±

    [THE RESULTS ARE STILL PRELIMINARY; HOWEVER, THEY ARE PROMISING. I¡¯VE MANAGED TO COMPLETE INSCRIPTIONS ON ROUGHLY 3 KILOMETERS OF VINES, WHICH ARE THEN BEING SEALED INSIDE THE WORLD TREE SEED.]

    ¡°Wait, 3 kilometers? C.H.A.D.D., isn¡¯t that a little excessive?¡±

    [I WILL NEED TO INSCRIBE FAR MORE THAN THAT, DR. MAYHEW. EARLY ESTIMATES INDICATE 350,000 KILOMETERS TO 400,000 KILOMETERS AS THE FINAL NUMBER. THAT¡¯S ASSUMING WE DON¡¯T COME ACROSS ANY NEW INSIGHTS, OF COURSE.]

    Kyle¡¯s head was reeling just trying to take in the sheer numbers. C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s estimates meant the vine could have literally reached the moon from Earth. ¡°What do you expect the vines to do, exactly? This is just for the inscriptions, right?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW. MODELING THE INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE ORB WE RETRIEVED, IT SHOULD BE THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO SUMMON AND STORE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF INSCRIBED VINES TO PRODUCE DIFFERENT EFFECTS.]

    ¡°What kind of effects are you thinking?¡± Kyle asked.

    [FOR EXAMPLE, ONE LAYER MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE MANA-ABSORBING PROPERTIES WHEN GROWING PLANTS. ANOTHER MAY IMPOSE THE PREDATORY REACTIONS OF THE SUNDEW PLANTS. THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS ARE QUITE BROAD.]

    Broad barely describes it, Kyle thought. Kyle definitely wanted to study the orb more closely when he returned. To his recollection, it likely carried several thousand layers with individual inscriptions that could shift up and down to produce the different effects. It was ingenious to try and replicate the effect with vines, although it was prohibitive from a space perspective.

    Of course, if Kyle could figure out a method to tap into the space Between, space would be a non-issue. Unfortunately, he had no luck on that front outside of his near-death experience against the Storm. Even though it was only his consciousness that crossed in, Kyle felt strongly that there was a physical space that the seed occupied. Coupled with the vision he saw when he finished his Adaptive Anatomy, Kyle knew that there were beings like the presence that could move through it.

    Even if Kyle was a long way from being able to traverse the space, storing thousands of kilometers of inscribed vines could be a possibility. If nothing else, it would give him and C.H.A.D.D. insights into the Between. The more they could understand about the operation of the strange space, the more doors they could open. He couldn¡¯t be completely certain, but Kyle doubted that even Jarberry¡¯s stealth abilities could compete with the World Tree Seed¡¯s security simply being nestled into the strange dimension. What could a skill like Storm Shelter upgrade to, if it borrowed from these concepts? Could Identify eventually pierce through to see the things nestled Between?

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    A throb from his headache turned Kyle¡¯s attention back to the present predicament. ¡°How much farther until we reach the chasm, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [AT YOUR CURRENT PACE, ANOTHER 3 HOURS. FROM THERE, I ANTICIPATE THE BETTER PART OF A DAY UNTIL YOU¡¯RE BACK IN TORREL.]

    Kyle groaned. That would leave him almost no time before he would have to attend Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s dinner. And there was no doubt in Kyle¡¯s mind, he had to attend. While he didn¡¯t think that Go¡¯Wree and the others would go out of their way to cause physical harm, he fully expected that his reputation around the Ma family would be dragged through the dirt. They were already upset at how many credits he¡¯d cost them, leaving an insult for their young master would be a very unwise idea.

    Kyle closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he braced himself to activate Ignition. There was no additional sensory input from the skill blooming to life, which was a mercy. ¡°Let me know when we¡¯re getting close.¡± Each step Kyle took as he accelerated led to a kaleidoscope of sensation; each shift in the cavern¡¯s air detected as his body sped through it.

    C.H.A.D.D. kept its map active, though Kyle struggled to keep an eye on it with all the movement he was detecting as he ran. Fortunately, the small glances were enough, as his Sensory Barbs allowed him to navigate the bulk of the twisting tunnels without issue. As expected, the major challenge was the magnifying pain of his headache.

    Adaptive Regeneration did its best, but there wasn¡¯t physical damage to heal. Kyle simply had to get used to filtering the information as it flooded his mind. His right foot caught a small rock in his distraction, and he found himself begin to fall; only to feel his left leg move instinctively, darting forward and allowing him to catch his balance.

    Kyle knew that to be an effect of Covert Dexterity, and he marveled for a moment at the incredible synergy across the physical components of his Adaptive Anatomy. Exoskeletal Strength and Ceaseless Vitality were the two that he used the least, though each would keep him moving long after a human body would have fallen. The Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation offered survivability, while Auric Perception and Sensory Barbs offered detection that was supported by Covert Dexterity.

    Each component served to support the others, further enhanced by Instinctive Intelligence and Unbreakable Will. In some ways, one of Kyle¡¯s largest unanswered questions was how he wanted to round out his skills. He couldn¡¯t be sure if his Core of the Parasitic Devourer would accept any creature, or if it needed to have some sort of compatibility.

    Either way, one thing was certain. Kyle would need to be more careful with the targets he attacked with Parasitic Resonance moving forward, at least until his skills were rounded out. In a worst-case scenario, he would have a hodgepodge of different creatures that his core wanted, and not enough of any of them to actually break the 10% threshold he needed for an upgrade. That wasn¡¯t an outcome he could tolerate.

    Kyle felt the air around him shift, and soon he was approaching the mouth of the giant chasm. Kyle deactivated Ignition as he looked out, seeing the walkway of bamboo pitons he secured into the wall. Even now, days later, they thrummed with energy. ¡°Pretty impressive work, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [THERE ARE SEVERAL INCONSISTENCIES IN LENGTH AND DIAMETER, THOUGH I SUPPOSE I DID CREATE THEM WHILE I WAS DISTRACTED.]

    ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t think we want to leave them here. Is there any way you can absorb the energy back? Maybe seal them up if we need them again?¡±

    The drone was silent for a full minute before responding. [I BELIEVE I CAN DO THAT, DR. MAYHEW. I¡¯LL NEED YOU TO CONNECT ME TO EACH AS WE MOVE PAST IT, IF YOU¡¯RE ABLE.]

    ¡°Say no more.¡± Despite the pounding in his temples, Kyle navigated across the makeshift bridge, grabbing each bamboo spike once he¡¯d gotten past. C.H.A.D.D. drained some of the golden energy from them, and the remaining fibers fell apart in his hands. Kyle didn¡¯t question the methods, finally crossing the final step.

    [I APOLOGIZE, DR. MAYHEW. I WAS UNABLE TO SEAL THEM AS EXPECTED.]

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. What do you think happened?¡±

    [I¡¯M NOT ENTIRELY SURE. I THEORIZE THAT IT¡¯S A MATTER OF COMPATIBILITY AND POWER, THOUGH FURTHER TESTING IS REQUIRED BEFORE I SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE.]

    Kyle could detect a hint of frustration behind C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words, an unusual occurrence for the drone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, we didn¡¯t make the pitons with this idea in mind. It¡¯s a learning opportunity one way or another, right?¡±

    [I SUPPOSE YOU¡¯RE CORRECT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. spent most of the following day navigating the tunnel system back toward the checkpoint, using Ignition intermittently to accelerate his travel pace as he could. Finally, Kyle turned a corner, seeing the battlement in the distance. The booming voice that rang out told him that Go¡¯Wree spotted him, too.

    ¡°I was beginning to think you¡¯d died in those tunnels, Mayhew! And you don¡¯t even have a body to show for it. To think, you nearly missed a feast to return with empty hands.¡±

    Kyle sighed, choosing not to respond until he was closer. When he was a dozen meters away, he shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Go¡¯Wree. Any chance we can skip the pleasantries? I need to get back and clean up.¡±

    Even from the top of the battlement, he could see the larger man¡¯s nose wrinkle, a mocking smile on his face. ¡°So you do! Come, and hurry. Unless I¡¯m mistaken, your cleaning will take quite a while.¡±

    Kyle walked through the open door, noting far fewer people today. He suspected many would be working security at the banquet, though he supposed he¡¯d find out soon enough. The Sensory Barbs picked up much of the area around him, and Kyle fought to suppress a sigh of relief when the change in environment didn¡¯t lead to a lot of overload.

    A car was waiting for him, and soon he found himself walking through the doors to his residence. He was tired, but there wasn¡¯t time to rest. Kyle laid out his formal suit, tailored to fit over his armor. He looked at the dust covering the C.H.A.D.D.pack, and knew he¡¯d need time to clean it. First, however, he needed a shower.

    Kyle stepped into his bathroom, closing his eyes as warm water washed over him. It was odd, being able to feel the air around each droplet of water. It was disorienting at first, though he grew more comfortable as the minutes passed by.

    Suddenly, he felt a spike through Auric Perception. A presence was in the other room. His room. Kyle burst out of the bathroom, just in time to see a slender man grab the C.H.A.D.D.pack and sprint out of the open front door with speed that only a D Grade could possess.

 Chapter 202

    Kyle froze for a fraction of a second, taking in the sight.  There¡¯s just no way¡­  The reality of his circumstances sank in a moment later, and crimson light danced around him as Ignition activated.  He made it to his front doorway, only to be blasted directly backward by a wave of force.  Snarling, Kyle stood and dashed again, his efforts rewarded with another shockwave.

    The entry to his residence was cracked and buckling, not designed to handle attacks like the ones that struck it.  As Kyle was preparing to exit again, a sharp voice cut through the air.

    ¡°Give it up, Mayhew.  Our associate is long gone with your little weapon.  We weren¡¯t hired to fight you, and we don¡¯t want to make more of a scene than we already have.  Admit you¡¯ve lost with some grace, and everybody walks away unharmed.¡±

    Kyle snarled, Ignition still burning through his body.  Despite his roaring headache, a cold clarity was beginning to bubble up.  ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±  Kyle spat back.

    ¡°Nobody important,¡± the voice said.  ¡°Now, deactivate your boosting skill and sit in the doorway of your home.  We¡¯ll wait for a couple of minutes, and this will all be over.¡±

    Kyle closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  The air around him was swirling with dust and splintered wood, and he couldn¡¯t afford the distraction.  Instead, he focused on the impression offered by Auric Perception.  His pulse quickened when he finally filtered through the input from Sensory Barbs.  There were three presences outside the residence, each one carrying an aura potent enough to challenge him alone.

    Almost certainly mid-tier D Grade.  He should have felt concern.  His mind should have been racing to find a solution.  Instead, he got angry.  Cold fire burned in his chest as Ignition continued to flare, building up toward its equilibrium.    ¡°I think you have things a little backwards,¡± Kyle said, ice in his voice.  ¡°If your ally doesn¡¯t come back with C.H.A.D.D., they¡¯ll have three dead friends.¡±

    He could hear laughter outside the house, quieting as the voice responded.  ¡°Now that¡¯s just a shame.  Here I was thinking we could keep things civil, and you had to go and threaten us.  A mistake, to be sure.  Nergal, if you¡¯d be so kind?¡±

    Auric Perception screamed a warning as a blast of wind struck the house, the force shearing away walls and supporting structures.  Kyle was blown back, and the ruins of the house fell around him.  A year ago, that would have been an inconvenience.  Kyle shifted the rubble around him, then exploded into movement.  Judging by the loud swearing behind him, they hadn¡¯t expected Kyle to simply run away.

    His armor was still buried in the rubble of the house, but there was really nothing he could do about it.  Kyle could only use it to its fullest when C.H.A.D.D. was around, and without the drone it would offer little protection beyond what his Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation brought to the table.  He suppressed nausea as he processed the completely uninhibited input from Sensory Barbs, the amount of information truly staggering.

    Auric Perception warned him of an incoming attack, just as he felt the air behind him swirl.  On instinct, Kyle jumped to the side, just in time for an arrow to pass through the space he¡¯d been occupying.  It flew forward, exploding in a shower of sparks and flames when it struck a building 40 meters away.  He ducked as another flew over his head, and a third barely scraped his shoulder as it passed by.

    In other circumstances, Kyle would be grinning.  Even though he was a long way from mastery, the synergy between his skills was on full display.  As things stood, however, Kyle was focused on one thing: finding C.H.A.D.D.

    Fortunately, the options to escape Torrel were fairly limited.  They were either waiting for a ship to pick them up from the entrance in the storm, or they were going to try and make use of the teleporter in Pokke.  If it was as simple as getting onto a ship, his attackers would have bought enough time already.  That left the tunnel.  With far fewer styxlions and D Grades at this level, making the journey would be trivial.  The best evidence supporting his theory is that they were still following him.  He was running toward the tunnel entrance, which was opposite the direction of the surface entrance.

    Kyle felt himself gaining ground on his pursuers, right until he felt a barrier of energy appear in front of him.  He turned to the side, only to find himself hemmed in by another plate of force.  His eyes widened as a final plate appeared over his head.  He was trapped in a box of mana, and it had only taken a second.  He looked through the translucent wall of the cube, finally laying eyes on the three approaching figures.

    Two walked toward him; a red-haired woman wearing an expensive-looking set of light armor and holding a bow, while the man beside her strode forward with a broadsword slung over his massive shoulder, muscular physique and tan skin visible beneath the padded armor he wore.  The third member floated in the air above, hands clasped together and panting heavily.  The man with sword spoke, the voice Kyle heard before.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°You¡¯re a real pain, do you know that?  We could have had a nice chat, instead you made us chase you across the whole damn city.  Iska, what do you think the payment should be for his disrespect?¡±

    The woman cocked her head as she nocking an arrow, though not aiming it at him.  ¡°An arm is probably sufficient.  Maybe a leg?  Teach him not to run from his betters.  What do you think, Nergal?  You¡¯re the one who caught him, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ just want... to go home,¡± the man in the robes puffed.  ¡°Though¡­ for what it¡¯s worth¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be smart¡­ to let him out of the cage.¡±

    Iska smirked as she looked up at Nergal.  ¡°What, you don¡¯t think Wallace and I can handle him?  I promise, we can do a little more damage than your little gust of wind.¡±

    ¡°Nergal may have a point, Iska.  Take a good look at him, something feels wrong.  Maybe it¡¯d be better to put him out of his misery.¡±  Wallace said, still wearing a relaxed smile.

    ¡°You both know that¡¯s not part of the job,¡± Nergal said, seeming to have caught his breath.  ¡°Killing him just invites trouble.¡±

    The three continued to bicker for a moment, though Kyle wasn¡¯t paying attention.  The small cage narrowed the range of his Sensory Barbs, releasing much of the auxiliary pressure he¡¯d been feeling.  Keeping Ignition burning, Kyle activated Identify.  He focused on the translucent planes of force, seeing a combination of air affinity mana shaped and given form by a skill.

    The barrier was durable, though not nearly at the level of Storm Shelter.  Furthermore, the plates of the barrier weren¡¯t fully sealed together into a cube.  It was rather like they were stuck together by virtue of tension.  This likely wouldn¡¯t have meant much to most D Grades, but Kyle¡¯s experience with Storm Shelter had taught him a lot about how to properly structure a shield like this.

    Plates of energy began to form around Kyle as the trio chatted, and Nergal was the first to notice something was wrong.  ¡°Holy ¨C he shouldn¡¯t have range to do that.  We have intel on that skill, he shouldn¡¯t have the range!¡±

    Sure enough, the plates of Storm Shelter were beginning to press against the interior of the Mage¡¯s barrier.  Kyle saw mana flowing through the floating man, and a thin trickle of blood flowed out of his nose as he struggled to hold Kyle¡¯s prison together.  Unfortunately for him, it was like trying to plug a dam with bubble gum.  For all his power, the other man was a long way behind Kyle in terms of raw Willpower, and that was before accounting for the boost offered by Ignition.

    The prison around him shattered as Storm Shelter broke through, taking its full form.  Three arrows smashed into the barrier a moment later, blocked with contemptuous ease.  Wallace let out a whistle as Nergal fell to the ground, barely landing on his feet.  ¡°The reports weren¡¯t kidding about your shield, it¡¯s impressive stuff.  I half-expected this to be courtesy of your little robot, if I¡¯m being honest.  Good to see you have some skills.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t bother responding, mind racing in overdrive.  He needed to get free of these people to pursue their companion into the tunnels, but that was easier said than done.  An arrow streaked at his head, while the ground beneath his feet exploded.  His body was peppered with shrapnel while his footing was threatened, and Kyle was barely able to duck out of the way of the arrow in time.

    He half expected to see Wallace dashing toward him, but instead he stamped his foot on the ground, releasing another explosion centered on Kyle¡¯s location.  A quick jump got Kyle out of range, though an accelerating volley of arrows kept him pinned down and prevented further progress.  Kyle got a good look at a projectile as it passed, Identify doing its work.  The arrows appeared to be mana constructs, with each one carrying a variety of different properties.

    Kyle was confident in taking a few hits head on, but the secondary properties seemed to be focused on binding and snaring, which he could ill-afford.  Kyle slammed into a rapidly-appearing wall of air, courtesy of Nergal, and barely managed to step out of the way before being captured in another cube.

    For every 2 steps Kyle was able to make toward the tunnel, he was being forced back one.  The team coordinated well, keeping the Survivalist at a reasonable distance while hampering his freedom of movement.  Kyle knew that, if he pushed, he would be able to close the distance on them and force a more direct engagement.  He also understood that if he did, he would lose even more time as C.H.A.D.D. was dragged down into the tunnels.

    A whisper in the air was all the warning Kyle got.  The barest hint of something moving unseen, and then Nergal let out a scream as a phantasmal styxlion appeared, ripping at his shoulder.  Wallace swore and turned to attack it, only for the captured beast to disengage, fading back into stealth.  Kyle felt a familiar power surge into being, moving closer with speed.

    Blood dripped down the injured man¡¯s shoulder, though with practiced movements Nergal drew a vial from a pouch on his belt, drinking the contents while Iska covered him.  Wallace held his blade up in a defensive stance, eyes wary.  Kyle tried to use the distraction to slip away, though another explosion of earth forced him back.

    Then, across all the city¡¯s communication infrastructure, Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s voice spoke.  ¡°You dare come to my city uninvited?  You dare disrupt my festival, my banquet, my celebration?  You dare to disrespect my honored guests, steal their property, and assault them?  You dare to destroy what my family has built?  Let my message be clear to you, and to any who would do such a thing again.  You will pay for your insolence with your lives.¡±

 Chapter 203

    ¡°What a mess.  How do you want to handle this, Wallace?¡± Iska asked, releasing another volley of arrows at Kyle.

    ¡°There¡¯s not much else we can do at this point.¡±  Wallace replied, stamping on the ground in an attempt to catch Kyle in an explosion.  ¡°The job included provisions to compensate for losses, they¡¯ll just have to pay a little more to cover the brat¡¯s death.  After all, it¡¯s his fault for not being strong enough to protect his own damn territory.¡±

    Kyle narrowly avoided being trapped inside another cage of force as his mind raced.  He couldn¡¯t see any worry on their faces at the thought of killing Ma¡¯Sai.  Unfortunately, Kyle didn¡¯t think their analysis was off-base.  Each of the 3 opponents he faced were more powerful than the young ruler.  If he had Go¡¯Wree, it may have been more of a fight.  As things stood, however, Kyle didn¡¯t think Ma¡¯Sai stood much of a chance.

    As if on cue, Kyle heard the droning of the phantasmal wasps, zipping through the air to surround the trio of assailants.  Arrows filled the sky a moment later as Iska peppered each of the insects, none of the creatures able to close within 20 meters.

    All the while, Kyle felt the approach of the phantom styxlions.  While Iska launched her attack, and the moment they appeared he made his move.  Wallace was able to slice one of them apart before it could attack, but the other took Iska to the ground.  Its jaws opened wide, aimed directly at the woman¡¯s throat before it was blown away by a powerful blast of wind.

    The lion landed on its feet, and Wallace was on it before it could activate its stealth skill.  At the same moment, Kyle made his move.  While Wallace was handling the styxlion, Kyle burst toward the two ranged combatants, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance extending to their maximum range.

    He heard Nergal swear, and felt a surge of mana as the Mage activated the same skill that destroyed Kyle¡¯s residence.  Storm Shelter sprang to life around him, preventing him from being blown away.  Nergal¡¯s quick activation kept Kyle just outside of Parasitic Resonance¡¯s range, and Kyle¡¯s heart fell as he saw the larger plates of force and air appear outside the boundaries of Storm Shelter.

    Nergal was breathing heavily, hands clasped together with arms outstretched as Kyle felt more layers wrap around the barrier.  I should have just run, Kyle thought.  He¡¯d hoped to at least take out Nergal and Iska, giving him an opportunity to help Ma¡¯Sai and still pursue C.H.A.D.D.  It was a foolish idea, and now he was contained.  Impotent.  Anger bubbled in his chest as Storm Shelter dissipated.  Nergal barked something to Iska, who moved to support Wallace.

    With Identify active, Kyle began to look over his prison.  He could see the constant infusion of mana from Nergal, which meant the man wasn¡¯t confident in his skill¡¯s ability to contain Kyle.  Instead, he was relying on brute force.  That meant there was still a chance.  His eyes roamed over each seam, each connection, until they finally landed on Wallace and Ma¡¯Sai.

    The young man glowed like a star in Kyle¡¯s vision, enchantments and power on full display.  His golden eyes were wide, expression focused as he danced away from Wallace¡¯s broadsword.  A dozen transparent blue swords floated around him, each bearing the same look as the other summons from his cards.  The blades intercepted a constant barrage of arrows from Iska, who was constantly retreating from the lumbering assault of the large crocodilian summon Kyle saw before.

    Each swipe of its claws ripped trenches into the ground below, though it simply wasn¡¯t fast enough to keep pace with the Archer, who kept a stream of attacks focused on Ma¡¯Sai.  To his credit, the young man fought far better than Kyle expected.  His steps were purposeful, and he didn¡¯t miss opportunities to launch a barrage of mana bolts at both Wallace and Iska, burning flesh and scorching armor wherever they hit.

    Still, it was a losing battle.  3 of the 12 swords had been broken, and the remaining blades each showed spiderweb cracks.  As impressive as they were, the constructs were ultimately E Grade skills.  They weren¡¯t designed to stand up to a prolonged D Grade engagement.  Similarly, the enchantments on his fine suit were beginning to fizzle out.  From what Identify could show, Kyle saw boosts to Dexterity and Perception weaved into the material.  When they ran out, so would Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s time.

    Of course, The master of Torrel knew that too.  He leapt over one attack from Wallace, taking an arrow  in his shoulder from Iska.  If he was bothered, he didn¡¯t show it.  Instead, his hands flashed, drawing out 2 of the silver cards.  He held them facing Wallace, who was too close to dodge.  Kyle heard Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s voice, clear as a bell above the din of battle.  ¡°Imperial Flame!¡±

    A blinding eruption of fire lashed out with a sound like a jet engine, engulfing Wallace at nearly point-blank range.  Kyle felt the temperature rise, even insulated inside his cage.  A moment later, the roaring fire abated.  A crater a meter deep and 3 across was left in the wake of the attack, with a smoldering lump of earth in the middle.

    As Kyle watched, the stone crumbled away, revealing a burned but standing Wallace in the center.  The large man was panting heavily, stumbling for a moment before regaining his footing.  Ma¡¯Sai flashed toward the man, blades arcing to carve into his opponent.  A flurry of arrows was already on the way from Iska, intercepting the attacks and shattering more of the spectral weapons.

    Ma¡¯Sai tried to backstep and change course, but Wallace was ready.  Kyle¡¯s hands pounded furiously at the barrier as he watched Ma¡¯Sai take a deep cut across his chest.  The masterfully crafted fabric of his suit blunted much of the blow, though Kyle saw the glow of the enchantments wink out after the attack.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Wallace swiped at the young man 3 more times, each strike destroying Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s blades.  Iska, seeming satisfied things were well in hand, turned her attention to the pursuing beast.  In moments, she turned the crocodilian creature into a pincushion, its form fading away.  Kyle looked back to see a pommel strike send Ma¡¯Sai sprawling to the ground. He retaliated with a mana bolt, which Wallace simply blocked with his free hand, barely registering the attack.  His footing stabilized as he approached the prone form of Ma¡¯Sai, and Kyle could see the contempt in his posture.

    ¡°How much will you pay me to leave you alive, brat?¡±  Wallace asked, pointing his sword.

    ¡°What an odd question, given you have just made an enemy of not only Ma Enterprises, but the Ma Family as well.  Pray tell, why do you think I would be willing to pay you anything?¡±  Ma¡¯Sai spat back.

    ¡°Because I¡¯d hoped you would be smart enough to set your pride aside and move on.  Doesn¡¯t look like that¡¯s the case though.  Have it your way.¡±

    Kyle could see the muscles in Wallace¡¯s arm tense as he prepared to move the sword, when a wave of power made all the hair on Kyle¡¯s body stand on end.  Wallace swung his weapon with purpose, but it encountered a coalescing wave of spectral energy, blocking it entirely.

    All around Ma¡¯Sai, energy condensed, and Kyle could barely make out a golden card in his right hand.  Iska fired more arrows at the young man, though none were able to cross the maelstrom of mana wrapping around him.  Kyle heard Nergal swear, though he was too transfixed by what he was watching.  This has to be it.

    Green wisps of power wove together, crackling with electricity.  As the tendrils joined, their power magnified, the color growing brighter with each passing second.  Wallace tried to flee, though it was already too late.  With a crack like thunder, everything above his hips was simply¡­ gone.  Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the form coiled around Ma¡¯Sai.  An emerald snake easily 50 meters in length surrounded the young man, its bloodstained head swaying gently in the air above them.

    Iska screamed, the sound a mix of desperation and anguish.  Deep black arrows arced towards the beast, which only served to earn her the predator¡¯s gaze.  Another sonic boom broke the air, and Iska was gone.  The creature¡¯s speed was incredible, and Kyle found himself staring in awe.  Its attacks were so fast that he couldn¡¯t register them ¨C a feat Kyle hadn¡¯t experienced in a very long time.

    The barriers around him disappeared as Nergal released his skill, instead using his levitation to fly away.  In his defense, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea.  The snake was powerful and fast, but Nergal was well outside of its striking range.  Even it if wasn¡¯t a great chance, he couldn¡¯t be blamed for thinking he had a window to escape.

    That hope was quashed.  Lightning surged through the long serpentine body as it charged its attack.  There was a single, terrible moment of stillness.  Then, the snake exhaled.  A stream of emerald lightning ripped through the air, its light outshining the glow of the city.  Nergal was caught in the heart of the beam, vaporized in an instant.  The attack continued on as though nothing happened, ripping a deep furrow into the cavern ceiling above the city.

    Kyle could hear the crash of falling stone, even as he moved to get to Ma¡¯Sai, who he could still see beyond the wall of translucent scales.  He froze once he felt the serpent¡¯s gaze rest upon him.  ¡°Can you dispel this thing?  You need healing.¡±  Kyle asked.

    Ma¡¯Sai coughed, blood staining his hand.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.  This one is still beyond me, it seems.  Go, find your drone.  My aides know to come to my side when they are able.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t control this creature?¡±

    ¡°That is what I¡¯m telling you.  It is protective of me, but I cannot direct it entirely as I wish.  Now, go.¡±  Ma¡¯Sai put more emphasis into the last word than before, and Kyle simply nodded before dashing toward the tunnel.  He could only hope that he could get to C.H.A.D.D. in time.

    ~~~

    [I MUST INSIST THAT YOU RETURN ME TO DR. MAYHEW THIS INSTANT.  YOU RUNNING AWAY SIMPLY WON¡¯T DO.]

    ¡°For the hundredth time, shut up!  If you weren¡¯t worth so many blasted credits, I¡¯d have broken you already.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, I¡¯VE ONLY ASKED 86 TIMES.  SOON TO BE 87.  WILL YOU RETURN ME NOW?]

    The man was silent, and C.H.A.D.D. considered its options.  Based on empirical evidence, it seemed highly unlikely that simply asking to be returned would be sufficient to persuade the captor.

    [YOU KNOW, DR. MAYHEW HAS CREDITS AS WELL.  PERHAPS AN ARRANGEMENT COULD BE REACHED?]

    The man winced, holding a hand to a bleeding injury on his left side.  ¡°He can¡¯t afford it.  Now, shut up.¡±

    [WHOEVER HIRED YOU TO LIKELY WANTS ME INTACT.  YOUR THREATS ARE RATHER EMPTY AS A RESULT.]

    The thief simply ran, bleeding from his left side as he moved through the tunnels.  Go¡¯Wree was able to land one good shot, and C.H.A.D.D. sincerely hoped that Dr. Mayhew would get there in time to stabilize the gruff soldier before he succumbed to his injuries.  While his bedside manner could use quite a bit of work, Go¡¯Wree reminded C.H.A.D.D. of several other doctors from its time on Earth.

    Unfortunately, those doctors were now dead.  And C.H.A.D.D. knew it faced a similar fate if it wasn¡¯t able to find a solution to neutralize the thief, or at least slow them down.  Dr. Mayhew was faster when he used his boosting skill at full power, though not by much.  The slender man carrying the drone seemed to have a class tied to speed, misdirection, and stealth.  C.H.A.D.D. was confident that Dr. Mayhew would be able to win in a direct conflict, but that was meaningless if he was unable to catch up to the thief.

    An idea formed as they turned down a familiar tunnel, one C.H.A.D.D. knew led to a chasm.  Still, there was something that needed to be confirmed before taking action.  [AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WILL NOT BE DISSUADED, AND INTEND TO SELL ME TO AN UNKNOWN ENTITY OFF-WORLD?]

    ¡°Yes, you idiot drone.  Why anybody would pay so much for such an annoying robot is beyond me.  I just hope that they scrap you when they¡¯re done with whatever they need.¡±

    [AND IT IS YOUR WISH THAT I AM DONE HARM?]

    ¡°More and more every moment,¡± the thief snarled.

    That was what C.H.A.D.D. needed.  Fortunately, Dr. Mayhew had been quite generous in his supply of mana for the World Tree Seed, and with a minor effort C.H.A.D.D. tapped into it.  The vines inside the scant space within the pack began to twist, straining against the bonds in a few key areas.  THERE WILL BE SOME DAMAGE TO THE PACK, BUT IT CAN¡¯T BE AVOIDED.  DR. MAYHEW WILL NOT BE PLEASED.

    The tunnels were silent for a moment, only to be filled with the screech of breaking metal.  And then the screams started.

 Chapter 204

    Kyle moved as quickly as he could, ignoring the confused glances from the few people he saw along the way.  His focus was singular: get to the battlement.  He could only hope that Go¡¯Wree and his team were enough to stop C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s captor.  With luck, they would have hidden between Torrel and the checkpoint, waiting for their allies to neutralize Kyle.  A gut feeling told him that wasn¡¯t the case.

    Wallace, Nergal, and Iska all seemed more than content to buy time, which wouldn¡¯t have made any sense if they weren¡¯t confident in their ally continuing to make progress.  From the little Kyle had been able to see, the person was fast.  If their movement skill was only good in quick bursts, he¡¯d have a chance.  If not¡­  Kyle dismissed the thought.  He was not going to lose C.H.A.D.D.

    The crimson glow of Ignition lit up the tunnel as he ran, fighting nausea at the overload of information provided by Sensory Barbs.  The battlement came into view, and Kyle¡¯s heart sank as he began to make out the details of the scene.  Bodies were scattered everywhere, covered in deep lacerations.  Long slash marks scored the metal structure, as if a storm of blades rained down on it.

    Identify showed a faint trace of dark affinity mana lingering in the weapon marks, though it seemed to be largely dormant.  Some sort of mana-infused blade?  Maybe a long-range weapon?  As soon as he got in range, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out, connecting to everybody he could see who was still living.  With an effort, he pushed Healing Impetus into all of them.  Mana left Kyle in a flood, as Ignition couldn¡¯t keep pace with the expenditure.

    Closing in 2 more steps, Sensory Barbs felt the presences around him, and Kyle could feel the subtle shifts in the air from shallow breathing.  He followed his instinct, pulling open a door to find two unconscious bodies.  It looked like they¡¯d tried to hide, though the deep gashes each carried told Kyle they were too late.  He paused for just a moment as he stabilized them, considering the condition of their injuries.  Kyle was behind, but not by much.

    There was one nagging thought; however.  Where is Go¡¯Wree?  The large man wasn¡¯t on the battlement, and Kyle didn¡¯t believe for a moment that he would have abandoned the post.  Kyle felt confident he checked everybody on the battlement ¨C 8 dead, and 14 stabilized.  Go¡¯Wree was not among them.  He strode to the top, feeling the mana inside the still-intact defensive formations inscribed on the gate.  Looking out, he saw a figure slumped against the tunnel wall 50 meters away.

    Kyle gritted his teeth as he vaulted over the top of the battlement.  As expected, the runes on the front lit up, releasing blasts of heat and light at Kyle.  He could feel the air ripple around the flames as they approached, and he ignored them.  Fire licked his skin, more uncomfortable than painful.  The blasts of force did succeed in propelling him farther down the tunnel, and he focused on the bleeding form of Go¡¯Wree ahead of him as he closed in.

    Storm Shelter was prepared to protect Torrel¡¯s sentinel if the attack from the battlement continued, though by the time Kyle got to Go¡¯Wree¡¯s side the bombardment was over.  Go¡¯Wree was in a wretched state.  He bled from multiple deep puncture wounds that had pierced his armor, and his left eye was destroyed by a cut that spanned the length of his face.  Kyle thought the man was dead until he heard a faint rasp of breath; felt the barest movement in his chest.

    Healing Impetus went to work, an initial ministration, a second, followed by a third.  Kyle knew the toll on Go¡¯Wree¡¯s body was going to be massive, even though he could see color visibly returning to the pallid flesh.  Go¡¯Wree¡¯s breathing eased, and Kyle turned to look down the tunnels ahead.

    ¡°Left.  He went left.¡±

    The ragged voice caused Kyle to nearly jump out of his skin, as he truly didn¡¯t believe the man he¡¯d just saved was conscious.  Kyle met his remaining eye and nodded.  ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡±I hit him..¡± Go¡¯Wree said, a wet cough following his words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself.  You¡¯re a long way from recovery, but you should be stable.  I¡¯ll be back when I can.¡±

    With that, the Survivalist turned and dashed in the direction Go¡¯Wree indicated.  Now that he knew what to look for, Kyle could see the spattered blood.  With Identify active, the trail was plain to him.  A fierce migraine was building from the layered sensations, and Kyle pushed through the pain and disorientation.  He couldn¡¯t give up; not when his goal was so close.  Kyle met the pain of each step with the certainty that he was one step closer to his friend.

    His singular focus was broken when he heard a bone-chilling scream echoing through the tunnels.  The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and his efforts redoubled.  Closer now.  Part of him had been wishing he hadn¡¯t killed so many styxlions, as their presence may have slowed down the thief.  Unless C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s captor had a deathly fear of pill bugs, it seemed there were still enough to be a threat.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Kyle questioned that logic as the screaming continued.  Styxlions were efficient hunters from what he¡¯d seen, and didn¡¯t hesitate to try and finish off wounded prey.  The screaming had been going on for well over a minute at this point, far longer than it should have been.  Hell, the carnage at the barricade was proof that the thief should have the means to deal with a styxlion.  Does something else live down here?

    He turned through a familiar, narrow tunnel that opened to the chasm, and his jaw dropped.  Where there had once been an empty chasm, there was now a writhing mass of thorny vines.  Some grew up and wrapped around stalactites, others seemed to bore into the stone walls of the cavern itself.  Some of the vines were slender, while others appeared as thick around as his legs.

    Kyle took in those details in a moment, and his eyes widened when he gazed upon the source of the screams.  In the heart of the wriggling mass of vines Kyle saw a figure.  It was strung up like a macabre marionette, thorned vines wrapped around its legs, arms, and head.  Wicked thorns dug into the flesh, causing rivulets of blood to drop soundlessly into the chasm below.

    The worst part, though, was the runic inscription slowly being etched across the screaming man¡¯s body.  Whatever this technique was, it was clearly built on the foundation of Ma¡¯Sai¡¯s sealing framework, though this one had some major differences.  With Identify active, Kyle could see the mana forcing changes on the man¡¯s body.  Ligaments were torn, with small vines flowing in to replace them.  Blood vessels collapsed as wood fought to take hold.

    The man¡¯s eyes were long gone, courtesy of the thorny vines, and all he could do was scream.  Kyle felt sick to his stomach.  He wanted to hate the man, did hate him, but this was too much.  Tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out, linking to the man¡¯s mana pathways and snuffing out his life.  The screaming stopped abruptly, leaving only the quiet whisper of twisting vines in the cavern.

    Kyle took a moment to compose himself, then began to look through the mess of vines for his companion.  Neither Identify nor Auric Perception were able to detect anything resembling C.H.A.D.D. or the pack, and Kyle was beginning to worry that the drone had been cast into the chasm during its fight against the thief.  Panic gripped his heart the longer he searched, before he finally heard a faint echo from the distant tunnel.

    [IF THAT¡¯S YOU, DR. MAYHEW, I COULD USE SOME ASSISTANCE!]

    Kyle swung across the chasm, ignoring the thorns as he grabbed vine after vine.  The impression from Sensory Barbs was interesting, as if the whole network of vines was an organism unto itself.  Still, there would be time to investigate those changes later.  For now, he had pressing work to do.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m coming for you!¡±  Kyle shouted.  ¡°Keep talking, help me find you!¡±

    Orange lights appeared in the tunnel ahead, and elation bloomed as Kyle followed them, stopping as he was greeted by a truly bizarre sight.  The C.H.A.D.D.pack was cracked, with several large holes near its base where a dozen slender vines were exposed.  C.H.A.D.D. was using most of them like a spider¡¯s legs to walk, while 3 whipped ineffectually at a large white pill bug.  The intrepid arthropod, for its part, seemed to find the vines a tasty treat, munching on the slow-moving whips every time they got close.

    [THANK GOODNESS YOU¡¯RE HERE, DR. MAYHEW.  SLAY THE BEAST AT ONCE, AND WE CAN BE ON OUR WAY.]

    Kyle was hit by one of the most confusing waves of emotion he¡¯d experienced.  He simultaneously wanted to laugh, collapse in relief, and kick the drone across the floor.  Instead, he settled for lifting the pill bug and dropping it off at the mouth of another tunnel, where it wandered away.  Kyle could feel the drone skittering across the tunnel floor, moving at surprising speed given the slender vines.  With a sigh, he turned to his companion.  ¡°What the hell happened, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [MY CAPTOR SNUCK INTO YOUR HOUSE, STOLE ME, AND RAN.  HE USED SOME SKILL AKIN TO A SMOKESCREEN, AND INJURED MANY OF MA¡¯SAI¡¯S PEOPLE.  GO¡¯WREE INJURED HIM, AND I MANAGED TO MAKE A DARING ESCAPE.  ALSO, HE WAS VERY BAD AT MATH.]

    Kyle gave the drone a flat look.  ¡°I¡¯m serious.  What did you do?  How did you do it?¡±

    There was a pause, silence filling the tunnel for nearly a minute before C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [I HAVE BEEN STORING A GOOD PORTION OF THE MANA YOU¡¯VE USED FOR THE WORLD TREE SEED, IN ADDITION TO MY OWN ACCUMULATED MANA.  THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELEASE MUCH OF THAT ENERGY, WHICH IS WHAT I DID.  I HAD HOPED TO BIND AND SEAL MY CAPTOR TO AWAIT PROCESSING BY THE PROPER AUTHORITIES, HOWEVER IT WENT VERY WRONG.  WITHOUT YOU TO HELP CONTROL THE PROCESS, I HAD TO DISENGAGE FROM THE CONSTRUCT.  I WAS ABLE TO USE THE LAST DREGS OF POWER AVAILABLE TO ME IN ORDER TO GROW THESE.]

    At that, C.H.A.D.D. waggled the vines for dramatic effect.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me you couldn¡¯t control it?¡±

    [NOT WITH MY PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE PLANTS, NO.  THE INSCRIBED VINES WERE EASIER TO GET WORKING, BUT FINE CONTROL IS STILL BEYOND ME.  WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE AND GREATER ACCESS TO THE SEED, I DOUBT IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM.]

    Kyle nodded, taking it all in.  The drone was well beyond Kyle¡¯s estimations, even though he¡¯d theorized that C.H.A.D.D. could be capable of feats like these eventually.  While Kyle could easily finance repairs to the pack at this point, he would need to take time to really think about what the next iteration would look like, given C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s new abilities.

    [WHILE I APPRECIATE THE RESCUE, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Go ahead buddy.  What is it?¡±

    [WHY AREN¡¯T YOU WEARING PANTS?]

 Chapter 205

    ¡°I had a few other things on my mind,¡± Kyle said defensively.

    [FOR THE FUTURE, PLEASE KNOW I DON¡¯T MIND IF YOU MAKE YOURSELF MODEST FIRST.  THERE WAS A REASON FOR THE CENTRAL HEALTH DRESS CODE, AFTER ALL.]

    C.H.A.D.D. fashioned the thin vines into makeshift straps, and Kyle took a moment to appreciate the familiar weight on the pack.  He¡¯d grown quite accustomed to it during their travels, and it was comforting to have his friend back.  ¡°Say, now that you have a solution to move, do you even want to be carried in the pack anymore?¡±

    [IF GIVEN THE CHOICE, I WOULD.  HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU WOULD PREFER THAT I BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT.]

    ¡°Not a problem at all.  We should still consider solutions that afford you more flexibility, but at this point it feels normal carrying you around.¡±

    The duo walked back through the tunnel, finally coming back to the tangling mass of vines suspended over the chasm.  In the few minutes since Kyle had last seen it, the plant seemed to have grown even more.  He frowned as he used Identify, looking at the surging mass of energy within.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., how much power did you give this thing?¡±

    [QUITE A BIT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I can tell.  Care to give me a percentage of your total?¡±

    [BETWEEN THE WORLD TREE SEED AND I, PERHAPS 15%?  MOST OF THAT COMING FROM ME, NATURALLY.]

    Kyle nodded, looking at the surging vital energy flowing through the construct.  There was no real intelligence, even though he could sense a base desire to find and consume prey.  Unfortunately, Kyle couldn¡¯t allow it to propagate.  With Identify, he could see minor flecks of golden energy moving through the vines, and he was confident that Ma¡¯Sai, or somebody else with a similarly powerful identification skill, could see them too.  It was simply too great of a risk to allow the plant to grow.

    Grabbing a vine, Kyle swung across to the other side.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s help, the vines didn¡¯t even move to grasp at him this time around.  He tried to ignore the image from Sensory Barbs of the fallen thief¡¯s body, now little more than a conduit through which the vines moved.  Once he was secure on the other side, he took a stabilizing breath and activated Parasitic Resonance.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I need you to stabilize the connection to the World Tree Seed.  I¡¯m going to try to push as much mana into it as I can.¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The tendrils of Parasitic Resonance infiltrated the plant, working as deeply as Kyle could manage.  Once he was satisfied, he allowed Ignition to bloom to life as he pulled.  Mana poured through the connection like a river, filling the World Tree Seed and drone alike.  The vines thrashed about, and Kyle stared in wonder as he saw them try to adapt to the attack.  Many wilted, some grew a hardened bark, others grew longer thorns.

    All of the changes were clearly designed to protect the construct, even though each failed.  Kyle stood for nearly a minute, drinking in the energy until the plant did something unexpected.  Many of the vines wilted simultaneously, as though they¡¯d become completely rotten.  Without the anchoring vines to support it, the heart of the construct plummeted into the chasm below.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be good.¡±

    [WHY DO YOU SAY THAT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make it rot away; it made that decision on its own.  I know there was still some mana left inside.¡±

    [THE DAMAGE TO THE INTERNAL STRUCTURES WAS STILL SIGNIFICANT.  ADDING A FALL FROM THIS HEIGHT, I FIND IT HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE PLANT WILL SURVIVE.]

    Kyle looked at the rotten and damaged vines as they fell away from the stalactites, leaving only cracked stone behind in their wake.  ¡°If you¡¯re sure.  Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    With its mana restored, C.H.A.D.D. was kind enough to grow some fern fronds that Kyle fashioned into a skirt before turning back into the main tunnel.  Upon arriving, Kyle was surprised when he saw Go¡¯Wree and a handful of guards from the battlement moving his direction from halfway down the battlement.  Before Kyle could admonish them for not resting, Go¡¯Wree fell to a knee with his head bowed.  The men behind him followed suit.

    ¡°Thank you, guest Mayhew, for saving our lives.  On behalf of my men, I am ashamed at my inability to prevent the theft of your property, and of my weakness that prevented me from assisting you in retrieving it.  I have disgraced the young master and the Ma family.¡±

    For a moment, Kyle thought the large man was making some strange joke.  As he stood, however, he realized that Go¡¯Wree was sincere.  He genuinely appeared grieved that C.H.A.D.D. had been stolen.  Kyle took a breath as he considered how to respond, trying to find words that would neither affirm nor reject the gesture.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, you did nothing wrong.  You slowed him down, and I retrieved my drone.  There¡¯s no debt between us, but there will be if you and your men don¡¯t focus on making a full recovery.  You all need medical attention, and rest.¡±

    Go¡¯Wree raised his head, even though he remained on one knee.  ¡°Guest Mayhew, I heard there was fighting inside the city.  Is the young master¡­¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°He¡¯ll be alright, he dealt with the assailants personally.¡±

    A weight of stress seemed to melt off Go¡¯Wree¡¯s face, and he finally stood, followed by his squadron.  As one, they walked back to the battlements.  Almost without thinking, Kyle went to each, laying a hand on them as he activated Healing Impetus.  The look of relief of their faces told him how much they needed it, and he sincerely hoped that they would take his advice to get more rest.  In their current conditions, none of them would be much help in a fight.

    Once back at the battlement, Kyle was able to procure a spare uniform, and insisted that Go¡¯Wree and the survivors leave to go back to Torrel.  Go¡¯Wree tried to argue, but when he coughed up some blood, he accepted the instruction.  Kyle stayed behind, offering to man the guard station until a replacement squad could make it out.

    That left Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. with several hours to themselves.  The two sat atop the battlement in silence as Kyle looked out into the darkness of the tunnel beyond.  Finally, C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [I KILLED A MAN, DR. MAYHEW.  IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MY INTENTION, BUT I DID IT NEVERTHELESS.]

    ¡°You did what you had to do, C.H.A.D.D.  And if it makes you feel better, you didn¡¯t kill him.  I did.¡±

    [IT¡¯S THE SAME PRINCIPAL.  I¡­ AM NOT SURE HOW TO PROCESS THIS INFORMATION.]

    Kyle thought back to Cornelius, the first time he¡¯d taken a human life.  ¡°Sometimes we don¡¯t have a choice in the matter.  If it¡¯s them or us, we have to choose us.  That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±

    [I DON¡¯T UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS SO OPPOSED TO LISTENING.  THERE ARE TIMES YOU DON¡¯T LISTEN, BUT THAT¡¯S DIFFERENT.  IF THE THIEF HAD SIMPLY STOPPED AND RETURNED ME, HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.]

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°He wasn¡¯t the only one who died today, C.H.A.D.D.  I don¡¯t think Ma¡¯Sai would have allowed him to live, even if he¡¯d come back in surrender.  He and his friends caused a lot of damage.¡±

    [THINGS FELT MUCH SIMPLER A DAY AGO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°That they did.  Just know I don¡¯t judge you for choosing to survive, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    A fresh squadron of guards arrived just over an hour later, and Kyle returned to Torrel in the same vehicle that dropped them off.  The driver exited the vehicle as they pulled up to another opulent residence, bowing deeply to Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  ¡°The young master offers his regrets that he can¡¯t see you personally, but wanted it passed along that he has a trustworthy team working on the excavation of your previous residence.  You are welcome to go to the site whenever you wish, but if you¡¯d prefer to rest, this facility has been made available to you.¡±

    Kyle nodded back.  ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯d like to get some of my things before settling in.¡±

    The driver bowed again.  ¡°Of course, guest Mayhew.¡±

    Pulling up to the ruins where he¡¯d been staying, Kyle was impressed with how much work they¡¯d accomplished in his hours away.  Already the bulk of the debris had been removed, and he spotted his stonebloom armor and several sets of clothing already neatly folded.  A man with a clipboard spotted Kyle, and barked out an order.  Everybody on the site stood at attention, and the foreman spoke up.

    ¡°Guest Mayhew, we will be some time yet before a full excavation.  I can assure you that I¡¯m documenting everything we find, and you will be allowed a full audit before any of my staff leave the facility.  On the young master¡¯s honor, nothing of yours will go missing.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Kyle said, eyes going back to his armor.  ¡°The most valuable piece of equipment is there, do you mind if I take it?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, sir!¡±

    ¡°Good.  Thank you for your work, and let me know whenever your group finishes.  I don¡¯t want to keep you waiting any longer than necessary.¡±

    With that, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. made it to their new home, where Kyle drifted off to some long-awaited sleep.  The next 4 days were a blur of meetings, reconstruction, and establishing next steps.  Kyle was viewed as the aggrieved party by virtually all of the Ma Enterprises staff on planet, and was treated with extreme respect and deference as a result.  It was all very stifling to Kyle, which made the news of the teleportation gate¡¯s opening even more welcome than normal.

    Ma¡¯Sai met him on the platform as Kyle arrived, looking exhausted but recovered.  A quick Identify showed Kyle that many of the enchantments were still recharging, but the young master of Torrel carried himself with the same air of authority as always.  ¡°It has been an honor to have you at our home, Kyle Mayhew.  I apologize that my reputation was insufficient to prevent the assault and attempted theft.¡±

    ¡°The honor was all mine, Ma¡¯Sai,¡± Kyle said, focusing on the words he¡¯d practiced over the last several days.  ¡°You and your family rectified the situation swiftly, and conducted yourselves well.  I regret that I could not have contributed more.¡±

    Ma¡¯Sai reached out his hand, and Kyle took it.  ¡°Then know, at the least, you are always welcome here, my friend.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it.  Be well, Ma¡¯Sai.¡±

    ¡°And you, Kyle Mayhew.¡±

    With that, Kyle stepped onto the waiting platform, where he was whisked back to Pokke, and then to the Hub.  He staggered for a moment as Sensory Barbs took in the blur of movement around him, though his practice filtering the information allowed him to regain his bearings quickly.  Several notifications popped up on his nav bracelet, but for now the only thing he wanted was to go home.

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. made it to his apartment without issue, and he couldn¡¯t hold back a smile as he sat on his couch, a cold drink in his hand.  It felt good to be home.  Once he relaxed for a little while, Kyle finally checked his messages.  He had some from Tillienne and Jax, one from Angela Corthus¡¯ office, one from Garth, and one from a name he didn¡¯t recognize that arrived shortly after his return.  He decided to start with that one.

    Kyle,

    Once again, you¡¯ve managed to cause some waves.  This time looks like it¡¯ll settle much better than the last, at least. Take the rest of the day, and report to the Courier¡¯s Guild first thing tomorrow to chat about the fallout.  I look forward to meeting in person.

    Your Guild Liaison,

    Suierrillax.

    Kyle sighed as he grabbed another drink.  If he had less time than expected, he was going to make the most of it.

 Chapter 206

    [SHOULDN¡¯T YOU BE HEADING TO YOUR MEETING, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Our meeting,¡± Kyle corrected.  ¡°And I will be shortly.  I just need to finish getting the to-do list organized.¡±

    [DO YOU THINK MR. BANDERSNATCH WILL BE THERE?]

    ¡°I know he told us he¡¯d be out on assignment, but you never can tell with him.  I will say though, if he was around I expect he¡¯d have been waiting for us when we got back.¡±

    [THAT IS AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT.  HE REALLY IS FULL OF SURPRISES.]

    ¡°We could use a few less surprises right about now, at least in my opinion.¡±  With that, Kyle opened the messages on his nav bracelet, reviewing them for what felt like the dozenth time since returning.  He¡¯d chosen not to reply to any until after his meeting with the Courier¡¯s Guild, but wanted to make his intentions plain with this Suierrillax.  First, he opened the message chain from Tillienne and Jax.

    Kyle and Jax,

    I know both of you are out on assignment, I¡¯ll be returning from my first job shortly!  I¡¯d love to catch up, professional networking and all that.  Also looking to burn a few credits.  Let me know when you¡¯re back/if you¡¯re interested, and I¡¯ll get something booked.  I¡¯ll be at the Hub for the next couple cycles so there should be plenty of time!

    -Tillienne

    Tilly,

    Sounds good, I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m back.  It¡¯d be nice to catch up!

    -Jax Cain

    Jax,

    It¡¯s Tillienne, not Tilly.

    -Tillienne

    Tillienne,

    My bad, won¡¯t happen again.  See you soon.

    -Jax Cain

    The back and forth continued for a few more messages, with Tillienne teasing Jax for being so formal in his signatures, while Jax tried not to be too thrown off.  Kyle looked forward to meeting up with the two of them, even though it would likely be a little while until they could.  If nothing else, it would be good to spend some time with other like-minded people.

    His time with Ma¡¯Sai went a long way toward better understanding C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words back at the Cain family estate, and these were relationships he wanted to cultivate, even if they were wildly different people than him.  Kyle didn¡¯t just need a network, he needed friends.  Speaking of¡­  Kyle moved to the next message, from Garth.

    Kyle,

    Made it to the Hub safely.  There¡¯s something we need to talk about ¨C connect with me when you can.

    -Garth

    The message was about as warm and fuzzy as Kyle expected from Garth, though the fact that Angela Corthus¡¯ office reached out instructing him to connect with Garth put him a little on edge.  This was the first item on his agenda after meeting with Suierrillax, though he was hoping the Courier¡¯s Guild could share some insight about what exactly was going on.  If Jarberry was any indication, these people were particularly skilled at knowing things others didn¡¯t.

    Beyond all that, Kyle had a few other items he wanted to get taken care of.  With credits about to hit his account, he wanted to get some time scheduled with Fell¡¯Zorre at the Emerald Armory.  His time both in the Practicum and with the Ma family confirmed a couple of his weaknesses, and he wanted to get them shored up while he had the opportunity.

    The first of these, of course, was related to C.H.A.D.D.  Custom orders were expensive, but Kyle knew it was time to get a real upgrade to the C.H.A.D.D.pack.  The drone¡¯s capabilities had increased dramatically, and Kyle wanted to ensure that the pack was still up to the task.  He was hoping to get a meeting with Marcus Kulhavey soon, but there was no guarantee that the Originator would be willing to discuss the drone.

    What Kyle really wanted from Fell¡¯Zorre was more durable, detailed work that would give C.H.A.D.D. more space for vines, capabilities for mana storage, and access to more organic components.  If there were materials available that were similar to the stonebloom armor, C.H.A.D.D. would stand to gain quite a bit, especially when operating independently.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    His battles also reinforced his weaknesses at long-range.  Kyle wasn¡¯t exactly sure what types of ranged weapons would suit him, but he needed to find something to enable him to turn the tides when his opponents kept him pinned down.  The ultimate solution would have to be found either in the form of a new skill or an upgraded one, which could be a while.  He had 2 more skills to gain in D Grade, and he had no idea if either would be able to help.

    The last items he wanted to buy were replacement combat batons and a new bracer for his left forearm to replace the one he¡¯d broken in Phase Three.  He found that he missed practicing the forms Frank taught him; going through the motions without the weapons just wasn¡¯t the same.  It was one more connection to his home, and he didn¡¯t want to give that up.

    [YOU NEED TO HURRY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m almost ready.¡±  Kyle finished getting equipped, closed his notes, and slung the slightly damaged pack over his shoulders before exiting the apartment.  He wove through the streets toward the teleportation platform.  The information from Sensory Barbs was becoming more manageable by the minute, the crowds barely causing a headache.

    When Kyle stepped onto the platform, he was prompted for his Courier¡¯s Guild credentials.  He entered the code, and he and C.H.A.D.D. were whisked off to Collective Guild Headquarters.  Only members were allowed to enter, and it served as a central governing location with individual teleporters that would take people to their specific guild.

    Kyle was making his way toward the Courier¡¯s Guild teleporter when a nagging sensation made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.  Shortly after exiting his apartment, he felt the presence of two people walking behind him.  Both were human, unarmored, and walking to the teleportation platform, which was normal.  What wasn¡¯t normal was both of their presences appearing here, in Guild Headquarters.

    It didn¡¯t feel like a coincidence that two D Grades powerful enough to be recognized by one guild or another would just happen to be walking past his apartment, in his district, at the exact time he was heading to a meeting with his handler.

    ¡°What regulations do I need to know about confronting somebody here?¡± Kyle whispered.  His attention was focused on the duo behind him, neither showing any physical reaction to his words.

    [IT WOULD BE ILL-ADVISED, DR. MAYHEW.  THE NON-VIOLENCE CLAUSES ARE QUITE WELL-ESTABLISHED, AND WOULD BE ENFORCED.  NOT TO MENTION THAT MOST PRESENT ARE ELITES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.]

    ¡°Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  Kyle whispered back.  The last point was the most important in Kyle¡¯s estimation.  Though the halls of the Guild Headquarters were much quieter than the streets of the Hub, there were still dozens of people milling about.  Even if many were administrative staff, there were plenty of powerhouses present.

    Kyle saw an area just off the main path and walked to it.  He turned around when he made it, pretending to look at his nav bracelet as his 2 pursuers walked past.  Kyle didn¡¯t look up from his nav bracelet, though he could feel the air shift around the duo as they shared a look.  Kyle followed behind them, activating Identify as he sized them up.

    They were a man and a woman, sporting lean athletic builds and casual clothing.  Both appeared to be Warrior-types, with respectable Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality.  Judging by the mana he could detect concentrated in their hands and feet, he suspected them to specialize in unarmed combat; reinforcing their bodies to deliver devastating blows.  While both seemed capable, neither gave him the impression that they would be a particular threat to him.

    That made Kyle frown.  If not potential assailants, what were they doing?  If they were spies, they weren¡¯t very good ones.  Even without Sensory Barbs, it was more than conceivable that Kyle would have noticed pursuers courtesy of C.H.A.D.D.  What¡¯s more, people that needed to get in close tended to be a terrible match for him.  They¡¯d also stepped to the side, clearly waiting for Kyle to continue.

    With a sigh, Kyle decided to address it the best way he knew how.  Directly.

    ¡°Why are the two of you following me?  And before you think about starting anything, remember where you are.¡±

    The man shot a look at his partner before meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re ¨C¡°

    ¡°Cut it out, Carl.¡±  The woman said, offering a sly smile.  ¡°No point in lying to you, though we¡¯re not what you think.  We¡¯re your security detail.¡±  With that, she activated her nav bracelet, showing her and her partner as members of the Private Security Guild, same as Jax.

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°I never hired a security detail.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but the Courier¡¯s Guild did.  We won¡¯t get in your way, we¡¯re just here to get between you and anybody who gets weird ideas.  Not that you can¡¯t handle yourself, of course.¡±

    ¡°It feels like that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re implying.¡±

    The woman shrugged.  ¡°Then take it up with your Guild.  Now, our job is to support you in public places.  The sooner you get where you¡¯re going, the sooner you don¡¯t have to deal with us.  Otherwise, we¡¯re fine standing right here.  We get paid either way.¡±

    Can¡¯t argue with that logic, Kyle thought.  He considered his options for a moment, when a new message popped up on his nav bracelet.

    Mayhew,

    We hired them, it¡¯s fine.  Now hurry up and get to my office.

    -Suierrillax

    Kyle decided not to pay it much mind, and finished the short walk to the Courier¡¯s Guild teleporter.  This time, his followers left a respectful distance, and he was warped to the entrance floor of what he could only describe as a drab office building.  There were a few chairs of various sizes off to one side, a vending area off to the other, and a central reception desk in the front.  Kyle walked up to it, greeted by an elderly goblin woman.  ¡°You must be Mr. Mayhew.  Please grab a seat, Suierrillax will be with you shortly.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just go to her office?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the goblin said.

    ¡°Fair enough.  Thank you.¡±  Kyle walked over to the seating area, eyes glancing over the threadbare furniture as he tried to determine which would be the most comfortable.  He picked one that rocked just slightly, but was otherwise comfortable enough.

    ¡°This, C.H.A.D.D., was why I wasn¡¯t in a hurry.  Bureaucracy is always hurry up and wait.¡±

    ¡°And who kept who waiting, do you think?¡±  A new voice asked, tone dry.

    Kyle looked up to see a diminutive skrell woman with arms folded, looking at Kyle with inscrutable black eyes.  He gave a nod of acknowledgement.  ¡°You make a fair point.  Kyle Mayhew, a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Suierrillax.  And to quote a mutual friend, the pleasure is all yours.¡±

 Chapter 207

    Despite himself, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but smile as he remembered his first meeting with Jarberry. ¡°You know what? I can see you, and you¡¯re not eating my food. So you¡¯re already an improvement.¡±

    Suierrillax gave a toothy smile. ¡°He hasn¡¯t eaten my food yet, but from what I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a common problem. Follow me, we have a lot to catch up on. And it really is good to meet you, Kyle.¡±

    They wove through labyrinthine hallways, until they finally came to a small office behind a thick metal door. One wall appeared to be a window looking out over the Hub, but upon closer inspection it was merely a projection. There was a large desk along one wall, with an ¡°L¡± shaped addition jutting out to the middle of the room, nearly bisecting it.

    Suierrillax moved to the other side and sat down, activating a dozen different projected screens that floated about the space in front of her. She gestured for Kyle to sit, moving some of the screens out of the way so they could visit face-to-face. The room was austere, bare walls accented by the empty desk.

    ¡°They don¡¯t let you decorate much, do they?¡± Kyle asked in an attempt to break the ice.

    ¡°More like I haven¡¯t had much of a chance. I¡¯ve only been here for a couple of weeks.¡±

    ¡°Really? I figured you¡¯d have been around for a while at least if you¡¯ve met Jarberry already.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who offered me the job, actually. I was working for the Collective Institute of Independent Licensure before this.¡± Suierrillax paused, eyes drifting up to the ceiling for a moment before continuing. ¡°Then again, I wasn¡¯t there for a terribly long time either. I suppose I could stand to put some roots down. Also, drone, you¡¯ve been awfully quiet.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, though he didn¡¯t make any move to try and explain C.H.A.D.D. away. He let the silence sit for a moment, until his companion finally responded. [AFTER RECENT EVENTS, DR. MAYHEW AND I DECIDED THAT MAINTAINING A LOW PROFILE MAY BE PRUDENT.]

    Suierrillax chuckled, black eyes twinkling. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing the 2 of you are terrible at, it¡¯s keeping a low profile. I¡¯ve never heard of applicants or new guild members stirring up the kind of messes you have.¡±

    ¡°So what if we need a little practice?¡± Kyle shot back. ¡°We¡¯re working on it.¡±

    [BESIDES, IT¡¯S MOSTLY DR. MAYHEW¡¯S FAULT. I¡¯M HARDLY TO BLAME FOR HIS ACTIVITIES.]

    ¡°As far as the Courier¡¯s Guild and I are concerned, you¡¯re both awful at it. Though it¡¯s still not common knowledge that you have quite so much¡­ freedom.¡± Suierrillax chose her last words carefully, which Kyle didn¡¯t miss.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., at this point it¡¯s pretty clear that you¡¯ve got more going on than being a simple piece of mapping equipment. Between your fight with Ger¡¯Sinh, rumors from the Cain estate, and your extended Phase Three, people are taking notice.

    ¡°That¡¯s not to say anybody has you figured out, but rather that they know you¡¯re something special. A handful of information brokers have theorized that C.H.A.D.D. here is actually the main fighting power, with Kyle just being along for the ride.¡±

    [AN ACCURATE ASSESMENT.]

    Kyle snorted. ¡°Hardly.¡±

    Suierrillax gave them a flat look. ¡°Whatever the reality is, somebody leaked the rumor, and put a hefty bounty on the drone¡¯s retrieval. By the time we found out and were able to learn the details, you¡¯d already been attacked by the first group of mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®first group?¡¯¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. There were several getting organized and on their way. Our office had to dissuade them. Which we did. The higher-ups are going to deal with the issue at its root, but suffice it to say you can¡¯t breathe easy quite yet.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you really think there¡¯s danger here, at the Hub?¡±

    ¡°If you go to the sections run by the Grey Conglomerate, most definitely. Possibly inside the Archdrake Supremacy, too. Sections run by the Verdant Republic and the Pillar should be the safest, but you never know. 8 million credits, plus costs to cover damages can give people ideas.¡±

    [ONLY 8 MILLION CREDITS? DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE THEY¡¯RE UNDERSELLING MY VALUE.]

    Kyle paused, considering Suierrillax¡¯s words. That was an enormous number of credits, far more than he expected. It also explained why Wallace and his group were willing to risk so much to come after C.H.A.D.D. A worrying thought came to his mind. ¡°Does that mean I need to worry about C Grades coming after me?¡±

    Suierrillax shook her head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. Even in seedier parts of the Collective, it¡¯s understood that disproportionate force has harsh consequences. Not that it never happens, but it¡¯s unlikely that a C Grade mercenary already operating on the fringes would risk it for a measly 8 million credits.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°They get paid that well?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. Something to look forward to, if you make it that far. Which we¡¯re banking on, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to let you down, but there¡¯s a long way to go before I get there.¡± Kyle said, feeling the weight of expectation settling on his shoulders.

    ¡°No doubt about that at all,¡± Suierrillax responded, tone casual. ¡°Helping you progress to the next level is Jarberry¡¯s job; I¡¯m here to help in an administrative capacity along the way. Speaking of¡­¡±

    Suierrillax trailed off as she turned her attention back to the screens. They rearranged and moved, with 2 settling in the air between them. Kyle could make out lines of text, with each one looking like a distinct job.

    ¡°I¡¯ve scheduled 41 medium-priority deliveries for the next 20 or so days until Jarberry is back. They¡¯re all Verdant Republic jobs, and they¡¯ll all keep you on the Hub.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as he regarded the lists. The pay wasn¡¯t great, and the number of jobs meant it would be difficult to get a lot of his other to-do list items scheduled. ¡°Look, I appreciate this, but ¨C¡°

    ¡°No ¡®buts,¡¯ Kyle. The people that matter don¡¯t have any questions about your competence or capabilities. You¡¯re a standout talent; that¡¯s clear. What we¡¯re all waiting to see is whether or not you¡¯re able to keep your head down and get work done without bringing added baggage.

    ¡°These jobs aren¡¯t luxurious by any means, but they¡¯re plenty to showcase that ability. Choosing jobs that stay at the Hub indicates prudence and reduces risk. Furthermore, we know the Verdant Republic will play by the rules. If there¡¯s one thing you need right now, it¡¯s less risk.¡±

    Kyle considered the skrell woman¡¯s words for a moment. Trying to put himself in an outside perspective, he could see the point. Things had been volatile for him since the encounter with Ger¡¯Sinh, and given the interest he¡¯d drawn from powerful parties, he could see other organizations waiting to see how Kyle responded before setting him up with opportunities.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t think it will be an issue having your security detail following me around while I do these jobs?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be,¡± Suierrillax said. ¡°They¡¯re paid per diem with riders for additional combat compensation. Nothing about them should interfere with the basics of getting the jobs taken care of.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve also got several personal items I need to attend to, is there any flexibility in the scheduling?¡±

    ¡°None whatsoever. Fortunately, I¡¯m competent. I left blocks each day for you to take care of whatever you need to, with some full days sprinkled in. Of course, if Jarberry is delayed, you¡¯ll have some extra time to fill however you want.¡±

    Kyle saw a notification flash on his nav bracelet, and saw the itinerary come through. ¡°Then I guess I have what I need. Thank you for your help, Suierrillax.¡±

    ¡°One last thing, before you go. I took a risk coming here. I placed a bet on you. You seem the altruistic type, so I want to make sure you understand that other people are counting on you to succeed. Don¡¯t be an idiot. You¡¯ve got a team now. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡± Kyle said, surprised by the firmness in Suierrillax¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Good. Now get out of my office, you have work to do. C.H.A.D.D., it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    [THE PLEASURE WAS ALL YOURS. OOH, THAT WAS FUN.]

    ¡°Great meeting you too, Suierrillax.¡± Kyle said, failing to hide a chuckle.

    Kyle pulled up his itinerary as he stepped on the teleportation platform inside the Courier¡¯s Guild. He was due to report for his first job the next morning, which meant he had time. Ignoring his shadows from the Personal Security Guild, he sent a message to Garth.

    Garth,

    I know it¡¯s short notice, but I¡¯m free now. Where are you? Looking forward to catching up.

    -Kyle

    Before he could even make it through the Guild Headquarters, he received a message back.

    Kyle,

    I¡¯m free. Coordinates attached, see you soon.

    -Garth

    Kyle looked at the attachment, and his heart sank. They were in the middle of Grey Conglomerate territory, exactly where Suierrillax just warned him not to go. Kyle paused near the next teleporter, considering his options. The safest play would be to go home, buy time until Jarberry got back, and explore his options from there. Kyle considered alternatives, and finally sent a message back.

    Garth,

    I can¡¯t go where you are ¨C not right now. It¡¯s complicated. Can you meet me? I¡¯ll take you out for a meal and we can talk.

    -Kyle

    Kyle was back on the streets outside the teleportation platform before the next update came through.

    Send the coordinates.

    Kyle found a caf¨¦ with private booths, reserved seats, and sent the instructions to Garth. He settled in, watching his security team trying to look inconspicuous outside. In some ways, the plan was genius. People who were looking for Kyle would see that there were others around, though the average person would move right past them.

    [WHAT ARE WE DOING, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked. [SITTING AT A CAF¨¦ WASN¡¯T ON YOUR LIST.]

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for Garth. They¡¯re staying in Grey Conglomerate territory, and from Suierrillax¡¯s update it¡¯s not somewhere we want to go right now.¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. paused for a moment before finally responding. [I WAS HOPING TO VISIT AMALIA AGAIN. I THINK SHE WOULD ENJOY SEEING MANY OF THE INTERESTING THINGS WE¡¯VE SEEN.]

    ¡°You¡¯ll get a chance, C.H.A.D.D. I want to see them, too.¡±

    Just a few minutes later, Kyle saw Garth making his way toward the caf¨¦. He looked rough, hair longer than Kyle had seen it, slicked back with a beard that had clearly been left to grow out. He asked the doorman at the caf¨¦ for Kyle, and that¡¯s when he saw the security team move. Crap.

    By the time Kyle could get to the door, Garth was staring them both down, piercing blue eyes focused as his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword. Kyle felt the mana pouring off the man, still E Grade, but near the top. Still, everything about the way he carried himself felt sharp, and felt dangerous. It was little surprise to Kyle that the two security guards were taking him seriously.

    ¡°Relax, he¡¯s here to see me. I invited him.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Carl asked. ¡°Looks more like he¡¯s here to beat you up than to grab lunch.¡±

    Garth didn¡¯t say a word, glaring at the two before he followed Kyle in. The security guards tried to follow, but Kyle stopped them. ¡°He¡¯s an old friend, and we have some catching up to do. Please, wait here. If you see him, or anybody else, leave with C.H.A.D.D., you¡¯re welcome to stop them.¡±

    Carl nodded, and Kyle and Garth walked in silence back to the booth. Once there, Kyle offered a sheepish grin. ¡°Sorry about that, things have gotten a little crazy over the last few months.¡±

    Garth clasped his hands, meeting Kyle¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kyle, as much as I¡¯d like to catch up, I have news you need to hear first. One of the shuttles from Earth went missing. DeRosa¡¯s shuttle, with Thomas, Amir, and nearly 50,000 of our people on it.¡±

 Chapter 208

    Kyle sat for a moment, taking in Garth¡¯s words.  He understood there were always risks, but from everything he¡¯d come to expect, space travel was generally quite safe.  Ultimately, Kyle understood that in this case, ¡°missing¡± was the same as dead.  The number of habitable planets was low, and if the ship lost communication and tracking, it simply wasn¡¯t likely that they managed to crash land somewhere with options available.

    ¡°Garth, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to apologize for, kid.  I just wanted you to hear it from me, first.¡±  Garth paused then, seeming to take in Kyle¡¯s appearance for the first time.  ¡°You never struck me as the tattoo type.¡±

    ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m full of surprises.¡± Kyle said dryly.  ¡°How have you all been settling in?¡±

    ¡°Better than I¡¯d feared, worse than I¡¯d hoped.¡±  Garth said, seeming to deflate a bit.  ¡°We made a deal with Corthian Mining, and most of the awakened that came are going through various orientations now.  We¡¯ll be assisting mostly with security and suppression work on Corthian mining sites, which will be a quick way for us to earn some credits.

    ¡°The real challenge is the number of unawakened that came along.  Without a background understanding of the Collective, they don¡¯t have as many opportunities.  Our near-term goal is to scrape together enough credits to get them an accelerated education.¡±

    Kyle nodded, the issues with the unawakened having been top of mind for him.  ¡°How many credits do you need?  I might be able to help.¡±

    Garth raised a hand.  ¡°I appreciate the offer, Kyle.  We¡¯re not going to take your charity; not any more than we have.  You¡¯ve done a lot for my people, it¡¯s time for us to learn to stand on our own.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t miss that he wasn¡¯t included in ¡°Garth¡¯s people¡± anymore, though he let it go.  There was a pang of hurt, sure, but Kyle had wrestled with that issue long ago.  Even if he looked forward to visiting when he could, he never seriously considered trying to settle back with them.

    ¡°Well just know if there¡¯s things I can help with, I¡¯m always happy to lend an ear.¡±

    ¡°From what I understand, you¡¯ve got more than enough on your plate, Kyle.  I¡¯m serious, we¡¯ll be alright.  Like I said before, I just wanted to make sure you heard the news from me.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it, Garth.  I also have to ask, what¡¯s next for you?  From what I can see, you¡¯re pushing D Grade.  Knowing Angela, I doubt she¡¯s planning to let you collect dust in some backwater.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I get there.  For now, there¡¯s some extermination work she¡¯ll be sending my team on once things have settled a bit.  I¡¯m hopeful the experience will be enough to get me over the edge.  And don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one.  The struggles we¡¯ve been through have been instrumental in forging my team.  If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll get left in the dust.¡±

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t rest on my laurels just yet.  By the way, I¡¯m working on getting a meeting with Marcus Kulhavey.  So far, I haven¡¯t heard anything about the other Originators.  Do you want me to see if you can come?¡±

    Garth shook his head.  ¡°Corthian Mining already reached out to him on behalf of Earth, and from what I understand he¡¯s planning on meeting with Angela and a couple of the other executives to get brought up to speed.  Sounds like it might be a little after your meeting, though.¡±

    ¡°What do you think happened to the other 6?¡±  Kyle asked.

    Garth snorted.  ¡°Who knows?  It¡¯s a big universe, Kyle.  Bigger than I think any of us realized.  Shoot, they could all be dead, and we wouldn¡¯t have any idea.¡±  Garth took a moment to take in the sight as warm plates of food were delivered to their table, and Kyle could see the ravenous look in his eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°And while we do, I¡¯ll have C.H.A.D.D. bring you up to speed on what¡¯s taken place on our end since we left.¡±  With that, the drone enthusiastically stepped up, projecting a highlight reel of their adventures while Kyle and Garth ate and watched.

    All told, they spent nearly 3 hours at the restaurant.  Kyle felt a weight lifting from his shoulders that he hadn¡¯t even realized was there; satisfied that the refugees from Earth were going to be alright.  Even though he felt the loss of the missing shuttle, he also felt absolved of the pressure to try to do something about it.  Part of him expected to be thrust back into the middle of things with Earth, and it felt good that they no longer needed him, at least in that capacity.

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    After saying his goodbyes to Garth, Kyle returned home without incident.  Checking the time, it was too late in the day to hold another meeting, though he had plenty of time to coordinate logistics.  Fell¡¯Zorre was his first priority, as he knew how long custom work could take.  Fortunately, the Emerald Armory was able to coordinate appointment the following afternoon.

    After trading some messages with Tillienne and Jax, they were able to settle on a dinner 4 days out.  With that work done, Kyle pulled up the details of tomorrow¡¯s first job.

    Client ¨C Verdant Republic Department of Public Works

    Affiliation ¨C Verdant Republic

    Details ¨C A restructuring was recently approved by senior management, resulting in the elimination of several positions within the Public Works Department.  3 of these individuals currently have access to privileged information, and we are requesting a Courier to be present at their termination.

    We are requesting the Courier take personal effects and bring them to the nearest Department of Internal Affairs for analysis, processing, and ultimate return to ensure no privileged files or documents are left behind.  The Courier will be compensated 5000 credits upon completion.

    As jobs went, this was pretty cut and dry.  The terminations were in fairly quick succession in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for his meeting.  Of course, there¡¯s no way it¡¯ll be that easy, Kyle thought.  If there was one thing his experience taught him, his work was never simple.

    It turned out, some things were just that easy.  Kyle arrived at the first building, prepared for trouble.  He was greeted by security personnel, introduced to the executive in question, and watched as the goblin man stoically packed his things and handed them to Kyle.  He then left without incident, leaving the Courier to make a quick delivery to Internal Affairs.

    The next 2 were handled with similar speed, though the last was much more vocal about his displeasure.  All it took was a quick look at Kyle¡¯s stormy expression, however, and he finished packing without another word.  Kyle reported his success back to the Courier¡¯s Guild, and received his 5000 credits.

    [JUST THINK, THAT PAID YOU HALF AS MUCH AS DEFEATING A STYXLION.  I¡¯M BEGINNING TO THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE NEGOTIATED BETTER PAY WITH MA¡¯SAI.]

    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with you there,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°At least we had quantity on our side.¡±

    With time before his appointment, Kyle headed to the Verdant Republic Nursery and Botanical Garden.  He didn¡¯t have anything in particular he was looking for, rather opting to walk through several of the sections he hadn¡¯t visited before.  As diverse as the population of the Verdant Republic was, it didn¡¯t hold a candle to the sheer diversity of plant life Kyle saw.  Everything from creeping vines to fields of resplendent flowers were on display.

    Kyle was walking past one such field when he spotted an elderly goblin man inside the enclosure, tending to the flowers.  I guess it makes sense that people would need to be inside to do some of the work.  The man spotted Kyle staring, and offered a warm smile and a wave.  Kyle returned it and moved on, leaving him to his work.

    [ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I¡¯M THINKING, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked once they were out of earshot of the nearby patrons.

    ¡°That we should look into getting a part-time job?¡±

    [I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD SEE IF WE CAN TAKE SOME MANA FROM THE PLANTS WITHOUT BEING NOTICED, BUT I LIKE YOUR IDEA BETTER.]

    ¡°Good, because we aren¡¯t doing that in public.¡±

    [CORRECT, WE WOULD NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS NOBODY NEARBY.  IF ONLY YOU STILL HAD THE STINK GRENADES, WE COULD DO IT SUBTLY.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., there was nothing subtle about the stink grenades.¡±

    A ping on his nav bracelet warned Kyle that it was time to head back toward the Emerald Armory, and he left the Botanical Garden.  A thought struck him as he walked out, and he filed it away for his next visit.  Is there a similar garden for awakened plants?

    ¡°A pleasure to see you, Mr. Mayhew.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre¡¯s voice was raspy as he inclined his head to Kyle, who returned the gesture.

    ¡°Likewise.  I appreciate you making time on short notice.¡±

    ¡°Now then, your message mentioned several items that you¡¯re looking to shop for.  How committed are you in your thought process?¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°Fairly, though if you have something in mind, I¡¯d be happy to discuss it.¡±

    The goblin gave Kyle a toothy grin.  ¡°Excellent.  When your acquaintance cancelled our last meeting, he also had several ideas he felt worth exploring, and I find that I agree.¡±

    With that, Fell¡¯Zorre snapped, and the whole room around them shifted, descending on one of the endless elevators inside the armory.  Modular interior structure, Kyle realized.  It wasn¡¯t just elevators along the exterior, the whole building could move and shuffle.

    They came to a stop, and the door behind Fell¡¯Zorre opened.  Kyle stepped out at the goblin¡¯s gesture, and found himself in a small coliseum.  There were a variety of training dummies, as well as an assortment of weapons laid out in a reinforced weapons case.  Kyle saw spears, quarterstaffs, short swords, and 2 small batons.

    ¡°Your benefactor paid for use of this facility for your visit, so don¡¯t be shy.  I recognize your current expertise is in the batons, so understand they will feel more natural to your hand.  I would like to see you demonstrate your skills, and I may have some other suggestions to supplement your repertoire.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he walked over, feeling the weight of the batons in his hands.  ¡°How long do you have for me to test things out?¡±

    ¡°I am free for the rest of the day.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre replied.

    ¡°Then I suppose we should get started.¡±

 Chapter 209

    Fell¡¯Zorre gestured for Kyle to come look at the assortment of weapons arrayed before him.  Kyle activated Identify, and frowned when he saw that none of the weapons had any mana infusion whatsoever.  They were all mundane, even if they were finely crafted.

    ¡°Fell¡¯Zorre, I¡¯m not sure if something was lost in translation, but I¡¯m looking for D Grade equipment.¡±  Kyle said, trying not to sound accusatory.

    ¡°Naturally, Mr. Mayhew.  These are mundane replicas of actual equipment we have in store.  You will find that weight, balance, and shape are identical.  We will, of course, allow you to examine the genuine articles for those weapons with which you¡¯ve demonstrated interest and proficiency.¡±

    Kyle nodded, accepting the goblin¡¯s explanation.  He first grabbed the batons, and entered into the familiar forms he learned from Frank.  The grips felt comfortable under his hands, though the balance was different, slightly more forward.  His Strength more than compensated for the difference, but it stuck out to Kyle.

    After a minute or so of practice, he handed the batons back to Fell¡¯Zorre.  ¡°These are nice, I¡¯m guessing the craftsman put the additional weight toward the tip to increase striking power?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°In a manner of speaking.  Am I correct in assuming that these are the weapons with which you are most comfortable?¡±

    ¡°At this time, yes.¡±

    ¡°Then please try the quarterstaff next. If the batons are fundamental to your one-handed fighting style, I¡¯d be interested to see how you handle a more versatile weapon.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre¡¯s voice was infuriatingly neutral, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel the goblin was disappointed with Kyle¡¯s performance.

    Nevertheless, he grabbed the quarterstaff, the weapon surprisingly light in his hands.  Unfortunately, Kyle never really learned to fight with one.  He went through some of the motions he practiced with his first piece of rebar, using it more like an oversized bat.  The motions were fluid, the massive increase in his attributes allowing him to move with grace he sorely lacked the first time around.

    Fell¡¯Zorre next had him practice with the short swords, which was Kyle¡¯s greatest area of weakness so far. The slashing movements were familiar to Kyle, largely mirroring the movement of the batons.  The stabbing motions felt far less natural.  The combinations he trained with Frank flowed effortlessly one into another, and the sharp stabbing motions didn¡¯t seem to fit the movements nearly as well.

    The goblin watched on, making notes on a tablet as Kyle practiced.  At this point, Kyle resigned himself to simply trust the process.  He had the time, and the Emerald Armory knew what it was doing.  Jarberry¡¯s involvement was suspicious, but that could be said about all of the imp¡¯s actions thus far.  Whatever the other Courier¡¯s angle was, Kyle felt that their interests aligned, at least for now.

    Kyle moved from weapon type to weapon type, with more being brought in as Fell¡¯Zore manipulated the tablet.  He practiced with daggers, claws, whips, and gauntlets; then moved on to a variety of ranged weapons.  One thing Kyle realized very early on was that he was not a good shot.  His Perception was more than high enough to help, but the subtle input from Sensory Barbs often led to overcorrection, even in the relatively stable environment of the arena.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough, Mr. Mayhew.¡±  Fell¡¯Zorre stepped up beside Kyle just as the Survivalist shot a rifle down range, the weapon using principles of magnetism to shoot its payload.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll be needing this any further,¡± the goblin said, taking the rifle from Kyle¡¯s hands and placing it back on the weapon rack.

    ¡°Come on now,¡± Kyle said, a note of complaint in his voice.  ¡°I¡¯m not that bad of a shot.¡±

    ¡°For an unawkened, perhaps not.  For an upper-mid tier D Grade, you¡¯re abysmal.  In your inquiry, you mentioned looking for ranged combat options, however I don¡¯t believe that there are many that will be of particular use to you.  With your current level of skill, you would simply be wasting credits without being able to bring out the true value of the equipment we¡¯d sell you.

    ¡°Fortunately, your martial aptitude is far more impressive.  While polearms and longer blades are quite rudimentary, your foundations in close quarters combat are solid.  I don¡¯t know what sort of hardships you¡¯ve faced, but you¡¯re more capable than many of the casters I¡¯ve encountered in my career.

    ¡°I believe that the batons you tested initially would be a good fit, and recommend purchasing them.  Your use with the combat gauntlets was also passable, and I believe I could solve the problem of your missing bracer while offering additional flexibility.¡±

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    The moment Fell¡¯Zorre finished his words, another well-dressed goblin came out, holding a tray with 3 familiar items on it.  Kyle didn¡¯t need to activate Identify to tell that each of the weapons were heavily infused with mana.  Fell¡¯Zorre gestured for Kyle to take them, and Kyle affixed the gauntlet to his left arm before grabbing the batons.

    The gauntlet was made of thin strips of metal overlayed on one another; light enough that his left hand still had full range of motion, but covering his forearm up to the elbow.  Small spikes jutted out over his knuckles, clearly showing its design as a striking implement.  Kyle noted with some alarm that the gauntlet was drawing some of his mana, but he allowed to do so; the sensation lasting only a moment.

    The batons felt comfortable in his hands, even with the gauntlet over his left.  They were made of a dark grey metal with a nearly blue tint, the tips sloped ever so slightly, reminding Kyle of the distinct tanto shape from Earth.  Unlike the gauntlet that drained a little of his mana, the batons seemed to have a well of their own that was buried deep within the metal.

    ¡°I hope the items are to your satisfaction, Mr. Mayhew.  From observing you these past hours, I believe these to be your best fit.  Before we finalize price, I¡¯d like you to try using the genuine articles.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to try them too,¡± Kyle said, trying to push down the desire to simply purchase them right there and then.

    Fell¡¯Zorre clicked on his tablet a few times, and a heavily armored practice dummy rumbled out from the edge of the arena.  ¡°If you¡¯d please start with the batons, Mr. Mayhew.  I believe their function will become clear as you strike the dummy.¡±

    Kyle nodded, twirling the batons in his hand as he stepped up to the heavily armored dummy.  The moment his first strike landed, he felt the baton surge with mana.  3 more blows followed in quick succession, and Kyle could feel the surging energy inside the weapons.  He activated Identify and lashed out again, understanding the mechanics behind the weapons far better.

    Each blow seemed to charge the weapon, the kinetic force from the strikes reverberating through the core and being magnified through what Kyle suspected were a series of inlaid runes.  That power was stored in the metallic casing surrounding the core, and Kyle could feel a connection to the weapon through a simple activation sigil inscribed in the handle.

    With a minor infusion of mana, Kyle activated the weapon as he landed his next strike.  The moment he did, force like a speeding truck exploded out from the baton.  The heavy dummy hadn¡¯t budged before, but this strike left a large dent in the metal and knocked it back several meters.  Kyle followed up, releasing the stored energy from the second baton.  This time the thick metal cracked as the dummy was once again blown away.

    Kyle felt the grin spreading across his face as he looked down at the batons.  The charges inside the weapons had been drained, though the results were incredible.  While he would still prefer not to be in a lot of close-quarters combat, these would provide a significant boost to his combat power.  What¡¯s more, Kyle felt that he could learn a lot from the structure of the shockwaves themselves.  There was a mana framework that sprang into existence when he activated the batons, and that was something Kyle was eager to study.

    ¡°I assume your smile to mean that you¡¯d like to move forward with the forcehammer batons, Mr. Mayhew?¡±

    Kyle looked at Fell¡¯Zorre.  ¡°Yes, definitely.  How do you want me to test the gauntlet?  I still have a special order I¡¯d like to put in, and I want to make sure we have time to review specifics.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir.  For the gauntlet, I doubt you¡¯ll need to punch things to understand that application, however I would like you to try and push some mana through the metal.  For somebody of your skill, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond, simply pushing energy into the metal.  It drank in a surprising amount, and with Identify active Kyle could see two separate activation runes.  With a minor effort, he triggered the first.  Light blue energy shimmered from the thin strips of metal, and a moment later a buckler made of mana sprang out from the gauntlet.

    Kyle instantly knew that it was inferior to Storm Shelter, however it appeared robust enough to take a couple of ordinary hits.  What¡¯s more, it didn¡¯t appear to be restricted with a long cooldown, nor a stationary requirement.

    Allowing the buckler to dissipate, Kyle pushed mana into the gauntlet once again to recharge it, this time activating the second rune.  The gauntlet shimmered for a moment, then a thin blade of mana erupted out from the edge of his forearm.  It went from his elbow and extended up slightly past his pinky finger, and from what Identify showed him, the blade was sharp.

    While Kyle didn¡¯t expect to use it often in combat, slashing and cutting options were things he sorely lacked right now.  While this was a far cry from the Multitool skill he¡¯d been offered when he crossed into D Grade, the gauntlet was able to fill a couple of the niches well.  When thinking about the broader context of the jobs he¡¯d be doing, increasing his flexibility was never a bad decision.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one, too.¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice was firm, and the goblin smiled in return.

    ¡°Excellent.  2 forcehammer batons and the survivor¡¯s gauntlet.  Before we discuss your custom order, I want to discuss prices here.  For all 3 pieces, we will need 285,000 credits.  110,000 each for the batons, and 65,000 for the gauntlet.¡±

    Kyle groaned internally, though he expected something similar.  The prices here were expensive, though quality usually was.  He feared that he¡¯d end up spending most of what he earned from the Ma Family, and with the custom order he suspected he¡¯d be pretty close.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡±  Kyle finally said.

    ¡°Then, shall we discuss your custom order?¡± Fell¡¯Zorre replied, a glint of greed in his eyes.

 Chapter 210

    The goblin frowned, looking at the series of parameters Kyle set before him.  ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how to value something like this.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s something outside your scope, I understand,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°If you could at least give me a referral, I can be on my way¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Fell¡¯Zorre snapped.  ¡°We have the finest artisans in the Verdant Republic, of course we¡¯ll be able to put something together.  It¡¯s simply an odd request, and it will take some time for us to even work on a prototype.  Let me assure you, anybody who thinks they can do it faster is either lying, or cutting corners.¡±

    Kyle nodded, suppressing a smile.  ¡°I can give you time, just remember the non-negotiables.¡±

    Fell¡¯Zorre tapped on his tablet, a quick projection appearing in the space between them.

    EXPANDABLE FRAME

    HIGH-DURABILITY MATERIAL

    SELF-REPAIR INSCRIPTION WORK

    MANA COLLECTION INSCRIPTIONS ¨C D GRADE OR HIGHER

    FULLY SEALING VENTS

    EXTENDING TETHERS

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can put together plenty more, beside.  Give our team 10 days to review and come up with an estimate, and then we can finalize the details.  I can tell you that the cost will exceed 400,000 credits, though by how much I¡¯m not sure.  If you¡¯d be willing to put down a deposit as a show of good faith¡­¡±

    ¡°I can do that.  100,000 credits now, 100,000 credits upon delivery of the prototype, and then the remaining balance when you¡¯ve completed the work?¡±

    Fell¡¯Zorre typed on the tablet, then showed Kyle a purchase agreement lining out the terms.  ¡°That is agreeable.  Should we fail to produce a prototype within a cycle, we will refund you 75% of the initial deposit.  Should the prototype not live up to expectation, I¡¯ve included provisions that we will keep the 200,000 credits, or cost of materials.  Of course, there are best efforts clauses included as well¡­¡±

    The goblin droned on for nearly 6 minutes, explaining the nuances of the special order.  Kyle listened politely, having expected something similar.  The Verdant Republic loved its paperwork, after all.

    When Fell¡¯Zorre was done, Kyle signed the agreement, paid his credits, and was returned to the entrance.  The goblin paused before he left, eyes narrowed as he regarded Kyle.  ¡°Mr. Mayhew, if I may ask¡­ has something changed with your armor?  Something looks different.¡±

    Kyle met the goblin¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot since I purchased it,¡± he said, showing the gauntlet that now rested on his left forearm. ¡°It¡¯s probably just changes from the repair features.  Thank you again for your help today.¡±  With that, Kyle turned and exited the Emerald Armory.

    Through Sensory Barbs, he could see Fell¡¯Zorre still facing him for another moment, before finally turning to head back to his office.  Kyle let out a breath when he was finally out of sight.  The goblin was more perceptive than Kyle had given him credit for, and he was thankful that there was no residual energy from the seed still present in the armor.

    It was something he¡¯d need to watch down the road, though for now he was eager to get home and prepare for the next day¡¯s work.  He had 3 jobs queued up, which meant he would be busy.  He waved to his security personnel before entering his apartment complex, stepping through his front door moments later.

    Kyle made a quick meal, spiced poultry over rice, and took a look at the details.  The first job was pretty simple; a custom machinery component had been finished by a manufacturer, and they needed it delivered safely and quickly to the client.  The purpose of using a Courier seemed to be to avoid the risk of corporate espionage, which Kyle could appreciate.

    The second job of the day was from a long-standing Guild client, and an influential dignitary inside the Verdant Republic.  A new goblin world had been discovered a while back, and they were in talks of joining the Verdant Republic.  They¡¯d apparently sent some cultural artifacts to be added to a museum, and Kyle was to escort the shipment.

    The final job seemed the most interesting.  He was given a public location where he was to wait and receive a delivery.  From there, he was to simply turn the package over to the Verdant Republic Security Forces.  If nothing was handed to him by the end of the allotted time, he was to leave, the job being considered complete.  The intrigue left him curious, though he knew that he couldn¡¯t let himself get too caught up in the what-ifs.  Not knowing the full picture was part and parcel of being a Courier, after all.

    Imagine Kyle¡¯s surprise then, when he found himself surrounded by thugs shortly after picking up the equipment for his first job of the day.  7 people stood in front of him, and Sensory Barbs detected 8 more presences approaching from the sides and behind.  A quick glance over his shoulder showed his security team moving in, and Kyle turned back ahead as he felt the group¡¯s leader step forward.

    ¡°Listen here, Courier,¡± the man said, sneering as he spoke. ¡°Give us the component and we won¡¯t have to rough you up, we¡¯ll ¨C¡°

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Kyle didn¡¯t give him a chance to finish.  Ignition burned through his veins as he dashed forward, blowing through the encircling group before they had a chance to react.  He also looked back with satisfaction as he saw his security personnel try, and fail, to keep up with his enhanced speed.

    Once he was a reasonable distance away, he deactivated his skill and kept moving.  While skill use wasn¡¯t prohibited in the Verdant Republic, it was considered poor social etiquette to use flashy skills in public.  Still, he made great time as he finished his delivery and received his pay.

    The second and third jobs were much smoother, with nobody even showing up to make the delivery during Kyle¡¯s final job of the day.  Kyle returned home 8500 credits richer, already reviewing the next jobs that Suierrillax had set up for him.  Speaking of¡­ Kyle received a message from her earlier in the day, which he¡¯d dismissed.

    Kyle,

    Please don¡¯t abandon the Private Security forces we hired for you.  It¡¯s rude.

    Otherwise, keep up the good work.  More jobs coming your way.

    -Suierrillax

    The comment only made Kyle smile, and he turned in.

    The next few days were a blur of repetition, and it felt good to get into a sense of routine again.  The jobs were varied enough that Kyle didn¡¯t feel bored, and the Verdant Republic controlled sections of the Hub were large enough to provide a wide array of different scenery.  When he felt stifled from doing the largely-urban work, he and C.H.A.D.D. would make trips to the botanical gardens to walk and take in the different types of plant life.

    A message on his nav bracelet reminded him it was nearly time for his dinner with Tillienne and Jax, and he hurried out of his apartment to the teleportation platform, walking up to the restaurant just in time to see a well-dressed young man with shaggy black hair approach the front.

    ¡°Jax, it¡¯s been a while!¡±  Kyle called, a smile on his face.

    Jax did a double take, then his eyes lit up as a broad smile covered his boyish face.  ¡°Kyle!  It¡¯s great to see you!¡±

    The two men shook hands, with Jax clearly looking at the grey veins covering Kyle¡¯s body.  ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about, just some changes from a new skill I¡¯ve got.¡±

    The explanation seemed to satisfy the young man, and they chatted amicably as they stepped into the restaurant.  As expected, Jax was doing well in the Private Security Guild, already having made some new friends and expanded his family¡¯s network.  From what Kyle could see, he hadn¡¯t grown much since the Practicum, but that was to be expected.  Kyle¡¯s circumstances were far from ordinary, after all.

    Tillienne arrived a short while later, pink skin standing out against an elegant black dress.  She was stunning, an effect that was particularly pronounced for Jax, who caught himself staring and immediately blushed, much to Tillienne¡¯s delight.

    She tossed a look at Kyle, still wearing his armor and carrying the C.H.A.D.D.pack.  ¡°You¡¯re underdressed, you know.  Interesting tattoos, by the way.¡±

    The twinkle in her eye let him know she was joking, and he smiled in response.  ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m not a top Practicum performer like the 2 of you.  In seriousness, I¡¯ve had a couple of pretty tough run-ins afterward, and I learned some lessons about being unprepared.¡±

    Jax¡¯s expression grew serious at Kyle¡¯s words.  ¡°What happened?¡±

    [MAY I, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°Go ahead, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    The drone went on to explain the series of events in broad terms, leaving out much of the information that they¡¯d decided not to share, including C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s handling of its captor.  When the story was finished, Tillienne had a dark expression on her face, while Jax¡¯s was harder to read.

    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡±  Tillienne said.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to get targeted like this, but it needs to stop.  I hope your Guild is working on it.  If they¡¯re not, I can see about getting you a spot at the Mercenary¡¯s Guild.  I know our higher-ups wouldn¡¯t tolerate it.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it, Tillienne.  Our folks are working on it, though from what I can gather it¡¯s a pretty complicated knot to work through.¡±

    Jax was silent for a moment, eyes focused on his clasped hands.  Finally, he spoke.  ¡°Kyle¡­ I¡¯m sorry.  I think some of this might be my fault.¡±

    Kyle looked at the younger man, raising an eyebrow.  ¡°Last I checked, you weren¡¯t the one trying to claim a bounty on C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Jax shook his head.  ¡°I would never.  But the people at the estate really liked you, and they talk.  I know we¡¯ve had more visitors than usual since the Practicum, and you¡¯re a topic that came up more than once.  I should have paid closer attention, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Kyle took it in for a moment, gauging his own reaction to the news.  To his surprise, there was no anger, no sense of betrayal.  ¡°Jax, there wasn¡¯t a way for you to know.  Believe me, it¡¯s getting worked out.  Now, enough about that.  Tell me more about your recent assignments!¡±

    The group ate, drank, and laughed well into the evening as they chatted and swapped stories.  The mood lightened considerably, and it felt good to be able to unwind with good company.  Even better, Kyle didn¡¯t have any jobs slated the following morning, so he could get some rest.

    Kyle got back to his apartment, opened his door, and was greeted by Jarberry lounging in his chair, eating a comically large piece of cooked meat on the bone.  ¡°About time you got home, I was getting bored.¡±

    Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what was more concerning ¨C the imp¡¯s unexpected presence, or that he¡¯d grown so used to it.  ¡°Good to see you, Jarberry.  I thought you¡¯d be out for a while yet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called finishing jobs ahead of schedule and underbudget.¡±  He paused to take another bite of meat before waving it in Kyle¡¯s general direction.  ¡°Something you could stand to learn, by the way.  At this rate, nobody will want to hire you because of all the extra expenses that pop up.¡±

    ¡°Hey now, it¡¯s not all my fault.¡±

    [ACTUALLY, DR. MAYHEW, MANY OF THE MA FAMILY¡¯S EXPENSES FROM YOUR VISIT WERE DIRECTLY RELATED TO YOUR SPECIFIC PRESENCE.]

    ¡°See?¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°And that¡¯s why I like you, drone.  And why I¡¯ve been working on a little side project to make sure you¡¯re taken care of.¡±

    ¡°And what does that entail?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°C Grade stuff!¡±  Jarberry responded, sharp teeth showing in his smile.  ¡°Speaking of, I think it¡¯s high time you and I had a chat about that.  What do you know about C Grade?¡±

    ¡°Very little,¡± Kyle admitted.  ¡°We had a handful on Earth at one point, but they left.  I don¡¯t know much about the specifics other than that the power gap between D Grades and C Grades is a lot wider than E Grade and D Grade.¡±

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°Either way, I want you to get there, which means we need to start thinking about your foundations now.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t my foundations a little set in stone?¡±  Kyle asked, only partially joking.  ¡°I understand that a lot of C Grade heritages are pretty strict and specific.¡±

    Jarberry scoffed.  ¡°If you want to do things other people have done, sure.  The real monsters, the ones who make heritages, are the ones who figure it out themselves.  I want to make sure you get pointed in the right direction.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s pulse quickened, anticipation building.  This was something he¡¯d thought about a lot, and never found great information.  ¡°Well then, where do we start?¡±

    ¡°I suppose discussing the second class is as good a place as any.¡±

 Chapter 211

    [YOU SHOULD PROBABLY DODGE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle could barely hear the drone¡¯s words over the roaring gunfire.  Small arms fire peppered his back, feeling more like heavy raindrops against his Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation when it wasn¡¯t stopped by his armor.  Synaptic Barbs confirmed C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warning a moment later as he felt the telltale disruption in the air a few meters behind him, a surefire indication that there was another approaching missile.

    ¡°Is the package secure?¡±  Kyle asked, dropping flat to the ground at the last possible second as the missile flew harmlessly overhead.

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle sprang to his feet, pulling out a forcehammer baton with his right hand as the guided munition turned to correct its course.

    With a smoothness provided by months of dedicated training, Kyle channeled his mana through the weapon as he swung.  A wide shockwave of energy rolled out from the baton, catching the missile in mid-flight.  It wobbled in the air before crashing into a nearby tree, exploding on impact.

    A floating blue projection came up from his nav bracelet, confirming he was making the right call.

    Mayhew,

    You¡¯re 10 kilometers away from the drop point.  As soon as the clients have the Echo Heart, your part is done.  I confirmed they have a team ready and waiting.  Don¡¯t die.

    -Suierrillax

    Beneath the text, a rudimentary map showed his progress toward the destination.  Kyle didn¡¯t pay it much heed, being far more interested in C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  In addition to the destination, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s included the nearly 30 unmanned drones streaking through the sky after them.  Kyle felt surprised at how well they kept up, given that he was using Ignition to get out of the danger zone as quickly as he could.

    The job was supposed to be a simple one, with Kyle picking up an experimental component called an Echo Heart from a hidden lab, then delivering it to the company that commissioned it.  When Kyle arrived at the lab, he saw it besieged by a literal army of mechs.  Many were the fast-flying types that now pursued Kyle and C.H.A.D.D., others were bipedal with heavier armaments.

    The lab was holding on admirably, layering a variety of barriers and retaliating with electromagnetic pulses to interfere with the attacking drones.  Instead of joining the fight, Kyle made his way to the back entrance of the lab, picked up the Echo Heart, and left.  He hoped that the attack wasn¡¯t related to his job, but he had no such luck.

    Instead, swarms of the attacking drones peeled off from their assault to pursue Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  The Echo Heart gave off powerful pulses of energy, which Kyle assumed his assailants used to track them.  Now, with only 10 kilometers between them and their destination, he felt confident in completing the job.  The larger assault mechs were left in the dust, and the small drones offered only a limited threat.

    Comfortable with their progress, Kyle called to C.H.A.D.D. over the din of gunfire.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., have you been able to analyze the Echo Heart?¡±

    [ONLY IN A LIMITED CAPACITY, DR. MAYHEW.  THE INSCRIPTION WORK IS QUITE INTERESTING; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE PRINCIPLES AT PLAY WOULD BE OF LIMITED USE.]

    Kyle frowned at his companion¡¯s words.  ¡°Why is that?¡±

    [THE ALLOYS USED IN THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE ECHO HEART SEEM ESSENTIAL TO THE INSCRIPTION WORK.  WHILE IT IS LIKELY TO SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE BATTERY AND AMPLIFIER FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF MANA, IT IS UNLIKELY TO MESH WELL WITH THE ENERGIES PRESENT IN THE WORLD TREE SEED.  FURTHERMORE, I BELIEVE THAT THE AMPLIFICATION COULD BE ACTIVELY DISRUPTIVE IF USED IMPROPERLY.]

    Kyle nodded, considering C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s analysis.  Ever since their meeting with Jarberry about getting a second class at C Grade, he and C.H.A.D.D. had been hard at work trying to determine their next steps.  If D Grade was all about building a foundation for one¡¯s path, C Grade was about folding in outside elements to strengthen and broaden it.

    For Kyle, the idea itself was fairly simple.  His path was tied to the concept of survival and overcoming adversity.  Despite the practical difficulty it provided, the conceptual basis was wide enough to allow for most second classes to weave in.  The main obstacle to overcome would be encountering enough challenging environments to push himself, no matter what class he chose.

    C.H.A.D.D., by contrast, had an incredibly complex method of progression.  Only having gained the Administrator Weevil class by absorbing an essence back on Earth, the class itself heavily relied on engaging with plant-based natural treasures.  In fact, with the exception of its sonic attack, all of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s skills were solely reliant on the manipulation and direction of the energies inside these treasures.

    The other applications available to the drone were simple functions of its original hardware and software.  Sure, there had been some creative liberties taken to use them in their current capacity, but ultimately C.H.A.D.D. used the tools at its disposal.   This was the crux of the problem.

    At the end of the day, there was no precedent that Kyle could find for AIs to have a class, much less 2.  In fact, most mechanical creations had no ability to progress at all, outside of an external party giving them direct upgrades to their hardware or software.  For most, they would simply exist at the level of power at which they were created.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Colloquially, even though creations of talented Mechanists may be called D or C Grade, it was nothing more than a simple expression of the power level they could exhibit.  The fact that C.H.A.D.D. had a class and levels flew in the face of this reality, and provided them the conundrum they now found.  For Kyle to give C.H.A.D.D. the best possibilities of crossing into C Grade or beyond, he¡¯d need to find high-level schematics for the drone¡¯s next round of upgrades.

    While he held out a lot of hope for the upcoming meeting with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s original designer, Marcus Kulhavey, Kyle had also specifically focused on taking delivery jobs for highly specialized mechanical components like the Echo Heart.  Each job required he sign binding non-disclosure agreements, but he hoped that C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans of the products could help illuminate their path forward.

    His thought process stopped as a warning flashed across C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  Auric Perception alerted Kyle to mana condensing in front of them, and he instinctively pushed mana into the gauntlet on his left arm, a circular shield of mana emerging from his forearm.

    A javelin of lightning split the air a moment later, and Kyle was ready.  Only slowing half a step, he angled the buckler towards the oncoming projectile.  With a practiced flick of his wrist, the blast of energy was redirected slightly as it glanced off the shield, exploding against the trees behind Kyle.

    He felt a searing pain in his wrist and left arm from deflecting the blow, and channeled Healing Impetus into it, immediately feeling the relief wash through him.  Adaptive Regeneration took over from there, greedily making use of the latent healing energy left behind in his cells as all trace of damage from the attack faded in seconds.

    Kyle looked ahead as he felt the mana condensing again, barely making out the shape of a humanoid mech in the forest ahead.  Its shape seemed to blur at the edges, and as he drew closer Kyle realized that it was using some type of cloaking field, disrupted by the crackling blue energy gathering in the weapon it was leveling at Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.

    [YOU MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°On it, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle replied, feeling the electric mana climbing to fever pitch.  Pushing more power into Ignition, Kyle got within 3 meters of the mech, staring directly into the muzzle of the gun as he came in low.  At the last possible moment, he swung the forcehammer baton in his right hand in a vertical arc, starting from his left hip.  A shockwave of kinetic force released like a bubble below the gun, knocking it upward and off target the moment it fired.

    Kyle grabbed the second baton with his left hand, and began to viciously pummel the mech.  It was roughly human-sized, with the lightning cannon in place of its right arm and treads on 4 legs to allow it free movement through the difficult terrain.  Mottled grey and brown metal began to vanish beneath the cloaking field, but Kyle wasn¡¯t planning to give it an opportunity to escape.

    Rather than simply releasing large blasts of force with his batons, Kyle focused the mana at the tips of each.  Using tendrils of Parasitic Resonance, he focused on shaping smaller, focused bursts of energy.  Though he hadn¡¯t perfected it, the results were still more than enough.  Over a dozen strikes rang out in the span of a second, each leaving deep craters in the metal shielding.

    Kyle continued his relentless assault, driving the mech backward with his forward momentum.  The first component to break off fully was the cannon, followed by 3 of its legs.  As soon as it fell to the ground, Kyle dashed past it.  A quick glance at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map showed the lead he¡¯d gotten on the pursuing drones had been lost during his skirmish.

    ¡°How much farther, C.H.A.D.D.?¡± Kyle asked, the air once again filled with the high-pitched whine of bullets.

    [APPROXIMATELY 1 KILOMETER, DR. MAYHEW.  THERE IS A RATHER LARGE ARMORED VEHICLE WAITING AT THE DROP POINT, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IS YOUR DESTINATION.]

    ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Kyle agreed, vaulting over a fallen tree as he continued his escape.  While he was interested to learn more about the circumstances surrounding this delivery, he just wanted to get the job done at this point.  With the Echo Heart being a bit of a dead end, he looked forward to heading home and meeting with Jarberry.  The imp kept busy, and Kyle did his best to get on his calendar whenever the opportunity came up.

    Breaking through the tree cover, Kyle saw the panicked expression of a handful of E Grade guards surrounding the transport.  With a minor push of mana, Kyle broadcast his credentials as a Courier though his nav bracelet, slowing to a halt as he approached the woman in charge.  Crimson energy dispersed as he deactivated Ignition, and he raised his hand in greeting.

    ¡°Courier Kyle Mayhew, reporting.¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice was calm as he unslung the C.H.A.D.D.pack, reaching inside to grab the package containing the Echo Heart.  ¡°This is the delivery, as agreed.  Good luck.¡±

    The woman took the package, eyes widening as she saw the drones breaking out of the forest behind him.  ¡°How¡­  How did you¡­¡±  She seemed lost for words for a moment, flinching as the gunfire exploded at their position, only to be stopped by Storm Shelter as it sprang to life around them.  Finally, she found her voice.  ¡°Can you help us make our exit?¡±

    Kyle met her eyes.  ¡°I was contracted to make a field delivery, not make enemies with whoever else is fighting for this item.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± she said, once again looking past Kyle at the swarm of drones.  ¡°We won¡¯t make it back to headquarters at this rate.¡±

    ¡°How much are you willing to pay?¡±  Kyle asked.  The last months had taught him that, despite spending absurd amounts of credits on development, many companies tightened the proverbial purse strings when it came to deliveries like these.  Instead of paying Kyle to deliver directly to a headquarters, it was common to have Couriers make field deliveries, where company staff would finish the job at much lower cost.

    Situations like the one they currently faced were perfect examples of how those plans could backfire.  Jarberry warned Kyle not to get taken advantage of, and he¡¯d taken the advice to heart.  He saw the woman glance down at a screen that popped up from her own nav bracelet, then look back at Kyle.  ¡°I¡¯m authorized to offer 25,000 credits to deal with the drones.¡±

    ¡°Make it 60,000 credits and we have a deal.¡± Kyle replied.  With at least 20 of the drones visible on C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map when he¡¯d checked last, he didn¡¯t intend to stay involved for less.

    ¡°Fine!¡±  She screamed.  ¡°Just take care of them!¡±

    The pursuing drones had fanned out at this point, concentrating fire directly on Kyle¡¯s location.  The bullets may as well have been a gentle breeze for all they did against Storm Shelter, and he casually drafted the invoice on his own nav bracelet before sending it off to Suierrillax.

    Once he¡¯d confirmed it was sent, Kyle looked back at the attacking drones.  Taking a forcehammer baton in each hand, he took his fighting stance as Ignition bloomed to life in his chest.  He took a deep breath as he focused.  ¡°You¡¯re going to want to get down.  This will be over shortly.¡±

 Chapter 212

    Suierrillax looked at Kyle across her desk, the shadow of a smile playing across her face as she spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a flair for the dramatic, Mayhew.  I¡¯m starting to understand how you kept finding yourself in trouble.¡±

    Given Kyle was still covered in soot and ashes from the destroyed drones, he had a hard time arguing.  He returned to the Courier¡¯s Guild, having headed straight there after finishing his extra request.

    [I DO NOT BELIEVE DR. MAYHEW WOULD HAVE LEFT THEM TO DIE, MS. SUIERRILLAX.] C.H.A.D.D. offered.  [I WOULD CATERGORIZE HIS ACTIONS AS MORE ENTERPRISING THAN DRAMATIC.]

    The skrell woman leaned forward, black eyes peering at Kyle.  ¡°I think I¡¯d rather call it a pattern of behavior.  In any event, you completed the job ahead of schedule, and the Notus group decided to throw in a handful of extra credits.¡±

    Kyle saw a notification flash up from his nav bracelet at her words, indicating 100,000 credits had been deposited into his account instead of the agreed upon 60,000.  Not a bad day¡¯s work.  In addition to the original 30,000 for the job, Kyle¡¯s account once again looked healthy.  Which was good, given how his shopping list seemed to keep expanding.

    Meeting Suierrillax¡¯s eyes, Kyle said, ¡°Pass along my thanks.  Next time they have a delivery that needs done on short notice, I¡¯d be happy to help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would be,¡± Suierrillax said dryly, sitting back in her chair.  ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason I asked to see you when you got done though, Kyle.  We had a special request come in, asking for you specifically.¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°I¡¯m flattered, but I was hoping to take a few days off.  I¡¯ve got a couple things that I¡¯ll need to take care of, particularly with Jarberry back at the Hub for a while.¡±

    Suierillax nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m well aware, and they assured me that the job isn¡¯t time sensitive.  Remember the dignitaries you worked with from the Verdant Republic?¡±

    Kyle thought back to some of his early jobs with the Courier¡¯s Guild, and nodded.  ¡°Pretty quick and easy jobs, as I recall.  What, does somebody need their dry cleaning picked up?¡±

    Suierrillax clearly didn¡¯t find Kyle¡¯s joke as funny as he did, and her flat look caused him to get serious.  ¡°Sorry.  What do they need?¡±

    ¡°It sounds like a longer-term assignment, requiring somebody with impressive survival skills, the ability to traverse hostile territory, and somebody currently unaffiliated with the Verdant Republic¡¯s governance.  While it¡¯s ultimately your decision, I believe it¡¯s an opportunity you should consider.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what the pay structure looks like?¡±  Kyle asked, his interest growing.

    ¡°Preliminary discussion is currently sitting at 30,000 credit advance, a 1500 credit per diem, and a 75,000 credit payment due at completion.¡±  Suierrillax said.

    While Kyle wasn¡¯t terribly impressed by the pay, he could see the attraction of getting a contract like this directly from the Verdant Republic.  It also meant that they didn¡¯t have the talent in-house to take care of the job, which signified to Kyle that the job was likely to be dangerous.  Exactly what I¡¯ll need to get to Level 70.

    Kyle had only gained 2 levels in the 6 months since returning from his assignment on Pokke.  While he knew his progress was still impressive in the grand scheme of things, the relative lack of danger in his recent jobs left him itching for an opportunity to really push himself again.

    ¡°How long until they need me to report?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°They agreed to 72 hours from your return for a meeting, then an additional 48 hours before you would officially begin in order to prepare.¡±  Suierrillax said.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°And thank you, for everything.¡±

    Suierrillax grinned.  ¡°Are you kidding me?  I¡¯m getting paid more than I ever have to keep you out of trouble.  Now, get some rest.  You¡¯ve got credits to earn for me, after all!¡±

    Kyle could only smile as he said his goodbyes at the Courier¡¯s Guild before heading home.  He could honestly say that he¡¯d found his rhythm.  The pay was good, the work was interesting, and it gave Kyle space to train and develop.  Even if his progress to C Grade stalled, as was the case with many, he was in a position where he¡¯d be able to carve out a comfortable life.

    Of course, Kyle had no intention of stalling at C Grade.  He had another skill selection coming up at Level 70, with the capstone skill of D Grade at Level 105 and the evolution to C Grade at Level 125.  From what he understood from his early lessons with Jarberry, the shift to C Grade came with a large power spike, though its progression was gated by one¡¯s ability to keep each class¡¯s purpose unified.

    For many, this was a near-impossible task.  If the unity between the classes was insufficient, a person would be stalled at early C Grade ¨C unable to evolve their subclass to D Grade and stuck at Level 60 in their primary race and class.

    Similar issues occurred as the subclass broke into C Grade, with the final push only occurring once both classes reached Level 180.  From what Kyle understood, neither Jarberry nor Ghork had approached Peak C Grade, though he suspected Jarberry was closer than he¡¯d let on.  That also spoke to the difficulty of reaching for B Grade, and why the people that achieved it were considered to be at the apex.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Kyle stopped his wandering thoughts as he took the final steps toward his apartment door, sharpening his senses before opening it.  He knew it to be a largely futile effort, but he¡¯d committed to not giving Jarberry the satisfaction of surprising him.  No sounds of eating, no clanking of dishware, Kyle thought.  Synaptic Barbs were fairly limited through the sealed door, and he knew that Auric Perception wasn¡¯t able to detect anything from the imp.

    With a sigh, Kyle opened the door, seeing nothing out of place within.  Jarberry was still such an unknown quantity, even though he¡¯d invested quite a bit into Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.  Kyle would feel much better if he could get a better sense of the imp¡¯s comings and goings.

    For now, he took off the newly updated pack he¡¯d commissioned from the Emerald Armory, taking a moment to admire the quality of the work.  Fell¡¯Zorre and his team had truly outdone themselves.  The pack had a sleek construction, perfectly fit to start at the top of Kyle¡¯s shoulders, tapering down to rest on his hips.  A multisegmented frame offered flexibility and mobility to his back, while still providing support for C.H.A.D.D.

    The drone rested comfortably inside the main body of the pack, with several other containers surrounding C.H.A.D.D. which held a variety of other supplies and seeds.  The material itself was incredibly tough, with multiple layers of self-repair inscriptions and defensive wards placed on top of one another to enhance the durability even further.  Using Identify, Kyle could see the mana infusing the metal, only improving his appreciation for the work.

    [IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE PACK, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°Not at all.  Just checking to make sure that there was no damage after all the bullets.¡±

    [I WOULD LET YOU KNOW IF I SUSPECTED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.  I DO NOT RELISH THE IDEA OF FALLING OUT WHILE YOU¡¯RE RUNNING.]

    ¡°A second set of eyes on it can¡¯t hurt,¡± Kyle said, looking over each piece of the pack.  ¡°All the better to keep you safe and secure.¡±

    Satisfied with the condition of the straps and main pack, he infused a gentle stream of mana, causing small circular vents to open on either side of the pack.  He could barely make out the sphere of thin, twisting vines inside, and with another push of mana sealed the vents shut again.  These were among the most fragile components of the pack, yet they more than held up to the wear and tear of Kyle¡¯s work so far.

    Finally, Kyle examined the bottom of the pack, where separate compartments held numerous plant seeds.  C.H.A.D.D. had direct access through the interior of the pack, and could open them from within.  Each of them was still closed up tight, though admittedly Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had yet to give their new tactics a genuine field test.  Kyle was concerned the potentially violent nature of mid-combat deployments could make resealing the compartments difficult, though there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it at this point.

    Kyle settled in with a bowl of fried rice and red meat in a tangy sauce, thinking about all he wanted to get done before his meeting with the Verdant Republic.  His meetings with Jarberry tended to be unpredictable, so he couldn¡¯t plan too rigidly.  There was still work he wanted to do in preparation for his meeting with Marcus Kulhavey, as well as enough reading material to last a lifetime.

    Though paltry compared to the amount spent on gear, Kyle spent thousands of credits to build his virtual library.  His primary interest was to learn more about the different species of the Collective, which soon spiraled to include everything from history books to local popular culture and cooking guides.  He found a quiet comfort in reading, a peace that seemed to seep into his very soul.

    He was currently reading through a history of skrell medical techniques, which he found surprisingly funny despite the otherwise dry subject matter.  Given his upcoming journey to the Verdant Republic, he doubted it would be terribly useful.  Once he started, however, he wanted to finish.  And with a lifespan now a couple centuries long, he had the time.

    After cleaning up from his dinner and reading a while, Kyle found himself staring in his mirror before his nightly meditation.  The dark gray veins of his Ferric Augmentation ran across his body, and he could make out what looked like a fine layer of stubble all over, courtesy of his Synaptic Barbs.  He had always been athletic, though his build was much stronger now.  Dark hair and a tightly trimmed beard framed his sharp features, emerald eyes piercing as always.  With focused effort, Kyle suppressed both the Synaptic Barbs and the Ferric Augmentation.

    He felt an odd sensation across his skin as the veins of gray retreated and the barbs shifted back into the tight weave of his Enhanced Carapace.  For a moment, Kyle saw a memory in the mirror, a face that had grown less and less familiar.  He saw echoes of the young doctor treating minor injuries in a frontier clinic on Earth.  With a smile, Kyle stopped suppressing the skills.  The familiar veins came back, and his sense of the world felt crisp once again when the barbs reemerged.  While he felt the occasional pang of longing for what he once had and been, the new Kyle was building his life at the Hub one day at a time.

    He crossed his legs as he sat on the bed, taking time to meditate before calling it a night.  As usual, Kyle¡¯s consciousness was drawn into his center, and he looked at the now-familiar words.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 67 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 20%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 1000

    ENDURANCE: 1141

    STRENGTH: 379

    DEXTERITY: 732

    WILLPOWER: 1435

    INTELLIGENCE: 1435

    PERCEPTION: 1063

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 0

    He¡¯d been stalled at Level 67 for quite a while, though as he reflected on the day¡¯s job, he felt that he was closer than ever to 68.  All he would need was a good push and he¡¯d be there.  Of course, he had a method to increase his personal power not tied to the next level; that being the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  The fish from his Practicum and Styxlions had both proven to be sufficient nourishment for the Core, and Kyle felt confident he could find other prey that would satisfy its appetite.

    The problem he encountered was finding an environment where he could kill sufficient enemies without causing major harm to the ecosystem.  He¡¯d been keeping an eye out for issues related to invasive species mitigation, though he hadn¡¯t seen anything come up recently.  A longer-term job would likely provide the best opportunity to find the right targets.  His Adaptive Anatomy saved him more times than he could count, and he wanted to see it continue to develop.

    Sleep followed meditation, and Kyle drifted off peacefully.  Only to be woken up what seemed like moments later by a loud, familiar voice.

    ¡°Come on, lazybones!  Get up, there¡¯s lots to do and not nearly enough time to do it!¡±

    Kyle sat up with a groan, staring at the diminutive purple form floating at the foot of his bed.  The imp wore a tailored suit, as always, and had his trademark grin.  Kyle couldn¡¯t sense any mana from him, nor did he feel the telltale absence of presence many cloaking skills created.

    Kyle rubbed his eyes blearily, and with a flat voice greeted his unexpected visitor.  ¡°Good morning to you, too, Jarberry.¡±

 Chapter 213

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s polite to offer a guest food and drink when they come to your home.¡±  Jarberry said, false consternation clear in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s also polite to tell your hosts when you¡¯re planning on arriving.  Or if you¡¯re planning on arriving.  While we¡¯re at it, I also think there are conventions around inviting oneself in, snooping, using concealment skills¡­¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Jarberry said, putting his hands up in mock surrender.  ¡°I¡¯ll just go help myself while you get up and moving.¡±  The imp vanished a moment later, and Kyle rose and stretched before confirming that everything was still in order with C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°Everything alright?¡±

    [QUITE, DR. MAYHEW.  NOTHING UNUSUAL WHATSOEVER UNTIL JARBERRY¡¯S APPEARANCE.  THOUGH I SUPPOSE AT THIS POINT HIS APPEARANCES HARDLY QUALIFY AS UNUSUAL.]

    Kyle tried, and failed, to hold back a chuckle.  ¡°We¡¯ve certainly made some odd acquaintances.  Thank you for keeping a watch on things, I appreciate it.¡±

    [I AM HAPPY TO BE OF SERVICE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle cleaned up quickly, and by the time he stepped out into his living room, he saw Jarberry lounging in one of his chairs, stuffing his face with rice out of one of Kyle¡¯s bowls.  ¡°Took you long enough,¡± the imp said between bites.  ¡°Grab a seat, we¡¯ve got lots to talk about.¡±

    Kyle considered questioning his visitor about his habit of eating Kyle¡¯s food, but decided against it.  Some battles weren¡¯t worth fighting.

    [MR. BANDERSNATCH, DO YOU HAVE THE PYROCORE SPHERE?  I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CONTINUE EXAMINING IT.]

    Without a word, Jarberry made a gesture with his left hand, seeming to pull the basketball-sized orb out of thin air.  ¡°It belongs to the two of you ¨C I¡¯m happy to leave it here if you want to study it more.¡±  These words were spoken with a wide grin, and Kyle knew a trap when he saw one.

    ¡°Not yet.  We appreciate you holding onto it for us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you credit where it¡¯s due, you have the brains to understand when some things are best left unchanged.  Are you thinking about incorporating it into your path?¡±  Jarberry asked, seeming genuinely interested.

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t offer much for either of us at this point.  The principles at work with the inscriptions are the most important pieces, and we want to learn everything from it we can before we look to sell.¡±

    ¡°Not a bad idea, though I think you¡¯re going to hit some dead ends on it soon.  The inscription work isn¡¯t going to do much without a treasure at the same level as the volcanic glass supporting it.  You found something really special in that last part of your Practicum.  Even other high-quality materials will hit their limits, after all.¡±  Jarberry said.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, it¡¯s still an investment in the future,¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°Besides, who knows what other items we might stumble across?  I¡¯d rather learn everything we can while we have an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Well just remember, my storage fees are far more reasonable than the Collective¡¯s.  Now, I think you and I have more important items to cover.¡±

    With that, Jarberry gestured again, and several heavy tomes materialized between Kyle and the imp.  With a sigh, Kyle placed his right hand on the cover of the closest one, and felt a familiar connection as the book drained a bit of his mana.  Jarberry brought these books each time they¡¯d met over the last few months, and Kyle could safely say they were the part of his training he looked forward to the least.

    Jarberry watched with expectant eyes as Kyle flipped to the first page, where large blobs of ink seemed to be flowing around with no rhyme or reason.  Knowing the drill, Kyle used his faint connection with the item to try and stabilize the ink on the page, allowing him to read the message that was on it.  The problem was that he had to focus his attention on keeping each individual letter stable, which grew exponentially more difficult as the message lengthened.  The moment one of the letters destabilized, Kyle would lose his connection to the tome and would have to start over again.

    The idea, per Jarberry, was for Kyle to continue to develop in the areas of mana control without level progression.  Kyle understood the logic, even if he found the training to be a bit tedious.  Ultimately, the more he practiced, the better use he¡¯d be able to make of his rising attributes.  Hopefully, that would result in more varied uses of his skills, not to mention better options as he moved toward C Grade.

    Just over an hour later, Kyle finally lost focus.  The ink began to swirl across the pages once again as Kyle leaned back in his chair, exhausted.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Jarberry said.  ¡°147 pages total this time.¡±

    ¡°And how many do you want me to get?¡±  Kyle asked, keeping his eyes closed as he fought off a fatigue headache.

    ¡°500 before C Grade would be a good number to target.¡±

    Kyle nodded, biting back his disappointment before closing the first tome and moving to open the next.  Instead of pushing his focus and mana control, this tome immediately started to put strain on Kyle¡¯s muscles, as if it was pushing each individual fiber to lock up.  The more pages he turned, the higher the intensity.  As soon as he could no longer turn the pages, the book snapped shut, relief washing over his aching muscles.

    While he could have pushed further through the use of Adaptive Regeneration, Jarberry advised against it.  The idea of the tomes was to train and develop his foundations.  Leveraging skills to get a better score undermined the whole principle.  The process was more important than the result, and Kyle didn¡¯t have much choice other than to trust the imp.

    Kyle looked up to see Jarberry¡¯s expectant gaze, and placed his hand on the last of the three tomes.  This was far and away his least favorite; a simple test of pain tolerance.  Kyle knew that there would be no physical harm.  He instinctively understood that there was no danger from the book.  Yet, despite that truth, the white-hot pain lancing through his body grew to a point that he simply couldn¡¯t handle.

    As the last book closed, Jarberry clapped slowly.  ¡°147, 133, and 159.  Solid improvement from where you started, but you¡¯ve still got some work to do.¡±

    Kyle groaned.  ¡°And you want me to get to page 500 on each before C Grade?¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°If you can,¡± the imp said, shrugging.  ¡°I¡¯m not here to tell you what you have to do, but if you can push to that point, you¡¯ll have built a strong foundation for whatever comes next.  I can¡¯t think of a single situation where improved mana control or focus would be a bad thing.  And if you¡¯re going to have to learn these lessons one way or another, this ain¡¯t a bad way to do it.¡±

    All things considered, Jarberry was right.  He¡¯d experienced the hard way on Earth, after all.  ¡°I appreciate it.  No guarantees I get to 500 on each, but I¡¯ll keep working toward it.¡±  Kyle said, placing the books back in a neat stack.  ¡°Did you bring the class information?¡±

    ¡°You know, most people would describe a catalog of rare, variant E Grade classes with a little more reverence.¡±  Jarberry said, mock admonishment in his tone as he put the stack of tomes in his spatial storage.

    A few months ago, Kyle would have harbored worries that the imp was offended, but those doubts were a distant memory.  ¡°You and I both know that you had no reverence when you found the information, and I¡¯m just learning from my teacher.¡±  Kyle responded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get too comfortable with the whole ¡®teacher¡¯ label.¡± Jarberry protested, activating his nav bracelet.  ¡°Take a look, and learn what you can.  Remember, there¡¯s no guarantees when it comes to a second class.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he looked through the list.  There were 5 widely accepted E Grade archetype classes that existed for most awakened, with the true customization coming as individuals allocated Free Attributes and selected skills.  These were Fighter, Ranger, Mage, Healer, and Crafter.  Within each, minor variations existed.

    For example, a Fire Mage and a Wind Mage were both Mages, simply differentiated based on their elemental affinities.  Similarly, a Swordsman and Spearman were both variants of Fighter, each offering the same number of attribute points despite the different names.

    True variants, like the one DeRosa had, were something entirely different.  First, they came with significantly higher attribute points with each level.  An E Grade at the cusp of a D Grade evolution with a good variant class had the potential to hold their own against opponents in the early stages of D Grade.  People with good variants also had a leg up in terms of class evolutions, typically offering more powerful options relative to their more normal peers.

    Thus, it went without saying that most who were serious about progressing to C Grade wanted their second class to be such a variant.  Per Jarberry, however, this could be a double-edged sword.  The key to C Grade progression was unifying 2 separate paths, and if the second class was of a much higher quality than the first, harmony would be impossible.  Often, it would stop before the second class even had a chance to reach D Grade.

    Fortunately, the solution was simple, if incredibly difficult.  The first class would simply need to turn into a variant that could stack up qualitatively.  The challenge, at least for Kyle, was that he had no idea how his Survivalist class stacked up.  He had no doubt that it was powerful, far outstripping some of the more standard evolutions he¡¯d studied from the base Healer class.  At the same time, the lack of a variant class as a foundation meant he was missing out on attributes and skills that could have propelled him further.

    That left Kyle with 2 problems to solve; develop enough for a great variant of the Survivalist class, and build an idea for how his second class would fit into the picture.  He would solve the first issue by the simple virtue of continuing down his path, and shoring up his foundations like he was doing now.  A clear solution, even though it was easier said than done.

    Perusing the list Jarberry provided, the sheer number of different E Grade variants was a little overwhelming.  From what he could glean, most variants at this early stage were largely tied to either environmental factors or sheer natural talent.  Standard E grade classes, like Kyle¡¯s Healer, offered 5 fixed attributes and 1 free attribute per level.  Some of these variants offered 3 or 4 times that number.

    As far as which archetype to choose, he and Jarberry had gone the rounds over it.  While he could see the concept of survival expressed in each, some didn¡¯t fit with the core of who he was.  Fighter would likely offer some balance, and his ever-growing experience with close combat would probably benefit him.  However, he didn¡¯t feel like it was a direction that he wanted to harmonize.  Ideally, he¡¯d find himself fighting in close quarters less and less as his life moved on.

    Ranger would similarly synergize well, and make him an even more effective Courier.  This was the direction Jarberry had encouraged as well, with well-documented variants tied to scouting and espionage that could blend in well with the survival concept.  While Kyle could see the allure, he just didn¡¯t feel as drawn to it.  Though Kyle enjoyed his work as a Courier, it wasn¡¯t something he wanted to align his entire path around.

    As if reading his thoughts, Jarberry spoke up.  ¡°Still not considering the Ranger, huh?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°It just doesn¡¯t feel like me.¡±

    Jarberry¡¯s expression got serious for a moment as he met Kyle¡¯s eyes.  ¡°It¡¯s your choice at the end, but I really think you should consider it.  As things stand today, I see Ranger being a better fit for your class than Healer or Crafter, with Mage being a bit of a toss-up.  I think you¡¯ve got the potential to go far, and I don¡¯t want to see you get stuck at an early bottleneck because of a bad choice.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that, Jarberry.  Good news, there¡¯s still plenty of time ahead.  Anything you¡¯d recommend that I focus on while I¡¯m on my next assignment?¡±

    Jarberry snorted.  ¡°How about you focus on the assignment?¡±

    [I BELIEVE THE VERDANT REPUBLIC WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Sure, take his side, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle snapped back, though he failed to suppress the grin on his face.

    ¡°For real, kid, take it seriously.  Even I don¡¯t have all the details of your assignment, and they requested you personally.  It¡¯s a good opportunity, if nothing else.¡±  Jarberry paused for a moment, before making a sign with his hands, pulling the stack of tomes back out of his spatial storage.  ¡°If you can promise you¡¯ll keep them safe, I¡¯ll also lend you these.  I don¡¯t use them anymore, but it¡¯ll give you something to practice with while you¡¯re off-world.¡±

    Kyle nodded, putting them in the pack carefully.  ¡°Thank you, I will.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Jarberry replied.  ¡°Because I¡¯ll expect you to replace them if they get damaged, and they¡¯re expensive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°Should we move on to the next lesson?¡±

    Jarberry nodded while pulling out reams of paper.  The two spent the following hours reviewing increasingly complex runic formations.  Jarberry held a firm belief that a strong understanding of different types of inscriptions would be a major benefit to Kyle as he approached C Grade.  Whether he was helping C.H.A.D.D. with an upgrade or trying to decipher the purpose of unknown artifacts, it would prove helpful.

    This batch was focused on various types of elemental inscription, and the different principles behind each.  Kyle was beginning to get a grasp on identifying 2 of the elements, but the others were still quite a struggle.  Flame inscriptions tended to grow exponentially out of a focal point; wind had a tendency to be linear and direct.  The problem was that linear force was common through a variety of other affinities, and mistaking one for another could be dangerous if he was examining a formation.

    The principle Kyle found the most interesting was how the runic inscriptions related to the way different affinities of mana moved.  The writings Jarberry brought indicated that one could disrupt a skill as it was forming if the structure of the mana could be impacted, and Kyle felt like he could take that concept to an even higher level using Parasitic Resonance.

    Finally, as the day was almost done, Kyle set down the document he was studying and met Jarberry¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Say, what do you know about my next job?¡±

    Jarberry grinned as he went back to the refrigerator for another snack.  ¡°I¡¯ve got no clue.  All I¡¯ve been told is that you¡¯ve been specifically requested by the Verdant Republic.  Do you have any more of those little sandwiches?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all?¡±  Kyle asked incredulously, ignoring the comment on his empty fridge.  ¡°I find it hard to believe that you haven¡¯t at least tried to stick your nose in.¡±

    ¡°Believe it or not, Kyle, I have a few other things going on.  I can¡¯t keep up with all of the random work that you do.¡±  Jarberry paused for a moment, a piece of fruit in his hand.  ¡°And from our interactions, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want me to.¡±

    ¡°Any advice?¡± Kyle pushed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be late.  Be professional.  Don¡¯t die.¡±

    [DO NOT LOSE YOUR PACK WITH ME INSIDE IT.]

    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t damage my books.¡± Jarberry tossed in, mouth already full of fruit.

 Chapter 214

    Before Kyle knew it, he was walking in the main door to the Verdant Republic¡¯s Bureau of Internal Affairs.  Goblin guards in immaculate uniforms checked his credentials multiple times as he navigated the labyrinthine building.  Teleporter after teleporter waited behind various gated checkpoints, layers of security only seeming to grow more stringent as he went deeper into the complex.

    They really take their security seriously, Kyle thought, feeling 3 upper D Grade auras from the guards at the most recent checkpoint.  If his instincts were correct, he would have a hard time even winning a 1 on 1 fight with any of them, much less all 3.  That notion was cemented when he saw the C Grade troll at the next checkpoint, which happened to be directly outside the conference room.

    She was wearing black robes with gold trim, and stood a head taller than Kyle.  Her skin was mottled green.  A long braid of dark hair pulled tight at the back of her head.  Despite the robes she wore, Kyle got the impression that she was a close-combat fighter more than anything else.  The aura she gave off was a great deal weaker than Ghork¡¯s or the Glaivebeak¡¯s, though still beyond anything a D Grade could muster by a wide margin.

    The troll looked at Kyle for a moment as he approached, then offered a wide grin.  ¡°First time coming in this far, huh?  I know it can be a bit intimidating.  Can¡¯t be too careful when it comes to protection, after all.¡±  Her voice was surprisingly soft, and Kyle nodded appreciatively.

    ¡°I can understand that,¡± Kyle said, returning her smile.  ¡°My name¡¯s Kyle Mayhew, by the way.  Anything I should know before I head inside?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Fern¡¯elle, but you can call me Fernie.  And they¡¯re ready for you.  I¡¯ll get you announced.¡±

    Kyle checked the time on his nav bracelet, and his smile faded.  ¡°I thought I was still 15 minutes early?¡±

    ¡°What can I say?  We¡¯re big on punctuality.  Mind your manners as you head in to speak with the Council.¡±  Fernie looked at Kyle for a moment longer, then added.  ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, I hope the job goes well.¡±

    Her reaction confused Kyle, though he simply nodded in thanks before stepping into the council chambers.  The room was huge, with the entrance he walked through opening into the bottom of an amphitheater with a lectern in the center.  Over a dozen figures sat on raised desks around the room, faces hidden by the desks and distance.  Still, Kyle could feel their gazes train upon him.  Remembering the protocol Suierrillax provided before the meeting, Kyle stepped up the central podium.

    He took a deep breath, then spoke.  ¡°Courier Kyle Mayhew greets the Verdant Republic¡¯s Bureau of Internal Affairs.  I am here in reference to special task CJ8-21097ZX, as requested.  I am present today at the Bureau¡¯s leisure to hear the specific nature of the task in question, making no commitments at this point in either acceptance or rejection.¡±

    Kyle couldn¡¯t quite make out the faces, though Synaptic Barbs picked up hints of movement from many of them.  Smiles, good.  The Verdant Republic¡¯s focus on protocol and precision was well-known, and the Couriers who built long-lasting relationships with them all demonstrated that they could operate the same way.

    A small figure stood at one of the elevated desks, and then a projection of a wizened goblin appeared at the bottom of the amphitheater near Kyle.  ¡°I am chairman Lethendrin, thank you for your timely response to our request.  You are welcomed as a guest to this meeting.  Due to its sensitive nature, and your current lack of commitment, the Council would ask that you sign a standard non-disclosure agreement.  It will remain in-force until such a time that a formal agreement is reached, or 4 cycles have passed.  Is this acceptable to you, Courier Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    Per Suierrillax, this was one of the most important pieces of the meeting, and also where people tended to end up on the Verdant Republic¡¯s bad side.  Once Kyle agreed, if any details of his job leaked, he would be held accountable to it.  If they even suspected that he would intend to break the terms, he would likely be thrown out and blacklisted from their job postings.  Then and again, he didn¡¯t have much choice if he wanted the opportunity.  ¡°I agree to your terms.¡±

    Lethendrin nodded, and Kyle could feel the goblin looking him over from his perch.  This continued for several uncomfortable seconds before he finally spoke.  ¡°Tell me, Courier Kyle Mayhew, what do you know of the origin of the Verdant Republic?¡±

    The question took Kyle by surprise, and it took him a moment for his mind to switch gears.  ¡°Pardon me, Chairman Lethendrin, but less than I probably should.  I understand that the Verdant Republic started as a union of planets that consisted primarily of goblinoid species, and that your influence has grown to be one of the largest factions in the universe.  That¡¯s about it, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°A correct understanding,¡± Lethendrin said, ¡°If a bit rudimentary.  You¡¯re correct that the Verdant Republic as you know it today was formed by a coalition of these planets.  What you are likely not aware of, Courier, is that this is the second iteration of the Verdant Republic.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Kyle found himself leaning toward the projection, drawn in by the words.

    Lethendrin continued.  ¡°In an era before the Collective, an era largely lost to us, we have records of a unified empire of goblinoids.  In these uncivilized times, we warred against factions that have names largely lost to time.  The empire grew, expanding into most known corners of the universe.

    ¡°At some point, the previous empire was defeated; shattered and splintered by our foes.  Our technologies were set back thousands of years, our most powerful heritages pillaged and lost.  Even our history was fragmented, only whispers of our former glory passed down.¡±

    Lethendrin had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he¡¯d forgotten that Kyle was there.

    ¡°Many of the planets our people called home had been utterly destroyed, reduced to little more than debris, floating in the void of space.  Those that survived had their civilizations sent tumbling backwards in time, left forgotten as endless wars raged across the cosmos.

    ¡°Over the millennia, the largest surviving bastions of our kind rebuilt.  Goblins, trolls, and ogres once again reached the stars.  Some of the founding planets of the Verdant Republic were original members of the previous empire, and we learned from our mistakes.  Laws relating to governance were debated and codified, and homogeneity began to appear across these different planets, ultimately leading to unity.¡±

    Lethendrin stopped, the projection looking at Kyle with a stern expression.  ¡°The lessons learned in our defeats led us to the greatness we now enjoy.  That does not mean, however, that all those scattered fragments have come back under our banner.  Nor would we force them to!

    ¡°It is of the utmost importance that any new member planets seeking to join the Verdant Republic do so the right way.  This brings us to the crux of why we¡¯ve asked you to be here, Courier Mayhew.  We have received an application from a planet that recently rediscovered the stars.  The origin of their civilization dates back to the middle of our rebuilding, and we are thrilled at the cultural and historical implications of having them rejoin.¡±

    Kyle was starting to get a suspicion of where this was going, which was confirmed a moment later.

    ¡°Unfortunately, it appears that their current form of government is illegitimate ¨C at least in our eyes.  Investigations revealed that a hereditary monarchy had been in place for millennia, and the current regime only took power through a violent coup.¡±

    Kyle nodded, forgetting himself as he spoke.  ¡°And that is not an approved means of power transfer.¡±

    Lethendrin¡¯s look made him regret the decision, and Kyle tried not to flinch.  Fortunately, the goblin continued unperturbed a moment later.  ¡°Were it the sole ruling government, we have provisions to overlook circumstances like these.  However, while the coup attempt succeeded in deposing the old king, his daughter survived, and is currently leading a resistance on-world.

    ¡°For us to get involved in any direct capacity could be seen as taking sides, and our neutrality is important to avoid the appearance of colonial ambitions.  The current leadership structure on-world has asked for assistance in delivering treaty documents to the resistance leader, and helping to facilitate a back-and-forth dialogue that would be mutually beneficial.  Until this is resolved, we will not be able to engage further.

    ¡°At the same time, we have a vested cultural interest in the history of their planet.  You¡¯ve proven yourself to be adaptable, thoughtful, and resilient.  We are asking you to deliver and facilitate the execution of treaty documents to ensure a procedurally correct transition of power.

    ¡°This is a middle D Grade world, and we doubt that the threats present in the natural environment would be enough to provide a genuine threat.  Given your level of power, coupled with being human, we expect that you would show the greatest degree of neutrality without posing a threat.  What do you say?¡±

    Kyle wanted to say ¡°yes¡± right away, but remembering Suierrillax¡¯s lessons, he refrained.  ¡°What conflicts of interest should I be aware of, should I take the job?¡±

    Lethendrin gave an approving nod.  ¡°Naturally, there are parties within the Verdant Republic who would be very interested in both securing passage to the planet, as well as future introductions to planetary leadership for networking purposes.  We would ask that you recuse yourself from any such activities, and naturally we will compensate you appropriately for reporting such requests directly to us.¡±

    ¡°And what are the terms of direct salvage rights?¡±

    ¡°While it is our hope that you will not have to engage in any combat while on planet, you are entitled to direct salvage.  This planet is neither a current member of the Verdant Republic nor the Collective, so that is only appropriate per statute.  However, we have included a clause in subparagraph 18 of your contract asking you to waive all indirect and environmental salvage.¡±

    Now it was Kyle¡¯s turn to nod, the terms seeming more than fair.  Suierrillax had looked over a preliminary contract already, albeit with some redactions, and those were the customary points of clarification for deals like these.  C.H.A.D.D. wouldn¡¯t be thrilled with it, but Kyle would handle that later. ¡°Then Chairman Lethendrin, Counselors, I would be glad to accept.  When can I expect to depart?¡±

    Lentendrin pulled up a screen, causing a notification to appear on Kyle¡¯s nav bracelet.  ¡°Once the appropriate documentation is completed, we would send you out in the next 15 hours, if possible.  We have a teleporter in the facility that will take you to their capital city.  We will also provide you with long-range communication capabilities, should something necessitate our involvement.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d best get prepared.  Thank you for the opportunity.¡±  With that, Kyle turned to leave the chamber, aware of the eyes still fixed on him as he left.

    He bade his farewells to Fernie, working his way back through security as he processed all the information he¡¯d learned.  The assignment promised to be an interesting one, and he looked forward to testing himself against a middle D Grade world¡¯s environments.  With any luck, he¡¯d make his deliveries quickly, and enjoy that sweet per diem while bureaucrats negotiated terms.

 Chapter 215

    With scant few hours between now and his departure, Kyle made a beeline directly toward the Courier¡¯s Guild to meet with the Guild Provisioner.  Despite his confidence that he had everything he¡¯d need, Kyle still wanted to do his part to keep up appearances.  Other than Jarberry, nobody had a particularly strong grasp of Kyle¡¯s abilities.  At this point it was well-known that he was resilient, had adequate combat prowess, and had strong recovery skills.  A much smaller slice of the population was aware of C.H.A.D.D., at least to an extent, as well as a big picture understanding of Parasitic Resonance.

    The last thing Kyle needed was for rumors to spread about plant manipulation abilities.  While he¡¯d never told the imp about them specifically, he had a sense that Jarberry knew a lot more than he let on.  In the same vein, Kyle couldn¡¯t do much to stop him, with Jarberry being one of, if not the best infiltrators the Courier¡¯s Guild had at its disposal.

    However, he didn¡¯t want others knowing about C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s abilities.  The storm around them had settled, and it would be stirred up anew if people began to speculate about the drone¡¯s potential.  No, it was better that the world thought they had Kyle figured out.  At least until he was powerful enough to where their thoughts didn¡¯t matter.

    Walking up to the Provisioner¡¯s counter, Kyle waved at the orc standing inside.  ¡°Tam, how are you today?¡±

    The orc squealed in greeting, long snout lifting to reveal a toothy grin.  ¡°Mr. Mayhew!  Wonderful to see you today.  I¡¯m doing well, business is booming!  Now, how can I be of service to you?¡±

    Kyle smiled at the orc, who seemed to be in a good mood every time Kyle came across him.  Tam was much smaller than Duroc, a head shorter and less than half as wide.  A sharp uniform covered his lanky frame, the Courier¡¯s Guild sigil proudly displayed on his breast pocket.  Though in early E Grade, Tam had a knack for business, and was snatched up by the guild¡¯s support group to assist with establishing contracts with local suppliers on the Hub.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to take off on a long-term contract, and I¡¯m not entirely sure what the environment will be like.  What would you recommend?¡±

    Tam pulled up a screen from his nav bracelet, scrolling through some different options.  ¡°You said you aren¡¯t sure about environment, I assume that means accommodations are also unknown?¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like quite a job,¡± Tam said with a snort.  ¡°Who are you contracting through?  I may be able to get a better sense from them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to say,¡± Kyle responded.  ¡°And I¡¯m hoping to take off after our business is done, so there¡¯s not a lot of time.¡±

    Tam shrugged.  ¡°What can you do?  In that case, I¡¯d recommend a set of ration cubes.  Taste awful, but they won¡¯t spoil for a very, very long time.  Eat 1 per day and you¡¯ll have all the nutrients you should need to keep moving.¡±

    Kyle had tried the ration cubes before, and he could attest to both the terrible flavor and nutritional quality.  He didn¡¯t relish the thought, but knew that it was wise advice.  ¡°I¡¯ll take enough for 2 cycles.  Do you have any mobile shelter options?  I¡¯m thinking something all-purpose.¡±

    This was something Kyle had been interested in purchasing for quite some time.  Unfortunately, good options got snapped up pretty quickly when they came up on the market.  Everybody from Guild members to recreational campers could benefit from a quality shelter, and with the wide array of different environments in the universe, ¡°all-purpose¡± was a qualifier that was highly sought after.

    Tam shook his head.  ¡°Nothing all-purpose.  I do have some fairly durable tents that will stand up to most heat and cold, but they can¡¯t handle the real extremes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°Keep me updated if something comes across your desk, I¡¯d be interested in picking something up if it was the right price.¡±

    ¡°You and everybody else!¡± Tam said, snorting again.  ¡°Say, how are you doing on field repair kits?  If your drone gets damaged, it might not be a bad idea to have some supplies ready.¡±

    Kyle just smiled in response.  Tam had been angling to find out what types of supplies C.H.A.D.D. needed for repairs since shortly after they¡¯d met, and he honestly admired the orc¡¯s persistence.  ¡°I think I¡¯m still all set on that front.  Just the rations, then.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Tam handed Kyle 2 purple tubes each a meter long, which Kyle broke in half before tucking into his pack.  Each tube was supposed to be enough to last a full cycle, with individually packaged rations in each.  He didn¡¯t see a set of circumstances where he¡¯d be gone that long ¨C at least not where he¡¯d have to eat the rations each day.

    With his trusty canteen and other basic survival equipment he¡¯d acquired, Kyle only had 1 stop remaining before he headed back to the Verdant Republic Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs.  As always, the goblin woman ignored Kyle as he approached her desk.

    ¡°Hello, Ell¡¯Hallra.  Is Suierrillax available?¡±  Kyle asked, putting on his winningest grin.

    ¡°No.¡± She replied without as much as looking up from her screen.

    ¡°Would you mind checking her availability?  I¡¯d like to get a meeting scheduled before I go out on my next job.¡±  Kyle said, attempting to redouble his charm.

    ¡°I would mind.  Ask her yourself.¡±

    No luck, Kyle thought.  Ell¡¯Hallra was one of the few people he¡¯d met in the Courier¡¯s Guild who seemed to have genuinely no interest in the Couriers themselves.  She helped filter the daily traffic for all the handlers, like Suierrillax, a task at which she was incredibly effective.  Kyle fully expected an A Grade Dragon could stroll in, and be told to take a seat and take a number.

    ¡°Then I will.  Thank you for your help.¡±  Kyle tried to keep the cheer in his voice, even though he knew his attempts at getting into her good graces were once again thwarted.  One lesson Kyle remembered well from his time on Earth was the value of being on the administrative staff¡¯s good side.  Even with all the micromanagement of the Central Authority, quality administrators still had the ability to determine if one had a good or bad day.

    Kyle went to settle into a chair on the far side of the room, then pulled up his nav bracelet.  Just as he was about to send a message to Suierrillax, one came through from her.  Kyle could practically hear the annoyance in her voice as he read the message.

    Mayhew,

    Stop antagonizing Ell¡¯Hallra.  She¡¯s not going to be your friend.  And by the stars, just send me a message to schedule a meeting.  You know I¡¯ll make the time if you need it.  I¡¯ll be there in a minute.

    -Suierrillax

    True to her words, the diminutive skrell woman appeared at the teleporter a moment later, gesturing for Kyle to follow her.  Before long he was sitting across from Suierrillax in her office.

    ¡°Thank you for handling all the details,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the logistics are a nightmare.¡±

    Suierrillax waved a dismissive hand.  ¡°That¡¯s what I get paid to do.  I want to talk about the realities once you arrive on Er¡¯Mithren.  There¡¯s not a lot of precedent for jobs like these, but the cases I was able to find universally had things go sideways.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°How so?  This one feels pretty cut and dry.¡±

    Suierrillax sighed and crossed her arms.  ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ve gotten comfortable over the last few cycles.  Think, for a minute.  You¡¯ll be on a strange planet, unprotected by Collective rules and regulations, with limited options for teleportation back to Collective space.  If you screw up, you¡¯ll have a diplomatic incident on your hands.  Even if you don¡¯t, there¡¯s no guarantees that you¡¯ll have an easy time getting home.¡±

    She leaned in, steepling her hands on the desk.  ¡°Regardless, I still think this will be a great opportunity for you.  You¡¯ll get to show your reliability to the Verdant Republic, and every other faction who¡¯s worth a damn.  But you can¡¯t afford to be carefree.¡±

    Kyle felt his smile fading as she spoke, and he finally nodded as she finished.  ¡°Thank you for the warning.  I¡¯ll take it seriously.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Suierrillax said, seeming satisfied with his response.  ¡°All communication going back and forth will be through Verdant Republic channels, though in case of an emergency you should still be able to reach me and the Guild.  If, for whatever reason, you end up requiring an extraction, we¡¯ll have to get creative.  My understanding is that there¡¯s only a single teleporter set up to cross into the Collective, which is in the capitol.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know.  Hopefully it won¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be coordinating everything I can on this side, I have several contacts at the Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs that will be keeping me updated as things progress.¡±

    Suierrillax seemed about to let him go, before taking a breath and meeting his eyes again.  ¡°And Kyle?  Please don¡¯t do anything stupid.  C.H.A.D.D., keep him out of trouble.¡±

    [AS A POINT OF FACT, IT IS TYPICALLY DR. MAYHEW THAT BRINGS ME INTO TROUBLE.]

    Kyle¡¯s grin came back with full force.  ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.  It¡¯s nice to know you care.¡±

    ¡°I care about my paycheck, which is distinctly different,¡± she scoffed.

    Kyle knew she cared more than she let on, and let the remark pass.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll do my best to keep the pay coming.  Thank you for the warnings.¡±

    ¡°See that you do.  Good luck, Kyle.¡±

    Their business concluded; Kyle returned home.  He still had just under 10 hours before he had to leave, and had one important item left on his agenda: a good nap.  After all, who knew how long it would be until he saw his bed again?

    C.H.A.D.D. woke him with 4 hours to spare, and Kyle found himself at the Bureau¡¯s teleporter shortly afterward.  He recognized Fernie among those who were waiting in the chamber, and offered a wave.  ¡°Good to see you again,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°They changed your post?¡±

    Fernie nodded.  ¡°Once the teleporter is reconnected, we¡¯re going to leave it open.  I¡¯ll be helping keep an eye on things inside the chamber here.¡±

    Kyle refrained from commenting on how boring he expected the post to be, while also giving a silent thanks that he hadn¡¯t joined a faction as security.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you when I return.¡±

    ¡°Good fortune, Courier Mayhew.¡±

    With that, Kyle stepped on the raised platform, and the world around him blurred as he was taken to Er¡¯Mithren.

 Chapter 216

    The first thing Kyle noticed upon his arrival was the heat.  He appeared in the middle of a teleportation circle that had been set up outdoors; the carvings in the stone ground stretched easily 100 meters in diameter.  It could hardly be compared to the compact, powerful teleporter used by the Verdant Republic.  An open dome obscured the horizon, though Kyle could make out a blue-green sky far above. It made him think of the Originators, specifically Marcus Kulhavey, and the technology they created to go off-world.  For civilizations that were trying to figure it out on their own, even less refined means like these were impressive.

    His attention snapped toward the slowly-advancing group of guards approaching him, followed by a spectacle-wearing goblin carrying what could only be described as a mobile desk.  Multiple monitors were suspended between the goblin and Kyle, and his eyes were darting across all of them.  The harness seemed to rest on his hips, with a circular base supporting several different pieces of equipment.  The guards parted, each carrying a kite shield on one arm and a spear in the other.  Auric Perception indicated each was in the middle of E Grade ¨C and certainly not a threat to him.

    The goblin carrying the mobile office stepped forward, rotating the circular contraption to see Kyle more clearly.  ¡°Egad, I¡¯ve never seen such a creature.  Pray tell, do you understand me?  Raise your hand if you understand me.¡±

    Kyle fought to contain his amusement as he raised his hand and spoke.  ¡°My name is Kyle Mayhew, I¡¯m a member of the Courier¡¯s Guild, here at the behest of the Verdant Republic.¡±

    ¡°It speaks!¡±  The goblin shrieked, before composing itself.  ¡°My apologies, when the Verdant Republic said they were sending a Courier, I assumed they meant one of the people.  To see one such as you behaving in such a civilized fashion simply took me by surprise.¡±

    The goblin adjusted its spectacles and took a deep breath before continuing.  ¡°I am called Pall¡¯Eth, and I am the cabinet member charged with meeting you and providing further instruction.  May I assume that you mean us no harm, Kyle Mayhew?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Pall¡¯Eth.  I¡¯ve been briefed by the Verdant Republic, and understand that there is a treaty that needs to be negotiated before your world is able to officially join.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth nodded enthusiastically, nearly losing his spectacles in the process.  ¡°Quite so, quite so.  There are some other¡­ peculiarities that we would like to discuss with you as well.  Given your word that you¡¯re not here to commit violence, and the appearance of backing by the Verdant Republic, it is my belief that you should be invited in to receive the rest of the details.  Guards?¡±

    At his words, the goblin guards turned as one, forming a straight line to either side of Kyle and Pall¡¯Eth.  They marched toward the far end of the formation, with Pall¡¯Eth gesturing for Kyle to follow.  As he walked, Kyle¡¯s Sensory Barbs felt the small grooves in the stone.  While he was a long way from comprehension, his training with Jarberry helped him to see some of the hallmark inscriptions associated with space, in addition to formations tied to mana collection.

    Kyle nearly missed a step, however, when he felt runic patterns he recognized far more easily.  Fire.  Realization dawned on him, and he fought to keep his expression neutral.  The teleportation was also a massive bomb.  A quick activation of Identify confirmed his suspicions.  Ambient mana was being drawn in by some of the other inscriptions, and none was being siphoned into the runes tied to fire.

    Kyle expected that, should he have been deemed a threat, these runes could have been activated, bathing the entire platform in a conflagration.  That also explained the relatively weak guards, and Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s nervousness.  They¡¯d been sent here as disposable pawns should Kyle have been deemed a true threat.  They¡¯re a lot shrewder than they¡¯d like me to think.

    Once they¡¯d crossed to the edge of the platform, the guards stepped aside and Pall¡¯Eth led Kyle into a narrow stairwell that descended below the dome.  The goblin was quiet, and Kyle suspected his nerves were still on edge.  Given the stakes of their meeting, Kyle didn¡¯t blame him.  The ruling government of Er¡¯Mithren placed a lot of hope in joining the Verdant Republic, and that was all contingent on the work Kyle did.  Were he in Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s shoes, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted to risk his life, either.

    Instead of talking, Kyle spent his time appreciating the architecture.  The stones of the hallway were almost golden in color, with each brick fitting together flawlessly.  Though they were perfect to the naked eye, Synaptic Barbs indicated several places where the air flowed differently, and Kyle suspected the entire stairwell was trapped.  Given the recent coup and current resistance movement, he didn¡¯t blame them.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Soon, they came to a thick metal door.  Pall¡¯Eth gave a complex series of knocks that lasted for nearly a minute before the door finally slid open.  As it did, Kyle got his first look at the city proper.  The door opened out onto a large balcony, and he could make out a sea of buildings below.  Each looked to be crafted from the same yellow-gold stone, with solid, blocky architecture.

    The guards waiting on the balcony beckoned Kyle to keep following Pall¡¯Eth, which he did.  In contrast to the austere teleportation array and stairwell, the hall through which they now walked was adorned with resplendent art and gorgeous flowers.  Vines lined both the top and bottom corners of the hall, almost giving the impression that they were walking through a jungle.

    Kyle could almost feel C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s desire to study the plants, though the drone remained blessedly silent, as they¡¯d agreed.  Still, he knew he¡¯d never hear the end of it if he didn¡¯t at least try to find some interesting plant life for C.H.A.D.D. to enjoy while they were here.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said, breathing heavily as they approached the end of the hall.  ¡°I would ask that you allow our people to present their instructions fully before offering your thoughts and understandings.  Such are our customs, after all.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Understood.  Thank you for guiding me this far, Pall¡¯Eth.¡±

    The goblin gave him a nod, nearly losing his spectacles as he did.  ¡°It was my pleasure, Kyle Mayhew.¡±

    Kyle approached the large double doors at the end of the hallway, which opened on their own as he drew near.  Without slowing in the least, Kyle stepped through.  He was met by a large auditorium that was in many ways reminiscent of the one he¡¯d seen at the Verdant Republic.  Really odd that they¡¯d decided on the same type of architecture for their meeting rooms, Kyle thought, looking up at the figures seated in the chairs above.

    Unlike the room in the Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs, however, there were no projections here.  Kyle estimated 30%-40% of the seats were empty by design, though he was impressed this many members of leadership had decided to show up in-person.  Given the paranoid nature he¡¯d seen so far, it was a pleasant surprise.

    ¡°Courier Mayhew!¡±  A high-pitched voice exclaimed.  ¡°We have received news of your arrival, and we welcome your assistance in resolving this unfortunate matter.¡±

    Kyle hesitated just a moment before offering a deep bow, trying to remember as many customs as he could.  ¡°I thank you for your hospitality, and look forward to being of assistance.  If I may ask, how should I refer to you?¡±

    A separate voice piped up, the goblin equivalent of a deep basso rumble.  ¡°Simply refer to us as the Council.  Are we to understand that you have received the basic overview from our partners in the broader universe, the Verdant Republic?¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t miss that the Verdant Republic, one of the premier factions across the Universe, was just downplayed as a ¡°partner¡± to a D Grade world, but he didn¡¯t point that out.  Instead, he simply nodded.  ¡°They have informed me of the complexities involved, and told me that you have a draft of the treaty prepared and ready for delivery.¡±

    ¡°That we do.¡±  As the rumbling voice concluded, a small, elderly goblin wearing simple brown robes walked up from where it had been standing near the side of the room.  Held in its hands was a small wooden case, and Kyle could feel the mana coming off of it.  It was an item he¡¯d seen in several of his contracts, carrying a seal that would give an alert when it was opened.  Kyle also recognized standard tools alongside the case for capturing a mana signature.

    He accepted the box and tools from the goblin, who proceeded to bow and step back to the entrance from which it had come.  ¡°I thank you for providing the tools and treaty.  If your people have any idea where the other party is, I¡¯ll depart shortly.¡±

    ¡°We have a general idea of her whereabouts,¡± a female voice said, speech slow and confident.  ¡°However, the hag will not sign the treaty.  In fact, I doubt she will deign to see you at all.¡±

    And there it is, Kyle thought.  There had to be a catch somewhere.  Still, he kept his thoughts to himself.  ¡°Respectfully, Council, why might that be?  I understood that you were close to achieving a peace here.¡±

    The first voice spoke up, even more shrill than before.  ¡°We certainly hoped that she would see reason, however our most recent delegation was wiped out on approach.  It appears as though she simply can¡¯t accept the fact that her father lost.  That she lost.  So now, she seems intent on becoming a true nuisance until the end.¡±

    There was a pregnant pause, and Kyle remained silent, waiting for the comment he was sure was coming.  A moment later, the bass voice delivered it.

    ¡°While we certainly regret the circumstances, and would relish a peace, it appears that one will be difficult to reach.  We, of course, have agreed with our colleagues at the Verdant Republic that we will seek a peaceful resolution.  We would ask you, Courier, to deliver our terms via the treaty.  If, by some miracle, she¡¯s willing to see reason, then we will move forward.  If, on the other hand, you were to come under attack by her forces¡­¡±

    The female voice picked up.  ¡°While we seek a peace, we also fully understand and appreciate your right to self-defense.  Even more so as a visitor to our world, and as a representative of the broader Collective.  Rest assured that we would trust your judgment in such an event, and would support you regardless of the collateral damage that may occur in such a situation.¡±

    Kyle sighed as he looked down at the box, which now felt much heavier in his hands.  He suspected it earlier, but hearing his suspicion confirmed caused a pit to form in his stomach.  The Council of Er¡¯Mithren wasn¡¯t looking for a Courier, they were looking for a hitman.  Unfortunately for them, they hired the wrong guy.

    Letting out a long breath, Kyle raised his eyes to the goblins surveying him from the stands.  Meeting their gazes one at a time, he finally spoke.  ¡°Then I¡¯d best be off.¡±

 Chapter 217

    Kyle chuckled as he and C.H.A.D.D. wove through the upper portion of the city with their escort, seeing crowds of gawking goblins watching them pass. From his briefing, while there were trolls and ogres on the planet, they¡¯d never seen a human before. He imagined they made quite the sight, with the goblins around him barely coming up to his chest.

    They arrived at a private gondola, which descended from the upper layers of the city into the lower levels nearest the ground paths. Looking about, Kyle could see hundreds of similar gondolas strewn about, each carrying large groups up and down. With a smile, Kyle took the momentary peace offered by the private transport to look out at the city below.

    The whole city seemed to glow as the sun shone upon it. The capital easily rivaled anything he¡¯d seen back on Earth, both in beauty and in size. As they descended, Kyle caught glimpses of large open markets, towering buildings, and beautiful mosaics made of different colored stone. If he had the chance upon his return, he was definitely planning to stop and take in more of the sights.

    Their gondola touched ground near the far edge of the city, and they stopped as they approached the wide road leading into the jungle. The goblin leading their procession turned to face Kyle. ¡°I know they¡¯ve provided you with a map, I¡¯ll caution you about straying too far off the noted paths. We¡¯ve had issues with predators lately, and some of them are dangerous enough to pose a threat even to our D Grades.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the warning. Do you have any specifics I should be on the lookout for?¡± Kyle asked with genuine curiosity.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an expert by any means,¡± the goblin mumbled, though failing to hide his smile. He was clearly happy Kyle had asked. ¡°Shrikes are the most dangerous around here from what I¡¯ve heard, and you can tell if you¡¯re getting close to their territory by big gashes in the trees. That¡¯s how they mark their territory.

    ¡°Otherwise, keep your head up for stranglevines. They grow on some of the larger trees, but if you look up you can usually spot them. Big, knotted vines wrapped around the branches. So long as you don¡¯t get too close, you should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for sharing with me; I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Internally, Kyle knew that the first stop they would need to make on their journey would be to find a stranglevine for C.H.A.D.D. to study. Honestly, Kyle was interested, too. From what he¡¯d been able to study, predatory plants were rare pretty much everywhere.

    The road ahead glistened gold in the light of the overhead sun, constructed from the same shining stone as the buildings of the city. Dense jungle foliage spread on both sides of the pathway, and Kyle could see how easy it would be to get lost. At least, if one didn¡¯t have a talkative cartographer in their backpack. Nodding goodbye to the escorts, Kyle strode out onto the road ahead.

    Once he was well out of sight, he pulled out the communication device he¡¯d been given by the Council. With a quick activation of Identify, he looked to see what the piece of equipment was actually designed to do. As the runic inscriptions lit up before his eyes, Kyle saw the expected and familiar communication infrastructure, as well as a far more subtle tracking feature.

    This was to be expected. Kyle tucked the device away as he deactivated his skill. He¡¯d been concerned about recording features or potential explosive traps, but from what he¡¯d seen, neither of those were the case. A simple tracker was no cause for worry, and he and C.H.A.D.D. could use their more sensitive skills freely. And, of course, have a very hard discussion.

    [DR. MAYHEW, DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR FORFEITURE OF SALVAGE RIGHTS. FORTUNATELY, I BELIEVE I HAVE FOUND SOME WORKAROUNDS.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., we can study all we want. The salvage rules are pretty clear, though. We just can¡¯t take everything we come across.¡±

    [WHAT ABOUT MANA? I HAVE YET TO COME ACROSS ANY LITERATURE, COLLECTIVE OR OTHERWISE, THAT DEFINES MANA AS SALVAGE.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll approve of us taking large amounts of mana from the local flora and fauna either.¡±

    [THEN IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN CASE OF IMMINENT PHYSICAL HARM. WE SIMPLY NEED TO FIND A STRANGLEVINE, YOU NEED TO GET CAUGHT, AND THEN I CAN DRAW THE MANA OUT. IN SELF-DEFENSE, OF COURSE.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it under advisement. We¡¯ve got a long road ahead of us, so who knows what will pop up.¡±

    [A STRANGLEVINE WILL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle chuckled as they continued down the path, his pace a comfortable run without Ignition active. His boosting skill would allow him to cover ground significantly faster, though for now he just wanted to take in the sights and sounds of Er¡¯Mithren.

    The heat and humidity only increased as they traveled along the golden road. Several groups of goblins passed him along the road, riding what looked like oversized geckos laden with packs. He got some strange looks as he blew past, and within a few hours Kyle arrived at the next waypoint: a small settlement called Prindas.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The town was spread out, the jungle itself opening up into a large clearing which Prindas occupied. 2 troll guards met him on the road, mottled skin glimmering with sweat beneath the blistering heat. Their auras felt D Grade, though not particularly powerful. One of them stepped forward, raising a palm. ¡°You must be the Courier.¡± Cocking his head to the side and squinting, he continued. ¡°A real strange looking fella.¡±

    Kyle smiled as he slowed to a stop in front of them. He raised his hands with his palms out in greeting and to show he wasn¡¯t a threat. ¡°You¡¯re correct, I¡¯m here on business for the Verdant Republic and your governing council.¡±

    The second troll spoke, scratching his nose as he brushed long, dark hair out of his eyes. ¡°We thought you¡¯d be by much later today, you¡¯re faster than we was told. Say, do you think you could help with something?¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow at them. Clearly, they¡¯d been waiting on the road for his arrival, and the information provided from the tracker should have clearly shown them his progress. Still, he played along. ¡°So long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with my delivery, I don¡¯t see why not. What can I do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve had a bit of an issue with a pack of shrikes getting too close to the village,¡± the first troll said, quickly adding; ¡°Not that we couldn¡¯t handle it, of course.¡±

    The second troll picked up where the first left off. ¡°And, given that you¡¯re here on a mission of diplomacy and whatnot, and that we figure you¡¯ll be coming through the village a few times as you run your errands¡­¡±

    The troll¡¯s voice petered out, and Kyle understood the implication clearly. A quick use of Identify confirmed his suspicions. Lots of Vitality, and not much else. Despite being in D Grade, it looked like these two had progressed with some fairly basic classes. Vitality was their highest attribute, which was common among trolls. Their mana flowed crudely, and he assumed that both were Fighter archetypes as a result.

    ¡°I can lend a hand, but we¡¯ll need to have terms negotiated. Understand, I can¡¯t jeopardize my current assignment to do extermination work if it¡¯ll take much time.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± the first troll said, a note of relief clear in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can come to an arrangement. What do you want?¡±

    Kyle paused for a minute, then smiled. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to do the work in exchange for a complete set of Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s botanical records.¡±

    The second one spoke almost immediately. ¡°We¡¯ll see what we can arrange. Rest your feet in the shade, we¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    Once the two were out of earshot, C.H.A.D.D. piped up. [I DO NOT CONSIDER BOTANICAL RECORDS AN ADEQUATE SUBSTITUTE FOR ARCHIVING THE MANA SIGNATURES FIRSTHAND.]

    Kyle sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would.¡±

    The duo bickered for nearly an hour until the trolls returned, carrying a crystal that Kyle recognized as a communication device. ¡°The Council agreed to add a copy of our records to your compensation after your job is done. They¡¯ll get to work getting the data transcribed in a fashion you can use.¡±

    Kyle nodded. ¡°Thank you. By the way, what story did you tell them as to why you two aren¡¯t handling the shrikes? I¡¯m guessing you want to make sure mine matches yours when I get back.¡±

    The trolls exchanged a sheepish look. ¡°We may have implied that you saw the threat of the creatures, and wanted to ensure the Prindas¡¯ safety,¡± the first troll said.

    Kyle shrugged. ¡°Not too bad as excuses go. Now that our business is settled, show me where the shrikes are.¡±

    The duo of trolls led him through the village, waving at playing groups of children as they walked. Unlike the capital, which looked to be primarily goblins, Prindas had a diverse population. Towering ogres sat and laughed with trolls and goblins on restaurant patios, and many of the residential buildings were clearly sized for a particular occupant in mind. The hodgepodge was interesting, and pleasant to observe.

    All the noise faded, however, when they approached the far edge of the settlement. Bright red ropes cordoned off an entire quadrant of buildings, an eerie quiet blanketing the area like a fog. His guides slowed as they came up to the nearest rope, and Kyle turned to look at them. ¡°I take it we¡¯re getting close?¡±

    The first troll nodded. ¡°The marks showed up on some trees just past here.¡±

    ¡°Are you planning to come with?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to get in your way,¡± the second troll replied with a sheepish grin.

    ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll find my way from here, no guarantees.¡± With that, Kyle ducked underneath the red rope.

    The contrast between the carefree attitudes in the town and the somber quiet of this corner struck Kyle as particularly odd. Throughout the entirety of Prindas, Kyle only saw a handful of awakened, and none more powerful than the 2 D Grade trolls. If a shrike was as dangerous as he¡¯d been led to believe, why did life seem to be so normal? Why weren¡¯t there other resources being sent to Prindas to solve the problem?

    These questions nagged at Kyle as he walked. Something was just¡­ off. There was a building sense of wrongness that took him longer than he¡¯d have liked to place, but soon he realized the source. Small plants were starting to creep up between the stones of the street, and as he focused with Synaptic Barbs, he could feel similar activity around most of the cordoned buildings.

    That only became more pronounced when he came across a second layer of cordoning ropes about 500 meters deeper, where the jungle looked to be on a path to reclaim the city in its entirety. Creeping vines criss-crossed the cobblestones and began to climb buildings, and faint layers of mosses could be seen on the goblin dwellings that were shaded by those designed for ogres.

    The silence was oppressive now, Kyle¡¯s nerves on high alert. For the plants to have grown to this degree, this area had been abandoned for quite a while. He could justify not having sent security forces if this issue was only a few days old, but this was looking more like an order of months. How long were they planning to give ground? Kyle wondered.

    Finally, he came to the edge of the jungle. He immediately noticed the damage on the trees nearest the town¡¯s perimeter, and he internally rebuked the goblin who described shrike territories as being marked by scratches in the trunks. Tree limbs lay scattered across the jungle floor, and the gouges in the trees looked like a particularly zealous lumberjack had been swinging with abandon for some time. The damage made the scratches left by bears on Earth seem subtle by comparison.

    Without a word, C.H.A.D.D. brought up a map of the surrounding area, which showed 3 red dots. Kyle nodded, and began moving in their direction. He looked forward to getting some exercise before continuing with his delivery. It was time to hunt some shrikes.

 Chapter 218

    Every ounce of focus Kyle could muster was in use as he took trepidatious steps toward the figures C.H.A.D.D. noted in its scans.  He had no idea what the beasts would look like, and he wanted to get a good look at them with Identify before engaging.  Synaptic Barbs worked seamlessly with Covert Dexterity, his body helping him see fallen sticks and bark which he avoided with each step.  The fallen leaves and gnarled roots were more challenging to evade as they covered the ground, but he still did his best.

    In a pace that felt agonizingly slow, Kyle finally approached the last large tree that was between him and the creatures C.H.A.D.D. detected.  Low crooning sounds could be heard beneath much louder crunches; the unmistakable sound of the beasts enjoying an unfortunate meal.  Crouching low, he peeked his head around the corner to get his first look at the shrikes.

    The first thing that struck Kyle¡¯s notice was their height.  They stood on 2 sturdy, reverse jointed legs.  Even with their long necks hunched over to eat, they stood nearly 3 meters tall, and he suspected they would stand closer to 4 at full height.  Long, hooked beaks that resembled a vulture sheared through the thick carapace of some large arthropod as the trio ate, the body of the creature pinned beneath the massive hooked claws that tipped each of their long hands.

    Their green and brown skin served as a natural camouflage in the jungle environment, and as Kyle watched, the patterns slowly shifted.  It was nothing compared to the skills the styxlions had used, but was nevertheless an impressive adaptation.  Even the barbs that covered their spines and long tails seemed to change color.

    Their most prominent feature, however, was the long, curved blade that protruded from each forearm.  While they were currently folded back against the forelimbs, it was clear to Kyle that they could extend.  The closest approximation he could make was a paper folding fan, with the full range of the blades being easily a meter long.  What¡¯s more, Identify showed a robust mana network that ran through each of the forearm blades.  There was no doubt in his mind that the shrikes would be able to use a variety of skills with their natural weapons, only reinforced as he evaluated their attributes.

    Each of the 3 shrikes felt roughly equal in terms of power, and they were some of the most impressive D Grade wild beasts Kyle had encountered so far.  They outstripped the styxlions in all physical attributes, with Dexterity being their clear specialty.  Even though their Intelligence and Perception were about 30% lower, they still boasted impressive Willpower.  They¡¯ll certainly be using skills of some type, Kyle thought.  His mind drifted to Garth, and his Air Blade.  While the mana network in their arm blades didn¡¯t look like it would match his friend¡¯s skill, it was the closest approximation he could make.

    Kyle extended the invisible tendrils of Parasitic Resonance as he withdrew behind the tree.  His plan was a simple one.  He would infiltrate the nearest shrike using Parasitic Resonance, which he would guide through Synaptic Barbs.  From there, he would attempt to kill it outright before engaging the others.  A moment later, he felt the telltale connection.  Slowly, inexorably, he allowed his skill to meld with the shrike.  The flow was unfamiliar, and he was looking forward to learning more about their physiology from C.H.A.D.D. once the fight was over.

    Satisfied he was ready, Kyle twisted with his mana, then pulled.  He felt a sudden influx of energy at the same moment he heard an inhuman screech from behind the tree.  He felt the movement of all 3 creatures, and then abruptly felt his connection to the shrike get severed.  He felt a flurry of debris through Synaptic Barbs at the same moment C.H.A.D.D. flashed a warning.  Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kyle ducked low to the ground, a blade of mana shredding through the tree trunk a moment later.

    The sensation of Parasitic Resonance being cut apart wasn¡¯t painful, and he willed the tendrils to reform as he dashed away from the falling tree with Ignition blazing within him.  Kyle had a moment to look at the downed shrike coughing up blood as it struggled to get to its feet before he was forced to duck under another wave of shredding energy.  If Garth¡¯s Air Blade was a sword, the attack the shrikes used was a chainsaw.  Countless tiny blades rotated and spun through the air inside each of their attack, chewing through the dense foliage like it was nothing.

    The creatures were unbelievably fast, Kyle requiring the full use of Ignition to stay ahead.  Despite a modest advantage in speed, he found himself pushed back due to their coordinated assault.  The air was filled with flying buzzsaws of mana, biting through the nearby foliage as the creatures tried to close in on Kyle.  For his part, he was focused on the conceptual sharpness that seemed to be folded into the attacks they used.  With Identify, he could see something beyond the simple mana in their attacks, and he found it incredibly intriguing.  He went as far as to extend tendrils of Parasitic Resonance just to watch the flying blades of mana cut through them.

    The closest thing he could remember to seeing something like this was when Ghork blocked the attack from the Igneous Glaivebeak, the bulwark of force he put into the air seeming to negate the very concept of the strike.  Can these creatures really tap into a similar conceptual power?  Kyle understood intent was important when it came to mana, but the idea that creatures in D Grade were so freely tapping into conceptual intent was hard to swallow.

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    So, like any reasonable person would do when assaulted by 2 wildly dangerous predators, Kyle decided it was time for a test.  Storm Shelter sprang up around him as the creatures pounced, the shield directly blocking the attacks and pushing the shrikes back.  As he suspected, Storm Shelter was more than up to the task of stopping the blades, conceptually sharp or not.  Then again, doesn¡¯t Storm Shelter tap into some concepts of its own?

    He hadn¡¯t considered it too much back on Earth when he¡¯d first heard about the skill from Skippy, but now that he thought about it, Storm Shelter was still the most powerful defensive skill he¡¯d seen from a D Grade.  It was basic.  It was straightforward.  And it was damn effective.

    A cry of pain from the injured shrike brought Kyle back to himself, and with a sigh he decided to get back to work.  The other 2 shrikes were still slashing at Storm Shelter, and Kyle dropped the barrier as he rushed past them toward their injured comrade.  With his hand outstretched, he placed his palm on the creature¡¯s forehead as he activated Parasitic Resonance, this time from point-blank range.  A fraction of a second was all it took for the beast to fall lifeless, and Kyle turned to the pursuing creatures.

    It was clear they expected him to retreat, as each prepared to launch the long-ranged buzzsaws at him.  Instead, Kyle stepped into the closest shrike¡¯s reach.  It attempted to correct, but its long arms and forward momentum made that difficult.  His palm rested against its chest, and Kyle activated Parasitic Resonance again.  At the same time, vines sprang out from compartments in the new pack, tangling around the shrike¡¯s torso and legs.

    The vines were shredded in short order, but it bought Kyle all the time he needed for Parasitic Resonance to do its work.  The beast fell, and Kyle felt a telltale pain in his stomach where the Core of the Parasitic Devourer resided.  He could feel the mana being siphoned into the ever-consuming core, and fixed his eyes on the final shrike.  From what Kyle could gather, this was a beast unfamiliar with fear.  Even now, with both of its brethren on the ground, he could only see an indignant anger in its eyes.

    The shrike lunged for him, making large sweeps with its arm blades as its hooked beak descended to bite into him.  While he was interested in testing his own durability against the blades, Kyle decided this wasn¡¯t the time.  He jumped over the twin buzzsaws that sought to bisect him, allowing the beak to tear into him.  At least, he would let it try.

    To the shrike¡¯s credit, even the bite attack was infused with enough puncturing power to actually break skin.  It bit down on Kyle¡¯s trapezius muscle, between his shoulder and neck.  He felt the beak pierce both sides of him, then stick fast against the tough woven fibers of his Enhanced Carapace.  Kyle expected that against the majority of prey, even in D Grade, such a strike would have sheared through flesh and bone without an issue.  Unfortunately for the shrike, it was biting something, or rather someone, much sturdier than most.

    Still, blood flowed out of the wound even as Kyle pushed Healing Impetus into his shoulder to heal it.  More importantly, Parasitic Resonance was already hard at work infiltrating the shrike¡¯s body, devouring and destroying with impunity as C.H.A.D.D. bound it.

    A moment later, the fight was over.  It had taken maybe 20 seconds, and in that time the small clearing had been torn to shreds, fallen trees and branches littering a 50-meter radius from where he now stood.  Kyle was about to go examine the creatures further, when a glint of metal caught his eye.  Beyond the initial clearing, Kyle could now clearly see a large opening at the roots of a rotted tree trunk.  From the deep scratches present around the entryway, he was fairly certain it was their den.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do you detect any other shrikes from that hollow?  The one about 30 meters in the direction I¡¯m facing.¡±

    [I DO NOT DETECT ANY OTHER SHRIKES, DR. MAYHEW.  HOWEVER¡­ THERE ARE BODIES.]

    Kyle frowned as he walked toward the hollow.  As he got closer, he could see the glint of metal was a pauldron and gauntlet, still protecting the severed arm beneath.  ¡°How many?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [I AM CURRENTLY ESTIMATING THE REMAINS OF AT LEAST 47 GOBLINS, TROLLS AND OGRES.  SOME OF THE REMAINS HAVE BEEN GNAWED DOWN TO THE BONE, SO THAT NUMBER IS LIKELY HIGHER.]

    Kyle nodded, grim determination and a sense of macabre curiosity driving him.  If the shrikes had been killing this many, for this long, why haven¡¯t they done anything about it?  Stepping into the hollow, the first thing that hit him was an overwhelming stench of iron and rot.  Kyle saw a mess of bloodstained bones and scattered armor.  Much of the inorganic material had been relegated into a corner of the large space, and Kyle walked toward it.

    Something about the situation was off ¨C and he hoped to find some answers.  Gently, he moved and sorted the items, Identify active.  Mostly, he saw mundane metal armor and basic leather.  Occasionally, he spotted a piece with some basic enchantments.  Kyle also saw a few toys and dolls.  He bowed his head, and tried not to think about those.

    Then, well over halfway through the pile, he spotted something different.  It was a small metal disk that fit in the palm of his hand, covered in runic inscriptions.  While Kyle didn¡¯t feel confident manipulating the runes without more time to study, the nature of the inscription work coupled with Identify made the disk¡¯s purpose clear.  It contained information of some sort.  As he continued to work through, he found 2 more similar disks, which he wiped clean and set aside.

    Finally, at the very bottom of the pile, Kyle found an odd sight.  It was an empty metal box, covered in inscriptions with which Kyle was very familiar.  One set insulated from thermal changes, while the other was meant to isolate scents.  It was a handheld, portable cooler.  At least, it appeared that way at first glance.  If he hadn¡¯t been training with Jarberry the way he had, there was a chance Kyle would have missed it.  The inscriptions usually meant to conceal odors and scents weren¡¯t standard in this cooler box.  They were reversed, designed to slightly amplify and project the scent coming out of the box.

    Why would they¡­  Kyle¡¯s thoughts stopped abruptly, and a chill ran up his spine as he realized what the cooler was for.

    As if sensing his realization, C.H.A.D.D. spoke.  [WHAT IS IT, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°It was used for bait, C.H.A.D.D.  Somebody brought the shrikes here intentionally.¡±

 Chapter 219

    The longer Kyle stared at the cooler, the more certain he became. The shrikes weren¡¯t mindless, but they were instinctual hunters. For whatever reason, someone had drawn them closer to the city. Coupled with the relaxed attitude from the trolls guards and multiple evacuated sections, a rough picture of the situation was beginning to form in Kyle¡¯s mind.

    The bigger question boiled down to whether or not he should even get involved. There were different forces at play, and part of why the Verdant Republic had even bothered to hire him was to act as a neutral third party. And I¡¯m doing a fine job of that, he thought dryly, looking at the piles he¡¯d created inside the shrike den. Ultimately, Kyle knew that he was already far more wrapped up than he should be.

    [ARE YOU READY TO RETURN, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked, quieter than usual.

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Kyle said, turning to leave the hollow.

    [ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE BOX WITH YOU?]

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve seen it, you¡¯ve scanned it, and we¡¯ve spent plenty of time here.¡±

    [ARE YOU SURE IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY?]

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kyle said, before a grin spread on his face. ¡°And I also know you¡¯re looking for excuses for me to violate our salvage agreements, which isn¡¯t going to happen.¡±

    The drone was silent, which was all the response Kyle needed. He couldn¡¯t fault C.H.A.D.D. for trying, but he wasn¡¯t going to fall for that trap. He looked at the bodies of the shrikes once more as he left, anticipation causing his pulse to quicken slightly. I¡¯ll be hunting a lot of these before we¡¯re gone, Kyle thought. Shrikes made dangerous prey, and he hoped that they would provide a meaningful reward.

    The duo made far better time with Kyle not worried about stealth, and soon they were crossing the second cordoned area and back into the populated portion of the settlement. The contrast of the silent quarter and the bustling activity was still a shock. Kyle had to force himself to focus as the rapid change in input from Synaptic Barbs momentarily threatened his balance.

    Kyle worried about how that piece of his Adaptive Anatomy would change as he progressed into C Grade, though there was little he could do about it. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to test very often, but he assumed investment in Perception, Vitality, Willpower, and Intelligence would help him navigate it the best. It was a fortunate thing he¡¯d chosen to specialize in those attributes to an extent, otherwise he feared that he¡¯d have struggled much more.

    The 2 troll guards were waiting nearby, and Kyle walked over to them as they looked him up and down. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± he said flatly. ¡°Now, what¡¯s the quickest way to my next destination? I¡¯ve got plenty of time left to cover ground today.¡±

    The trolls shared a glance, and Kyle could see the incredulity on their faces. He crossed his arms. ¡°Look, we all know that there¡¯s no way the 2 of you stood a chance against the shrikes. I did you, and Prindas, a major favor. It was evident that this has been an issue for quite some time.¡± He didn¡¯t want to let on everything he discovered, but wanted to make a clear statement that this was a bigger job than expected.

    The trolls looked at each other once more, and the taller of them cleared his throat. ¡°We don¡¯t doubt you, Courier. It¡¯s just a little hard for us to believe that you cleared out a group of shrikes this quickly, and without injuries. You don¡¯t exactly strike us as a Fighter, ya know?¡±

    ¡°I may not look like one,¡± Kyle said, meeting the troll¡¯s eyes with barely contained frustration. ¡°But I¡¯m still more than enough to handle some wild beasts. Feel free to check for yourselves; just know that I expect delivery of my reward when I return to the capital.¡±

    The troll he¡¯d been speaking with visibly paled, and nodded. The other stepped forward, seeing his colleague¡¯s discomfort. ¡°We¡¯ll see to it, Courier. Your next stop is Jell¡¯or, a settlement on the outer border of the jungle.¡± The troll gestured to a side road, which wound through the outskirts of Prindas. ¡°Just follow the road, head left when you see it fork. We wish you safe travels.¡±

    Kyle nodded his acknowledgment, and took off without another word. He was almost certain that these ¡°guards¡± had tried to set him up to either get injured, or even killed, by the shrikes. The fact that the Council approved him to fight only deepened his suspicions. Did they want him dead to point at the Resistance? Injured, so that he would be delayed in his delivery? Or were they hoping to buy time since he was ahead of schedule?

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    Questions swam around his head as he traveled, activating Ignition to increase his pace once he was a few kilometers away from Prindas. If he kept his pace from the capital to Prindas, the journey to Jell¡¯or would have taken another 7-8 hours. Though he intentionally avoided his top speeds, his current pace would get him through the jungle in under 3.

    Ultimately, Kyle wanted to speed up his timeline. He didn¡¯t like being manipulated, and the easiest way to avoid it was to give his would-be puppet masters no opportunity to adapt their plans. Last-minute changes and adaptations result in weaknesses, sloppiness. And Kyle could use that to get a better sense of what was happening. All under the auspice of efficiency.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE YOU MISSED SOME STRANGLEVINES.]

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I did, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said.

    [IT WOULD BE WISE TO TURN AROUND SO WE CAN EXAMINE THEM MORE CLOSELY.]

    ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to do that on our way back.¡±

    [I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THEM NOW, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Right now, we need to focus on speed. I don¡¯t want to give whoever¡¯s out there a chance to prepare.¡±

    The drone got uncharacteristically silent, and Kyle put the discussion behind him. He was serious when he told C.H.A.D.D. that he wanted to come back and study the jungle in more detail. With the road between Prindas and Jell¡¯or virtually empty, he¡¯d gotten glimpses of all sorts of different types of creatures. From small lizards to amphibians the size of horses, the level of diversity he¡¯d observed was incredible. They mostly kept to themselves or ran deeper into the undergrowth as he blurred past, but several of the larger spined amphibians seemed interested in getting closer. Swarms of brightly colored insects and birds also flew close to the ground, adding more variety to his travels.

    He passed a set of trees marked by familiar slashes, but decided to move beyond it without stopping. Kyle wanted to do some more shrike hunting, though he gave himself the same promise he gave C.H.A.D.D. There would be time for that later, once he had a better sense of things. As much as he hated political machinations, he felt like he was at least getting a little bit better at navigating them.

    Before he knew it, his mind had wandered back to the different what-ifs, and he didn¡¯t notice the movement behind his pack until it was too late. With an abrupt lurch, his momentum was halted as a vine dropped from above, snagging the roots that slowly extended from his pack. A moment later, he was hurtling a dozen meters upwards as the stranglevine pulled him to its main body along an overhead tree branch.

    [OH NO, WE HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY A STRANGLEVINE.]

    ¡°Really, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE COUNCIL TOLD US THAT WE ARE WELCOME TO USE FORCE IN SELF-DEFENSE.]

    ¡°I¡¯m serious C.H.A.D.D. You can¡¯t go doing stuff like this.¡±

    [IN FAIRNESS, DR. MAYHEW, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS ENCOURAGED ME TO DEVELOP. I BELIEVE THESE WILL ASSIST IN MY DEVELOPMENT, AND IN MY CAPACITY TO ASSIST YOU. FURTHERMORE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THESE PLANTS POSE ENOUGH OF A THREAT TO BE A MEANINGFUL DELAY.]

    Kyle sighed, feeling the creeping movements of the vine as it constricted the roots protruding from his pack, slowly spiraling toward his body. Even without the use of Parasitic Resonance, Kyle was confident in his ability to escape the grasping tendrils. Identify showed him the mana flowing through the vine, and it was at best an upper E Grade creature. It possessed impressive sensory abilities and speed, but that was likely an adaptation to capture quick-moving or flying creatures.

    While Kyle certainly fit the bill in terms of speed, he doubted that he would be in any meaningful danger if the vine constricted him. The acid it excreted was far weaker than the large sundew he encountered back on Earth, and given all of his improvements since then, he expected it wouldn¡¯t even be noticeable against his skin.

    Part of him wanted to prove that point to C.H.A.D.D., making an escape without using Parasitic Resonance. He was confident that he could, that his power was at a level where it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Kyle caught the feeling, and tried to push it down.

    Breathe in, breathe out, he thought, ignoring the creeping vines that were now wrapping around him. It was possible to be frustrated with C.H.A.D.D., and not be punitive. Parasitic Resonance spread out across the plant, and with a minor effort he pulled. He felt the influx of mana as the vines began to wither, and grabbed hold. The stranglevine disintegrated faster than Kyle expected, and he barely managed to grasp hold of the tree branch above before the vine fell lifeless to the ground below.

    A gentle snapping sound informed him the port into the pack had closed, and he felt a shift as the root that was protruding from the pack snapped off and fell to meet the vine that had been grasping it. He sat on the tree for a moment, looking down at the empty road below as he sat next to the withered remnants of the vine still on the branch. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, you know. I would have come back.¡±

    [I AM¡­ SORRY, DR. MAYHEW. THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN ON THIS WORLD, AND I HAVE GROWN CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP AND GAIN ANYTHING FROM IT.]

    Kyle sighed. ¡°Everything we do benefits us, at least in some ways. Sometimes it just takes longer than we¡¯d like.¡±

    The two sat in silence for a moment, before C.H.A.D.D. spoke. [YOU KNOW, DR. MAYHEW, YOU¡¯VE PROGRESSED FASTER THAN I HAVE SINCE OUR DEPARTURE FROM EARTH.]

    Kyle thought about it for just a minute, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    [SO, WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN I FALL TOO FAR BEHIND TO KEEP UP?]

 Chapter 220

    Kyle took another moment to reflect.  Despite the tenor of C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice showing no change, he could feel the genuine concern and worry behind the words.  A big part of Kyle wanted to reject the notion outright, assure his companion that he¡¯d never be left behind.  He wanted to; but he couldn¡¯t.  While he¡¯d never simply abandon C.H.A.D.D., if Kyle got into situations that were too dangerous, he wouldn¡¯t knowingly drag the drone into a scenario where it wouldn¡¯t be able to survive.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to just leave you behind, C.H.A.D.D.  We are a team.  We¡¯re going to find a method, somehow, to make sure you keep up.  If that means a hardware upgrade, we¡¯ll do it.  If that means a software update, we¡¯ll figure it out.  If it means taking a trip to get you more essences, we¡¯ll get it booked.  Like I said, we¡¯re a team.¡±

    [THANK YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Kyle felt that there was more the drone wanted to discuss, but after another few moments of silence, he clambered on top of the thick tree branch and stretched.  ¡°Well, we¡¯re already near the canopy.  How about we head to the top and see what the world looks like from above?¡±

    Without waiting for C.H.A.D.D. to respond, Kyle grabbed the rough bark of the tree and began to scale it.  Between gaps in the bark and the tree limbs themselves, he had no problem finding handholds.  As he climbed, however, a creeping sense of unease began to build.  Soon, he placed it.  The biodiversity he¡¯d come to expect, the general sounds of the forest, were gone.

    Soon, the culprits became clear.  Dozens more stranglevines dotted the branches as he ascended.  As he watched, one exploded toward the ground, retracting a moment later with a large, frog-like beast wrapped in its clutches.  A moment later, a storm of vines lashed toward him.  ¡°Well, you said you wanted to study them, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said.  ¡°It looks like you¡¯re about to get some hands-on experience.¡±

    Vines bound him from all sides, then withered just as quickly as C.H.A.D.D. greedily drank in their energy with the help of Parasitic Resonance.  The lashing tendrils slowed their ascent, and Kyle quickly realized that something about these plants was odd.  The vines themselves rotted and fell quickly, but with each that they absorbed, a husk remained stubbornly attached to the tree branches.  A quick use of Identify showed Kyle that there was still something lying dormant within these husks, though it wasn¡¯t a concept with which he was familiar.

    Still, C.H.A.D.D. seemed satisfied with its gains, and Kyle decided not to investigate further.  Knowing now how common the stranglevines were to the upper reaches of the jungle, they¡¯d have no problems at all continuing their study as they traveled.

    Finally, after breaking through another cluster of the carnivorous vines, Kyle found himself staring out at a lush sea of green.  A gentle wind tousled the treetops, giving the impression of waves across the expanse of the jungle. At the very limit of where he could see, Kyle could barely make out a thinning of the trees, marking the edge of this biome, and where the second leg of his journey would continue.  He had no idea if shrikes were commonly seen outside the jungle, and a part of him was sorely tempted to do a little more hunting before leaving for the hills and the designated neutral territory.

    I¡¯m as bad as C.H.A.D.D., Kyle thought wistfully, jumping from limb to limb toward his destination.  Both he and the drone had a drive to take advantage of opportunities when they came up, and Kyle would be lying to himself if he thought C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t pick this particular habit up from him.  So, he resisted the temptation to stop when the drone noted 2 more shrike nests along their journey, simply ensuring they were marked on the map before continuing onward.

    Suddenly, Kyle caught a subtle movement out of the corner of his eye.  At first, he thought it a trick of the wind, but then he saw it again; a tree moving out of sync with the others.  No, trees.  Kyles eyes widened as he started to realize the scope of what he was looking at.  The treetops concealed a shadow that took up an entire swathe of the jungle, easily 500 meters across.  It glid beneath the canopy, moving slowly as the trees slightly echoed its passing with their movements.

    If the size wasn¡¯t enough, the whisper of power Kyle felt as he stared made it clear: whatever this being was, it was a C Grade.  A shiver ran up his spine at the thought, and he fought to push down the rising panic.  There was no guarantee the creature, whatever it was, was even hostile.  And, blessedly, its trajectory was taking it the opposite direction of Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.

    Though they were moving somewhat slower than they were on the ground, the duo nevertheless made good time as they dashed and leapt through the treetops.  There was no way he wanted to lose sight of the slow-moving shadow, and the thought of it being directly overhead was a discomforting one.  Better to stay in the trees, Kyle thought.

    A unique advantage to this mode of travel was the way it gave perspective to the world around them.   Far to the south, Kyle could see a single, dominant tree towering over the canopy.  To the north, he could make out a clearing and the gentle sparkling of blue water through the trees.

    He wondered what else he may have missed, and resolved to spend more time in the treetops as he completed his work.  Kyle knew that there was plenty waiting for him at the Hub when he returned, and taking every opportunity when they were presented was important.  Opportunities to explore a planet like this before all the bureaucracy set in were rare, even if they didn¡¯t find anything on Er¡¯Mithren that would prove to be key to their progress.

    Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. descended back to the road shortly before arriving at the walled settlement at the edge of the forest, Jell¡¯or.  They approached the gate checkpoint with nonchalance, Kyle already having his credentials on display.  So, when the guard called out to him, he was surprised.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Halt!  Who goes there?¡±  The goblin¡¯s voice was shrill, almost a squeak.

    ¡°I¡¯m Courier Kyle Mayhew, sent by the Council of Er¡¯Mithren to make a delivery beyond your borders.  I was set to arrive tomorrow, but I¡¯ve made good time.¡±  Kyle looked to the top of the wall, barely making out a green, bald head peering down from the battlement.

    ¡°Never heard of you!  Go away!¡±

    ¡°I have business in the village,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not on today¡¯s list,¡± the goblin replied.  ¡°So either scram, or try again when you are.¡±

    Before Kyle could react, the goblin disappeared, leaving him standing awkwardly in front of the city gate.  This is not what I expected, Kyle thought, processing.  He was confident that, if he wanted to, he could easily climb the gate, or otherwise enter the city.  There was supposed to be lodging set up, and with his pace of travel he expected that word had been passed along.

    Either Kyle had grossly miscalculated, or something odd was afoot.  Stepping out of sight of the wall, he asked the drone, ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you get me a picture of what¡¯s going on?¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Jell¡¯Or was not a particularly large city, and Kyle was able to get around the forested portion of the perimeter in a little under an hour.  He opted not to go into the clearing beyond, but this was plenty for C.H.A.D.D. to work with. From what the drone showed him, it didn¡¯t look good.  Nearly 100 awakened goblins patrolled the streets, and it looked like some sort of martial law had been enacted.  There were no children playing, no people going about their business.

    While that would have been cause for concern on its own, C.H.A.D.D. also showed what looked like a large group of unawakened goblins and trolls gathered in a cluster near the city center.  They were chained, and from what the drone reported, many were showing signs of injury.

    Satisfied they had enough to go on, Kyle sighed as he sat down, cross-legged.  There were 2 distinct options before him, and he didn¡¯t particularly care for either of them.  The first, and simplest, was to bypass Jell¡¯Or entirely.  Contacts here were supposed to help direct him toward the meeting point, but he already had the coordinates.  It wouldn¡¯t be much effort to go on his own, even if it meant spending the night outside the city.  Of course, that meant leaving ostensibly innocent people in harm¡¯s way, which never sat well with him.

    The second choice would be to force the issue and enter the city directly.  He might be able to help the people inside, and he was confident that the awakened goblins C.H.A.D.D. spotted were far from being powerful enough to do him any real harm.  Even in those numbers, E Grades just weren¡¯t very threatening to him.  No, the real threat would depend on what faction was involved in this bizarre incident.  If Kyle was to get involved, he could very easily undermine his position as a neutral party.

    The longer he thought about it, the clearer the answer became.  Discounting the possibility of a truly random attack, the events in Jell¡¯Or felt clearly tied to his mission.  So, rather than get involved, the safest choice was to ignore it.  If it was a ploy by the Er¡¯Mithren Council, Kyle doubted they would actually harm their own citizens.

    The Resistance, by contrast, would find a hard time leveraging their hold on the town if Kyle was nowhere to be found.  And it¡¯s not like either faction could blame him for leaving; the city watch sent him away, after all.  While it would have been nice to get a little sleep in a comfortable bed, it just wasn¡¯t in the cards.  He rose with a stretch, taking some dried rations from the C.H.A.D.D. pack.

    [ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO LEAVE THEM, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°I think they¡¯re probably safer if we just leave,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I find it hard to believe that something like this would happen randomly as soon as we get ahead of schedule.  Better that we stay neutral.¡±

    [IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE BETTER OFF¡­]

    ¡°I do.  Come on, let¡¯s keep moving.  The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can find you more stranglevines.¡±

    [I SUPPOSE WE DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO PRESS ONWARD.]

    ~~~

    ¡°Very interesting.¡±  A group of goblins, ogres, and trolls looked over a detailed map of the region, where a single dot once again began to move.  ¡°He is different than we were led to believe.¡±

    ¡°From what I can tell, he simply looks to be eager to complete his delivery and get paid,¡± a rumbling, masculine voice retorted.

    ¡°The per diem was quite generous, do you think he realized that this was his last comfortable stop in our lands?  Our research indicates that he wouldn¡¯t leave funds untapped for the sake of expedience.  The limited dossier we received indicates he lacks powerful backing and financing.  There has to be something we¡¯re missing.¡±

    A goblin voice piped up next, its tone thoughtful.  ¡°His actions seem incongruent; he risks his life to face a shrike nest, but doesn¡¯t blink twice at a town clearly in some sort of peril.  His motivations are not purely altruistic, but neither do they seem entirely self-serving.  We should tread carefully.¡±

    The masculine voice snorted.  ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯d really side with the hag, do you?  That is, if she¡¯ll even see him.¡±

    ¡°One way or another, that won¡¯t be an issue.  While this Courier may be less predictable, D¡¯Oilellat is certainly a known quantity.  Either she¡¯ll open the package herself, or she¡¯ll react after one of her men opens the package, and Mayhew will be forced to deal with her either way.  Both sets of circumstances are acceptable.¡±

    ¡°Then why does your voice shake, Pall¡¯Eth?¡±  This voice was the angry rasp of an aged troll, the oldest member on the Council.

    ¡°Because regardless of what happens to D¡¯Oilellat, I am having a hard time predicting an outcome where the Courier dies.  Which means that, for us, our victory could have very real consequences.¡±

    ¡°Speak plainly,¡± the troll woman demanded.

    ¡°It matters very little, given that events have been set in motion.  But, should Mayhew survive, it would be prudent to have a plan in place so that we don¡¯t earn his ire.  The collateral damage alone could be immense if he isn¡¯t handled properly,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.

    ¡°What of his backers?  Surely, they will take issue with his demise, whether it¡¯s by our hand or the hag¡¯s?¡±  The masculine voice posited, more thoughtful than before.

    ¡°Our contacts in the Verdant Republic have confirmed that he has no true affiliation with them.  My understanding is that he¡¯s effectively a wandering mercenary.  Should he meet his end, time will move forward unimpeded.¡±

    ¡°What about his kin?¡±  Asked the raspy troll.  ¡°Surely, there are some who may seek vengeance?¡±

    ¡°None, from what our sources can gather,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.  Their research had been extensive, if brief, and their plans were still sound.  Still, Pall¡¯Eth couldn¡¯t help but feel a creeping fear as they talked.

    There was a surety in the Courier¡¯s movements, a confidence that his instincts screamed was well deserved.  Research had uncovered mixed reviews about Kyle¡¯s performance in his Practicum and other jobs, but one note stood out more than anything else, making Pall¡¯Eth wary.  After all, what could this human have done to earn a title like Onyx Warrior?

 Chapter 221

    Bypassing Jell¡¯Or was a relatively simple task, and soon Kyle found himself leaving the dense foliage of the jungle, which was replaced by rolling hills.  He felt a tension leave his shoulders as he followed the road toward his coordinates, the creeping fear of the C Grade shadow being left behind.  Smaller groves of trees still dotted the landscape here and there, and Kyle was surprised to see deep gouges in the trees near the first copse they passed.

    [I DETECT 3 SHRIKES WITHIN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle¡¯s first response was to say that they needed to keep moving, but he stopped himself.  They were now well over a day ahead of schedule, and his travel speed would likely only improve now that he was out of the jungle.  Besides, Kyle thought, with the trees so close to the road, these shrikes could pose a danger to other travelers.  Weak justifications in mind, Kyle looked at C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map and began to slowly enter the shrikes¡¯ territory.

    The forest was quiet as Kyle carefully stepped over broken branches and fallen leaves in pursuit of his prey.  As before, a trio were nestled in the heart of their territory in what Kyle suspected was their nest.  He found it odd that so far he¡¯d only seen them in groups of 3, and he hoped he would get an opportunity to further study their behavior.

    Once he made it to the nearest edge of the nest, he finally saw them.  2 of the large reptilian creatures were curled up on the ground while a third was gnawing on a thick bone.  There was no semblance of a guard posted, but then and again, why would they need one?  The C Grade shadow notwithstanding, shrikes appeared to be the apex predators of this part of Er¡¯Mithren, if not the entire planet.  Of course, that¡¯s not to say that they were lazy.

    One of the things that struck Kyle as odd during his first interaction with the shrikes was how quickly and precisely they¡¯d attacked him once they realized he was there.  He¡¯d read before about wild beasts that possessed Perception-boosting skills when they were under attack, and wanted to see if that was the case with the shrikes.  If so, it would make sense why they appeared so uninterested in the world around them while they rested.

    Finding a comfortable spot nearby, Kyle activated Parasitic Resonance, this time splitting the tendrils to attack both of the sleeping creatures.  As before, the tendrils were able to invade without an issue.  Kyle sat perfectly still as the skill did its work, with no reaction from the shrikes.  With his eyes fixed on the conscious shrike, he pulled.

    The reaction was immediate.  As one, the shrikes lifted their heads the moment Kyle shifted his skill to attack.  It was too late for those he¡¯d already infected, but the remaining shrike immediately launched an attack at his position.  It¡¯s not just a danger sense, Kyle realized.  It also gives them insight into the direction of the attack.

    The whirling buzz saw of energy slammed into Storm Shelter, and was easily rebuffed.  Kyle knew he was still too inexperienced to meaningfully understand the concepts tied into his skill, but there was something interesting about watching its interaction with the shrike¡¯s attacks.  Comparing Storm Shelter to the skill Ghork used against the Glaivebeak, Kyle noticed some key differences.

    Indulging himself to allow the shrike to continue its assault, Kyle focused on the way Storm Shelter stood up to the whirring blades.  It was almost as though Storm Shelter imposed its dominion over the space it covered.  The skill felt stubborn, unyielding in purpose.  The buzz saws of mana didn¡¯t lose potency when they attacked.  Their energy wasn¡¯t disrupted, nor did the skill diffuse or deflect them.  Instead, the blades were stubbornly worn down and dissipated against the unmoving barrier.

    On the other side of Storm Shelter, Kyle could see confusion and anger plainly on the shrike¡¯s face.  Its companions were dead, and it knew Kyle was to blame.  Allowing Storm Shelter to drop, Kyle exploded into motion as small vines appeared from the C.H.A.D.D. pack.  He ducked underneath a horizontal slash, then dashed to the right to avoid a vertical blade meant to split him in two.

    He felt vines falling to the ground through Synaptic Barbs, though more quickly took their place.  They darted out, drawing the shrike¡¯s attention and distracting it as Kyle closed in.  This time, another thin vine reached out and bound the creature¡¯s beak as Kyle pressed his palm against its chest, activating Parasitic Resonance from point-blank range.  A moment later, it was done.

    Kyle felt the Core of the Parasitic Devourer within him drain the energy, and the hunger that still remained.  A lot more shrikes would have to fall before Kyle got his next Adaptive Anatomy upgrade.  His feelings on that front were mixed, however, seeing the beasts used as weapons against a civilian population helped alleviate the guilt of his wholesale slaughter.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Is there anything inside their den that sparks your interest, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING CLEAR TO MY SENSORS, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then let¡¯s keep moving.  No need to sift through more remains than necessary.¡±

    As they traveled through the hills and plains, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. encountered a handful more shrike nests, each of which was disposed in similar fashion.  An odd pattern was starting to emerge, which gave Kyle pause.  Why are they always in groups of 3?  Once or twice could easily be a coincidence, but after the eighth encounter it was clear that there was something significant to the relatively small group of pack hunters.  As the final shrike of this group fell, Kyle looked to the den in the center of the copse.  ¡°What about this one, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [NOTHING, DR. MAYHEW.  AND AT THIS POINT, I FEEL AS THOUGH I MUST NOTE THE BLATANT UNFAIRNESS WE ARE EXPERIENCING.]

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, even though he suspected the answer.  ¡°Unfairness?  Explain.¡±

    The other oddity, much to C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s misfortune, was that there were no stranglevines present in these dense groves of trees.  Some of them certainly met the criteria for the height of the trees and abundant prey, yet the plants were suspiciously absent.

    [WE HAVE NOT FOUND A SINGLE STRANGLEVINE SPECIMEN THAT WE COULD DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST SINCE LEAVING THE JUNGLE.]

    ¡°There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation,¡± Kyle offered.

    [I DO NOT WANT A REASONABLE EXPLANATION, I WANT MORE STRANGLEVINES.  I FEEL THAT I AM CLOSE TO MAKING A BREAKTHROUGH IN THEIR ARCHIVE, AND IT IS FRUSTRATING TO BE UNABLE TO DO SO.]

    ¡°Is there really that much more you need?  Your tests with the vines seem promising already.¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. had used their recent encounters to test weaving in concepts from the predatory plants with the normal vines it manipulated.  The results were mixed against the shrikes¡¯ cutting power, but were nevertheless impressive.

    [I AM LESS CONCERNED WITH THE APPLICATION, AND MORE WITH THE NATURE OF THE VINES THEMSELVES.  THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THEIR NATURE THAT DO NOT MAKE SENSE, AND WITH A LITTLE FURTHER STUDY I AM CONFIDENT I COULD UNDERSTAND THEM FULLY.]

    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?  Maybe talking it through could help.¡±

    [MY ATTEMPTS TO GROW THE VINES DIRECTLY HAVEN¡¯T WORKED, AS THEY DO NOT SEEM TO POSSESS ANY TYPE OF ROOT SYSTEM; NOR DO THEY POSSESS A FRUIT OR SEEDING STRUCTURE.]

    Kyle nodded as he walked out of the grove of trees.  ¡°That is odd.  Do you think they could be a natural growth on the trees?¡±

    [THAT IS DOUBTFUL, DR. MAYHEW.  THE PLANT¡¯S MANA AND CELL STRUCTURES DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE TREE.  THE MOST INTERESTING NOTE, TO ME, IS THAT THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A METHOD FOR CONVERTING NUTRIENTS INTO GROWTH.  INSTEAD, THEY HAVE CELL STRUCTURES THAT CONVERT THE NUTRIENTS INTO ENERGY, AND FUNCTION AS A TYPE OF STORAGE.]

    A frown was beginning to spread across Kyle¡¯s face.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.  From what you¡¯ve just said, it sounds like they don¡¯t have any means to grow or reproduce.  But we know that there were hundreds of them moving into the canopy.¡±

    [EXACTLY.  DR. MAYHEW, WE ARE MISSING AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE, BUT I AM OPTIMISTIC ADDITIONAL STUDY WILL PROVIDE THE ANSWERS.  IT IS UNLIKE ANY OF THE PLANTS ARCHIVED IN THE WORLD TREE SEED, AND WOULD BE A WORTHY ADDITION.]

    ¡°Well, if we don¡¯t stumble across any others on our way to meet the Resistance, we¡¯ll be sure to stop and search for some more on our way back to Er¡¯Mithren.  Who knows, maybe the data on local flora will have some answers.¡±

    That response seemed to placate the drone, at least somewhat, and Kyle looked out into the fading light of the day as he once again returned to the road through the hills.  Their pace had been slowed significantly by his hunts, but they were still well ahead of schedule.

    Tomorrow should find me in Resistance territory, Kyle thought.  He traveled another 2 kilometers, then found a spot off to the side of the road to set up a small camp as stars began to appear in the darkening sky.  Kyle took out some rations, as well as the books Jarberry lent him.  C.H.A.D.D. provided a gentle orange light as Kyle began his training.  He fixed his mind on keeping the shapes of the letters as pages began to turn.  Wayward thoughts threatened his focus, and he gritted his teeth as he tried to push them away.  With a limited amount of time until he had to return the books, he was going to make use of every last minute.

    A few hours later, Kyle collapsed with exhaustion, the phantom pain from the final book still echoing through his mind.  He fell short of his records on every single one of the books this evening.  There was certainly an element of frustration tied to that ¨C Kyle didn¡¯t enjoy failing ¨C though it was mixed with a strange excitement.  It had been quite a while since Kyle felt truly stretched and pushed, and trying to raise his scores to Jarberry¡¯s exacting standards was a goal that scratched that itch.

    As he wasn¡¯t ready for sleep quite yet, Kyle pulled a small, fourth book out of the C.H.A.D.D. pack.  It was a simple journal he purchased back on the Hub, and he started writing notes, along with his scores.  He detailed everything he could, highlighting the distracting thoughts from the day, and the moments he felt his control of the tomes slip.

    Even if there was nothing he could do to mitigate the outside factors, he felt it was important to reflect on them.  His combat with the shrikes and stranglevines had led to another level, and he was only 2 away from his penultimate D Grade skill.  C Grade was still a distant goal, and he intended to make the most of Jarberry¡¯s advice as he approached it.  Each day provided a new opportunity for him to improve his foundations, and Kyle didn¡¯t intend to squander a single one.

 Chapter 222

    Kyle looked up at the looming wall before him, letting out a small breath.  He wondered why everybody seemed to assume he¡¯d recognize Resistance territory when he got there, and now he understood.  A 20-meter-high earthwork wall crossed the rolling hills as far as the eye could see.  He could feel the mana radiating from the slate-gray stone as goblins and trolls alike prowled the top.  From what C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s scans indicated, there were guard stations at regular intervals with more on the opposite side of the wall.

    It was hard to wrap his head around the sheer cost in resources it must take to keep a defense like this running; and was even more curious about why the mysterious D¡¯Oilellat would prioritize it so heavily.  The Council of Er¡¯Mithren implied that she¡¯d been fighting them to try and reclaim her throne, and though Kyle was no tactical mastermind, he had a hard time seeing how the defensive position before him accomplished any of that.

    Walking closer, he could hear a deep voice shouting from the top of the wall as a troll called down to his companions, then turned to regard Kyle.  ¡°Either you¡¯re the ugliest damn troll I ever met, or you¡¯re the Courier we¡¯ve been waiting for.¡±

    A little taken aback at the jab, Kyle took a moment to compose himself, using Identify on the troll.  Late E Grade, looks to be a Ranger type.  Putting on a neutral mask, he responded.  ¡°Fortunately for me, I¡¯m the latter.  My name is Kyle Mayhew, and I¡¯m here to bring a draft proposal for peace with the Er¡¯Mithren Council to D¡¯Oilellat.  May I pass?¡±

    The troll snorted.  ¡°I¡¯m the guard captain for this section.  You can stay right where you are while I get confirmation from the higher-ups.  You understand why it¡¯d be a bad idea for me to just let random people through, even if they are on business.¡±

    ¡°Do what you need to do,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I¡¯ll stay here, though if you or your men have the time, I¡¯d be interested to know the history of this wall.  The construction is incredible.¡±

    The guard snorted again.  ¡°You¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t have walls where you¡¯re from?¡±

    A nostalgic smile crept across Kyle¡¯s face as he thought back to Earth.  ¡°Only one that compares to what you have here.  Is it to deter predators, like the shrikes?¡±

    He smirked.  ¡°If you¡¯d call the Er¡¯Mithren Council predators, then sure.  Not that it¡¯s helped in the bigger attacks, but it keeps the unawakened bastards away, which is enough for me.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like there¡¯s no love lost between you and the Council,¡± Kyle mused.  ¡°I take it most of you were part of the old regime?¡±

    The troll shook his head.  ¡°Only some.  Most of us were just regular people who were forced to choose a side.  So, we did.¡±

    Kyle wanted to ask more, but before he could get a word out, the troll turned and saluted as a goblin dressed in resplendent silver armor stepped atop the battlement.  A quick use of Identify showed Kyle that the newcomer was far more powerful, resting comfortably in the middle of D Grade.  The goblin¡¯s Dexterity, Strength, and Intelligence were exceptional, and a look at the thin blade on his hip gave a very familiar impression.  This goblin is using the same type of skills as the shrikes.

    ¡°I am Wall Commander Ra¡¯zel, guardian of the gates and emissary of the rightful queen of Er¡¯Mithren.  I have been told that you¡¯re the Courier who has been dragged into this mess.¡±

    Kyle offered a respectful bow.  ¡°I¡¯ve been given the opportunity to help broker peace.¡±

    Ra¡¯zel gave Kyle a withering stare.  ¡°And no doubt profit handsomely from your work.  The Council may have thought this an appropriate solution, but understand that we are not convinced.  In the spirit of cooperation, we will open the gates to you, and you will be escorted to meet her Majesty D¡¯Oillelat.

    ¡°You will make your delivery, and you will wait under guard until a response has been drafted, at which point you will be escorted back to the wall.  You will not be free to roam our lands as you have thus far.  Is that understood, Courier?¡±

    ¡°It is, Wall Commander.¡±

    With a gesture behind him, Kyle felt earth-infused mana flow into the wall as the runes illuminated; causing a section to rumble and separate.  Kyle walked through the opening, where he saw 3 D Grades waiting, one of each of the goblinoid species.

    The first, and largest among them was an ogre, who clearly had a variant Mage class.  It wore thick brown robes and carried an intricately inscribed metal staff.   Lightning affinity mana flowed through the ogre¡¯s body, mixed with another affinity he couldn¡¯t readily place.

    Standing beside the ogre was a troll with what looked to be a straightforward Fighter-type class.  Impressive Strength and Endurance coupled with the troll¡¯s naturally high Vitality, and he expected that this troll on its own could easily handle the 2 troll guards Kyle met before.  Scarred metal armor covered the troll, who also wore a buckler shield on his left arm, and a double-bearded axe strapped to his back.

    The final member of the group was a goblin woman, small even for their diminutive species.  She was wrapped from head to toe in black fabric that seemed to shift colors as she stood, and Kyle could tell that she was a Ranger type.  While she wore no weapons outwardly, the mana he detected from several places on her person made it clear that she was well-armed.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Ra¡¯Zel gestured to the trio of goblinoids.  ¡°This is Drokh, Ver¡¯ah, and Hanastrel.  They will serve as your guides and supervisors during your time moving through our lands.  Understand that any treachery will not be tolerated.¡±  His hard eyes fixed on Kyle for a long moment before he looked toward the heartlands of the resistance.  ¡°Now, go.  The sooner your errand is done, the better.¡±

    Kyle nodded to the goblin, before turning to his entourage.  It was abundantly clear that he wasn¡¯t welcome, and he chose his words carefully, aiming to show respect without displaying weakness.  ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care.  I want to see this business done as well, and I thank you all for your efforts to complete it.¡±

    There was a brief pause at words, then Drokh, the ogre, gave a rumbling reply.  ¡°Come on.  We¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover.¡±

    Drokh and Ver¡¯ah, the troll, led the way as they followed a narrow path to a larger road, while Hanastrel, the goblin Ranger, followed behind.  Even with Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception, Kyle found it was a little unnerving leaving a dangerous person walking directly behind him.  She was clearly trying to stay right in his blind spots as he moved, though he could feel her presence clearly.  She¡¯s got a long way to go before she¡¯s at Jarberry¡¯s level, Kyle mused.

    Unlike the roads leading away from Er¡¯Mithren, the interior road the group now followed was packed with individual travelers and supply convoys.  Large lizards pulled wagons full of rations, and dozens of peddlers set up at the various crossroads to sell their wares.  The roads themselves were far more worn-down than the ones in the jungle, with broken stones and exposed earth making the travel rougher.

    That, and the large crowds that continually stopped to gawk at them as they journeyed.  Kyle got more than a few looks, but more than that was the general awe that people showed toward his escort.  While these 3 were among the most powerful D Grades Kyle had encountered, he didn¡¯t expect that they were at the level where they had genuine celebrity status.

    Everywhere they walked, traffic slowed and heads turned.  Several groups even cheered when they saw Drokh, and got even louder when Ver¡¯ah lumbered into sight.  Once they had a moment when the road was clear, Kyle¡¯s curiosity got the best of him.  ¡°The people here are treating you like heroes.  If I can ask, what happened to earn you this reputation?¡±

    Ver¡¯ah turned his head to look at Kyle, with a wide grin on his face.  ¡°We¡¯ve had our fair share of fights to protect these people.  Hanastrel back there has stopped no fewer than a dozen attacks on our Queen, one of which was at a public address.  I helped hold the lines more than a few times before the wall got constructed, and Drokh ¨C¡°

    ¡°-Would tell you to stop talking.  Now.¡±  The ogre¡¯s voice was a deep growl, and Ver¡¯ah raised his hands in a placating gesture.

    ¡°Whatever you say.  Your story¡¯s not mine to tell.¡±  He gave Kyle a conspiratorial look, and in a whisper clearly intended for Hanastrel and Drokh to hear, said, ¡°But it¡¯s a pretty good one nonetheless.¡±

    That earned him a disapproving glare from the ogre, and they kept walking in silence down the road.

    About midday, they came across the first real settlement Kyle had seen in Resistance territory.  Broken and damaged stone was patched with lumber, and he could make out hundreds of tents spread out along the outskirts of the ramshackle buildings.  Peddlers were still plentiful, though many of their goods appeared to be modest rations and basic healing poultices.

    As he looked out at the huddled crowds, he came to a chilling realization.  Virtually all of the people he could see near the tents or other buildings were elderly, infirm, or adolescent.  There weren¡¯t many events that would leave so few able-bodied people behind, and none of them were good.

    As if reading his mind, the goblin said, ¡°Take a good look at the price of your peace, Courier.  Its cost is already higher than any wished to pay.¡±  Hanastrel¡¯s voice was quiet, and Kyle realized that she¡¯d been watching him look out at the settlement.

    ¡°What happened to these people?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°The Council happened.  It wasn¡¯t enough to depose King Railen¡¯ellat, the Council wanted to stamp out any embers of dissent.  The people you see here are the remnant left behind in their wake.¡±

    Kyle let those words sink in for a minute as they walked through the settlement.  A hollow look he missed before was clear to him on many of the faces; people who had known more loss than they should have.  He thought about what these survivors must have gone through, and kept coming back to a single question.  ¡°If a peace is negotiated, will these people really be able to accept it?  After everything they¡¯ve been through?¡±

    He half-expected Hanastrel to dismiss his question outright, or admonish him for asking.  Instead, in a small voice, she said, ¡°The only reason her Majesty is willing to negotiate is for their sake.¡±

    ~~~

    The dark mass of tangling vines slowly crept through the jungle¡¯s canopy.  Countless tendrils reached out to pull its bulk from tree to tree, picking up hundreds of thousands of its discarded cuttings, and leaving fresh ones in their place.  Its vines had a short, but effective life.  They hunted the prey, held the nutrients, and were reabsorbed into the mass.  So had the pattern continued for thousands and thousands of years.

    War, politics, and betrayals meant nothing to the mass as it continued its endless cycle across the canopy.  All within its grasp were prey, and that was enough.  Its cycle continued, uninterrupted, until it came across an oddity.  Dead husks.

    Now, the occasional dead cutting was to be expected.  The infernal shrikes had adapted to slice the vines away, to escape the grasping clutches.  But this, this was different.  Dozens of husks had died, simply withered away.  No, nothing like this had ever happened before in its long memory.

    The roiling tendrils slowed, moving deeper into the jungle, reabsorbing more and more of its dead cuttings.  Until it found the lowest of the dead, a lone stranglevine that was just close enough to reach the road.  The dark mass descended, absorbing this final cutting back into itself.  And it tasted¡­ it tasted¡­ good.

    Delicious.

    Sublime.

    It was just a whisper, a hint, but this cutting had touched upon a mana that the mass instinctively knew was of the highest order, the highest quality.  Mana tinged with gold; mana that could allow the mass to accomplish the impossible.  To ascend.

    The entire jungle seemed to shake for just a moment as the mass shuddered in ecstasy, then dispersed.  Desire flooded it for the first time it could remember.  It would search for the flavor.  It would find it.  It would consume it.

 Chapter 223

    Pinks and orange painted the cloudless sky as the sun began to set, causing Drokh and Ver¡¯ah to stop.  The ogre gestured to a side road.  ¡°We¡¯ll stop for the night in Varleez, then finish the journey tomorrow morning.  I trust you¡¯ve no complaints, Courier?¡±

    Kyle kept his opinions of their sluggish pace to himself, and nodded to Drokh.  ¡°None at all.¡±

    ¡°Good.  Ver¡¯ah, you will take the first watch. Hanastrel, you will take the second.  Courier, it goes without saying, but do not try to leave our presence or continue onward in the night.  You will be given your own quarters, though I will echo Ra¡¯zel¡¯s sentiment; you are here under suspicion.  You would do well to remember.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Kyle said.  Though he hoped their travel pace would have been faster, he didn¡¯t mind having an evening to rest.  He didn¡¯t expect that he¡¯d have his own room, and briefly considered making more time to train with Jarberry¡¯s tomes.  Kyle dismissed the idea almost immediately when he considered how he would brooch the topic if somebody intruded on him while he was training.  The last thing he wanted was to give his escorts an excuse to rummage through his pack or take Jarberry¡¯s books.

    Varleez came into sight less than an hour later, looking more to Kyle like a large encampment than a real settlement.  Tents surrounded hundreds of open campfires which extended nearly a kilometer from the edge of the village proper.  Everywhere he looked, Kyle saw gaunt, hollow faces.  Their small group caught quite a bit of attention as they walked, hushed murmurs moving across the camp like a wave.

    Drokh stiffened for a moment as people began to crowd closer, and Kyle was worried that there would be trouble until a group of goblin guards came from the village to disperse the encroaching group.  One of the guards saluted Drokh, offering respectful glances at Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel.  ¡°Sir, we apologize for our tardiness.  We were just informed of your arrival; had we known earlier we would have done more.¡±

    Drokh returned the salute, then waved a dismissive hand.  ¡°We didn¡¯t know that we were staying here, either,¡± Drokh grumbled.  ¡°In any event, I know your resources are stretched.  Do you have space for us to spend the evening?  We¡¯ll be gone at first light.¡±

    The goblin saluted again, so enthusiastically he nearly struck his head.  ¡°Absolutely, sir!  I will personally give you my lodgings, should others be unavailable.  It would be an honor to have the Grand ¨C¡°

    Drokh glared at the enthusiastic guard, who trailed off without finishing his sentence.  ¡°If none are currently vacant, we will spend the evening under the starlight.¡±

    As it turned out, there were mysteriously sufficient accommodations for a group exactly their size.  Kyle suspected that this was no coincidence, and from the exasperated expression Drokh wore, the ogre knew it too.  The group was on the second floor of a ramshackle tavern-turned-inn, with the only 4 rooms in the loft left empty for them.  Drokh had a chair brought up to sit in the hall between the sets of doors, and then retired to his chambers.  Hanastrel followed suit, leaving Ver¡¯ah to his guard duty.

    Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah both got quite a bit of attention through the course of these interactions, but neither seemed to command the same level of awe as Drokh.  Seeing an opportunity, Kyle lingered in the hallway, with the troll who had already started lounging in the chair.  ¡°So, what¡¯s it like traveling with a celebrity?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°Drokh must be something else to get treated the way he is.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah gave him a look.  ¡°Drokh also values his privacy.  Which he made abundantly clear on the road up.¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°Me being curious about the people escorting me doesn¡¯t mean that I won¡¯t do my job.  Some might argue that it could help me do my job better.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah gave Kyle a sad smile.  ¡°Look, Mayhew, I don¡¯t have anything against you.  In different times, we¡¯d grab a drink and I¡¯d tell you all about our stories.  But for now, I understand that you¡¯re not much more than a mercenary with money on his mind.  Talking with Drokh, I¡¯d wager that there¡¯s a 50% chance that you¡¯ll do something that¡¯ll force us to kill you, and I¡¯d rather not risk getting attached.  So go to your room, get some rest, and tomorrow we¡¯ll help you make your delivery.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Alright, have it your way.  I hope your watch is uneventful.¡±

    A grunt was all he got in response, and Kyle opened the door to the modest room he¡¯d been given. It was plain dark wood, from floor to ceiling.  A wash basin stood in one corner.  A faded rug was placed in the middle of the room, and an odd, thick mattress was pushed against a wall.  It wasn¡¯t until Kyle examined it that he understood the mechanism; it could fold out to accommodate individuals of any size.  With a population this diverse, I suppose it makes sense.

    Folding it to approximately troll-height, Kyle lay down; finding the mattress surprisingly comfortable.  A small orange light projected in front of his eyes for just a moment before winking out.  This was a code he¡¯d set up with C.H.A.D.D., indicating the drone having scanned the room and found them under surveillance.  Kyle anticipated this would be the case, and he closed his eyes, meditating as he activated Parasitic Resonance. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t use the books, he found that he could still apply the principles of fine mana control.  He wove the tendrils around one another, splitting and rejoining them in an ever-shifting pattern that only got more complex as he practiced.  Beyond just preparing himself for the eventual move to C Grade, Kyle also wanted to set himself up as well as he could for his Level 70 and Level 105 skill selections in D Grade.

    These would be the last skills he would gain as a Survivalist, with C Grade only upgrading from there.  He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what types of skills he¡¯d be offered, but with his heavy investment in Intelligence and Willpower, he wanted to make sure they focused on those attributes.  I just hope I get some type of offensive skill, Kyle thought.

    While everything in his repertoire got plenty of use, having at least one combat-focused skill would round his abilities out nicely.  There was always the option of relying on his second class or a skill upgrade at C Grade, though that was a last resort as far as Kyle was concerned.  With the notable exception of Parasitic Resonance, trying to weave in concepts tied to attacking with his existing skills felt like it would be the worst of both worlds.

    Parasitic Resonance functioned differently than most of his other skills, particularly in its relationship to his Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  He couldn¡¯t be certain, but had the strong sense that his skill¡¯s upgrade would end up tied to the core once he¡¯d completed his next set of Adaptive Anatomy.  I wonder if there will be a third set in C Grade?

    The errant thought cost Kyle as the complex pattern of tendrils fell apart.  Kyle swore softly, and debated continuing.  He heard the changing of the watch a little while back, and some sleep wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea, even if he could function fine with much less.  Sighing, he leaned back against the wall, hands folded behind his head.  First things first, he had to get through this job.

    As he¡¯d been warned, things were getting complicated.  The difference in the quality of life between the Council-run cities and Resistance territory was night and day.  Yet somehow, the fierce loyalty displayed by D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s generals moved Kyle.  Of course, the other nagging question was why the Council was so certain that he¡¯d be turned away, or even attacked by the Resistance.  Was D¡¯Oillelat really that unstable?  Was the loyalty of these powerful people really that misplaced?

    Either way, he was hoping to find answers to most of those questions tomorrow.  Kyle really didn¡¯t know what to expect ¨C he wasn¡¯t even sure if she was a goblin, troll, or ogre.  He suspected the former, but nobody had shared the specifics with him.  His hope would be that cool heads would prevail, and he¡¯d be back on his way to Er¡¯Mithren before he knew it.  With enough time to hunt a few more shrikes and stranglevines, of course.

    Those pleasant hopes were dashed a moment later, when the screaming began.  It was quiet at first, but soon a chorus of panicked voices asking for help filled the night.  Kyle stepped out into the hallway, where Ver¡¯ah, Drokh, and Hanastrel were waiting.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ver¡¯ah asked, strapping his shield to his left arm.

    Drokh didn¡¯t answer right away, standing with his eyes closed.  Kyle¡¯s hair began to stand on end as he felt the ogre gather mana, before Drokh¡¯s eyes opened sharply.  ¡°Shrikes.  3 attacking the southwestern reaches of the camps.¡±

    ¡°How did they get here?¡±  Hanastrel asked.  ¡°Her majesty¡¯s wards should ¨C¡°

    She was silenced by a glare from Drokh.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why they¡¯re here; they¡¯re slaughtering civilians.  We need to go, now.¡±  He looked at Kyle for a moment.  ¡°Courier, stay here.  If I hear that you tried to slip away, I will do everything in my power to ensure you don¡¯t leave our territory.¡±

    Kyle was about to protest, but before he could, Drokh let out a booming wave of energy, blowing a hole straight through the wall of his room.  Electricity crackled around the trio, who flew off into the night, surrounded by thunderclouds of Drokh¡¯s making.

    [YOU CAN¡¯T FLY LIKE THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°What happened to staying quiet, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [THEY ARE WELL OUT OF EARSHOT.  AND IF YOU COULD FLY LIKE DROKH, THINK ABOUT ALL THE STRANGLEVINES WE COULD COLLECT.]

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it under advisement, C.H.A.D.D.  And we¡¯ll be back in stranglevine territory before you know it.¡±

    [I DO HOPE SO.  THE SHRUBS HAVE MADE THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS TERRIBLY BORING.]

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond, instead watching as a blinding flash of lightning smashed into the ground, the power behind the strike evident, even from a kilometer away.  If there was any doubt before, it was gone now.  Drokh was incredibly powerful, and he expected that the fight with the shrikes would be over very quickly.  While he would have liked to help, the trio had it well in hand.

    Just as he was about to return to his bed, however, another round of screaming started, this time from the opposite direction Drokh and the others had flown.  Kyle frowned.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you give me a long-range scan?  What¡¯s happening?¡±

    A moment later, an orange glowing map was pulled up.  [6 MORE SHRIKES CONFIRMED, DR. MAYHEW, WITH GLIMPSES OF WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A SEVENTH AT THE EDGE OF MY RANGE.]

    I thought they only had packs of 3, Kyle thought, reflecting on his previous interactions with the beasts.  Another shriek pierced the night, and before he knew it, he was airborne, having vaulted out of the hole Drokh made.  Kyle probably should have thought about implications of defying a direct order.  Instead, he thought about Earth.  He thought about the people who had been slaughtered by the mutated insects.  He thought about the people he was too slow or too weak to save.  Not again.

    Still another, darker part of Kyle considered what he had to gain.  He was curious about their behavior, curious about what he¡¯d missed, and curious about what he would get when he fed them to his core.

    Both motivations led to only one answer.  With Ignition blazing in his chest, Kyle dashed toward the sound of the screams, and the foes unfortunate enough to cross him.

 Chapter 224

    A peal of thunder and flash of light exploded somewhere behind Kyle as he ran, briefly illuminating the terrified faces of unawakened goblins, trolls, and ogres as they fled to the heart of Varleez.  Soon, he came upon the fringe of the bloody spectacle.  2 shrikes were tearing through a line of trembling defenders; unawakened men and women trying to buy time so others could retreat.  Without thinking, dozens of tendrils of Parasitic Resonance shot forward, not at the shrikes, but at the rapidly dwindling line.

    The moment they connected; Kyle felt his mana pool drain rapidly as he activated Storm Shelter around every single one of them.  The shrikes let out cries of alarm as they were rebuffed by the wall of barriers that sprang out of seemingly nowhere.  And then Kyle was upon them.  Taking advantage of their momentary confusion and blocked line of sight, he vaulted straight over the phalanx provided by his Storm Shelters, palm pressed directly against the chest of the nearest shrike.

    His barriers faded as he withdrew the tendrils from the unawakened nearby, who collapsed as one at the strain of having Kyle¡¯s mana flowing through their undeveloped mana pathways.  Instead, each tendril invaded the shrike¡¯s body with purpose.  Kyle¡¯s time hunting the beasts had shown him their vulnerabilities, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to snuff out its life, feeling a portion of his mana pool recover as the Core of the Parasitic Devourer greedily drank in its mana.

    [BE CAREFUL, DR. MAYHEW.  THE REMAINING 6 SHRIKES ARE CONVERGING UPON YOUR LOCATION.  ONE OF THEM IS GIVING OFF AN ANOMALOUS MANA SIGNATURE.]

    Kyle heard C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s warning, but was already locked in combat with the other shrike that had been attacking this portion of the line.  It was fighting cautiously, launching buzzsaws of mana from medium range.  Ordinarily, this wouldn¡¯t have been much of an issue, but with the evacuation happening behind him Kyle couldn¡¯t afford to let the attacks get through.

    He¡¯d already pushed mana through his left bracer to create a buckler shield, but it only withstood 3 attacks before it shattered, forcing him to push more mana into it to keep the gauntlet¡¯s barrier active.  With a growl, he connected to his armor, shaping the mana-dampening effects into the space between him and the shrike.

    [THEY ARE CLOSING IN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle swore as he mistimed a block, taking a deep cut on his arm, just below the shoulder.  Adaptive Regeneration was already hard at work, and he placed a hand on the injury to activate Healing Impetus for good measure.  He knew all too well the effect accumulated damage could create, and with the shrike¡¯s allies on the way, taking more damage was inevitable.

    It was clear the shrike was just buying time for its allies to arrive, but so was Kyle.  Soon, 2 more of the creatures appeared, creating a cautious semicircle around him.  Kyle saw 3 others start gathering bodies of the fallen before dashing off into the night.  Another explosion of thunder and light rang out behind him, and the frenzied combat began in earnest.

    Compared to the other shrikes Kyle faced, the trio that now attacked him fought much more conservatively.  Rather than closing in to tear him apart, they seemed content to launch wave after wave of buzzsaws at him, forcing him on the defensive.  Kyle deflected what he could, though he couldn¡¯t keep up with the near-endless assault.

    The shrikes seemed all too happy to maintain the pressure, advancing slowly as Kyle was forced back step after step; blood spattering each inch of ground he lost.  Healing Impetus was showing its value as the excess regenerative energy was constantly put to work.  Deep gashes were opened, only to be visibly shut moments later.  This effect only intensified as Unbreakable Will came into play, increasing the effectiveness of his Willpower attribute the more heavily he was injured.

    Even so, it was a losing proposition.  Kyle¡¯s focus was pushed to its limit; and he knew he had to act.  He¡¯d hoped at least one of the other shrikes would have joined in, but he¡¯d have to make do with the 3 before him.  Kyle understood that the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance wouldn¡¯t be of much use; they would simply be sliced away amidst the myriad attacks.  However, his training provided him with an alternative.

    What if, instead of simply reaching directly toward its target, Kyle could direct the tendrils to move along another path?

    Slowly, painstakingly, he wove a web across the ground in front of him.  The tendrils were slower, took longer to invade, but were relatively unscathed by the conceptually sharp attacks used by the shrikes.  The sheer focus it took to control the dozens of tendrils was staggering, and coupled with shaping the negation field from his stonebloom armor and trying to parry the endless attacks amplified the difficulty many times over.  Still, he¡¯d done it.

    With a primal roar, Kyle ripped the mana away from the 3 shrikes at once, destroying the creatures from the inside out as he felt his own reserves replenish.  Kyle watched as they beasts fell, a satisfied smile appearing unbidden on his face.  As foolish as it had been to use shrikes as a training ground, he managed to come out on top. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    He staggered for a moment, concentration slipping just enough to lose control of Ignition.  He took a shaky breath, putting his attention back on healing.  A single look down at the bloody tatters of his clothing and deep scars on his gear told him how close he¡¯d come to getting in real trouble.

    He still had Storm Shelter available as his final defensive option, and he kept enough mana in reserve to use it if necessary.  Kyle worried that doing so would have turned the shrikes¡¯ attention back to the retreating civilians, but if push came to shove he had no qualms about using the skill to stay alive.  Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t come to that.

    A quick flash of orange light from C.H.A.D.D. warned him of an approaching presence, which he felt a moment later through Synaptic Barbs.  Kyle turned to look at the approaching Hanastrel, who was looking at the area with wide eyes.

    ¡°3 dead shrikes¡­ by the ancestors, what happened here?¡±

    ¡°That depends,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°How much trouble am I in for leaving the room?¡±

    ¡°Forget the room,¡± Hanastrel said, voice still breathless.  ¡°How are you even standing?  It looks like you¡¯ve been cut to ribbons.  Do your people regenerate like the trolls?  Hell, I¡¯ve never heard of a troll getting cut apart that much and still getting put back together.¡±

    ¡°It looks worse than it is,¡± Kyle said sounding as tired as he felt.  ¡°But we should be careful, there are 4 more somewhere.¡±

    Before Hanastrel could respond, Drokh came crashing down from the sky above, landing with enough force to shake the ground.  The gruff ogre looked at Kyle, lightning crackling all around him.  A nasty cut crossed Drokh¡¯s left shoulder, but he otherwise looked unharmed.  A quick glance with Identify proved otherwise, as Kyle could see that his body was literally being burned from the inside out from the lightning that was pouring out of him.  So, this is what it would be like to have a skill like Ignition without the ability to heal.

    ¡°I told you to stay put, Courier.¡±  Drokh¡¯s voice was a low rumble, but Kyle didn¡¯t feel any malice behind it.

    ¡°You did, and I had every intention of complying until I heard the screams from the other side of the settlement.  I wasn¡¯t able to stop them all, but at least they were driven off.¡±

    ¡°You said, ¡®driven off,¡¯ how many shrikes were here?¡± Drokh asked, his eyes narrowed.

    Kyle thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully.  ¡°I only saw 3 more, but I have a sensory skill that indicated the presence of a fourth.¡±

    Drokh swore, stomping his foot for emphasis.  ¡°We¡¯re dealing with a shrike alpha.  Hanastrel, have we seen any reports of shrike activity from the walls?¡±

    ¡°None, sir.¡±

    The ogre looked into the distance for a silent moment, before turning to Kyle.  ¡°What do you know of shrikes, Courier?¡±

    ¡°I know that they tap into conceptual sharpness, they¡¯re dangerous, and they usually travel in much smaller groups.  That¡¯s about it.¡±

    Drokh nodded.  ¡°They have a shared hunting instinct, which only extends between 3.  Unless they have an alpha.  Rarely, a shrike will grow powerful enough to coordinate 3 separate packs on its own.  This phenomenon is typically only seen in the Wilds, but if there were multiple packs acting in coordination, there¡¯s no doubt that¡¯s what we¡¯re facing.¡±

    ¡°Assuming you all handled the other 3, it should be a while before the alpha is able to come back into the picture.  With most of its pack gone, who knows if it¡¯ll even be able to stay in charge?¡±  Kyle¡¯s voice held a tremor of hope, which Hanastrel squashed.

    ¡°There¡¯s a hierarchy, Courier.  The alpha could walk up to 2 other regular packs and assimilate them in less than a minute.  What¡¯s worse, alphas are significantly more intelligent than regular shrikes.  It will remember this town, the tactics we used against it, and come back with another plan.¡±

    ¡°And this timing is no coincidence,¡± Drokh grumbled.  ¡°A shrike alpha just happened to slip past the Wall, past Her Majesty¡¯s wards, and attack Varleez the day we¡¯re coming through?  This smells of conspiracy.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡±  Kyle asked.  ¡°And where is Ver¡¯ah?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll catch up,¡± Drokh said.  ¡°Ordinarily, if we had to hunt an alpha, we would take an entire raiding band.  The standard procedure is to find the den, bombard from range to draw the beasts out, and only engage when necessary.  Ideally outnumbering the shrikes 3 or 4 to 1.

    ¡°However, that¡¯s exactly what we would be expected to do.  If this was a manufactured tragedy, as I believe, the orchestrator is waiting for us to gather our forces.  And I¡¯ll be boiled before I give them what they want.¡±  Drokh¡¯s last words came out as a growl, and Kyle could feel the undirected animosity pouring off the ogre.

    ¡°What would you have us do?¡±  Hanastrel asked, voice quiet.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to wait for Ver¡¯ah to catch up, and you¡¯re going to track the beasts to their den.  I will slay the alpha myself; you and Ver¡¯ah will simply need to hold the other shrikes until I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°And before you argue, you just told me that you would ordinarily need a full raid team to handle a den.  I¡¯m perfectly capable of holding my own, and you¡¯ll need me.¡±

    Drokh scowled, but Kyle could see the conflict in his eyes.  Fortunately, Ver¡¯ah appeared past the crowd a moment later, giving Kyle the opportunity he needed.  The troll was bloodied, with deep gouges in his armor and several wounds that hadn¡¯t completely closed.  He walked with a slight limp as he approached the others.  Kyle walked over to Ver¡¯ah, and without saying a word rested a palm on the troll¡¯s shoulder, activating Healing Impetus.

    The wounds crossing his body closed visibly, and Kyle suppressed a smile as the troll¡¯s eyes widened, the latent healing energy from the skill being put to use by Ver¡¯ah¡¯s natural regeneration to spur his recovery further.  Kyle turned and looked back at Drokh.  ¡°Don¡¯t try to tell me that you won¡¯t need a Healer.¡±

 Chapter 225

    To Kyle¡¯s surprise, Drokh didn¡¯t argue any further, and the 4 set out in somber silence.  Hanastrel took the lead, easily following the trail left behind by the shrikes¡¯ bloody prizes.  Kyle knew goblins tended to have better Perception than most humans, but was nonetheless impressed with how easily she tracked their path.

    That¡¯s not to say that he didn¡¯t have his misgivings about departing right away.  Despite having used Healing Impetus on both Drokh and Ver¡¯ah, both were clearly weakened compared to how they were earlier in the day.  The lightning-affinity energy that Drokh used seemed to have particularly costly lingering effects.  The ogre¡¯s mana barely recovered at all as they traveled, leaving him at barely 60% of his full strength.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan when we get there?¡±  Kyle asked.  He assumed that much of Drokh¡¯s power had been used to create the 3 massive bolts of lightning during their previous fight, which led him to believe that neither Hanastrel nor Ver¡¯ah had the tools to take the shrikes down quickly.

    ¡°You 3 keep the other shrikes busy, while I handle the alpha.¡±  Drokh said simply.  ¡°I trust you¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°How many alphas have you hunted?¡±  Kyle pressed.  ¡°We¡¯ve all seen how dangerous these creatures can be firsthand; I can only imagine that the alpha will be more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°How dare you question Drokh¡¯s experience,¡± Ver¡¯ah growled.  ¡°Show some damn respect.  If he says he can handle it, he can handle it.¡±

    Drokh raised a hand, quieting the troll.  ¡°The Courier has a valid question,¡± Drokh said, then fixed his eyes on Kyle.  ¡°It will not be the first alpha I¡¯ve slain, though I hope it will be the last.  It was a fight won with a cost, which I hope we will not have to pay this time.¡±

    ¡°Other than an increase in power and the shared hunting instinct, what else should we expect from the alpha?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°Their strengths become highly variable,¡± Drokh replied.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen some that specialized in ranged combat, while others had more natural armor and preferred to be in close.  That variance is why I¡¯m the best suited to take it out.¡±

    Even though he felt he was being sold short, Kyle nodded his agreement.  ¡°Understood.  If we handle our shrike, should the priority be to help you, or one another?¡±

    Kyle phrased the question in such a way to indicate that any of them could kill their opponent, though from the looks he received from Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel, they understood the implication perfectly well.

    ¡°Help one another first,¡± Drokh said.  ¡°I should at least be able to hold my own long enough to allow you to conclude your business, then assist me if necessary.  Most importantly, try not get in my way.¡±

    The expression on Drokh¡¯s face was grim, and Kyle let the matter drop.  The confidence in Drokh¡¯s words rang hollow, but Kyle agreed that the beast needed to be stopped.  With the shrike population in the hills as robust as it is, this thing will have no problem getting more under its leadership.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all mentioned a few times that your queen has wards to keep things like the shrikes out.  Any idea why they wouldn¡¯t be working?¡±  Kyle asked.

    ¡°They act as more of a powerful suggestion,¡± Ver¡¯ah said.  ¡°They weren¡¯t designed with this in mind, but most larger predators seem to get pretty uncomfortable and choose to nest somewhere else.  Unfortunately, shrike alphas seem to be able to resist that urge pretty well.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve had experience hunting them?¡±  Kyle asked, pointing his question at Drokh.

    ¡°We had to expel them from our lands,¡± he said.  ¡°We haven¡¯t had an issue with any in years, so we thought we got them all.  We¡¯ll correct that when we¡¯re back.  Now, stop asking questions and focus on the task at hand.¡±

    The rest of their travel was filled with a tense quiet.  They each knew that they were walking into a fight that could prove lethal, after all.  Soon, Hanastrel signaled the group to stop, just before a bridge that spanned a small creek.  ¡°They¡¯re below.¡±

    In practiced unison, Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, and Drokh vaulted the bridge, with Kyle following shortly behind.  There was a large amount of brush beneath the bridge nearest the water, which was cut away by a couple of quick swipes from Ver¡¯ah. The reason for the quick excavation was clear as Kyle saw the large burrow into the hillside, which had been covered by already-cut plant life.

    The dawn light was just beginning to form as they stepped into the den, Ver¡¯ah taking the lead with his shield raised, followed by Hanastrel and Kyle, with Drokh in the rear guard.  They progressed slowly, the sloping path leading deeper into the earth below.  Kyle heard an incredibly soft snap from the pack behind him as C.H.A.D.D. used its sonar capabilities to get a rough map of the area, even if the drone knew better than to share too much publicly.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    The darkness didn¡¯t seem to pose an issue for the trio from the Resistance, and Kyle was fortunate to have Synaptic Barbs to guide his movement as he moved alongside them.  There were dozens of branching paths that spread out as they descended, the smell of damp earth and blood growing stronger with each step.

    Kyle could feel a gentle pull on his mana through his link with C.H.A.D.D., with several more snapping sounds following shortly after.  Something was agitating the drone, but Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what it could be.  Redoubling his focus on Synaptic Barbs, the only thing he could feel was more open air around a bend in the tunnel they were walking through.  So, it came as no surprise when Hanastrel whispered to the group that there was a larger cavern ahead.

    Suddenly, a vine gently bumped into Kyle¡¯s back, then started twisting oddly in the air.  C.HA.D.D. is writing, Kyle realized, focusing on the vine¡¯s movements between the pack and his back.  3 AHEAD.  ALPHA BEHIND.  TRAP.  TURN.

    Kyle felt his breath catch as the message.  He tried reaching out to Hanastrel to signal Ver¡¯ah to stop, but it was too late.  The moment that Ver¡¯ah turned the corner and stepped into the more open cavern, he was beset by whirring blades of energy on all sides.  Kyle moved without thinking, crimson light filling the room as Ignition bloomed to life in his chest.  Before the first of the blades could reach the troll, Kyle erected a hasty Storm Shelter, intercepting the attacks as Ver¡¯ah raised his own shield which brimmed with power.

    The bewildered troll looked at Kyle, who shouted, ¡°There are only 3 of them here!  The Alpha is coming from behind!¡±

    Before they could react, the ground behind them rumbled as a blade of stone rose from the ground, aiming to pierce Drokh through his stomach.  He dodged backward at the last moment, but more and more blades kept rising from the earth, one after another.  Soon, a veritable wall of earthen blades blocked all view of Drokh, leaving the 3 of them to face the shrikes in the open.

    With Identify active, Kyle saw mana beginning to spread through the ground toward them, and he remembered Skippy punching him in the face after he bypassed Storm Shelter with spatial manipulation.

    ¡°An attack is coming; I¡¯m going to have to drop the barrier!¡± Kyle shouted.  ¡°When I do, I¡¯ll make for the one on the far side of the room.  Ver¡¯ah, take the one closest on the left.  Hanastrel, the right!¡±

    If they had any qualms with his directions, he didn¡¯t wait to hear them.  He pumped mana into the bracer on his left arm, creating a buckler as he darted forward.  He heard the ground behind him erupt into a series of blades, and felt through Synaptic Barbs that both Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah followed his orders.

    Auric Perception kept him informed as powerful earth affinity mana suffused the tunnel behind him.  This is bad, he thought.  From his studies with Jarberry, Kyle knew that earth affinity provided an effective counter to most lightning-based attacks, particularly in environments like this one.  Drokh was going to need their help, and quickly.

    The cavern was bathed in the crimson glow of Ignition, casting eerie shadows along the subterranean battlefield.  Kyle parried an incoming blade of mana with his buckler as he focused on the shrike with Identify.  From what he¡¯d learned in his previous encounters, the shrikes should have been at least a little hampered by the near-absolute darkness, yet these fought with impeccable precision.

    Ducking under another whirring attack, Kyle closed the remaining distance while scanning his foe.  At first, he didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary.  Everything seemed normal, until he got the barest glimpse of energy that seemed to resonate in its mind.  Despite Kyle being illuminated by his skill, the shrike¡¯s eyes first darted toward the ground as he made a heavy footfall.

    The beast immediately jumped backward, extending a clawed hand to dig into the stone of the cavern wall while launching another blade of mana at Kyle, attempting to bisect him.  Kyle vaulted this one, paying close attention to the creature¡¯s reaction as he landed.  Again, its eyes seemed to be drawn to where he landed before refocusing on him.

    The puzzle clicked together a moment later.  Not taking an eye off the shrike on the wall, Kyle shouted, ¡°The alpha is sharing some sort of seismic detection skill with them!  Be careful!¡±

    A cry of pain sounded out from Hanastrel less than a second later, causing Kyle to swear internally.  He turned toward her, sidestepping a vertical slash in the process as the earth near him was gouged by the attack.  The shrike seemed to ponder why Kyle was no longer pursuing for just a moment, and then its life was snuffed out as Parasitic Resonance greedily drank in its very essence.  It never even noticed the deadly tendrils that crept along the cavern floor.

    Kyle was already moving as he took in the sight of Hanastrel pierced through her stomach by a shrike¡¯s elbow blade, its other arm aimed for her neck.  A thin blade seemed to materialize out of nowhere, interposing itself and stopping the fatal attack before it could connect.

    It only bought a moment, but it was enough.  A tendril of mana connected to Hanastrel, and a moment later Storm Shelter erupted around her, forcing the shrike back as its blade tore a nasty wound through Hanastrel¡¯s side.  A wave of Healing Impetus followed a moment later as Kyle dashed past.  He barely heard her words, over the sound of the wet cough.  ¡°Thanks for the warning, Courier.  It would have taken my head otherwise.¡±

    Kyle didn¡¯t respond as he cast a glance over toward Ver¡¯ah, who was stubbornly trading blows with the shrike he was engaging.  It had him outclassed in terms of speed and attack power, but the troll was holding his own.  Kyle made out a defensive skill in constant use over Ver¡¯ah¡¯s finely crafted shield, while a boosting skill seemed to enhance the troll¡¯s already rapid recovery.

    A cautious snarl drew his attention back to his new foe.  This shrike seemed far more wary of Kyle, using clawed hands to scale the nearest wall and climb toward the raised ceiling.  Tentative tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached toward it, but were quickly cut away as the shrike launched a barrage of attacks directly toward Kyle.  They seem to have learned that their best bet against me is to keep a longer range, Kyle thought.

    A peal of thunder rocked the cavern a moment later, followed by an inhuman scream.  Synaptic Barbs showed him a single moment of confusion from both the remaining shrikes.  Drokh had engaged the alpha.

 Chapter 226

    Pushing even more power into Ignition, Kyle exploded into action.  There was no time to stop and think, only time to act.  In a movement that took the shrike by surprise, Kyle leapt with all his might directly toward the cave¡¯s ceiling.  The beast retaliated with a quick slash that grazed Kyle¡¯s cheek, but before the follow-up attack could come, Storm Shelter was already blooming to life.

    Kyle¡¯s momentum wasn¡¯t dangerous on its own, but the rapid expansion of his defensive skill certainly was.  Over the past months, Kyle trained diligently to use Storm Shelter in rapid succession for situations exactly like these.  Gritting his teeth through the strain in his mana network, he forced the shield into shape, smashing the suspended shrike against the cavern¡¯s ceiling with incredible force.

    The barrier fell apart almost as quickly as Kyle called it into being, but it was enough.  The stunned shrike didn¡¯t have time to react as Parasitic Resonance closed the distance, finishing its work before Kyle fell out of range back to the dark floor below.  As he descended, a single thought crossed his mind. Maybe I should have taken a moment to think about the landing.

    Even braced for the impact, he landed clumsily, causing his ankle to twist painfully.  Fortunately, he was able to mend the injury quickly, but it cost him a precious second to gain his bearings.  As Kyle turned toward the sealed mouth of the tunnel, he saw Ver¡¯ah take a nasty cut across his chest, returning the blow with a strike of his own.  The ground between them was spattered with blood, a macabre painting they added to with every moment.

    Hanastrel was still where he¡¯d left her, throwing a constant stream of shadowy blades at the retreating shrike to buy Ver¡¯ah more time.  A tendril of Parasitic Resonance reached out, channeling Healing Impetus into the troll as Kyle moved to assist.  Ver¡¯ah saw the motion and shook his head, parrying an attack from the shrike.

    ¡°Hanastrel and I can handle this one!  You need to get to Drokh!¡±

    Before Kyle could argue, the troll released the defensive skill on his shield, sending a blast of force through the stony blades that barred the tunnel.  Another person with a shield bash, Kyle noted.

    ¡°Go!¡± Ver¡¯ah shouted.

    Snapping out of his observation, Kyle gave the duo one final look.  Hanastrel still had severe damage, even if her condition wasn¡¯t currently life-threatening.  Ver¡¯ah was bloodied, covered in wounds from head to toe.  Yet neither showed the slightest inkling of doubt or hesitation as their attention focused on the shrike before them.

    It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to take down the remaining shrike with Kyle¡¯s help, but it would take precious time in a fight where every second counted.  Their leader was in danger, and Kyle was in the best position to help.  Kyle gave a silent nod toward them as he moved toward the tunnel, a show of respect for their resolve.  They had a hard fight in front of them, and he hoped they would come out on top.

    All worry about Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah was cut off as Kyle saw mana flowing into the stone tunnel, attempting to seal it off with another wall of earthen blades.  Barely sidestepping the first spire as it erupted from the ground below, Kyle found himself barely a half-step ahead of the grinding stone.

    Kyle swore as he felt the mana change course, courtesy of Identify and Auric Perception.  Rather than sealing on the far end, the shrike was now trying to trap him in the middle of the tunnel.  He¡¯d been able to thwart other attempts in the past, but this was the first time he was confronted by simple, physical stone.  A lot of stone.  That¡­ would actually work really well.  A nervous chill crept into him at the thought.

    With a forcehammer baton in each hand, Kyle channeled mana as he began to swing, releasing kinetic blasts directly ahead into the encroaching stone.  Pieces of some spires were broken and blown away, but they were growing faster than Kyle could break them apart.  He could see the mouth of the tunnel opening into another cavern just ahead, though it was closing fast.  He winced as a blade of stone slashed the bottom of his foot.  He was slowed by a step, and then 2.  Panic began to grip him as his attacks grew more frantic.

    [YOU MAY WANT TO ACCELERATE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°I know, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± Kyle yelled, an intrusive thought worming through his mind.  I won¡¯t make it in time.  Just as despair began to sink in, a bright light surged across the opening, followed by shaking thunder.

    The stones in the hallway stopped growing in the wake of the mighty attack.  It was just what Kyle needed.  Resuming his attack with renewed gusto, he broke free of the tunnel and entered the wider cavern.  It was unrecognizable from the cave they¡¯d walked through just minutes earlier, sharp spikes of stone protruding from every surface, with massive scorch marks lining the walls.  Then his eyes fell on Drokh.

    The ogre was bleeding from several large puncture wounds in his torso, and missing his left leg below the knee.  Blood spattered and stained the stone around Drokh, even as the lightning coursing through his body courtesy of his boosting skill burned him away from the inside.  The smell of cauterizing flesh filled the cavern, a testament to the desperate move Drokh was forced to make.  When Kyle saw the form of the shrike opposite him in the cavern, he understood.

    Kyle expected to see the lithe, lean forms that he¡¯d grown accustomed to, maybe with some slight variation.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s rough scans painted a similar picture, reinforcing that expectation.  They were both wrong.  The creature standing before them was a juggernaut, a stone-clad monstrosity that nearly filled the other end of the cavern on its own. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    The alpha was the size of a tyrannosaurus, at least 15 meters long and half again as tall.  Its body was encased from head to toe in slate gray rock, its legs literally melded into the cavern floor.  As Kyle regarded the creature¡¯s featureless face, a thought struck him.  It¡¯s like it¡¯s piloting a mech.  The shrike¡¯s body was encased in an armor of mana-rich stone and earth.  Wicked blades protruded from the stone construct¡¯s long arms, and Kyle interposed himself between it and Drokh as a barrage of sharpened stone flew out from its chest in a storm of shrapnel.

    Storm Shelter sprang to life as Kyle activated Healing Impetus, stabilizing some of Drokh¡¯s injuries.  The bleeding visibly slowed, but before he could say anything a blade of stone erupted from the ground between them, forcing Kyle away from the ogre.  Lightning surrounded Drokh as he began to float, growling as he flew toward the alpha.  ¡°On me!¡±

    So much for a ¡®thank you,¡¯ Kyle thought, following the ogre¡¯s order.  The chamber shook as Drokh released another blast of lightning, leaving nasty scorch marks across the shrike¡¯s stone armor as pieces chipped away.  It was a visually impressive display, but Identify told Kyle the truth.  Hardly any of the power actually made it through the armor, most of it being drawn straight into the cave floor below.

    Drokh seemed unbothered as he avoided impaling spikes from above, releasing another bolt at the shrike.  This one left a visible crack on the armor covering the creature¡¯s left arm, which it promptly swung at Drokh and Kyle.  If the usual attacks from the shrikes were spinning buzzsaws of tiny blades, this was a brutal cleaver, aiming to crush them as much as slash.

    While the attack¡¯s speed was impressive, Kyle and Drokh dodged easily, Kyle below and Drokh above.  Kyle barely heard the pained cry over the sound of the scythe of stone crashing behind him, and he glanced up to see Drokh captured in a web of stone.  Leaping on instinct, Kyle felt the cavern floor beneath his feet shift, just a moment too slow to catch him.

    Hearing Drokh cough above him, Kyle refocused his attention on the alpha.  The mana in its armor hadn¡¯t changed, but with the help of Auric Perception, Kyle could barely make out a fluctuation in the mana inside the stone casing.  It¡¯s trying to conserve, Kyle realized.  Of course, given the scope of what it had done in this short time, Kyle shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.  If it wasn¡¯t for Ignition continually supplying him with atmospheric mana and draining the shrikes, he¡¯d have been running low on mana too.

    Then, the shrike moved.  Rather, the stone armor did.  It began to slide forward along the ground as though it was on a conveyor, aiming to crush him.  Kyle almost activated Storm Shelter in a show of defiance, but stopped when Synaptic Barbs detected a shift in the ground behind him.  The stone seemed to ripple, just slightly, as an earthen lance moved to impale him from behind.  Instinctively, he vaulted to his right, narrowly avoiding the speeding shrike as it rammed the earthen blades head on, the stone simply being absorbed into its armored shell.

    It used its momentum to spin on the ground, face him, and charge again.  Kyle dodged once more, even though he didn¡¯t feel anything behind him.  As it rushed past, Kyle reached out with tendrils of Parasitic Resonance, and his fears were confirmed.  The stone, being inorganic, had no mana network for his skill to infiltrate.  Despite all of his training to control Parasitic Resonance, he¡¯d never thought to develop methods against armored opponents like this.

    If Drokh was right about the creatures sharing a hunting instinct, there was no doubt that the alpha had at least some sense of the danger posed by Parasitic Resonance.  Its solution was a good one ¨C if the enemy can kill with a touch, be untouchable.  Of course, that wasn¡¯t a sustainable answer.  After all, even if it sealed in some air, it would need to breathe eventually.  The question came down to whether or not the alpha would be able to kill Kyle and his companions before that need became critical.

    Another wet cough from above told Kyle that Drokh had a lot less time than he did.  He reached out with Parasitic Resonance and delivered another Healing Impetus for good measure.  He could buy time for the ogre, but more specific treatment would be necessary, and soon.  And not just for him, Kyle thought.  Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah were in rough shape, too.

    That simple realization was all Kyle needed for clarity to wash over him.  If his escort died, he would fail the job.  The impact to his reputation would be significant, with Suierrillax and Jarberry also facing some backlash.  What¡¯s more, he hated the idea that he was being used as a pawn by somebody on Er¡¯Mithren pulling the strings.  Whether it was the Council or D¡¯Oillelat, somebody was going to answer for what they¡¯d done.  It was time for Kyle to put some more of his cards on the table.

    The alpha charged him again, and this time Kyle leapt backwards over the emerging blades of stone as he activated Storm Shelter.  The whole cavern trembled as the creature smashed into the barrier, the raw force of the impact sending small spiderweb cracks across both the barrier and the armor of stone.  With the shrike¡¯s momentum halted, he deactivated the skill.  It was the opening he was looking for. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., now!¡±

    C.H.A.D.D. didn¡¯t hesitate.  Vines erupted from the C.H.A.D.D. pack, lashing toward the shrike¡¯s head with the speed and precision of the stranglevines they¡¯d encountered.  However, instead of barbs and acid, these vines carried a different payload: seeds.  Thousands of seeds the size of grains of sand were deposited into the cracked armor before the shrike could repair it, sealed within the stone casing.  Still, C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t over.  Kyle felt another surge of energy emanate from the pack as C.H.A.D.D. activated the unusual formation formed by the endless coil of twisting vines.

    There was a flash of gold that was visible within the cracks, and suddenly coiling vines and twisting roots began emerging from inside the shrike¡¯s armor, tearing open new furrows and deepening cracks.  The alpha let out a pained cry as blades of mana flew out in every direction, slashing away the plant life before it could rip into its flesh.

    Kyle grimaced as he failed to deflect all of the attacks; deep gashes opening up on his arms and thighs while his armor was scored over a dozen times.  Despite the pain, Kyle pressed forward, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance surging into the now deep cracks in the alpha¡¯s armor.  And then he felt a connection as his skill took hold.  The stone armor fell away, and Kyle¡¯s eyes met the shrike¡¯s hateful yellow gaze.  Then its eyes lost focus, and it slumped forward, still supported by the thick stone encasing its legs.  The shrike alpha was no more.

 Chapter 227

    As the light left the shrike alpha¡¯s eyes, Kyle felt himself cross the threshold to Level 70, as well as a torrent of energy stirring in the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  He wanted little more than to step into meditation, but duty called first.  The cavern was suspiciously silent, no sounds of combat to be heard from the other chamber.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you tell me if Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel survived?¡±

    [BOTH APPEAR TO BE ALIVE, ALBEIT INJURED, DR. MAYHEW.  THE SHRIKE THEY WERE FACING IS NOT.]

    Kyle nodded, satisfied.  He would do his best to free Drokh, provide some field triage, and then find time to enter meditation.  That proved easier said than done, however.  Though the mana empowering the stone was gone, there was still the matter of chipping through the rock to free the unconscious Drokh.

    He considered using his forcehammer batons, but settled instead on producing a blade of mana with his left gauntlet; chipping away at the stone with his left hand as he held onto the twisted spikes with his right.  As he worked, C.H.A.D.D. broke down the extent of Drokh¡¯s injuries.  It was far, far worse than he¡¯d known.

    In addition to the missing limb and major puncture wounds, smaller shards of stone had embedded themselves deep within the ogre¡¯s body, shredding muscles and organs alike.  There was a particularly dangerous piece of stone that lodged near the heart, just centimeters away from a major artery.  That would have been bad enough on its own, but all that was before the damage Drokh caused himself with his boosting skill.  Many of the internal injuries were cauterized around the shrapnel, which meant he would need to inflict more trauma to remove them.

    C.H.A.D.D. already prepared a makeshift stretcher out of woven vines, and on the drone¡¯s signal Kyle chipped away the final piece of stone, watching from his position on the ceiling as the odd plant construct lowered Drokh gently to the ground before retracting back into the pack.  ¡°Your control is really impressive, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said, genuine admiration in his voice.

    [THE STRANGLEVINES WERE QUITE BENEFICIAL, EVEN IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS YET INCOMPLETE.  REGARDLESS, I AM GLAD MY EFFORTS HAVE PROVEN HELPFUL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    That might be the politest ¡°I told you so¡± I¡¯ve heard, Kyle mused as he dropped to the ground.  The moment of levity was gone as he evaluated the ogre¡¯s state.  The emergency surgery ahead would be delicate, and he took a stabilizing breath as C.H.A.D.D. brought up a projection of the injuries.  Channeling mana back into his left bracer, he replaced the large blade with a razor-thin scalpel, and got to work.

    His first incisions traced the entrance wounds of the deadliest pieces of shrapnel, while he targeted Healing Impetus beneath and around the impacted tissue to force the projectiles out the way they came.  He kept Ignition active, gladly accepting the mild ache from the skill in exchange for the benefit of constantly replenishing his mana reserves.  Though it had taken a while, Adaptive Regeneration had built up an incredible tolerance to the strain of his boosting skill, something he appreciated even more seeing Drokh¡¯s condition.

    Kyle barely registered as Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel broke through the stone barring the tunnel, keeping his focus entirely on the dozen or so fragments of stone stuck against the bones of Drokh¡¯s shoulder.  He could feel them exchange a look through Synaptic Barbs, then they simply sat and watched.

    Nearly an hour later, Kyle deactivated his skill, sitting back on the ground with a loud exhale.

    Ver¡¯ah walked up, looking at the pile of bloody stones, then at Drokh¡¯s unconscious body, then at Kyle.  ¡°How bad is he?¡± the troll asked tentatively.

    Kyle looked up at him, and gave a tired smile.  ¡°He¡¯s stable, but his body¡¯s been through a lot.  He overused his boosting skill while he was already injured, and that¡¯ll take some time to heal.  I don¡¯t know when he¡¯s going to wake up, but he should be able to recover.  After a lot of rest and rehabilitation.¡±

    ¡°And his leg?¡±  Ver¡¯ah asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s beyond me.  I was able to stop the bleeding, but reattaching an appendage isn¡¯t something I can do.  He¡¯ll want to get a rehabilitation plan put together by a healer more familiar with ogre physiology in any event; there¡¯s still some shrapnel to remove, just in less vital areas.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.  ¡°Thank you, Courier.  You don¡¯t fully understand what you¡¯ve done for us by saving Drokh, but the Resistance owes you a debt.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t help him looking to incur a debt,¡± Kyle said, weariness spreading through his body.  ¡°I¡¯m just glad that we managed to get through.  This was a lot tougher than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Then get some rest,¡± Ver¡¯ah replied.  ¡°Hanastrel and I can keep watch over Drokh.  With him being out of the fight, we could use the rest before we depart.  I imagine that you have other matters requiring your attention.¡±

    Kyle gave him a tired smile.  ¡°Thank you, Ver¡¯ah.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Both Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah had been still for quite a while once they settled into the cavern, and Kyle had no doubt that they both gained a level or more from the experience.  Now that things had settled down a bit, he was eager to unpack his gains from the encounter as well.

    Settling into a corner nearby, Kyle entered meditation, seeing the familiar sigil of his center with the Core of the Parasitic Devourer superimposed, red light roiling more than ever.  Focusing on the image, words he¡¯d been waiting to see appeared in his vision.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 70 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 28%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 1024

    ENDURANCE: 1174

    STRENGTH: 385

    DEXTERITY: 750

    WILLPOWER: 1492

    INTELLIGENCE: 1492

    PERCEPTION: 1090

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 18

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kyle split his Free Attributes between Willpower and Intelligence, bringing both above 1500.  He took a moment to admire the growth of his attribute pool, then turned his attention to the indistinct gray orbs floating around his center.  It¡¯s about time I had a skill selection, he thought.  Anticipation building, he focused his attention on the first option.

    Repel:  The skill was simple, ridiculously so.  It looked like it was little more than a channeled and focused blast of force toward a target.  The impression Kyle got as he reflected on it was one of denial and rejection.  It was the concept of survival through defiance; standing tall against opposition and removing whatever obstacles got in the way.  Keeping that in mind, he moved on to the second orb.

    Burrowing Claws: This skill had significantly higher complexity, even though it operated on similar principles.  Instead of focusing the mana outward in a blast, Burrowing Claws created extremely powerful vibrations around his hands and feet.  He could see himself using this to crack through stone, dig into the ground, or even enhance the potency of his unarmed strikes.  The concept he felt behind was survival through flexibility, the ability to adapt and be useful in any situation.  He wondered briefly how Burrowing Claws would have worked alongside a skill like Multitool, but dismissed the thought.  You¡¯ll have plenty more skills to think about down the line, Kyle admonished himself.  Focus.  With that, he turned his attention on the final orb.

    Lockdown:  The last offering Kyle had was the most complex by far.  He could see his mana spreading out around him, similar to Storm Shelter.  Instead of creating a barrier of force, however, he created a domain that rejected mana that was not his own.  Concepts he chose were suppressed, sealed away by the might of his Willpower.  The concept behind this skill was plain; survival through conquest.  By imposing his will on the obstacles in his way, he would strive for even greater heights.

    Kyle felt a slow smile crossing his face as he looked the options over once more.  His goal was to work on external mana manipulation in order to unlock skills that would benefit from it, and each that was offered fell into that category.  What¡¯s more, all of the choices felt like they would synergize with his existing skillset.

    As usual, he started with elimination.  Burrowing Claws was an interesting skill, and Kyle liked the idea of survival through flexibility.  He also had no doubt that he could find opportunities to blend it with skills like Parasitic Resonance to create some devastating effects.  Unfortunately, Burrowing Claws did little to fix one of Kyle¡¯s largest weaknesses; his long-range combat.

    While he was an annoying target to pin down for most foes, his inability to put pressure on his enemies at longer distances caused him problems.  Prepared opponents, such as the mercenaries on Pokke, could find answers to keep him at range and pin him down.  Even the tactics Drokh described against the shrike alphas would work well against somebody like Kyle.

    Lockdown provided a different answer to that problem.  If he could create a domain that was his, could long-range skills even get through?  Attempts at containment would become significantly more difficult, and Kyle felt confident that his Willpower would stack up well against most D Grades around his level or beyond.  When coupled with Storm Shelter, he could create a zone of almost unmatched protection. Conceptually, it was an order of magnitude more complex than any other skill in his arsenal.

    Repel sat on the opposite end of the spectrum.  A basic, long-distance blast of force.  It was a truly simple skill, but in its simplicity, Kyle saw an incredible amount of potential.  He was reminded of when he first selected Resonance back in E Grade.  The skill on its own would offer less than Lockdown, or even Burrowing Claws.  If he could practice with it, refine it, shape it¡­

    Kyle¡¯s thoughts wandered a dozen different directions, considering possibilities to refine Repel, not just in D Grade, but beyond.  That was all the push he needed.  Repel would give him a boost in the near-term, and the opportunities he saw were worth exploring.  Without further deliberation, Kyle made his selection.

    As his vision turned back to his center, he finally turned his attention back to the Core of the Parasitic Devourer.  It had calmed somewhat during his meditation, though swirls of crimson energy still pulsed through it with more frequency than he was used to.  The cause was clear; his absorption of the shrike alpha¡¯s energy filled more of the core than the rest of the shrikes he killed put together.

    Just like with the fish in his Practicum, there appeared to be a qualitative component with stronger variants when compared to their more mundane counterparts.  With this push, Kyle felt absolutely confident in unlocking his next Adaptive Anatomy upgrade on the return trip to Er¡¯Mithren.  Based on the shrikes¡¯ attributes, he assumed it would relate to Dexterity, but their hunting instinct made Intelligence a viable candidate as well.

    Satisfied with his reflection, Kyle exited meditation.  He saw Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah speaking in hushed tones over Drokh¡¯s unconscious body.  They stopped when they saw him rise, and waved him over.

    ¡°Is it safe for us to carry Drokh?¡± Ver¡¯ah asked.  ¡°We need to get back to the Resistance headquarters, but I don¡¯t want to risk his well-being.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°He should be fine.  He¡¯ll definitely want to see a more dedicated Healer, but I don¡¯t see any issues with traveling.¡±

    Without skipping a beat, Ver¡¯ah grabbed the massive ogre, cradling him like a child while Hanastrel took their packs.  ¡°Good, because we have a lot of ground to cover.¡±

 Chapter 228

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we heading back to Varleez?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°It¡¯s not that far, and we could all use the rest.¡±

    Though the worst of their injuries were patched up, Kyle knew how much of a toll healing skills could take on the body.  Even he was feeling the beginnings of a bone-deep weariness from the battle and recovering his own injuries.  He imagined it would be far worse for Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah.

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong there,¡± Ver¡¯ah snorted, adjusting Drokh in his arms.  ¡°When this is done, I¡¯m going to sleep for a week.  The problem right now is that we¡¯re running on very little information.  Was this an isolated attack?  Was it truly random chance, or was it orchestrated?  Are there traitors in Varleez?  We sent communication back to headquarters, but¡­¡±  he looked down at his fallen comrade.   ¡°An investigation will take time we don¡¯t have.¡±

    Hanastrel nodded.  ¡°Information is our greatest weapon right now.  Or rather, our enemy¡¯s lack thereof.   If a bad actor is in play, then the worst thing we can do is return injured.  They would know our location and relative weakness, which could give them opportunity.  By departing from here, they would have to come investigate for themselves, risking becoming prey for the alpha should we have failed.¡±

    Kyle considered their plan.  It made logical sense, though there was one thing he felt they were overlooking.  ¡°What about Drokh?  I was able to give some field triage, but his injuries are worse than any of ours.  While he¡¯s stable enough for some travel, I don¡¯t think an extended journey will do much good for him.¡±

    A shadow crossed both of their faces at his comment, and they stood in silence for a moment before Ver¡¯ah finally spoke.  ¡°I know, Courier.  Drokh¡¯s been a larger-than-life figure for the Resistance for a long time, and a personal hero of mine.  It pains me, pains us to have to make this decision.  Though if he was awake right now, we¡¯re both sure it¡¯s what he would want.  Duty above all else.¡±

    Kyle shook his head, suppressing the rising heat in his chest.  Duty, really?  Unpleasant memories of the Central Authority were bubbling up; the feeling of loss when he was branded a deviant, the betrayal when Garth let him get sent out to the wild.  Sent out to die.  All in the name of duty.

    ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous line of thinking, Ver¡¯ah.  Besides, won¡¯t Drokh be better able to perform his ¡®duty¡¯ if he makes a better recovery?¡±

    He hoped that the duo wouldn¡¯t pick up on the undercurrent of heat in his voice, but seeing the look that Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel exchanged told Kyle he was less subtle than he hoped.  The goblin woman raised her hands toward him in a placating gesture.  ¡°We care deeply about Drokh; you should know that by now.  And we don¡¯t want his injuries to worsen.  If you feel that we need to stop or slow down, we will do so if we¡¯re able.  But we are all better served by getting to the Queen and informing her of what has occurred.  That is our duty.¡±

    ¡°I can work with that,¡± Kyle said, thankful for the compromise offered.  He believed that Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, and Drokh were good people, and that his reaction had more to do with his own sore spots than their words.

    When they finally exited the winding tunnels surrounding the shrike¡¯s lair, Kyle took a moment to relish the gentle breeze across his skin and sun on his face.  Though he¡¯d grown quite accustomed to the lack of light and stagnant air over the last couple of years, he much preferred being above ground.  He followed Ver¡¯ah, carrying Drokh, and Hanastrel.

    The goblin pulled out a small crystal, pressing her palm to it and muttering under her breath for a moment.  Using Identify, Kyle watched as the mana from the crystal connected to Hanastrel before sending a pulse out into the air.  A moment later, the crystal glowed a gentle purple, a small beam of light pointing into the forest.

    ¡°Headquarters charted a course for us,¡± she said.  ¡°Follow me, and keep your eyes open.  I expect it will take us 2 days to get there, but we should avoid most major roads and cities.¡±

    Without another word, the group set off.  Though he couldn¡¯t speak for the others, much of Kyle¡¯s silence owed to his new skill.  Though he suppressed the desire to outright test Repel, it didn¡¯t stop Kyle from beginning to form the skill to get the sense of how the mana moved through his body.

    The first thing he noticed was that it was fast.  Even when compared to skills like Storm Shelter, which were relatively quick, Repel needed even less build-up.  It was simply his mana, given force and direction.  No shaping involved.  At least, for now.

    The other interesting observation was that there wasn¡¯t a determined point of origin for the skill.  Parasitic Resonance, Storm Shelter, Ignition, and Adaptive Regeneration typically started from his center. Healing Impetus started from his hand, and could be shifted to work with a tendril of Parasitic Resonance.  Identify began in his eyes.

    Repel, on the other hand, could start virtually anywhere.  So long as his mana network was cycling, he was able to form the beginning of the skill.  Though Kyle hadn¡¯t been able to field test while traveling with Ver¡¯ah and Hanastrel, he was confident that with a little practice, he¡¯d be able to use Repel to increase his travel pace.  The mana cost would mean his resources drained faster than Ignition could replenish them, but it was an application Kyle could see getting a lot of use. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Put me down you oaf!¡±  Drokh¡¯s growl was enough to snap Kyle out of his reflection, and he smiled as he saw the large ogre squirming in Ver¡¯ah¡¯s arms, trying to get down.

    ¡°Stop wiggling,¡± Kyle admonished.  ¡°I went through a lot of trouble to patch you up; you¡¯re going to reopen your injuries if you keep this up.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ll have a lot more injuries to mend if this troll doesn¡¯t put. Me.  Down.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah gently set Drokh down, offering an arm to help stabilize him as he stood on his one remaining leg.  Kyle caught a wince of pain before Drokh¡¯s dour expression returned.

    ¡°Your body needs to rest, Drokh.  Your injuries were severe, and even with my help you¡¯ll want to see a Healer that specializes in ogre physiology.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to get fitted for a prosthetic in any event,¡± Drokh said.  ¡°And I owe you a debt of gratitude, Courier.  That fight could have gone much, much worse.  I take it the alpha is dead?¡±

    Ver¡¯ah nodded.  ¡°It is.  The Courier killed it.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Drokh said, a hint of tension leaving his shoulders.  ¡°Now, what have I missed?¡±

    Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah explained their current plan, which was met with nods of approval.  ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s very good.  Her Majesty will want to know, and we¡¯ve been away too long as it is,¡± Drokh said when all was finished.

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Hanastrel agreed.  ¡°Ancestors above, I¡¯m looking forward to having my own bed again.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah snorted his agreement.  ¡°Of course, I bet our Courier is missing his home more than any of us right about now.  You got a family waiting for you back where you come from?¡±

    A pang of familiar loss rushed through Kyle, the edge worn away with time.  ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said.  ¡°But I won¡¯t argue with you when it comes to getting some rest soon.  Hopefully a peace gets negotiated, and you¡¯ll all be able to take a break.¡±

    His escorts all shared a look, and Drokh sighed.  ¡°Mayhew, don¡¯t delude yourself into believing peace is possible.  Some hurts go too deep.¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°Then why am I here?  What did the Council do to bring you all to the negotiating table?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for the blasted Council,¡± Drokh replied.  ¡°But Her Majesty knows that we¡¯re in a losing position in the long-term.  We¡¯ve held on for nearly a decade since the coup, but we simply don¡¯t have the resources to keep going.  This land isn¡¯t particularly arable, and we lack sufficient Mages versed in nature to change that.¡±

    Drokh got a faraway look as he paused for a moment, looking toward the horizon.  ¡°Her Majesty has already lost so much, and she¡¯s the one who stands to lose the most with these negotiations.  Still, she does it for us.¡±

    There was reverence in the ogre¡¯s tone, and Kyle nodded.  ¡°It might be a small comfort, but from what I¡¯ve seen, the Verdant Republic takes excellent care of its citizens.  When the dust settles, I have no doubt that your queen and your people will be looked after with care.¡±

    This time it was Hanastrel who gave him a questioning look.  ¡°Why would they care about a bunch of strangers like us?¡± she asked.  ¡°And why are they so interested in the first place?¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°While I can¡¯t speak for all the ¡®whys,¡¯ I know that Er¡¯Mithren holds a great deal of cultural significance.  From what I¡¯ve heard, your planet is among the oldest occupied by goblinoids.

    ¡°As for why they¡¯d care about the citizenry, that¡¯s just how they operate.  I¡¯m no goblinoid, but I live in an area controlled by the Verdant Republic.  They accepted me easily enough, and I can honestly say I¡¯ve enjoyed it.  Even if their governance has its frustrations at times, they¡¯ve been good to me, too.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah tilted his head, looking at Kyle.  ¡°Wait, if you weren¡¯t born there, how did you end up in goblinoid territory?  Where are you even from?¡±

    ¡°A small planet called Earth,¡± Kyle said, a wistful smile crossing his face.  ¡°We¡¯ve got some time, let me tell you about it.¡±

    Kyle told stories of Earth for the next several hours as they traveled, with Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah peppering him with questions after each.  They were enraptured by both the stark contrasts and similarities of their worlds, with particular interest in the oceans.  Apparently, Er¡¯Mithren lacked many large bodies of water, effectively acting as a large singular landmass.

    ¡°And people would get on a hunk of wood and just¡­ float until they landed somewhere else?  Hoping the wind would push them in the right direction?¡± Hanastrel asked, bewildered.

    ¡°Most of that type of sailing happened before our world awakened, but close enough?¡± Kyle replied.  ¡°I don¡¯t really understand the mechanics myself, but early humans managed it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really weird.  And you¡¯re sure they couldn¡¯t see the far shore?¡±

    Before Kyle could answer, Drokh interrupted with a growl.  ¡°Get your arm off me, Ver¡¯ah.  This is as good a spot as any to set up camp.  Which means working quietly.¡±  The last words were directed at Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah, who looked at the ogre sheepishly.  In unison, they replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    As the 2 got to work, Drokh looked at Kyle.  ¡°Sit with me for a moment.  As interesting as your home world is, I have some other questions before we arrive at the capital.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Go ahead.  What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°You demonstrated a lot of skill and resourcefulness in your battle against the shrike alpha.  You showed boosting skills, defensive skills, and healing skills that are all clearly in the D Grade; and at a level leaving only a couple of skills remaining, if that many.¡±

    Kyle nodded, failing to see where the ogre was going.

    ¡°So, indulge me; with everything that I¡¯ve seen, how does your nature manipulation fit in?¡±

    A cold shiver ran up Kyle¡¯s spine.  He thought Drokh was unconscious during that part of the fight, and knew that he¡¯d need to tread carefully to avoid losing the thin layer of trust he¡¯d managed to build so far.

    Drokh continued.  ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a D Grade able to use skills with so much conceptual diversity.  Tell me; is that a trait of your species?  Is this common?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not common,¡± Kyle said, choosing his words carefully.  ¡°I had some unique opportunities on Earth, and learned to apply one of my skills using plants as well.  It¡¯s a trump card of mine, and I knew I couldn¡¯t hold it back if I wanted to beat the alpha.¡±

    Drokh held his eyes for a moment, a searching expression on his face.  Then the ogre nodded, forcing himself to stand with the help of a broken tree limb he used as a crutch.  ¡°Then I won¡¯t push any further.  We¡¯re all entitled to our secrets, but let me leave you a word of warning.  The vines you used had the stink of the Scourge on them.  Using them freely would be ill-advised.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s the Scourge?¡± Kyle asked.

    His dark eyes drilled into Kyle¡¯s.  ¡°Something tells me you already know,¡± Drokh said, moving to go help Ver¡¯ah with the tent.  ¡°Be careful, Courier.  Forces of nature like that are best left alone.¡±

 Chapter 229

    ¡°I¡¯m not a damn invalid,¡± Drokh grumbled.  ¡°I can walk fine on my own.¡±

    The ogre had been complaining since the group departed at first light, with Ver¡¯ah deciding that they¡¯d make better time if he carried Drokh again.  Much to the squad leader¡¯s chagrin, the troll was right.  They made quick time across the open ground, the rolling hills and rocky land not even an obstacle.  Shrubs and tall grasses dotted the landscape, but Kyle was hardly paying attention.  Instead, his mind was drawn back to Drokh¡¯s comments from the night before.

    Why would the stranglevine be giving off a similar aura to this ¡°Scourge?¡±  A thought was tugging at the back of his mind, but without an opportunity to discuss with C.H.A.D.D. he wasn¡¯t able to draw the connection.  Assuming that Drokh was talking about the C Grade shadow, he didn¡¯t understand how the stranglevines were connected.  Each one they encountered was weaker than D Grade, a far cry from the aura and presence that he detected from the shambling shadow.

    His distraction nearly caused him to plow straight into Ver¡¯ah, who slowed abruptly before speaking to Kyle in a low voice.  ¡°Just got a signal from Hanastrel.  Scouts up ahead, not sure if they¡¯re from Headquarters or not.  Either way, we¡¯re going to slip around.  Follow me.¡±

    Kyle nodded as he followed the change of course; Identify revealing Hanastrel¡¯s location as she circled back to meet with the group.  While they felt confident dealing with any ambush that could be waiting, they collectively decided to minimize the number of people who knew about the group¡¯s condition.  Even the information they passed along to the Headquarters was vague, and all the document box would reveal was their general location and pace.

    The reason for their secrecy was twofold: any ambushes would be acting on imperfect information, and there would be a public outcry at the news of Drokh¡¯s injury.  While he had yet to learn the specifics, apparently Drokh was single-handedly responsible for saving D¡¯Oillelat during the coup.  His actions made him a legend among the common folk of the Resistance, and seeing him this badly injured could lead to a variety of unpredictable reactions.  The last thing they wanted was widespread civil unrest in the midst of peace negotiations.

    The hours wore on as their group continued to progress toward the Resistance Headquarters, dodging several more scouting parties.  Kyle noted a couple of small farms along the way, with large reptiles being put to use as beasts of burden.  The goblin workers were so focused on their tasks that they paid little mind to the party passing by their land, a sentiment Kyle could appreciate.

    Finally, as the sun began its descent, Kyle spotted the outskirts of their destination.  Compared to Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s golden stone and breathtaking towers, the Resistance Headquarters was a bit of a letdown.  Squat, rounded buildings dotted the landscape, none larger than a couple stories high.  Kyle used Identify as they passed the first such building, seeing the main structure carved from a single piece of stone.  This confirmed his suspicion that these were the result of earth shaped with a skill instead of standard construction.  Efficient, but limited, Kyle mused, looking at a door that didn¡¯t quite fit into the space left in the frame.

    The buildings grew progressively larger as they made their way toward the center of the settlement, with small crowds beginning to gawk at them as they moved.  At Drokh¡¯s insistence, Ver¡¯ah set him down before entering the settlement¡¯s borders.  He draped a large, dark cloak over his body.  While it didn¡¯t do much to obscure his identity, the crowds didn¡¯t have much time to form before city officials arrived, escorting their party to the heart of the Headquarters.

    A ring of small stone buildings stood at the center of the settlement, each fitted with thick metal doors.  The nearest opened at their approach, and a troll ushered them inside.  Crossing the threshold, Kyle saw an austere room that functioned as a guard post, with an elevator and sets of stairs leading straight down.  The guards beckoned them to enter, and Kyle turned to Hanastrel, raising an eyebrow.  ¡°The Headquarters is underground?¡±

    She nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    I¡¯m starting to get really sick of caves, Kyle thought, stepping into the industrial-sized elevator along with his party.  Their descent took longer than he expected, the loamy soil above being replaced with solid stone caverns.  Glowing crystals lit up the hallway as they exited the elevator, which opened up into a security checkpoint.  They were waved through, where they stepped into a large waiting room with multiple branching doors and a view out at the hollowed-out cavern below.

    An ogre waited to greet them, bowing first to Drokh, then Hanastrel and Verah.  ¡°Champions, welcome home.  Communications were limited, but it is good to see you ¨C ¡° His voice cut off as he seemed to notice Drokh¡¯s missing leg for the first time, and visually paled. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    He stammered for a moment, trying to find his words, but Ver¡¯ah interrupted before he could.  ¡°We need to report to Her Majesty,¡± Ver¡¯ah said flatly.  ¡°And our guest needs accommodations.  See to it.¡±

    The ogre bowed again, then bustled down the hallway and through a set of doors.  That done, Drokh turned to Kyle, his expression serious.  ¡°In light of everything that¡¯s happened, I¡¯m not sure when Her Majesty will want to see you.  We will be in touch as soon as we can, but in the meantime, I would ask that you stay near your residence, wherever they find space.¡±

    Kyle nodded in return.  ¡°That works for me.  I could use the rest.¡±  What he wanted to do was find an opportunity to practice with Repel somewhere isolated, but he knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen anytime soon.  A thought occurred to him before they parted ways, and he looked to Drokh.  ¡°Would you send for me when you go to get medical treatment?  I want to make sure your recovery is going well, and I¡¯d love to learn from your Healers.¡±

    The ogre regarded Kyle a moment before nodding.  ¡°You¡¯re an odd one, Mayhew.  But I owe you that much, at least.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.  Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, if I don¡¯t see you again, I want you to know that I enjoyed traveling with you.  Thank you both for escorting me here.¡±

    Ver¡¯ah smiled at him.  ¡°You Earthlings have a weird definition of enjoyment.  Just don¡¯t do anything that will make me have to kill you.  It¡¯d be a shame to fight a friend.¡±

    Hanastrel punched the troll lightly.  ¡°It was good to meet you, Courier.  May our next meeting be less eventful than our first.¡±

    With that, the trio went through a guarded doorway to the left, leaving Kyle alone with the ogre.  He stood in awkward silence for a moment before asking, ¡°So, which direction is my room?¡±

    His words seemed to snap the ogre out of its contemplation.  ¡°Ah, apologies.  It¡¯s not every day a person like me gets to meet the true champions of the Resistance.  Come with me, I¡¯ll guide you to the guest quarters.¡±

    Kyle followed the ogre through a series of winding hallways as he descended into the heart of the Resistance.  The architecture was still very utilitarian, though multilevel buildings were more common. What¡¯s more, everything seemed to have a purpose.  There were several hydroponic towers using vertical farming principles, with goblins and ogres alike harvesting food.  He could make out what looked like an industrial quarter, where raw materials were being brought in, and crates of materials left.

    Finally reaching the ground level, the ogre flagged down a carriage.  It was pulled by one of the giant lizards, and guided by a goblin on top.  The ogre gave instructions to the driver, and then gestured for Kyle to follow him inside.  ¡°I know you could probably travel faster on foot, but this will be less disruptive, I think.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Kyle admitted.

    They traveled for another dozen or so minutes before the carriage slowed down, indicating they reached their destination.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at your lodgings,¡± the ogre said.  ¡°Her Majesty will send for you when she wants to see you, but it will likely be a few days.  In the meantime, there are methods to reach an attendant if necessary.  Welcome to Railen¡¯s Hope, Courier.¡±

    ¡°Railen¡¯s Hope?¡± Kyle asked.

    The ogre eyed him.  ¡°You didn¡¯t think the city was just called the Headquarters, did you?¡±

    Kyle may have thought exactly that, but played it off.  ¡°Of course not.  Thank you for seeing me here safely.¡±

    He smiled, revealing small tusks jutting out from his lower jaw.  ¡°Not that you needed my help to be safe, but glad to have been of service.  Take good care, Courier.¡±

    The carriage departed, and Kyle was left alone to look at his home for the next few days.  The building was a squat single-story, with a large boxy addition behind the main structure.  It looked to have been added to the construction more recently, and Kyle was eager to see what was in store.  Walking inside, the first thing that drew his attention was the modest studio layout of the main living space.  The open concept would have felt empty, had it not been for the dim lighting and low ceiling working together to create a much cozier atmosphere.

    What drew his eyes the most was a set of double metal doors directly opposite the entryway, leading into the addition.  He resisted the temptation to run straight in just long enough to do a sweep of the room with Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception, turning up nothing.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you picking up any mana signatures on your end?¡± Kyle asked

    [OTHER THAN THE CRYSTALS PROVIDING LIGHT, NO.  IT IS ABOUT TIME I WAS ALLOWED TO TALK AGAIN.]

    ¡°Let¡¯s check the addition before we get too ahead of ourselves,¡± Kyle said.

    Opening the metal doors, Kyle was greeted by a bright light, courtesy of a large white crystal embedded into the ceiling.  Synaptic Barbs got a read of the room as his eyes adjusted to the lighter conditions, revealing what he could best describe as an obstacle course filling the entirety of the room.  There were pillars of stone, metal walls, pits dug into the ground, suspended platforms, and more.

    A simple box sat just inside, and upon opening it, he was greeted by a projection of Ver¡¯ah.  ¡°Hey Courier, we hope you¡¯re getting settled in.  I know you had a breakthrough during our trip, so we pulled some strings to get you set up with a private training facility.  Don¡¯t worry about breaking things inside, the architects can fix it.¡±

    As soon as the message was done playing, Kyle felt the mana remaining in the crystal disperse.  As before, he and C.H.A.D.D. did a sweep of the building, finding no signs of surveillance.  Of course, the same couldn¡¯t be said of the exterior of the residence, but it felt nice to have a little privacy.

    He definitely wanted to sit down with the tomes Jarberry lent him, and he could certainly do with a good night¡¯s sleep.  He should also try to send a report to Suierrillax, and prepare for his meeting with D¡¯Oillelat.  Before any of that, however, there was one pressing matter to attend to.  He had a new skill he was aching to test.

 Chapter 230

    ¡°Do you mind recording, C.H.A.D.D.?  I¡¯d like to review your impressions of the skill, and better understand the way the mana flows when I¡¯m using it.¡±

    [NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle grinned like a kid in a candy store.  ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With that, he squared off a dozen meters away from one of the large stone pillars, took a breath, and then extended his palm toward the stone while activating Repel.  A rush of power left him as a blast of force exploded from his whole arm, causing a gale wind that buffeted the pillar.  The recoil nearly knocked him off his feet, but the smile never left his face.  This is amazing.

    Another palm strike, this time with his left arm, with the same result.  As he learned during the trip to Railen¡¯s Hope, Repel could be originated from any point on his body.  It was easier to give pinpoint control when he wasn¡¯t looking to fully activate the skill, much less when he wasn¡¯t pushing much mana into it.  When he did, the point of origin released relatively undirected blasts.  For Kyle, that wasn¡¯t enough.  He wanted to focus the force, exerting control over the shape, power, and direction of the attacks.

    He launched a few more blasts at the pillar to keep familiarizing himself with the skill, then tried something different.  Using the principles he practiced with Resonance; he tried rotating the mana as it left his arm.  Failure, failure, failure.  On his fourth attempt, it felt like he was able to get some rotation, but the fifth and sixth tries couldn¡¯t replicate it.

    Unfortunately, Kyle discovered another drawback to Repel.  It took a lot of mana.  In combat situations, he felt confident that Ignition would be able to help mitigate that issue, but for the purposes of simple practice he¡¯d already burned through well over half of his total mana reserves with those back-to-back strikes.  There¡¯s just too much waste right now, Kyle thought, reflecting on his experience.  If I can just focus the blast, I¡¯ll get a more targeted impact with less overall mana expenditure.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what do you think?¡±  Kyle asked, sitting down as he continued to take in the room.

    [AS YOU HAVE NO DOUBT NOTICED, DR. MAYHEW, THE SKILL IS CURRENTLY QUITE INEFFICIENT.  WASTE MANA BEGINS TO LEAVE YOUR BODY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY; AN ISSUE THAT ONLY MAGNIFIES AS THE SKILL TRAVELS THROUGH YOUR PATHWAYS AND OUT YOUR HAND.  ASSUMING, OF COURSE, THAT YOUR GOAL ISN¡¯T TO BE WASTING MORE THAN 60% OF YOUR ENERGY EXPENDITURE?]

    ¡°You¡¯re assuming correctly,¡± Kyle said, trying to hide a smile at the drone¡¯s sass.  ¡°Can you give me any insight into the difference between the third, fourth, and fifth uses of my last batch of attempts?¡±

    Immediately, 3 images of Kyle were projected in front of him, his mana network highlighted as each moved in slow motion.

    [IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN ORIGIN POINT, DR. MAYHEW.  YOU STARTED THE SKILL APPROXIMATELY 1.4 CENTIMETERS CLOSER TO YOUR SHOULDER, WHEREAS THE OTHERS ORIGINATED WITHIN A MUCH NARROWER WINDOW.]

    Kyle nodded thoughtfully.  It was something he could chew on, and he knew that he would need time to keep practicing before making meaningful gains.  He was about to step back into the house proper to get some rest, when C.H.A.D.D. spoke again.

    [DR. MAYHEW, IF I MAY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO SOME TRAINING AS WELL?]

    A little surprised by the request, Kyle took a moment before nodding.  ¡°Of course, C.H.A.D.D.  What are you looking to do?¡±

    [IF YOU¡¯D BE SO KIND AS TO REMOVE THE PACK, I WOULD LIKE TO TRY SOMETHING.]

    Kyle did as he was asked, setting the large pack on the ground with a heavy thump.  The moment he did, vines emerged from the different holes in the pack, wrapping around the construction in an odd cocoon.  The atmosphere seemed to shift for a moment, and Kyle¡¯s eyes widened as the wrapped vines were suddenly covered in a thick bark, followed by sharp thorns.  Then, a moment later, it all seemed to just melt back into the simple green vines again.

    Kyle stared at the pack slack-jawed, taking a moment to find his words.  ¡°What was that?¡± He finally managed.

    [I HAVE FINISHED 3 SEPARATE FORMATIONS WITH THE KNOTTED VINE CORE, AND WANTED TO TEST THEM.  I AM CONFIDENT IN MY THEORIES, BUT HAVE YET TO PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE.  I HOPE TO SHOW YOU THAT I WILL NOT BE A LIABILITY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., you¡¯re the farthest thing from a liability.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    [FOR NOW, PERHAPS.  BUT I REFUSE TO BE LEFT BEHIND.]

    Kyle felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the drone¡¯s words.  C.H.A.D.D. is a stubborn one, he thought.  ¡°Then we¡¯ll have some practice to do.  Before anything else, have you found solutions to retract the vines back into the World Tree Seed?  Or will we need to dispose of them more directly?¡±

    Rather than answering, C.H.A.D.D. slowly retracted the vines into the pack.  It took a few seconds for the process to get completed, but when it was done there was no trace of the vines remaining, only a hint of the nature-affinity mana that infused them lingering where they¡¯d been.

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent, C.H.A.D.D.  How did you manage the retraction?¡± Kyle asked.

    [UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A MECHANICAL PROCESS AT THIS POINT AS I WIND THEM BACK INTO THE PACK. HOWEVER, I HOPE THAT THIS CAN BE IMPROVED OVER TIME TO A MORE DIRECT CONTROL OVER THE MOVEMENT OF THE VINES.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Without a stronger tie to the mana type I imagine it will be difficult.  You remember how challenging it was to control growth using Parasitic Resonance, which is about as good as it gets without properly attuned mana.¡±

    [CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.  I HOPE THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH MY NEXT CLASS UPGRADE.]

    Their methods of progression were very different, with C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s path being tied to external resources.  Kyle had taken to viewing it in 2 distinct components.

    One was the ¡°hardware,¡± which was comprised of the equipment and arrays that dictated much of the drone¡¯s functionality and overall ability to draw mana.  The last meaningful hardware update was done aboard the Corthian Mining flagship when he carved the new inscriptions.  The pack he purchased from the Emerald Armory helped supplement C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s functions, though it was far from enough.  This was what he hoped to upgrade when he met with Marcus Kulhavey after this job was done.

    The second component was the ¡°software,¡± which was tied directly to the quality of the drone¡¯s mana.  The natural treasures that C.H.A.D.D. archived and stored inside the World Tree Seed all served to deepen C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s bond with the seed, in turn opening up more and more possibilities for what could be achieved.  This is also what was directly upgraded by his class.  Creating the first iteration of the Knotted Vine Core was one of those direct applications, coupling C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s studies with application of different plant life tied to the seed.

    C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s class touched on both.  Upon reaching D Grade, the Adminstrator Weevil class had evolved to something called a World Tree Weevil.  Instead of normal skill selections or normal attributes, C.H.A.D.D. could instead invest in higher degrees of attunement to the World Tree Seed.  Kyle knew between the natural treasures and other plant essences that the drone liberally devoured, there was a massive amount of potential that C.H.A.D.D. could tap into, given enough time to figure out how.

    Unfortunately, the limited hardware and imperfect attunement to the seed meant that C.H.A.D.D. hit a bottleneck.  It was akin to Kyle studying to understand high-level teleportation formations.  Even if he was able to understand them by some miracle, he would never be able to replicate their effects, or even power one up without being sufficiently powerful.  And the inability to use the full potential was the least of Kyle¡¯s worries.  The backlash Ger¡¯Sinh experienced using the C Grade mana weapon was a great example of the risks associated with using techniques too far above one¡¯s grade.

    ¡°Your class system is still so odd to me,¡± Kyle said, his head spinning.

    [IT CERTAINLY DOES APPEAR TO BE UNIQUE, AT LEAST BASED ON ALL THE LITERATURE WE¡¯VE BEEN ABLE TO READ.]

    One benefit to them being relative newcomers to the Collective was that it was expected that Kyle would have major knowledge gaps that would only get filled with intensive study.  As such, they¡¯d taken advantage of as much information as they could, with Jarberry making recommendations along the way.  Despite all their research, an existence like C.H.A.D.D. seemed unprecedented.

    ¡°Well, what else would you like to practice?¡± Kyle asked, turning his attention back to the present.

    [I BELIEVE THAT PRACTICING MOBILITY AND QUICK SHIFTS BETWEEN STATES WOULD BE ADVISEABLE.  IN A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, I COULD PROVIDE SUPPORT SEPARATE FROM YOU.]

    Kyle thought about it for only a moment before nodding his approval.  He didn¡¯t want to put C.H.A.D.D. at risk in live combat, but there were certainly times when giving C.H.A.D.D. more mobility could help.  ¡°That works for me.  How much energy will you need to borrow?¡±

    [I SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT MANA TO PRACTICE, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you get to it,¡± Kyle replied.

    Without another word, vines once more emerged from the pack, wrapping around it as thick bark formed.  Dozens of smaller vines emerged from the cocoon, and soon C.H.A.D.D. was scuttling away, making a respectable pace as it climbed up and through the obstacle course.  The drone got stuck a few times, and slowed as the vines it used to move extended faster than they could be retracted.  Still, it was both amusing and heartwarming to Kyle to see his long-time travel companion making progress like this.

    About an hour later, the drone returned to Kyle¡¯s side, vines a dozen meters long trailing behind as they slowly got retracted back into the pack.

    ¡°What did you think about it?¡± Kyle asked.

    [THERE IS MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, HOWEVER I FIND THE INITIAL RESULTS TO BE PROMISING.  LONGEVITY IS MY GREATEST CONCERN, AS THIS SMALL COURSE DRAINED ALL THE POWER I COULD MUSTER WITHOUT TAPPING INTO THE SEED¡¯S RESERVES.]

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, C.H.A.D.D.  It¡¯s a first test, after all.¡±

    Kyle picked up the pack, with a few vines still protruding, and put it on his back before leaving the training room.  ¡°For now, I think we¡¯ve done enough.  I¡¯m exhausted, we can start training again tomorrow morning.¡±

    [A WISE IDEA, DR. MAYHEW.  DO YOU INTEND TO PRACTICE WITH JARBERRY¡¯S BOOKS THIS EVENING?]

    He considered for a minute, before shaking his head.  ¡°I¡¯ll get going on those again tomorrow too.  For now, we sleep.¡±

    [CORRECTION: YOU SLEEP, DR. MAYHEW.  I HAVE THEORIES TO IMPROVE.]

    Kyle yawned.  ¡°Whatever works best for you, C.H.A.D.D.  Just remember, the work will be waiting for us in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 231

    [SHORTER BURSTS, DR. MAYHEW.  YOU ARE STILL WASTING NEARLY 23% OF YOUR TOTAL MANA EXPENDITURE.]

    Kyle swore quietly, activating Repel again, this time at the bottom of his left foot.  It was a short, quick burst, enough to keep him aloft.  Unfortunately, as before, there was some leakage, causing the trajectory of Kyle¡¯s propulsion to shift.  Ignition was active, and he preemptively activated both Adaptive Regeneration and Healing Impetus as he was propelled directly into one of the stone pillars.  He smashed into it, and then fell straight to the ground 5 meters below with a loud crash.

    ¡°I made it to the third step this time,¡± Kyle panted, standing up and dusting himself off.

    [YOU ALSO THREW YOUSELF INTO A STONE PILLAR, AND FELL DOWN,] C.H.A.D.D. countered.  [I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL FIND YOUR CURRENT PROGRESS SUFFICIENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for trying, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle grinned.  ¡°And it would be super helpful to be able to maneuver midair.¡±

    [I AM NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT, MERELY THE TIMING,] C.H.A.D.D. shot back.  [MUCH LIKE A CHILD NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DRAW LINES BEFORE THEY CAN WRITE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK ON MORE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU WASTE ANOTHER ENTIRE DAY TRYING TO FLY.]

    Kyle was about to say something in his defense, but stopped himself.  Other than 2 initial visits to the infirmary to see the tests being run on Drokh, Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. spent most of the last 3 weeks training inside the compound.  Of those, Kyle had spent the last 4 days trying to get a handle on airborne movement.  Not that he would quit altogether, but C.H.A.D.D. was right that there were other things to work on first.

    With a sigh, Kyle looked at the vine-wrapped pack scampering up and down one of the stone pillars.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a good point, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m going to take a minute to reset, do some work with the tomes, and then get back to basics.¡±

    [A WISE DECISION, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Settling into a nearby chair, Kyle infused his mana into the first of the small tomes.  Pushing out his distractions, he focused his energy on the ink in the pages, forming words as he flipped them, as if in a trance.  Hitting his limit, he moved on to the second, then the third, the exercises becoming more natural as he had more time to practice.

    Finally, removing his hand from the last book, he evaluated his results. 178, 164, and 190, Kyle thought.  A fairly major improvement from when he left the hub, owing in no small part to the amount of practice he¡¯d been able to get in.  With a little over 50 levels until he hit C Grade, the goal of 500 pages on each tome felt like it might just be attainable.

    Kyle knew he¡¯d need a little time to recharge before getting back to practice, and he went to grab a snack while looking for any missed messages from the Resistance.  While they¡¯d gotten some communication, the appearance of the shrikes inside the walls was significant enough to put a pause on peace negotiations while they launched a full investigation.

    For his part, Kyle simply provided the slates he uncovered in the first shrike nest.  He already got much more involved than he probably should have in that side of things, and he committed to seeing this leg of his job through.  Joining the Resistance Shrike Patrol could be a productive use of time, but he suspected he¡¯d get enough opportunity to fill his core doing some hunting on his own.  Besides, Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah were both leading parties to investigate.  So long as they didn¡¯t encounter any other alphas, they¡¯d be fine.

    Kyle was just about to get back to training, when a notification rang through the house.  Checking it, Kyle saw that it was from Drokh.

    Courier,

    Two pieces of news.  First, I¡¯m being fitted for a prosthetic leg today if you want to attend the appointment.  I also received word from Her Majesty that she¡¯ll be holding council tomorrow morning, and your presence has been requested.

    Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah also asked me to pass along their well-wishes, as you¡¯ll likely have departed before they return.

    -Drokh

    A smile grew on Kyle¡¯s face as he read the message over.  He enjoyed having some time to relax and train, but it felt good to know that the job was continuing to move forward.  Looking up at the C.H.A.D.D., who was currently suspended between 2 pillars, Kyle called, ¡°Drokh is finally ready for the prosthesis!  Get down so we can go!¡±

    [IN A MOMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]  With those words, the vines suspending C.H.A.D.D. let go of the pillars they¡¯d wrapped around, leaving the pack to plummet toward the hard ground.  Kyle felt mana flowing for a moment, right as a nest of springy roots emerged from the cocoon-like shell surrounding the C.H.A.D.D. pack.  The impact was almost entirely nullified, and C.H.A.D.D. scuttled forward on a dozen small vines as the longer vines and roots began to retract into the body of the pack.

    He knew it would be a while before the drone was able to retract all the vines and roots, so he took the opportunity to freshen up and get ready to visit Drokh.  Just as C.H.A.D.D. was finishing up, Kyle walked over, giving the drone an unimpressed look.  ¡°You realize that your pack is made of D Grade metals, right?  There¡¯s no way a fall from that height would be dangerous.¡±

    [ALL THE BETTER REASON TO TEST WHEN THE RISKS ARE LIMITED, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°But the risk of dying from old age increases when it takes you that long to retract your vines,¡± Kyle shot back as he shouldered the pack.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    [THAT IS IN NO WAY A RISK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Deciding not to continue antagonizing the drone, Kyle stepped out of their temporary home to see a vehicle already waiting, with a well-dressed ogre standing beside it.  As soon as he saw Kyle approaching, he bowed deeply.  ¡°Greetings, Courier.  I¡¯ve been asked to provide transport to the facility where Lord Drokh is being treated, if your intent is to visit.¡±

    Kyle nodded, stepping into the open carriage.  ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±

    The carriage left the residence, capturing a lot of attention as it did.  By now, the locals heard that an alien from the stars above was living in the guest quarters.  As such, more than a few were very interested in trying to catch a glimpse, even going as far as to linger around his area in their down time.  The Resistance put out communication that he was to be left alone, but a memo could only do so much.

    Despite the delays caused by crowds of onlookers, the carriage arrived at the medical facility in reasonable time.  Kyle thanked the driver before walking in the side entrance prepared for him.  He was ushered past the security checkpoint, and then guided up to the operating room, where Drok¡¯s medical team, led by a D Grade troll Healer named Pi¡¯cott, waited.

    ¡°Ah, here comes the Courier now,¡± Dr. Pi¡¯cott said, her smile spreading ear to ear.  ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see the young take an interest in our work, humble as it is.¡±  She was a diminutive troll with a pronounced hunch in her back, who apparently had been working for the royal family of Er¡¯Mithren for the better part of the past century.

    Kyle smiled in reply, offering a slight bow.  ¡°I appreciate you letting me come observe.  It¡¯s a valuable experience for me to learn.¡±

    Her smile managed to grow even larger.  ¡°Well, let¡¯s make use of the time while we wait for Lord Drokh to arrive.  What do you remember from his chart?¡±

    ¡°You were able to remove the remaining shards of stone, got him started on manual exercises with an emphasis on core strength.  If I understood, your goal was to help him with balance and strength before getting the prosthesis done,¡± Kyle said.

    Pi¡¯cott nodded her approval.  ¡°Quite so.  Of course, as strong as he is, it makes little practical difference, but even small miscalculations can cause headwinds.  The real treatment will start after we get his new leg attached.¡±

    With that, she led Kyle over to a table covered by a cloth.  She removed it, and Kyle¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to a pale violet crystal in the center.  Even though it wasn¡¯t leaking any mana, Kyle didn¡¯t need Identify to understand that he was looking at a rare natural treasure.

    ¡°What is this?¡± He asked, not taking his eyes off the crystal.

    ¡°This will be the core of his prosthesis, and what we¡¯ll be fitting him for today,¡± Dr. Pi¡¯cott said proudly.  ¡°Ordinarily, even for our elites, we wouldn¡¯t have access to resources like these.  Her Majesty made an exception for Lord Drokh, and let me tell you, this was a treat to craft.¡±  She paused for a moment, gesturing to a group of goblins standing nearby.  ¡°They certainly enjoyed it, at least.  Tell me, what do you think this does?¡±

    Kyle took the opportunity to activate Identify, looking at the crystal with all the insight his skill could provide.  Almost imperceptible runic formations crossed the plain bar of crystal, some of which looked to be some permutation of an accumulation array.  These were superimposed by a set designed for containment, which is what kept any mana from leaking out of the stone.

    Looking beyond these sigils, Kyle focused his attention on the energy within the crystal.  It didn¡¯t hold a tremendous amount of mana, and it took him a moment before he finally understood what he was looking at.  ¡°This is Drokh¡¯s mana,¡± Kyle whispered.  It wasn¡¯t a close approximation; it was the genuine article.  Somehow, this crystal was slowly producing mana with an identical signature to Drokh¡¯s.

    Dr. Pi¡¯cott smiled at him like a teacher looking at her star pupil.  ¡°You¡¯re exactly right.  We¡¯ve learned through the years that for awakened, particularly powerful folks like Lord Drokh, prosthetics can be a hindrance more than a help if they¡¯re not done correctly.  If somebody tries to activate a skill using a prosthesis that isn¡¯t connected to their mana network, nothing good happens.  The key is to get the right attunement so that it can integrate appropriately, and then build the rest of the prosthesis around it.¡±

    Kyle nodded in understanding.  ¡°So, when you mentioned a fitting, you¡¯re actually looking to ensure that the mana signatures match well enough.¡±

    ¡°Quite so!¡± Dr. Pi¡¯cott exclaimed.  ¡°Of course, the process of removing all attuned mana from a crystal like this is arduous; to say nothing of actually inscribing it!  But I think we did well here.¡±

    ¡°You certainly did,¡± Kyle murmured.  His thoughts were already racing, considering how he might apply the same principle for a certain drone in his pack.

    If Dr. Pi¡¯cott noticed his distraction, she didn¡¯t indicate it as she talked about ogre physiology, and her plan to fuse this directly to the bones in Drokh¡¯s leg.  She was just beginning a discussion of the intricacies of ogre bone marrow when she was interrupted by notice that Drokh arrived at the clinic.  Heavy footfalls heralded the ogre¡¯s approach, and a moment later the door opened, revealing Drokh¡¯s form.

    The first thing Kyle noticed was that the older ogre looked tired.  Not the exhaustion from travel and combat, but rather the weariness Kyle recognized from too many hours stuck in meetings and administrative burdens.  Drokh gave Kyle an appraising look, then nodded.  ¡°Good to see you again, Courier.  I see you¡¯ve already met with the medical team.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you, too, Drokh.¡±  Kyle replied.  ¡°Thank you for letting me observe, all of you.¡±  Kyle said this last part turning to the other members of the team and Dr. Pi¡¯cott, who all nodded.

    The elderly troll looked at Drokh with a smile.  ¡°Well then, shall we begin?¡±

    Kyle watched as they ran a battery of tests to ensure the mana was a qualitative match, even going so far as to have Drokh infuse some energy into the crystal while they observed to ensure there were no adverse reactions.  With that done, the ogre was given a powerful anesthetic before the crystal was attached.

    The whole process took nearly 4 hours, with Kyle keeping Identify active nearly the whole time.  His notes were extensive, with particular emphasis on connecting the crystal to Drokh¡¯s mana pathways.  The theories excited him, even if Kyle was still a long way from a practical understanding.

    Just before Drokh was booked in for overnight observation, he asked to speak with Kyle privately.  Dr. Pi¡¯cott and her team gave their farewells, and when they were alone Drokh¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°You meet with Her Majesty tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I will be unable to join.  Tell me, Kyle, what do you intend to do?¡±  Drokh asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m just here to make a delivery, nothing more, nothing less,¡± Kyle said.

    Drokh chuckled.  ¡°If only it were that simple.  Let me be clear, Kyle; the Resistance is struggling.  You¡¯ve done a service for our people, and despite my best efforts Her Majesty¡¯s attachment to me has only further grown your esteem in her eyes.

    ¡°Though you see your role as a mere delivery person, I am of the belief that Her Majesty, and many others have read into your actions more than they ought.  This is not a slight to you, but I ask that you keep it in mind tomorrow.  I don¡¯t want to see the Resistance put in a worse position because of a misplaced loyalty.¡±

    Kyle considered the ogre¡¯s words, then nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Drokh.  I meant what I told you when we met, I truly hope a peaceful resolution can be reached.¡±

    Drokh gave a weary smile.  ¡°You and me both, Courier.¡±

 Chapter 232

    Kyle drew in a deep breath as he stepped up to the large gate, the box holding the treaty documents held in his arms, with the stacked discs from the first shrike nest stacked on top.  The carriage just dropped him off, and he went over the plan in his head for what felt like the hundredth time.  Drokh¡¯s words proved prophetic, and this would be no simple delivery.

    When he returned from the hospital the previous afternoon, a new message was waiting, inviting Kyle to a formal War Room discussion.  The expectation was clear; Kyle was to attend, offer neutral input as an unbiased party, and then present the documents for review before leaving the meeting hall.  Kyle wasn¡¯t sure what type of political maneuvering could be driving the decision, but after his disregard for protocol during his escort to Railen¡¯s Hope, he felt it would be best to play along.

    Rather than continuing their training, C.H.A.D.D. pulled up every relevant document from his Practicum, in addition to all the Courier¡¯s Guild policies and procedures.  He reviewed everything he could, and with C.H.A.D.D. as a sounding board felt pretty good about their path forward.  Just like a medical brief, his goal was to simply stick to facts.  When put up against the best political schemers the Resistance had to offer, Kyle truly felt he was best served by being boring.

    While it wasn¡¯t an often-used feature anymore, the drone¡¯s repository of Earth medical records and protocol came in handy.  C.H.A.D.D. had Kyle recount their various experiences since arriving on Er¡¯Mithren, and compared the language to older briefs.  The result was an incredibly dry, factual telling of every noteworthy event he¡¯d experienced since his arrival.

    Just as he let the breath out, a gruff voice sounded out from behind the gate.  ¡°Courier, we have been expecting you.  Please, enter.¡±

    The heavy doors slid open with the scraping groan of stone on stone, and Kyle stepped through.  He was met by a small retinue of armed guards, though like his initial arrival they were all in E Grade, and not particularly powerful.  Kyle assumed it was more for show than any actual security measure, which he was certain would be closer to D¡¯Oillelat.

    The interior of the Resistance Headquarters was well-lit, with crystals embedded in the walls on regular intervals, giving off a gentle, warm glow.  They walked past rows of offices where goblins, trolls, and ogres alike milled about, poring over documents and speaking in animated tones.  From the bits and pieces Kyle picked up, this group seemed to be involved with the shrike scouting parties that Hanastrel and Ver¡¯ah had joined, though these people operated in a purely support capacity.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t help but remember his escort through the Verdant Republic teleporters as he was whisked through narrow hallways and down flights of stairs, moving closer to the heart of the compound.  Whether it was cultural or a matter of practical application, the goblinoids sure knew how to build a confusing compound.  Without the proper tools, an invading force would be hard-pressed to make it to the heart of the compound without taking major losses.  Each of the narrow hallways created tactical advantages that crafty defenders could make use of.

    After winding across the compound for nearly an hour, Kyle finally stood before a large metal gate.  2 D Grade ogres stood guard on either side, each just a little weaker than Ver¡¯ah if Identify could be believed.  His escorts stopped, bowing first to the guards, then to Kyle.

    ¡°We will wait outside to guide you back to the entrance.  We wish you well, Courier.¡±

    Kyle returned their bow with a gentle nod.  ¡°Thank you for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated.¡±  Turning to the guards, he met each of their eyes before giving his practiced speech.  ¡°I¡¯m here to meet with Her Majesty D¡¯Oillelat, with documents from the Er¡¯Mithren Council.  May I enter?¡±

    The ogres shared a look, then as one, rested their palms against inscribed sigils on either side of the gate.  Steel scraped against steel as the heavy gate opened, revealing an audience chamber beyond.  The ogre on the left gestured for him to enter.  ¡°Head in.  You¡¯ve got a grasp on the stakes; we aren¡¯t going to hold you up with pleasantries.  Her Majesty has been looking forward to meeting you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kyle said, his sensory skills on full alert as he stepped into the chamber.  There were over a dozen people already inside, comprised of a variety of ogre, troll, and goblin men and women gathered around a round central meeting table.  There was no throne, no clear head of the table, but Kyle had no problem picking D¡¯Oillelat out of the crowd.

    He wasn¡¯t sure walking in what species the Resistance Queen belonged to, and the answer appeared to be none of them.  Her facial features were largely goblinoid, with a slim build and sharp, angular chin and cheekbones.  Unlike her goblin kin, however, she stood at nearly troll height; a little taller than Kyle himself.  A wild mane of red hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and the nubs of 2 small tusks protruded above her lower lip, a common feature of the ogres Kyle met.

    Of course, her appearance wasn¡¯t the only thing that gave her away.  While there were a few other awakened in the room, nobody else compared to D¡¯Oillelat.  Auric Perception let him feel the powerful mana flowing around her, which he confirmed with a single glance with Identify.  She was stronger than Drokh by a wide margin, with attributes that defied reason.  Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think about Arhades when evaluating her.  Her Strength seemed wildly out of place with her slim build, her Vitality would put most trolls to shame, and her mental attributes were up there with the strongest goblins Kyle had encountered.  In a word, she was powerful.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    The group was talking animatedly, but the discussion stopped as he walked in.  Kyle gave a polite bow before introducing himself.  ¡°Greetings.  My name is Kyle Mayhew, and I¡¯m here ¨C¡°

    Before he could finish, D¡¯Oillelat spoke up.  ¡°Yeah, we know who you are and why you¡¯re here.  Ancestors above, you look odd.  Now come, sit down.  We have a few things to discuss, then we¡¯ll look at whatever the Council put together for us.¡±

    Kyle was a little taken aback by her casual demeanor, but did as he was asked.  There was a bit of a shuffle taking place at the large table to free up a troll-sized chair, and Kyle found himself sitting directly across from D¡¯Oillelat.  Her dark brown eyes met his for a moment, seeming to take his measure.

    ¡°Tell me, Courier, what do you know about shrikes?¡± D¡¯Oillelat asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re dangerous predators, typically travel in smaller packs, and that alphas can lead larger groups.¡±

    ¡°Not incorrect, but missing important information.¡±  She gestured to one of the goblins sitting nearby, who pulled out what looked like a flute made of stone.  D¡¯Oillelat grabbed it, holding it up for Kyle to see as she continued.  ¡°Shrikes are certainly some of our world¡¯s apex hunters, but our histories tell of a time when they used to be domesticated.  Entire classes and paths of progression were dedicated to hunting with them, training them, and raising them.  Our biologists theorized that their shared instinct may have its origins in some of the skills the Ancestors used with them.

    ¡°When our world fell into its dark age, the specifics of how we managed their domestication were lost.  This flute is one of the precious few relics that remain that give any clues.  The mana it produces when infused carries suggestions, and the rune work served as the foundation for the wards we established around Resistance territory, a suggestion that keeps them and other dangerous beasts outside.¡±

    Kyle nodded, following along so far.  The significance of the information she¡¯d casually shared confirmed the cultural significance of Er¡¯Mithren to the Verdant Republic as well.  To have records that likely dated back to their empire¡¯s fall or earlier was well beyond the expectations Kyle had coming in.  He could easily picture the Verdant Republic scribes and historians teleporting to Er¡¯Mithren the moment he finished his report, any consequences completely ignored as they learned as much as they could.

    Of course, the main implication of what D¡¯Oillelat was saying wasn¡¯t lost on Kyle either.  If the wards were as robust as she made them sound, there was something else driving the shrike activity near them.  Something, or someone.

    ¡°So, if I¡¯m hearing you correctly, you suspect that a member of the Council has discovered a similar means to at least partially influence the shrikes,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°I sincerely doubt that they have a means for real influence,¡± D¡¯Oillelat replied.  ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s unreasonable to assume they¡¯ve at least found methods to nullify the effect of my wards.¡±

    Kyle agreed with her assessment.  He had looked into Beast Tamer classes before as a possible means to help C.H.A.D.D. improve.  However, during his studies with Jarberry, he learned that most of these types of classes had pretty severe drawbacks, particularly tied to the power disparity between the Beast Tamer and the creatures they used.  Compared to paths like Ma¡¯Sai, who could seal creatures of similar or greater power, Beast Tamers felt pretty lackluster.

    To meaningfully control a pack of shrikes, much less an alpha, would probably require somebody near the apex of D Grade at least, most likely into the early stages of C Grade.  And if the Er¡¯Mithren Council had a C Grade at their disposal, there would have been no need to negotiate a peace in the first place.  He remembered the stories his grandfather told him about the Originators; how a mere 7 people brought all of Earth under their control.  Definitely not the kind of power the Council has, Kyle thought.  Besides, it didn¡¯t fit with the bait box he found.

    Kyle took the discs he recovered from the first shrike nest, and set them on the table.  ¡°My first encounter with shrikes was just outside of Prindas, where they¡¯d been left to prey upon the population for quite a while.  I found these slates, as well as a box that looked to have been used to hold bait for the creatures.¡±

    The ogre next to Kyle reached out for the discs, examining them before passing them toward D¡¯Oillelat.  Others did the same, and she looked at a goblin about halfway across the table with exasperation.  ¡°Ner¡¯has, why did you pass these down?  You know that I¡¯m going to give them right back to you so you can find out what¡¯s on them.¡±

    The goblin looked at her sheepishly.  ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty.  Everyone was passing them, and I thought you might like to see them, Your Majesty.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat put her face in her hands.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, just take the damn discs.¡±

    There was a flurry of motion as the discs were passed back along to Ner¡¯has, with many mumbled apologies and ¡°Your Majesty-s¡± thrown around.

    With that done, D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s expression grew serious once again.  ¡°There were good people in Prindas, Courier.  I take it you killed the shrikes?¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°I did.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat continued, having expected his answer.  ¡°We lost touch with a couple of agents there over a year ago, with our only remaining contacts in the city placed in the city guard.  We thought the shrike activity was strange, and your report confirms it.  You¡¯re certain they used bait?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be completely certain, but the box used enchantments I was familiar with.  One of them was designed to amplify and waft the scent from whatever was inside, and given it was at the bottom of their pile of trophies I¡¯d say the odds are good.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat nodded.  ¡°That tells us a lot, too.  On behalf of the Resistance, I do want to thank you for your contribution to this discussion and the provided context.  We still have a lot to figure out, but this was helpful.  Now, you didn¡¯t come here to talk about our shrike problems.  I believe you have some documents for me?¡±

    Kyle passed the inscribed box, which once again exchanged hands as it went to D¡¯Oillelat.  She infused some mana into it, and the box popped open, revealing a holographic set of documents that she began to review.

    Kyle¡¯s skin tingled as he felt¡­ something through Auric Perception.  It was subtle, but something had shifted slightly in the room.  Frowning, he activated Identify, and his blood ran cold.  With the box open, a new set of runic symbols had formed from the patterns on the back of the lid and the side.  Runes Kyle recognized from the teleporter he¡¯d arrived on.

    Kyle just completed his delivery, a bomb handed right to the leader of the Resistance.

 Chapter 233 + Book 1 Announcement

    Everything seemed to freeze for a moment as Kyle understood what was about to happen. Without thinking, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance moved through the chamber, connecting to each person before jumping to the next. As soon as he connected to each, he used them as a point of origin to activate Storm Shelter.

    Still, it wasn¡¯t fast enough. D¡¯Oillelat sat on the opposite end of the long table from him, preventing him from connecting to her. Furthermore, Kyle simply didn¡¯t have the time or space to fully form Storm Shelter around each person. So, he improvised. If he couldn¡¯t put together a full barrier, he could at least try and shape the half-formed structure to isolate the blast.

    He felt his mana reserves plummet as he pushed more energy into the skill, fully accepting the inefficiency of his actions. For all intents and purposes, Kyle was trying to stop Storm Shelter from fully taking shape, instead pushing the protective barrier into a one-sided wall between the bomb and the Resistance leadership. The lack of structure and interlocking plates meant that he would end up with a significantly weaker version of his skill for a ridiculous cost, but he didn¡¯t have a choice.

    A cry of alarm rose as the barrier appeared throughout the room, and D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s eyes darted to Kyle just as the runic inscriptions on the box lit up, fully charged. There was an eerie silence for a fraction of a second, and then the room was awash in light and fire. Kyle swore as he felt parts of his skill breaking apart, the hasty construction insufficient to fully contain the blast.

    A wave of heat brushed past him as the weaker barrier in front of him shattered. He focused most of his power on the center of the room, reinforcing the protection around the most vulnerable unawakened. His skin was scorched, Adaptive Regeneration and a charge of Healing Impetus regenerating layer after layer of his Enhanced Carapace. A moment later, he was left with nothing but the smell of acrid smoke and ash. He could hear loud coughing and wails of pain from around the room, and he barely registered the door behind him opening as the guards called for backup. The only think on Kyle¡¯s mind right now was saving as many as he could. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., do we have injured? Dead?¡±

    [MULTIPLE INJURIES, DR. MAYHEW, BUT NO DEATHS.] Orange lights indicated the positions of bodies strewn about the room, and Kyle moved to the closest, who he recognized as the goblin Ner¡¯has. The bespectacled goblin had severe burns across his back and chest, and a quick projection from C.H.A.D.D. showed that his windpipe and lungs had both been scorched badly. Kyle activated Healing Impetus, focusing the skill around the lungs and throat before moving on. With his mana reserves limited after his stunt, he didn¡¯t dare do more than focus on stabilization.

    He moved to a nearby ogre next, who was unconscious, though only sporting minor burns. After confirming there was no major damage to her head or neck, he moved on. Before he could get to the troll clutching their arm, however, Auric Perception warned him of a massive movement of mana from across the room.

    Kyle barely had time to raise his arms to guard as a bolt of what appeared to be black smoke slammed into him, knocking him off his feet and against a nearby wall. A creeping chill began to set into his arm where he¡¯d been hit, but he couldn¡¯t investigate further as he narrowly ducked out of the way of a second blast, a third managing to graze his thigh.

    ¡°Betrayer!¡±

    The voice was undoubtedly D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s, though it sounded deeper, warped somehow. Storm Shelter sprang up around him just in time to intercept a condensed beam of shadows aimed for his head. An odd rushing sound could be heard on the other side of his barrier, and a moment later the beam was replaced by a pitch-black greatsword that crashed into it with incredible force.

    Looking beyond the blade of swirling shadow, Kyle got his first look at D¡¯Oillelat. If it weren¡¯t for the similar mana signature that she gave off, Kyle hardly would have recognized her. She¡¯d been badly burned, having been at the weakest part of his barrier, but the wounds were visibly closing before his eyes. Swirling shadows and smoke shrouded her body like armor, and her flame-red hair could barely be seen beneath the roiling darkness surrounding her head.

    The starker differences, however, were present with her physical form. Large horns emerged from each side of her skull above her sharply pointed ears, pointing forward directly toward him. Her body had grown nearly a meter, with musculature that wouldn¡¯t be out of place on an ogre. Tusks jutted out on her lower jaw, and Kyle could see fingers tipped with claws on the hand not holding the greatsword.

    ¡°Face me, you coward! Answer for what you¡¯ve done!¡± Her voice was thunder, a roar that shook the room nearly as much as the explosion had. She took 3 more swipes at Storm Shelter with her blade, then made a gesture with her free hand. Synaptic Barbs warned him as smoke appeared and coalesced inside the barrier, deadly lances aiming to pierce him from behind.

    Stepping to the side, Kyle shouted back. ¡°This wasn¡¯t me! I had no idea. Just think for a minute! Why would I stay in the room if I knew? Why would I have tried to save your people?¡±

    Her face looked conflicted for a moment, before the look of rage appeared again. With a wordless roar, D¡¯Oillelat redoubled her efforts, slashing against Storm Shelter while she materialized lances within the barrier.

    ¡°Calm down and listen! Kyle shouted, a note of desperation in his voice. Storm Shelter wouldn¡¯t stay up for much longer, and if Identify was anything to go by, D¡¯Oillelat was only growing more powerful by the minute. Whatever boosting skill she used seemed to ramp everything, much like Ignition. Added to her already impressive attribute pool, Kyle knew he was likely outclassed.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Even though he had confidence in his ability to escape, it wouldn¡¯t be an easy trip. Kyle cast a quick look around the room, seeing the Resistance leaders, injured and not, all unmoving and unconscious. Even the D Grade guards seemed to be having a hard time, almost looking shackled by the shadows and smoke swirling around the room. What¡¯s going on? Kyle thought. At this rate, there was a strong chance that the injured would succumb to their wounds from lack of care.

    Just then, D¡¯Oillelat released another feral scream, grabbing her weapon in both hands and leveling the point at Kyle. He felt mana begin to gather, and knew that this was going to be a big attack.

    Kyle sighed, activating Ignition as power filled his limbs. In a fluid instant, he deactivated Storm Shelter, dropping below the tip of the blade and closing the distance between himself and the raging queen. She tried to pivot and react, but she was too slow. Kyle launched a high-speed palm strike into her stomach, and immediately activated Repel.

    D¡¯Oillelat was blasted across the room, slamming into the opposite wall hard enough to crack the sturdy material. Kyle¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t done yet, however. The moment he made contact, he attached a tendril of Parasitic Resonance, invading her mana network.

    Among all of Kyle¡¯s opponents, D¡¯Oillelat may have possessed the highest Willpower so far. It felt as though his skill was moving through thick clay instead of water, and Kyle instinctively knew that he¡¯d be hard-pressed to cause lethal damage against her defenses. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t his goal. He felt the mana flowing through her, seeming to emanate alongside her very heartbeat. With a surge of Willpower, he shifted the boosting skill into a different rhythm, disrupting the flow of the skill.

    The results were near-instantaneous. The horns and claws began to recede as D¡¯Oillelat began to shrink, though her shroud of shadow persisted. Most importantly, however, the suppressive effect against her people began to lessen. Kyle could see them stirring, the guards instantly rushing to her side as medics began to enter the room.

    Weapons were leveled at Kyle, and Auric Perception warned him of a handful of Mages concentrating energy as well. With a stabilizing breath, Kyle stood calmly. He still had some tricks up his sleeve if he needed to escape, and he thought this was a situation he could salvage. With her boosting skill deactivated, Kyle saw a noticeable lucidity enter D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s eyes, and he hoped beyond hope that they could find a way to talk things through.

    His hopes wavered as her gaze sharpened, raising the greatsword in a 2 handed stance. ¡°Your excuses mean very little to me, Courier. My people are injured, dying because of the weapon you brought into my halls.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only reason your people are still alive,¡± Kyle interjected, meeting her eyes without flinching. ¡°Believe me, I don¡¯t take being used lightly, and the Council will have a reckoning to face when I pass their misdeeds along to the Verdant Republic.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat snorted, though Kyle noticed her tighten her grip on the weapon. ¡°Bold of you to assume that you¡¯ll be leaving this room at all, Courier.¡±

    ¡°I protected your people, I fought and bled alongside some of your most decorated soldiers, and I was treating your injured before you attacked me. I¡¯m not claiming to be your ally, but it should be pretty damn clear that I¡¯m not your enemy.¡±

    By now, Storm Shelter was ready for use, and Ignition had gone a long way toward replenishing his dwindling mana reserves. If D¡¯Oillelat chose to fight, Kyle was as well-positioned as he could be. Several of the guards bristled at his casual address, but their attention was focused on their queen. The tension in the room was thick, and just as he saw her muscles tighten for an attack a loud voice cried out.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Praise the Ancestors, you¡¯re alright!¡± Drokh pushed past some guards, walking up to a surprised D¡¯Oillelat. ¡°I¡¯d heard there was an explosion, and got here as quickly as I could.¡±

    She looked at the towering ogre, lowering her blade, just a bit. ¡°What are you doing here, Drokh? You¡¯re supposed to be in recovery from your surgery!¡±

    ¡°I pledged my life to protecting you, Your Majesty. I couldn¡¯t stay in a hospital bed after I heard the news.¡±

    With that, he turned to Kyle. ¡°Courier, do you have an explanation?¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat, seeming to just remember Kyle was standing there, raised her sword once more as she refocused on the Survivalist. ¡°He brought a bomb into these chambers, and nearly killed everybody present.¡±

    Drokh raised an eyebrow to Kyle. ¡°Is this true?¡±

    Kyle nodded. ¡°The document box was trapped. A formation inside a formation, only activated once it had been opened. I acted as quickly as I could when I saw it, but wasn¡¯t fast enough to fully form a barrier. The best I was able to do was confirm that there weren¡¯t any casualties directly after the blast.¡±

    ¡°Lies!¡± D¡¯Oillelat hissed. ¡°You¡¯re no simple courier, that is plain as day.¡±

    Drokh looked at the goblin queen, then to Kyle. ¡°He¡¯s certainly not simple, Your Majesty. But if his goals were to harm the Resistance, to weaken your leadership, he had plenty of opportunities to ensure that neither Ver¡¯ah, Hanastrel, or I survived. As you know, he¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m still alive today.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat looked conflicted, her hands tightening around the greatsword¡¯s hilt. Finally, she let out a breath. ¡°Damn it all. Everybody, out. Except you, Courier.¡±

    The guards began to protest, though she silenced them with a glance. Slowly, the destroyed conference room was vacated, leaving Drokh, D¡¯Oillelat, and Kyle. She looked at the ogre. ¡°You were included in that, you know. Go. Heal. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I ¨C¡° Drokh began, before D¡¯Oillelat cut him off. ¡°I know, you¡¯re worried. I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll keep my temper in check. I¡¯m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I¡¯ll hear him out. But you being here injured won¡¯t help with any of that. So go and get better.¡±

    Drokh looked about to argue further, but finally gave a curt nod. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat watched him as he left the room, then turned her attention fully to Kyle. ¡°Why do you think I sent them away, Courier?¡±

    ¡°You know, I was just wondering the same thing,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Because I think we can speak honestly. I think we can broach some topics they would be upset with. But mostly because, if I decide that you were involved, they would get in the way. Your attack earlier confirmed that your power is a cut above my guards, Drokh included. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a cut above me. Understood?¡±

    Kyle nodded, deactivating Ignition as she lowered her sword. ¡°Understood. Now, do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?¡±

 Chapter 234

    D¡¯Oillelat kept Kyle¡¯s eyes for a moment before turning to pace about the room.  ¡°First things first, what do you know of Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s history, Courier?¡±

    ¡°Not much, beyond that your civilization has ancient roots, even by universal standards.  And that there was a civil war not too long ago, in which your father was deposed and the Council stepped into power.¡±

    She nodded as she paced.  ¡°That¡¯s as a good a foundation as any,¡± she said.  ¡°And from the outside, I suppose that¡¯s as much as you¡¯d need to know.  There was a power struggle, my father lost, and now I¡¯m desperately clinging on to the remnants of power.  Does that sound about right?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have necessarily put it in those words, but close enough,¡± Kyle replied, deciding that honesty was the best path.

    ¡°Let me ask you, Courier.  How do you think monarchies come into being?  What do you think makes them sustainable?¡±

    Kyle was about to respond, then paused.  On Earth, most monarchies had stopped acting as a form of governance long before the planet¡¯s awakening.  The Alabaster Court and Archdrake Supremacy were the closest that Kyle was aware of inside Collective space, though they were each a far cry from true monarchy.

    After some thought, he replied.  ¡°I¡¯d like to say that caring for one¡¯s subjects is the key, but there will always be groups of people that disagree with the actions a leader takes.  With that in mind, I suppose that it has to come down to power.  If there are unique opportunities, heritages, or resources available, it isn¡¯t too much of a stretch to think that royalty could consistently remain among the strongest on the planet.¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat looked at him, a sad smile.  ¡°You¡¯re not far off.  Power is a component, certainly.  If my father was stronger, much stronger, he never would have been deposed.  Leadership is much simpler when you¡¯re powerful enough to stop all dissent, after all.¡±

    Leadership, or tyranny? Kyle thought.  Kyle knew where he stood on the issue, but decided that sharing that particular sentiment would be unwise.

    ¡°It¡¯s ironic,¡± D¡¯Oillelat said.  ¡°My great-great grandmother was the first to really see the erosion of her authority, understood that things were going to have to change.  She started to make preparations for a slow transition of power, which her son and her son¡¯s son continued.  It was supposed to end with my father, a fate that he railed against as much as he could.  Still, he might have seen the error of his ways.  Then I came along.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.  It almost sounds like you blame yourself for everything that happened.  How do you play into this?¡± Kyle said.

    She stopped pacing, facing Kyle squarely with her hands on her hips.  ¡°It has everything to do with me. Tell me, Courier.  What am I?¡±

    ¡°The Queen of the Resistance?¡± Kyle offered.

    She waved a hand at him, a hint of exasperation in her voice.  ¡°Not that!  Well, sort of that.  I mean, what species am I?¡±

    Kyle shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure.  Probably a troll, with body enhancement spells?¡±

    ¡°Wrong.¡±

    ¡°Fine then, a really tall goblin?¡±

    ¡°Try again.¡±

    ¡°A really short ogre?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    She had a wry smile on her face now, arms crossed.  Kyle sighed.  ¡°Alright, I give up.  What are you?¡±

    ¡°The Queen of the Resistance,¡± she said in a mocking tone.

    Kyle gave her a flat look, and she let out a chuckle.  ¡°Sorry, I was having too much fun there.  Do you have any idea how annoying it can get when everybody around you treats you like royalty?¡±

    Kyle shook his head.  ¡°Not a problem I¡¯ve ever run into.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s not all it¡¯s cracked up to be.  Back to the matter at hand.  I¡¯m a high goblin.  The first in a very, very long time.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a high goblin?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Just what it sounds like; a goblin that¡¯s elevated above others.  I¡¯m a variant that has aspects of all the goblinoid races.  My body regenerates like a troll, my bones and muscles are as strong as an ogre, and my mind and eyes are as sharp as a goblin.¡±

    Kyle pondered this for a moment, then shook his head slowly.  ¡°That¡¯s impressive, but that¡¯s not enough to maintain a monarchy for millennia.  There has to be something more.¡±

    She stopped pacing and grinned.  ¡°It¡¯s nice to see that you¡¯re getting it.  You¡¯re exactly right.  On its passive merits, the high goblin species is powerful, but not overly so.  None of us really understood the potential, until I crossed into D Grade.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, the room appeared to darken, the shadows around her deepening.  ¡°My evolution gave me a new skill, a domain ability.  Sentient creatures of all types are suppressed in my presence.  Their attacks against me lose power, their ability to block my attacks gets reduced, and when my boosting skill is active, some can¡¯t move at all.  Well, with one newfound exception.¡±

    He raised his eyebrows, activating Identify in an attempt to understand the concepts at play.  There was definitely mana suffusing the room, feeling like an extension of D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s own.  Beyond that, however, he had a hard time piecing together what was going on.  As far as he could tell, the mana didn¡¯t carry any direct intent or direction.  It simply lingered in the air.  Of course, if I¡¯m not the target¡­Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I take it I¡¯m the exception you mentioned?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°You are,¡± she confirmed.

    ¡°Nobody you¡¯ve met could resist the suppression?  Ever?¡±  Kyle pressed.

    ¡°Not until about 15 minutes ago, no.¡±

    Kyle paused for a moment, considering.

    ¡°Wait, does it work on the shrikes, too?¡±

    She gave him a knowing look.  ¡°To a lesser extent, yes.¡±

    Kyle had to admit, he was interested.  He¡¯d never heard of a species getting their own active skills beyond whatever passive attributes they had normally.  Her simple existence challenged much of what he knew to be true.

    ¡°And this power you have is what caused your father to change course?¡± Kyle asked, deciding to shelve his curiosity for the specifics to get back to the matter at hand.

    She nodded.  ¡°Correct.  The domain was much weaker back then, but father saw the potential.  If he could harness my power, he wouldn¡¯t have to abdicate.  He wouldn¡¯t have to watch as his way of life, his privileges, eroded away.  He could be the king he always wanted to be.¡±

    There was a turmoil in her voice that Kyle caught; a mix of longing, anger, and grief.  He gave her a moment, then asked, gently, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I stopped being his daughter, and became a means to an end.  The fuel for his dream.  My life turned into a non-stop battery of test after test after test.  Looking back, I think it was around then that I lost him.  He was consumed by his visions of grandeur, the ¡®restoration of an age¡¯ as he called it.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± Kyle asked.  ¡°All due respect, you¡¯re clearly powerful, but you¡¯re one person.  That¡¯s hardly enough to build an empire.¡±

    ¡°My father was power-obsessed, not an idiot,¡± she said.  ¡°He understood this, of course.  His goal was to try to find a means to isolate the genetic component of my domain skill.  If he could, he thought that he would be able to pass it along to his supporters, to his most trusted advisors.  At least, that¡¯s what he said he was going to do.¡±

    She sighed, turning away from Kyle as she resumed pacing.  ¡°If that was ever his intent, he never got that far.  He set up a testing facility on the far end of the planet, where he was experimenting with my blood.  He got it wrong.

    ¡°People noticed that some of his vocal critics disappeared, smaller ones first, followed by some of his strongest opposition.  He never seemed bothered by the rising unrest, telling me that it would all be okay, that there was nothing to worry about.  And then the facility had its breach.

    ¡°It turned out, his experiments never succeeded in replicating my domain skill.  Instead, they found a method to warp goblinoids, turning them into incredibly powerful abominations.  They stayed controlled, contained.  Until they weren¡¯t.  Dozens of juggernauts broke out of the facility, now called Railen¡¯s Folly, and massacred the citizenry.¡±

    Kyle took in a sharp breath.  He expected the triggering event for the civil war would be bad.  This was worse.

    D¡¯Oillelat continued.  ¡°The final straw came when one of his opponents who had gone missing reappeared, having managed to escape the facility during the breach.  He decried the atrocities my father committed, and demanded my father¡¯s death.  He became the rallying force behind the coup.

    ¡°I think it was at this point that my father realized how much power his ancestors had given up.  He didn¡¯t have the loyalty or systematic authority to put up a real fight.  So, he said his goodbyes to us and turned himself in to the rebels, where he was summarily tried and executed for his crimes.¡±

    Kyle frowned.  ¡°Wait, he turned himself in?  I thought that this was a bloody conflict?¡±

    ¡°If you stop interrupting, I¡¯ll get to that part,¡± D¡¯Oillelat admonished.  ¡°As I was saying, father was executed.  The problem remained, however, that the new leader of this Council knew about me, knew about the secret of my domain skill.  He suffered under the hands of people loyal to my father, people who had no problems committing atrocities in his name.  No, for him, my father¡¯s death wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°Just days after the execution and promise for a peaceful transition, they struck.  Anybody who was loyal to my father, anybody who voiced support, anybody who was simply satisfied with the status quo, was rounded up.  I had a group of soldiers burst into my room, and I was taken, too.  I didn¡¯t resist, thinking that we would be facing arrest or exile.  That made sense to me.

    ¡°Instead, an order was given for our execution.  All of us.  Drokh was the captain who had detained me.  I don¡¯t know what he saw in that moment, while I awaited my fate, but he decided he wouldn¡¯t follow through.  Some were like him and disobeyed orders.  Others followed theirs.  When it was all said and done, the decision for the mass executions also pushed enough people away to plant the seeds of the Resistance.¡±

    Kyle let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding.  The hero worship that seemed to surround Drokh made a lot more sense, given what D¡¯Oillelat shared.

    If she noticed his tension, she didn¡¯t mention it, instead continuing her tale.  ¡°There were sympathizers, people loyal to my father out in the plains and hills.  The shrike population was always denser out here, but we were able to get a foothold.  Slowly, we¡¯ve been able to get a better foundation, even though more refugees and exiles seem to be sent to us every week.  We don¡¯t have the resources for everybody, and the Council knows it.  I also couldn¡¯t see a world where they¡¯d let me live, which is why there¡¯s been no meaningful attempt to negotiate peace before this.¡±

    ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°What better chance do I have than an off-worlder representing an alien conglomerate powerful enough to destroy our whole planet?¡± She countered.  ¡°Besides, if Drokh detected any traps, he would have executed you long before you got this far.¡±

    Kyle felt a weary smile cross his face.  ¡°They all may have mentioned that a time or two.  So, with everything that¡¯s transpired, what do you want to do from here?¡±

    A faraway look entered D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s eyes, a moment of pause before she spoke.  ¡°I don¡¯t have much choice but to trust you, one way or another.  Tell me, how do you think your employers would respond to what¡¯s happened so far, what you¡¯ve learned?¡±

    Kyle considered for a moment.  The existence of a high goblin and the cultural significance of D¡¯Oillelat¡¯s existence would be groundbreaking to the Verdant Republic, and the betrayal from the Council would not be well-received.  At the same time, her father¡¯s crimes left plenty of room to argue for the legitimacy of the current government.  If there¡¯s one thing he knew about the Verdant Republic, it was that they loved their procedures.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.  I know that they wouldn¡¯t be pleased with the attempt on your life, or using me as an intermediary to deliver an explosive device.  I¡¯m also confident that they could negotiate a peaceful transition of power, but I¡¯m not entirely sure what that process would look like or how long it would take.¡±

    She met his eyes, resolve clear in her gaze.  ¡°Do you believe that they would work to ensure the well-being of my people?¡±

    Kyle nodded, no hesitation this time.  ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°Then it seems like you have a report to make.¡±

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°It seems I do.  Will you be alright?¡±

    D¡¯Oillelat scoffed.  ¡°Please, I¡¯m more than fine.  We¡¯ll hold on, as we have.  Just be careful, Kyle. I¡¯m not sure how the Council will react to your return, one way or another.¡±

    It was Kyle¡¯s turn to smile, as an ember of anger burned in his chest.  ¡°All due respect to the Council, I don¡¯t particularly care how they react.  They¡¯ll be in for a lot worse if they try to keep me here.  As far as I¡¯m concerned, the job they hired me for is done.¡±

 Chapter 235

    ¡°Any reports?¡±

    The question echoed through the Council chambers for what felt like the hundredth time, the raspy voice grating on Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s nerves. Still, it was his job to remain professional. ¡°No reports yet. All we know is that the package was successfully delivered to the heart of the Resistance, and that it detonated.¡±

    ¡°And we still have nothing from our agents?¡± the aged troll asked, again.

    ¡°That is correct. Given the potential destruction, that is well-within our expectations. We just need to be patient,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.

    His words were true. The Er¡¯Mithren Council assembled as soon as they had confirmation that their device had activated. It would take time for the damage to be fully assessed, and even more for their agents in the Resistance to pass along the details of the fallout. To have information at this early juncture would be abnormal, something Pall¡¯Eth knew the Council was aware of.

    Of course, he also understood the reason they were on edge. What happened to the Courier? Kyle Mayhew was an unknown factor; an existence they couldn¡¯t completely account for. If he played his role as expected, they wouldn¡¯t have any issues.

    The way the Council figured it, there were 3 primary outcomes. The first, and most attractive, was that the explosion would kill both D¡¯Oillelat and the Courier. The Council would report to their contact at the Verdant Republic that the deposed royal attempted to kill Mayhew, and died in the attempt. The Council would get to control the narrative all the way through.

    The second and third outcomes were similar: either the blast failing to kill D¡¯Oillelat, or failing to kill both. In either event, they could still move forward with the same plan, though the goblin queen¡¯s survival would make things a bit murkier. Fortunately, some long-range bombardment with the assistance of the Verdant Republic would clean that up. If the blast failed to kill the Courier, the Council was convinced that D¡¯Oillelat or her retainers would see him executed. She was known to have quite a temper, and with her suppressive abilities it was widely accepted that she was nigh-unbeatable in single combat.

    Still, a fourth possibility nagged at the back of Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s mind. The Council was convinced that if D¡¯Oillelat survived, or most of her generals did, that Mayhew¡¯s death was a foregone conclusion. After all, he was hired as a glorified delivery boy. What if the Council underestimated him? Pall¡¯Eth didn¡¯t have anything firm upon which to base his fear. There was no evidence indicating Mayhew had a high-class backing or secret heritage he could leverage.

    Still, Pall¡¯Eth remembered his gut feeling when he first saw the Courier. He remembered the first dossier he read referring to the man as the ¡°Onyx Warrior.¡± Something inside him screamed that Kyle Mayhew was more than the Council believed him to be. And if that was the case, he would need to plan for a scenario where the Courier returned to Er¡¯Mithren. With or without the Council¡¯s blessing.

    ~~~

    Kyle took in a breath of fresh air as he exited the underground city of Railen¡¯s Hope. Both the city below and the settlement above were placed in a lockdown after the explosion, but a few elites were with Kyle, including the hulking figure of Drokh.

    ¡°Mayhew, stay and think this through.¡± Drokh¡¯s voice carried a note of concern. ¡°Haste can be dangerous.¡±

    Kyle looked at Drokh, and gave a confident smile. ¡°I can handle it, Drokh. This is an opportunity to put them on the back foot, at least for a bit. As long as you¡¯re able to hold out, I¡¯ll be back with help.¡±

    The ogre looked like he wanted to protest further, but instead took a deep breath before sighing. ¡°Then I wish you safe travels.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who will have danger to look out for,¡± Kyle replied, a smile working its way onto his face. ¡°Good luck with everything. And try not to overdo it until you¡¯re used to the new leg.¡±

    Drokh nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, doctor.¡±

    Kyle returned the nod, then turned and took off at a brisk run out of the settlement. Even without using Ignition, his travel speed was respectable. Once outside the settlement proper, he activated his boosting skill, feeling power surge through his body as he accelerated to his maximum sustainable pace. The entire journey to the Resistance Headquarters had been taken at a somewhat leisurely pace, one he had no intention of repeating on the road back to Er¡¯Mithren.

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU WELL? YOUR HEART RATE APPEARS TO BE MODESTLY ELEVATED, AND YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS HIGHER THAN I WOULD EXPECT.]

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle growled, his feet unconsciously avoiding debris in the road, courtesy of Covert Dexterity.

    [DO YOU FIND THIS LEVEL OF EXERTION TO BE PARTICULARLY TAXING?]

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    [THEN I CAN ONLY ASSUME YOUR REACTION TO BE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE.]

    Kyle let out a breath, pushing back some of his annoyance. He knew the drone meant well. He knew the drone was right.  ¡°They tried to use me as a weapon, C.H.A.D.D. I thought they might try to stir up something between me and D¡¯Oillelat, but I never expected that they would go so far as to put that many civilians at risk. Can you imagine what would have happened if we weren¡¯t in the room? Or if it was opened in an area with more unawakened?¡±

    [WHILE I DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF IMAGINATION, I CAN AGREE THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.]

    ¡°What if I didn¡¯t have Storm Shelter? Hell, what if I hadn¡¯t been working on shaping it the way I have? That blast could have killed everybody else in the room.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    [I BELIEVE D¡¯OILLELAT WOULD HAVE SURVIVED.]

    ¡°Right. But that¡¯s not the point, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    [MY CONCERN, DR. MAYHEW, IS THAT YOU ARE EMOTIONALLY ELEVATED. WHILE I DO NOT QUESTION YOUR REASONING TO FEEL AS YOU DO, I AM ASKING YOU TO REFLECT ON YOUR CURRENT DECISION-MAKING. DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE IT WISE TO JOURNEY STRAIGHT BACK TO ER¡¯MITHREN?]

    Kyle considered the C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s words for a moment. He was angry, no doubt about it. The Er¡¯Mithren Council reminded him strongly of the Central Authority back on Earth, which had been a consistent sore spot for him. The whole notion of sacrificing the few for the sake of the many made him bristle. Still, he didn¡¯t think that his anger made the decision any less correct.

    The box had given the Council a means to track his general location, and with it destroyed they would have no way to track his progress. Even if Kyle assumed they had intelligence assets at Railen¡¯s Hope, he didn¡¯t expect that they would be able to get word of his survival back to the Council soon. And given he still hadn¡¯t shown his real travel speed, it was unlikely they¡¯d understand how quickly he could return.

    ¡°I honestly think that this is the best play we have. If we can get back before they get their bearings, we might be able to teleport back before they¡¯ve really grasped what all transpired. With any luck, they might even be happy to see us go and consider it all done. I for one won¡¯t be telling them that D¡¯Oillelat survived. Once we¡¯ve reported to the Verdant Republic, they¡¯ll know how to better inform the next steps. I¡¯ve already sent Suierrillax a brief recap, though I expect it¡¯ll be a little while before she receives it.¡±

    The drone was silent for a moment, and Kyle took the quiet to look at the horizon, where he could see the rapidly-approaching silhouette of Varleez. He veered slightly to the west, not wanting to cause a stir. The journey that took him 2 days with Drokh, Ver¡¯ah, and Hanastrel was done in a little over half the day, and he expected he could make it all the way out of Resistance territory by nightfall. He¡¯d take a short rest at one of the small camps he made in the plains, then continue toward the forest before dawn. He expected the entirety of the trip to only take him a few days.

    [DO YOU MIND IF I DRAW SOME MANA TO WORK ON MY FORMATIONS?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, just don¡¯t draw too much. What type of formation are you building now?¡±

    [I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON A SPEED FORM USING THE STRANGLEVINES AS A BASE.]

    Kyle was glad for the distraction, and the duo discussed different applications that C.H.A.D.D. could use. The drone was still most intrigued by the information gathered from the large sundew plant they encountered, but it was too complex relative to the somewhat simple formations C.H.A.D.D. designed so far.

    ¡°Explain again; how exactly do you store the information inside the seed?¡± Kyle asked, still confused about how C.H.A.D.D. used the essences it consumed.

    [THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE THE WORLD TREE SEED IS AS A DATABASE OF INFORMATION. AT LEAST, THAT IS THE WAY I INTERFACE WITH IT. EVERY TIME WE DRAW INFORMATION FROM COMPATIBLE PLANT LIFE, IT FILLS IN A DATABASE ENTRY. THE ESSENCES I ARCHIVED BEFOREHAND OPERATE SIMILARLY ¨C AN INSTINCTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELEVANT FLORA. OF COURSE, I HAVE COMBINED MUCH OF THIS INTO THE WORLD TREE SEED ALREADY.]

    ¡°And you just draw on this information as-needed?¡± Kyle asked.

    [TO AN EXTENT. MUCH OF THE MOST RELEVANT INFORMATION IS KEPT IN THE FOREFRONT. I AM DESIGNED TO EFFICIENTLY PROCESS INFORMATION, AFTER ALL.]

    This was far from their first discussion around the topic, but it was good to revisit for Kyle. Particularly after seeing the prosthetic designed for Drokh, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but wonder if C.H.A.D.D. would one day be able to grow its own perfectly designed hardware, at least at some point. Just something else I¡¯ll have to ask Marcus Kulhavey when I visit, Kyle thought.

    As the light of day was beginning to fade, they spotted the long wall marking the edge of Resistance territory in the distance.

    [HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CONVINCE RA¡¯ZEL TO OPEN THE GATE?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Kyle replied, pouring more power into Ignition as he sprinted toward the wall. He could make out a couple of startled figures atop as he closed the distance; a streaking comet glowing red on his approach.

    [DR. MAYHEW, AT THIS RATE YOU ARE GOING TO HIT THE -]

    At the last moment, Kyle activated Repel from his legs, leaving deep impressions in the ground as he was launched skyward by the backlash from the skill. Twisting in the air to gain his bearings, he used another blast to gain even more altitude, followed by a series of blasts behind him. The resulting shockwaves pushed him a dozen meters above the wall, and nearly 30 meters beyond it on the other side. He cast Repel one more time to slow his falling momentum, landed in a hard roll, and then continued his run onward.

    [THAT WAS RECKLESS, DR. MAYHEW.] the drone admonished.

    ¡°That was fun, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle replied with a bark of laughter. ¡°Now, can you guide me back to our closest camp?¡±

    Without a word, an orange map appeared in the corner of Kyle¡¯s vision, projected by the drone.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The camp was largely as Kyle remembered it, a rock outcropping between a couple of hills. He rested only a few hours, before they continued onward.

    [WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SCAN FOR SHRIKES?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°No, not right now,¡± Kyle said. ¡°We¡¯ll have time to hunt some more when we return with the Verdant Republic, but I want to stay focused for now.¡±

    [DOES THAT MEAN YOU ARE NOT PLANNING TO STOP ON OUR WAY FOR MORE STRANGLEVINE SAMPLES?]

    ¡°Not right now, no. We¡¯ll have a chance to come back with the Verdant Republic, and we¡¯ll do it all.¡±

    [I AM NOT SURE IF I BELIEVE YOU, DR. MAYHEW. AFTER ALL, YOU SAID WE COULD STOP FOR SOME ON THE WAY BACK TO ER¡¯MITHREN.]

    The duo bickered on and off, until seeing the entrance to the forest on the dawn of the third day. Kyle could feel the anticipation of his return building, and with Ignition blazing, he followed the path they¡¯d traveled when circumventing Jell¡¯Or.

    Compared to the relative openness of the plains, the forest felt suffocating. Deep shadows blocked the sunlight above, the stagnant air carrying a hint of decay. Even though his Synaptic Barbs didn¡¯t feel anything specific, Kyle knew something was off. ¡°C.H.A.D.D., are you detecting anything?¡±

    [NO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle frowned. Neither Auric Perception nor Synaptic Barbs detected anything either, so he continued on. The sense of unease only grew, until he could see the outer wall of Jell¡¯Or. His eyes widened as he took in the view, at the same time C.H.A.D.D. spoke.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I BELIEVE THOSE ARE -]

    ¡°I see them, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle whispered, coming to a stop. There, along the walls of Jell¡¯Or, were hundreds, if not thousands of stranglevine pods. A cold realization washed over him, as he thought about their run through the forest so far. There was truly nothing noteworthy that either he or C.H.A.D.D. detected, because there was nothing in the forest. No birds, no insects, no travelers.

    They stared at the wall for a moment in the stillness of the forest, not a sound to be heard from the once bustling city. Could this have been the Council? Kyle wondered. Can they control the stranglevines, like they do the shrikes?

    [SHOULD WE INVESTIGATE?]

    Kyle nodded, moving cautiously toward the wall. Taking care to stay a good distance from the gently swaying vines, he used Identify. The pods seemed to be fuller, thicker than the ones he¡¯d seen nearer the canopy.

    ¡°If I connect to one, do you think you could determine what brought them so far down?¡±

    [I CAN ATTEMPT IT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    There was no flippancy in the drone¡¯s words, and Kyle carefully extended a tendril of Parasitic Resonance to the nearest vine. He watched it begin to wither as he drained its mana and attacked its internal structure, but just before it died, it did something strange. The entire pod shuddered for a moment, then exploded. For a moment, there was nothing.

    Then, the forest around them came alive, and darkness descended.

 Chapter 236

    What little light broke through the forest¡¯s canopy faded as hundreds of thousands of dark tendrils descended like rain.  All of the clumped stranglevines on the walls and ground immediately lurched in Kyle and C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s direction, the lashing vines serving to pull the detached pods from their resting locations.  In mere moments, Kyle found himself assailed on all sides.

    Without hesitation, Ignition bloomed to life once more as tendrils of Parasitic Resonance extended out from him, connecting to as many vines as possible as he ripped the mana from dozens in the blink of an eye.  Still, it was far from enough.  Individual vines snuck through, wrapping around his ankles, calves, and torso.  Releasing a charge of Repel in an omnidirectional burst, Kyle managed to get released, just in time to narrowly avoid having a stranglevine pod drop directly on his head.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what are these things?  What¡¯s going on?¡± Kyle cried out in a mix of shock and bewilderment as he tried to get his footing back.  The darkness intensified by the moment as the ground was covered by more and more of the stranglevine pods.  The sickly-sweet smell of decay grew stronger with each pod that fell.  Synaptic Barbs warned him of incoming attacks from every direction, and he was forced to release another blast of Repel to avoid being swarmed.

    [THEY ARE STRANGLEVINES, DR. MAYHEW.  I AM UNSURE WHAT¡¯S CAUSING THEIR BEHAVIOR, BUT -]

    The drone cut off as Kyle felt a presence wash over the area.  An unmistakable C Grade power fell over him, and his blood ran cold when he realized what they were facing.  It¡¯s the shadow we saw from the treetops.  This is the Scourge Drokh mentioned.  The stranglevines are part of it somehow.

    Kyle¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as his right leg was abruptly pulled backwards, one of the vines managing to reach him after the shockwave from Repel wore off.  Swearing, Kyle pulled with all his strength, ripping the vine from its pod as he dashed away from the deathtrap that was Jell¡¯Or.  A low din of groaning wood and snapping branches could be heard as the shadows deepened.  The Scourge was descending.

    [DR. MAYHEW, DUCK.]

    Kyle heard a telltale click from the pack as soon as the drone finished speaking, and he responded on instinct, not stopping his forward momentum.  A wave of mana left his body, and a lattice of bamboo erupted from the pack, interposing itself between Kyle and the stranglevines.  Thousands upon thousands of dark vines lashed at the sturdy material, splintering it as it was pulled away.  Even then, the framework obstructed other vines from reaching the duo, buying them precious moments.  Moments Kyle intended to use.

    He fixed his eyes on the nearby road, and gritted his teeth as he activated yet another Repel, focused on the back of both of his shoulders as he leaned forward.  He was rocketed toward his escape route, barely able to keep his feet underneath him as he tried to take full advantage of his momentum.  If I can just get out of its domain, we can still survive this.

    Vines shot down to obstruct the path ahead, and Kyle met the barrier with the mana blade from his buckler already formed.  Parasitic Resonance withered dozens of the vines while the blade worked through the others, but the deluge was constant.  What¡¯s more, the vines that Kyle ripped free were still trailing behind him, giving other stranglevines something to grab on to.

    Each step forward came slower than the last, and Kyle¡¯s flash of hope was beginning to get replaced with despair.  He was confident Storm Shelter could hold against the assault, at least for a while, but he could ill afford giving the creature time to finish its descent.  Already the vines assaulting him were thicker, stronger than the ones he faced at first.  If the heart of the Scourge surrounded them, they were dead.

    [DUCK, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle obliged again, another lattice of bamboo offering a moment of protection.

    ¡°Is there anything else we can do?¡± Kyle yelled.  ¡°Anything at all from what you¡¯ve learned about these things?¡±

    [I AM WORKING ON A PLAN, ALTHOUGH I WILL NEED SOME MORE TIME.]

    ¡°How much time?¡±

    [AT LEAST 30 SECONDS.  AND I HAVE NO GUARANTEES THAT IT WILL WORK.  IT WILL ALSO DRAIN NEARLY A THIRD OF THE POWER STORED IN THE SEED.]

    Kyle inhaled sharply at the last part.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s help and supervision, Kyle had infused a significant amount of mana into the World Tree Seed via Parasitic Resonance.  The skill¡¯s rarely used ramping effect had been slowly wearing away at the seed¡¯s absurd resilience, and though Kyle was making progress, it was still far from easy to manipulate.  To use that much energy at once¡­

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Is there another way for us to get out?¡± Kyle asked, slashing through more oncoming vines as several others managed to wrap around his left arm.  He used Repel again, buying time to slip out and shake off some of the trailing pieces.  The trees around him groaned, large limbs snapping and falling around him as the bulk of this¡­ creature continued its descent toward the forest floor.

    In response, C.H.A.D.D. brought up a scan of the area.  More dense clusters of stranglevines were appearing every moment.  [IT IS NOT LOOKING PROMISING, DR. MAYHEW.  WE NEED TO CREATE A GAP, AND CREATE DISTANCE.]

    Kyle nodded.  ¡°Then do what you need to do.  Should I keep running, or use Storm Shelter?¡±

    The drone considered for a moment.  [GET AS FAR AS YOU CAN, THEN USE YOUR SKILL.]

    Without a word, he pressed forward.  Kyle focused on the tendrils of Parasitic Resonance, pushing to draw out even more.  Each one was more difficult to form than the last, but he¡¯d been training.  Soon, over 45 tendrils were snaking around him, withering stranglevines as fast as he could as the continued to run.  Even so, it wasn¡¯t enough.  Hundreds upon hundreds of vines launched at him every second, and he was losing ground once more, even with the help of Repel.  With his mana reserves dwindling, Kyle let out a defiant scream as Storm Shelter sprang to life, rebuffing the rain of vines slamming into it like hail.

    ¡°Will your plan still work if I borrow some mana from the seed as well?¡± Kyle asked above the sound of impacts on his barrier.

    [IT SHOULD, ASSUMING YOU¡¯RE NOT LOOKING TO MANIPULATE THE SEED.]

    ¡°Just looking to try and replenish my reserves and get a boost.  I think we¡¯ll need every edge we can get.¡±

    The area around Storm Shelter had visibly darkened in the brief seconds they¡¯d been talking, and Kyle could feel the source of the C Grade mana getting closer.  The Scourge wasn¡¯t a singular organism, like the other C Grades Kyle encountered, rather giving him the impression that it was many parts of the same whole, controlled and guided by that C Grade heart.  The closer it got in proximity, the more powerful and precise the individual stranglevines seemed to grow.

    Despite the danger, Kyle closed his eyes, focusing instead on his connection to the World Tree Seed through C.H.A.D.D.  With an effort of will, he pulled on the connection.  What once felt like forcing cement through a straw was now more like a slow trickle, golden mana entering his body and infusing his very being.

    When his eyes opened, he could see faint golden light dancing around the crimson aura from Ignition, and Auric Perception allowed him to feel similar energy swirling around inside the C.H.A.D.D. pack.

    ¡°Are you ready, C.H.A.D.D.?¡±

    [YES, DR. MAYHEW.]

    The pack opened, and a massive tangle of vines and leaves wrapped around the duo, encasing them like a cocoon.  A fait scent of sugar wafted through the air, and the only light left was a gentle golden glow from inside the barrier of leaves.

    [WHEN I GIVE THE SIGNAL, DROP YOUR BARRIER.  THEN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN.]

    ¡°What is this?¡± Kyle asked.

    [AN ANSWER BETTER RESERVED FOR LATER, DR. MAYHEW.  IF YOU CAN, ONLY STEP ON THE BAMBOO.  NOW, GO!]

    Kyle released Storm Shelter, which was immediately followed by an explosion of golden light.  A spiraling tunnel of bamboo materialized in front of him, wrapped on the outside by tightly-wound red and gold petals.  Without hesitating, Kyle sprinted down the path opened before him.  He could hear the impacts raining on the outside of the construct, but the golden power infusing the plants made them far, far sturdier than before.

    The sounds of the attacks on the outside were soon joined by a sizzling sound, and a moment later he let out a gasp of pain as a drop of liquid fell from the wrap above him, landing on the exposed flesh of his right arm.  Adaptive Regeneration was hard at work, but the acid was stubbornly burning him as fast as he could repair the damage.

    He looked up just in time to see C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s construction coming to an abrupt end.

    [DR. MAYHEW, BLAST THE END OF THE TUNNEL, NOW!]

    Still grimacing in pain, Kyle followed instructions, releasing a blast of Repel.  Golden light illuminated the otherwise invisible eruption of force, slamming into the last frame of bamboo and what he now realized were sundew petals.  They exploded outward, showering the area outside in acidic sap as Kyle sprinted past, ignoring the hot flashes of pain from the drops that got on his body.

    There were still some stranglevines on the road ahead, but it looked like the majority of the plants were focused on the construct itself.  Kyle allowed a quick glance backward, showing the whole tunnel collapsing underneath the weight of tens of thousands of vines piling atop it.  With a shudder, he turned his focus back to the road and ran as fast as his legs would carry him, tearing through the remaining vines between him and freedom.

    Nearly an hour later, Kyle finally took a moment to slump against a nearby tree, breathing heavily.  The strain from using so many of his skills finally caught up to him, and he needed to rest.  Fortunately, both C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s sensors and Synaptic Barbs confirmed there were no stranglevines nearby.

    Kyle could still feel the acid burns, and decided to take this opportunity to use more targeted applications of Healing Impetus to speed his recovery.  While he did, he spoke to C.H.A.D.D.

    ¡°That was an incredible move back there, C.H.A.D.D.  Are you okay?¡±

    The drone was silent for a moment before responding.  [I WILL BE.  I NEEDED TO USE SOME OF THE OTHER FORMATIONS I HAVE BEEN STORING INSIDE THE SEED.  IN ADDITION TO DRAINING ENERGY, IT ALSO TOOK THE FRAMEWORKS I HAVE BEEN CULTIVATING.  IT WILL BE SOME MONTHS BEFORE I AM ABLE TO REBUILD, MUCH LESS ACCUMULATE ENOUGH ENERGY TO USE IT AGAIN.]

    Kyle understood that it was a costly technique, but from C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s tone it was clear that this was a much larger setback than expected.  ¡°Thank you for being willing to use it all, C.H.A.D.D.  If you hadn¡¯t, I think we¡¯d be dead right now.¡±

    [YOU MOST CERTAINLY WOULD BE, AT LEAST.]

    Kyle chuckled.  ¡°True enough.  Once we¡¯re back and settled on the Hub, I¡¯d love to learn more about how you pulled this off.  I¡¯m committed to helping you get back everything that you spent, with interest.¡±

    [IN THAT CASE, YOU SHOULD GET MOVING.  ER¡¯MITHREN IS STILL A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY.]

 Chapter 237

    ¡°Are you quite certain he¡¯s alive?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s voice carried an unusual note of tension as he addressed the goblin before him, who was standing at awkward attention.

    ¡°We just received a message from our agents stationed at the Resistance Headquarters, sir.  The status of the Queen is unknown, but multiple sources identified the stranger leaving the fortress at speed.¡±

    ¡°Did they give any indication as to his condition?  His goals after leaving?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth pressed.

    ¡°None at all, sir.  Just that he¡¯s alive and that he left.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth considered for a moment, then dismissed the communications officer.  The pit of worry in his stomach only grew more tense as he considered just how wrong everything had gone.  The Courier¡¯s survival was bad enough, but that was only the beginning of his troubles.  Jell¡¯Or had gone completely dark, and the recon teams they sent out followed shortly afterward.  News always tended to travel slowly from the frontier town, given the relative lack of trade to the main cities of Er¡¯Mithren, and the Council had no idea how long their communications had been downed.

    While the investigation was still formally ongoing, Pall¡¯Eth had his theories.  The Courier circumvented the city entirely during his initial trip, something the Council felt was odd, given his involvement in Prindas.  Was it possible that the Courier ¨C the Onyx Warrior ¨C had allied with the Resistance?  It would explain why he was able to walk out of the Resistance Headquarters without anybody trying to stop him.  It would explain his involvement with the shrikes inside their territory.

    ¡°You were never here to make a delivery,¡± Pall¡¯Eth mused.  ¡°You were a plant from the beginning.  Somehow she brought in assistance from off-world¡­¡±

    The communications officer turned back, reopening the door before it could fully close.  ¡°Sir, did you need something?¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth shook his head.  ¡°Nothing at the moment.  Just be ready, I may have need of you soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The goblin left, and this time Pall¡¯Eth waited to ensure the door was closed before he turned, beginning to pace about the room.  The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.  The only piece that still eluded him was just how the queen managed to get in touch with the off-worlders.  Maybe the Verdant Republic reached out to them as well?  If so, they¡¯d been played for fools.  Maybe the Resistance had as well.

    The Council believed that these strange goblins from the skies were benevolent, coming to them with an offer of partnership and belonging across the stars.  But what if they were hoping to get a better read on the planet?  Search for weaknesses, vulnerabilities?  In that case, it was natural that they reached out to the Resistance.  And after the Council fell, the Verdant Republic was in a perfect position to step in, seize control, and either assimilate the Resistance or stomp them out.  Diabolical.

    One thing was certain, Pall¡¯Eth would need to make preparations in case Mayhew returned.  Fortunately, he had time.

    ~~~

    [DR. MAYHEW, ARE YOU CERTAIN THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE MANA TO SPARE?]

    Somehow, there was a hint of pouting in C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s voice.  Unfortunately for the drone, however, Kyle had built up quite a resistance, given the nearly incessant repetition since they got back on the trail toward Er¡¯Mithren.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., I¡¯m already passing as much as I can right now.  We can¡¯t afford to slow down.¡±

    [THE SOONER I REPLENISH THE SEED¡¯S RESERVES, THE SOONER I WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE NEW FINDINGS FROM THE STRANGLEVINES.]

    Kyle sighed.  ¡°We don¡¯t have time right now.  Once we¡¯re back at the Hub, we¡¯ll get some dedicated meditation time where you can draw more.¡±

    [THAT IS ACCEPTABLE, DR. MAYHEW.  HOW SOON WILL WE BE BACK AT THE HUB?]

    ¡°That depends,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°How much longer do we have before we get to Er¡¯Mithren?¡±

    [AT YOUR CURRENT PACE, APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS.  WE ARE NEARING THE BORDER OF PRINDAS NOW, WE WILL BE THERE IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES.]

    That soon, Kyle thought.  Part of him considered slowing down, finding a safe place to camp out and meditate while he waited for communication from Suierrillax.  She had a great mind for politics, and he¡¯d come to treasure her advice in these circumstances.  He¡¯d been warned that the situation would likely get out of hand, and if she was able to reach their contacts at the Verdant Republic, he¡¯d be able to take his next steps with greater care.  Unfortunately, Suierrillax would need quite a while before she¡¯d be able to route a response to him.  Communication across this distance without Collective infrastructure was slow.

    Of course, that was only part of the equation.  Now that they were out of immediate danger, Kyle felt a stirring in his core.  Escaping the assault from the Scourge hadn¡¯t just been beneficial for C.H.A.D.D.  If he was right, he¡¯d gained more than a few levels from the harrowing experience.  He wasn¡¯t in a position to meditate when they¡¯d taken their first break, but he wanted to put all of those free attribute points to work before his arrival in the capital city.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., can you pull up a map of the safe areas between Prindas and Er¡¯Mithren?  I could use some time to meditate and rest.¡±

    A moment later, the orange map that C.H.A.D.D. projected zoomed out, with several points just off the road illuminated with brighter lights.

    [THESE ARE THE AREAS WITH THE LEAST ACTIVITY, DR. MAYHEW.  THEY ARE ALSO FAR ENOUGH OFF THE ROAD THAT YOU¡¯RE UNLIKELY TO BE DETECTED BY ANY PASSERS BY.]

    ¡°Thank you, C.H.A.D.D.¡±  He could see the familiar gold-colored bricks on the road as he got closer to Prindas, and veered off to a side path that the drone discovered during their trip south.  Compared to the oppressive silence as they approached Jell¡¯Or, the forest around them now seemed to be teeming with even more life than they saw on their initial journey.  The buzzing of bugs and echo of birdsongs were comforting, a reminder of the distance they crossed since being attacked.

    Following the drone¡¯s guidance, Kyle finally came upon the safe zone C.H.A.D.D. identified; a large tree stump that been nearly swallowed by the thick undergrowth.  The inside of the stump had been largely rotted away, and Kyle brushed away the vines and tangles, revealing a hollow large enough for him to sit comfortably.  He pulled some of the vines back overhead to obscure his position from anything above, and then settled in with his legs crossed.

    ¡°Do you need anything before I start meditating?¡± Kyle asked.

    [MORE OF YOUR MANA?]

    C.H.A.D.D. seemed to understand that Kyle¡¯s silence was a ¡°no,¡± and it continued.  [NOTHING, DR. MAYHEW.]

    With that, Kyle quieted his thoughts, closed his eyes, and focused on his heartbeat.  A moment later, his center appeared before him, and he looked at his status screen with expectation.

    KYLE MAYHEW.  ARTHRO-HUMAN CHIMERA (PARASITE), SURVIVALIST.  LEVEL 76 (D)

    CORE OF THE PARASITIC DEVOURER 34%

    ADAPTIVE ANATOMY ¨C 9/? ¨C ENHANCED CARAPACE (FERRIC AUGMENTATION), AURIC PERCEPTION (SYNAPTIC BARBS), EXOSKELETAL STRENGTH, CEASELESS VITALITY, INSTINCTIVE INTELLIGENCE, COVERT DEXTERITY, UNBREAKABLE WILL

    VITALITY: 1072

    ENDURANCE: 1240

    STRENGTH: 397

    DEXTERITY: 786

    WILLPOWER: 1579

    INTELLIGENCE: 1579

    PERCEPTION: 1144

    FREE ATTRIBUTES: 108

    The first thing that drew Kyle¡¯s attention was the sheer amount of level gain.  6 whole levels from running away¡­ unbelievable.  As he thought about it more, however, he changed his mind.  While the Igneous Glaivebeak was likely more dangerous, he hadn¡¯t escaped that conflict with his own power.  This time, he had escaped the clutches of a C Grade coming after his life.

    While it could be argued that C.H.A.D.D. was the one who truly saved the day, the drone couldn¡¯t have done it without access to Kyle¡¯s skills and mana.  The duo had an incredible amount of synergy, and he wasn¡¯t going to downplay his own contribution.  Ultimately, his path was all about survival through endurance, and their escape aligned with that path perfectly.

    In other circumstances, Kyle may have taken this opportunity to reflect on his path so far, think about the choices he made to get to this point.  This time, however, there was another problem to deal with.  I haven¡¯t hunted any shrikes in a while, how did the Core of the Parasitic Devourer gain 6%?  There was undoubtedly more energy flowing through the core than before, the crimson runes glowing brightly as they swirled around the emblazoned image of his path.  The slowly spinning branches representing his attributes seemed largely unchanged, with only 2 bearing the nodules from the upgrades he received.

    The answer was simple, if puzzling.  While he¡¯d used Parasitic Resonance in his fight with D¡¯Oillelat, the only targets he fought with sufficient number to fill his core this much were the stranglevines.  Still, he¡¯d hunted plenty of other creatures using the skill that didn¡¯t cause the core to react.  When it did, he had the sharp moments of discomfort.  That hadn¡¯t occurred during his desperate escape from the Scourge.

    Kyle was left with 2 possibilities, both troubling.  The first, the better of the 2 in Kyle¡¯s eyes, was that Parasitic Resonance had gotten a taste for the Stranglevines, and something about either the situation or nature of the energy the core absorbed limited the adverse effect to him.  That wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.

    While he had no intention of crossing the Scourge again soon, he was confident that with some appropriate preparation he¡¯d be able to make a real run at it.  From what Kyle could see, the Scourge specialized in hunting large numbers of weaker creatures over a vast area.  Despite the clear danger it posed, Kyle didn¡¯t feel that he was too far off from being able to threaten it.  So long as he could avoid an ambush, he could likely kill off the pods that composed its body in sufficient numbers to cripple it.

    Of course, that¡¯s reliant on me not getting pinned down by the vines.  He let out an involuntary shudder as the enclosed space of the tree trunk suddenly felt suffocating, the darkness reminding him of the smothering vines.  Taking a calming breath, Kyle turned his attention back to his free attribute points.  He put half into Strength right away, with the remainder going into Dexterity.  He wasn¡¯t planning on focusing too much on his physical attributes, but between the shrike alpha nearly pinning him beneath stone and the Scourge smothering him beneath its mass, he¡¯d received some hard reminders about his limitations.  A weakness was fine, but his had become too glaring to ignore, at least for a while.

    With that business handled, he turned his thoughts back to the second possibility for his core, and the one that concerned him the most.  What if the core filled up every time he used Parasitic Resonance?  It was far and away his most-used offensive skill, and it had proven incredibly effective against pretty much everything Kyle had encountered.  His Willpower was beyond the realm of what most D Grades would ever achieve, even before the boost offered by Ignition.

    The Core of the Parasitic Devourer hadn¡¯t always filled when he used the skill, but could he really be confident that would always be the case?  If he was thoughtless, he could miss out on significant boosts to his Adaptive Anatomy, potentially filling the core to 100% without ever hitting the threshold for another adaptation.

    Of course, that was assuming Kyle even wanted the core to get filled.  While each boon was powerful, they came with costs, small slices of his humanity being left behind.  He wasn¡¯t necessarily opposed to this, but if this theory was correct, he may no longer have a choice in the matter.

    Kyle wrestled with that for a while, considering what it could mean for him and his path.  No clear answers came.  Finally, he exited meditation, brushing away the makeshift canopy.

    [WAS YOUR MEDITATION FRUITFUL, DR. MAYHEW?]

    ¡°As much as I could hope for, C.H.A.D.D.  Now, let¡¯s go home.¡±

 Chapter 238

    Kyle turned a corner, and the sea of trees parted, revealing the goblin metropolis of Er¡¯Mithren.  He paused, taking a moment to look up at the towering city.

    [IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT, DR. MAYHEW?] C.H.A.D.D. asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, C.H.A.D.D.  It¡¯s just interesting to me how much your perspective of a place can change in so short a time.  Do you remember coming down from the tower there?¡±

    [I DO, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle continued, barely registering his companion¡¯s words as his eyes fixed on the central tower dominating the city¡¯s skyline.  ¡°I thought it was so beautiful.  This architecture tied into the trees, connected to the land.  It was foreign, and familiar all at once.¡±

    He shook his head, then started walking toward the city proper.  Already small groups of goblins noticed him, whispering among themselves as they stared.

    ¡°Now,¡± Kyle said, ¡°I look up, and all that beauty feels painted on, fake.  It¡¯s all built on the same bloody foundations we saw on Earth.¡±

    [IN FAIRNESS, A PROCLIVITY TOWARD CONFLICT IS HARDLY A TRAIT SHARED EXCLUSIVELY BY HUMANS AND GOBLINS.  IF YOU¡¯VE FORGOTTEN, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO REVIEW SOME OF THE HISTORIC CONFLICTS THAT WERE COVERED DURING YOUR PRACTICUM STUDY.]

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, C.H.A.D.D.  I¡¯m glad the Verdant Republic will be able to get it all cleared up once they get involved.¡±

    Kyle stopped walking and looked at the manned guard tower near the city entrance.  The goblin wore a metal jacket and helmet, with the rest of his uniform consisting of what appeared to be padded leather.  He carried a spear in his left hand, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but think that the longbow strapped to the guard¡¯s back would be more useful given the distance.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Courier?¡± the goblin asked, voice cracking partway through the question.

    Kyle resisted the temptation to make a quip about being a different off-world alien on their planet, instead forcing a neutral expression on his face as he nodded.  ¡°I am, and I¡¯m looking to conclude my business here.¡±

    ¡°Wait here, just a moment,¡± the goblin replied.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes narrowed as Synaptic Barbs felt the air around the guard shifting slightly, and he focused his attention on the goblin.  He¡¯s shaking, Kyle thought.  Nerves, perhaps?  It¡¯s not every day they meet an off-worlder, I suppose.  Still, he focused Auric Perception, just in case the guard was preparing some sort of aggressive action.  He felt a minor flow of mana, the source of which was quickly identified when the goblin pulled out a small crystal.

    The guard spoke into it, which seemed to spark quite the discussion, based on his animated movements.  Kyle was about out of patience, when the goblin put the crystal away, turning his attention to Kyle, as he readjusted his metal cap as he did so.

    ¡°We welcome you back to the city.  Given the disruptions you¡¯re likely to cause, Counselor Pall¡¯Eth would ask that you wait here while he gets an escort together to guide you to the Council Chambers.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth is a Counselor? Kyle thought, hiding his surprise.  Instead, he sighed, shaking his head slowly.  ¡°Tell the Counselor that I appreciate his offer, but that I can find my way back on my own.¡±

    The guard looked about to protest, and Kyle gestured to the gawking crowds of goblinoids.  ¡°Besides,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°I¡¯ve already caused a disruption.  I promise, the sooner I¡¯m up in the tower, the sooner things get back to normal in the streets.¡±

    The guard looked past Kyle at the crowd, then back at Kyle.  ¡°If you had notified us, this could have been avoided.¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms.  ¡°And how, exactly, was I supposed to do that?  Looking back, it seems like a pretty major oversight that we wouldn¡¯t have any communication methods set up after I made my delivery.¡±

    The goblin shifted uncomfortably.  By now, the crowd had done what crowds do, growing faster than anybody expected.  Finally, the goblin stood aside.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Counselor to meet you.  Head straight there, and if you get lost, find a guard.  No need to make your presence here a bigger deal than it has already become.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kyle said, as he walked past the goblin and into Er¡¯Mithren proper.  The guard¡¯s discomfort confirmed his suspicion that they didn¡¯t expect him so soon, if at all.  Kyle¡¯s brief exposure to the Council of Er¡¯Mithren felt in many ways consistent with the governing structure of the Verdant Republic.  While it was an effective model for large-scale governance, it struggled to make major decisions nimbly.  With any luck, Kyle would be able to leverage their surprise to get himself home before they really had time to talk their plans through.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ~~~

    ¡°What do you mean, you let him into the city?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth screamed, his voice a high-pitched screech of outrage.  ¡°I gave you specific orders to keep him at the front gates if he arrived!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± the guard replied.  ¡°It just felt like it would be smoother to send him up to you directly.  The other guards are watching his location, and it doesn¡¯t appear that he¡¯s deviating from the path back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s deviating or not!¡±  Pall¡¯Eth shrieked, flecks of spittle landing on the communication crystal.  ¡°I gave you an order for a reason!  You¡¯re dismissed.  Your new assignment will be given to you at dawn.¡±

    ¡°Wait, but sir ¨C¡° the guard¡¯s voice trailed off as Pall¡¯Eth severed the connection, his mind working furiously.  Not only had the Onyx Warrior survived, he arrived at their city ¨C his city ¨C several full days faster than their earliest anticipation.  Worse still, the man appeared to be in fine condition!  He carried no visible injuries or signs of a life-or-death struggle.  A true impossibility if he¡¯d actually fought the Resistance¡¯s queen.

    Word had already been sent to the other Council members, but there simply wasn¡¯t time.  They underestimated the Courier, a mistake that had the potential to cost them everything they¡¯d worked so hard to achieve in these years since they seized power.  The other counselors didn¡¯t see it that way; didn¡¯t appreciate the risks.  Already, initial discussions were looking to be about appeasement, finding a suitable narrative that they could send back with him upon his return.

    If the Courier was allowed to leave, that would be the end of it.  The longer he thought about it, the more certain he¡¯d become that the Verdant Republic was playing multiple angles.  Mayhew¡¯s safe return would spell the doom of the Council.  It would signal the takeover of a hostile force, masquerading as a savior.  And Pall¡¯Eth was the only one with enough vision to see it.

    He sent a message that he was heading to the Council chambers, and wracked his brain as he sought a solution.  Another note came in, and he checked the crystal immediately.  The Courier was already at the heart of the city, ascending the stairways toward the Council.  He¡¯d arrive in less than 20 minutes.  There just isn¡¯t any time, Pall¡¯Eth thought.  With a resigned sigh, he knew what he had to do.  There was simply no other choice.  Drastic times called for drastic measures.

    ~~~

    Kyle breathed out a sigh of relief as he climbed the seemingly endless stairs toward the Council Chambers, and the teleportation circle that would take him home.  He¡¯d been informed that the lift and shuttles were off-limits to him at the moment, but he made good time moving at a brisk jog.  Kyle already drew enough attention by simply existing in the city, moving faster than other foot traffic hardly seemed to contribute to the issue.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re back and settled, let¡¯s get a list together of all the things we want to get done on our return,¡± Kyle said, his voice low.  ¡°They still owe us a data slate with information about the local flora, and we should make a point to get you any interesting samples.¡±

    [I WOULD LIKE THAT VERY MUCH, DR. MAYHEW.  I WOULD ALSO LIKE MORE STRANGLEVINE SAMPLES, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE AVOID HUNTING ALL OF THEM AT ONCE.  A FEW AT A TIME WOULD BE PLENTY FOR MY NEEDS.]

    ¡°You¡¯ve got it, C.H.A.D.D.¡± Kyle said, doing his best to hide a smile.  He¡¯d worried that the drone may have lost its desire to get more stranglevine data, but it appeared that wasn¡¯t the case.  C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s singular focus on the things it wanted couldn¡¯t be quenched by something as simple as mortal peril, after all.  And Kyle wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.

    The duo rounded a corner where another guard, a troll this time, stepped out to greet him.  The woman tried to engage in pleasantries, as all the others had, and Kyle once again politely declined as he continued his ascent.  Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception painted a clear picture of the guard pulling a crystal out of a pouch and channeling mana into it, but Kyle didn¡¯t care.  Communication was to be expected, and making an issue out of it would only end badly for him.  No, all he had to do was make his way to the Council and ask for safe passage home.

    He walked around the perimeter of another landing, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the city sprawling out below.  The capitol grounds were like a beehive, and he felt a pang of regret that he¡¯d only spent time on the outer perimeter.  There were artisans, craftspeople, and museums located all throughout the central structure, and Kyle resolved to spend a little more time here the next time he returned, too.  Despite all the political games, he¡¯d grown a real appreciation for and interest in the history of this land.

    As he rounded another corner, he looked up at the final winding set of stairs leading to the Council Chambers.  Unease was slowly mixing with the relief he¡¯d felt just moments before.  Something¡¯s wrong.  Auric Perception alerted him to a surge of mana flowing through the air around him, all being drawn up.

    BOOM!

    Kyle reflexively activated Storm Shelter as the tower above him exploded.  The floor beneath him shook as cracks formed along the alabaster marble of the walls.  Massive chunks of stone crashed ineffectually against Kyle¡¯s barrier, and he looked around, bewildered, trying to find the source of the attack.  What the hell happened?  Kyle thought.  The Council Chambers above had been caught in the conflagration, and the entire tower was threatening to collapse.

    Then, realization dawned.  The trap formation he spotted on the way in was triggered.  Were they trying to catch me in the explosion?  They had to know I hadn¡¯t reached the top yet.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what did your scans show?¡±  Kyle asked, his voice barely audible over the sounds of screaming citizens and cracking stone.

    [A SWIFT SURGE OF MANA, DRAWN FROM THE TOWER ITSELF.  I BELIEVE THAT REMOTE ACTIVATION OF THE FORMATION YOU IDENTIFIED UPON OUR ARRIVAL IS THE MOST LIKELY CULPRIT.]

    ¡°Are there any survivors?¡±

    [MANY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle gritted his teeth as he began to take steps toward the Council Chambers.  If he could save them maybe ¨C

    [NOT THAT WAY, DR. MAYHEW.  THE REMAINING SURVIVORS ARE ALL BELOW YOU, IN THE TOWER.  IN FACT, MANY OF THEM APPEAR TO BE COMING TO YOU RIGHT NOW.]

    Kyle swore, turning back toward the landing.  Spiderweb cracks could be seen slowly expanding, and he knew it was only a matter of time until more of the upper layers collapsed.  Just as he turned the corner, he was met with a group of goblin and troll guards, none more powerful than middle-E Grade.  They took one look at him, then leveled their spears as one.

    The troll at the front snarled at him.  ¡°You won¡¯t escape!  You¡¯ll pay for your crimes, murderer!¡±

 Chapter 239

    Kyle felt the goblins in the rear concentrating mana as the front line moved to attack him, spears aiming for his vitals.  He batted each attack out of the way as he advanced into their line, tendrils of Parasitic Resonance connecting to the Mage-types.  He disrupted the flow of their mana, but was careful to do little else.  Until he had a better grasp on exactly how the skill interacted with his Core of the Parasitic Devourer, he didn¡¯t want to risk the core getting a taste for goblin.

    One of the trolls snarled and attempted to grapple him, to which Kyle responded with a partially-charged strike with his forcehammer baton, the shockwave knocking the attacking troll and several others back even further.  It also caused the spiderweb cracks on the floor beneath to spread.

    ¡°I had nothing to do with the explosion!¡±  Kyle yelled, parrying another spear attack as he advanced several more steps.  ¡°There are still people trapped inside the tower, people who need your help!  We need to evacuate, now!¡±

    A nearby goblin shrieked, attempting to channel a blast of wind-affinity mana.  ¡°We caught you leaving the scene of the crime!¡±

    For the first time, C.H.A.D.D. spoke up.  [RECORDS OF ALL TRAVELS THROUGH ER¡¯MITHREN CAN BE PROVIDED.  DR. MAYHEW¡¯S ARRIVAL WAS WELL-DOCUMENTED, AND HE PROCEEDED TO COME STRAIGHT HERE.  THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TIME TO PRODUCE AN ATTACK OF THIS MAGNITUDE.]

    The drone¡¯s words appeared to give Kyle¡¯s pursuers pause, until a familiar voice came through a still-active communication crystal.  ¡°He clearly smuggled a bomb into the city!  Likely hidden among documents and deliverables intended for the Council!  Do not be fooled by his words, this man is dangerous!  Reinforcements are on the way, hold him as long as you can!¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s voice was hasty, tinged with desperation, but his lies were enough to motivate the force in front of Kyle.  They each carried a resolve he recognized, ready to lay down their lives in defense of their home.  To them, he was little more than a terrorist who attacked them in the seat of their power.  In their shoes, Kyle probably would have felt the same.

    Dammit, he thought.  Kyle knew that they were just following orders, in the wrong place at the wrong time.  In any other circumstance, he would have simply run away, leaving them behind.  Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t seem to be an option.  C.H.A.D.D. expanded its scans, and it looked as though over a hundred guards were heading his way.  Worse, Auric Perception informed Kyle of a handful of auras far more powerful than those he was fighting now.  D Grades, and likely the elites of Er¡¯Mithren, were coming.

    If it weren¡¯t for the narrow stairwells and deadly elevation, Kyle still would have felt confident attempting an escape.  Even if some of the elites could keep up, he¡¯d be able to outpace the weaker guards, allowing him to put his full attention on the biggest threats.  Instead, he was well and truly trapped.  The only path of descent available to him was through a veritable army of goblinoid guards.  If he didn¡¯t find an alternative, his escape would be a bloody one.

    Making a decision, Kyle activated Ignition, shoving past several of the goblins and trolls until he got to the next landing.  More guards were pouring out of a door, a couple of lower-tier D Grades among them.  He swung his forcehammer baton, this time at full force.  The shockwaves created space, and he dashed through the opening and into the tower proper.

    Kyle ran through a narrow, arched hallway, which opened up into Er¡¯Mithren¡¯s center.  What he saw when he entered was utter chaos.  The central portion of this tower reminded Kyle of a stadium; each level of the tower had its own offices, but there was a central hollow that looked all the way down to the bottom, where a large sculpture stood, coming nearly halfway to the top floor.  Huge crowds of unawakened were cramming into the stairwells as the tower continued to shake.  Large chunks of white and gray stone littered the otherwise pristine floor below, and Kyle could see goblin and troll bodies pinned beneath. Cracks crossed the span of the ceiling.  Kyle suspected that this floor would be exposed to the open air before long.

    Below, he could hear the angry shouts of the guards above the din of panicked voices.  They were trying to fight their way up toward him, through the crowds forcing their way down.  Kyle still had pursuers chasing him down the hallway behind him, but he had a moment to breathe.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., any ideas?¡±  Kyle asked.

    [I THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD A PLAN, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°My plan was to buy us time, I haven¡¯t figured out much beyond that.¡±

    [I CAN TELL.  AS INTERESTING AS IT MIGHT BE TO BE BURIED UNDER TONS OF RUBBLE, I WOULD MUCH PREFER WE FIND AN ALTERNATIVE.]

    Kyle was about to respond to the drone, when Auric Perception warned of a powerful gathering of mana.  He swayed to the right, just as a bolt of crimson lightning smashed into the wall behind him.  Across the open center, and 2 tiers down, Kyle saw a goblin looking up at him, electricity arcing across the length of a long wooden staff.

    Another bolt flew toward him, and a falling block of stone prevented Kyle from dodging perfectly.  The bolt seared his right shoulder, and to Kyle¡¯s surprise, the lightning appeared to linger on his skin, continuing to both shock and burn at the same time.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°What is it with goblins and lightning-affinity?¡±  Kyle grumbled, channeling a Healing Impetus alongside Adaptive Regeneration to counteract the damage.

    [IT IS RATHER INTERESTING, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT.  YOU SHOULD CONSIDER CONDUCTING A STUDY.]

    ¡°Later, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± Kyle snapped, attention on the goblin below, who was channeling a different skill.  This goblin was the most powerful of the capitol guards he¡¯d seen so far, though he detected 4 other presences at a similar level making their way toward the center.  Kyle¡¯s hope was that the presence of the civilians would get them to calm down, but that hope was dwindling rapidly as the goblin¡¯s attacks only hastened the tower¡¯s destruction.

    True battles between D Grades often took a toll on the surrounding environment, and with the damage the tower had already taken, it didn¡¯t have much chance at surviving.  Still, Kyle wasn¡¯t out of options.  Just as the guards behind him came through the tunnel, Kyle took in a deep breath, then jumped off the balcony into the open space between the floors.

    He could hear a cry of alarm from above him, and saw the goblin Mage realigning the trajectory of his staff.  Too late, Kyle thought, a fierce grin on his face.  As he fell to the same level as the goblin, he activated Repel, giving himself an explosion of forward momentum.  The goblin¡¯s eyes widened as Kyle crashed into him at breakneck speed.

    He still had a lot to learn about making the landings work, but with a goblin to help cushion his fall, Kyle was up and moving in a matter of moments.  The same couldn¡¯t be said for the mage, who had broken at least a few bones.  And that was before Kyle landed a solid punch to its nose, for good measure.  It wouldn¡¯t keep the D Grade down for long, but it should buy him some time.

    At least, he hoped it would.  An ogre turned the corner, wearing 2 bladed gauntlets.  As soon as she saw Kyle, she started activating multiple boosting skills.  Identify showed dramatic spikes in Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, and Perception, and he knew that trying to match the ogre in raw physical might would be a bad idea.

    As she approached down the narrow hallway, she was met by a directed shot of Repel, then another, then a third.  The hallways on this level were holding up much better than those on the higher floors, so he didn¡¯t hold back.  The narrow space helped Kyle to shape the blast, and by the third the ogre had been knocked clean off her feet and sent flying all the way to the end of the hallway, where she crashed into another D Grade goblin who was coming to assist.

    [DR. MAYHEW, I MAY HAVE AN IDEA.]

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears, C.H.A.D.D.!¡± Kyle shouted in reply.  ¡°Just tell me quickly!¡±

    [YOU WILL NEED TO DESCEND 2 MORE LEVELS, AND THEN FOLLOW THE PATH I AM SETTING.  SCANS INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER TELEPORTATION FORMATION, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACTIVATE IT.]

    Kyle activated Storm Shelter as a swarm of metal shards flew down the hallway, coupled with another blast of crimson lightning.

    ¡°Where does it lead?¡± Kyle asked.

    [UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NO IDEA.  HOWEVER, I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD LEAD TO WORSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAN THOSE YOU ARE CURRENTLY FACING, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Kyle dropped his skill the moment the attacks were done, narrowly avoiding the ogre who had returned to press the attack.  Her punches sliced through the air as her boosting skills stayed active, leaning into the natural physical prowess her species shared.  No other option.

    With a surge of Willpower, Kyle disrupted her skills using Parasitic Resonance, again careful to avoid draining much of her mana.  She looked visibly surprised as her movements slowed, just in time to be blown back by a direct hit to the chest from Kyle¡¯s forcehammer baton.  Taking advantage of the momentary opening, he closed on the recovering goblin mage, who still stood by the edge of this layer.  He threw the dazed goblin toward the backup that was arriving, and then leapt off the balcony again.

    Another use of Repel brought him crashing into the layer C.H.A.D.D. marked for him, though the landing hurt a lot more this time.  He was burning through his mana quickly, even with the constant inflow from Ignition, something that he wasn¡¯t used to.  Part of it was his more moderated use of Parasitic Resonance, though the lion¡¯s share of the difference came from Repel.  The skill¡¯s mana expenditure was high enough that Kyle was no longer guaranteed to outlast his opponents, something that made him uncomfortable.

    Not the time, Kyle.  Move!  He admonished himself as he took off down the hallway ahead, following C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s map.  An E Grade guard was stationed at the entrance to what looked like a records room, and Kyle burst past him without a second thought.  The civilians had long abandoned their stations, with desks left cluttered, drinks spilling in some cases over piles of documents.

    Kyle rounded a hallway and came to another door, which was locked.  Kyle jiggled the handle furiously for a moment before taking a step back.

    [LET ME TRY TO FIND ANOTHER ROUTE, JUST A MOMENT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    Before the drone could continue, Kyle stepped forward, kicking the door dead center, and activating a blast of Repel from the bottom of his foot.  The heavy wooden door splintered, shards of wood flying into the room beyond.

    [NEVER MIND, THAT WORKS, TOO.]

    The room beyond was abandoned.  Judging by the amount of dust that had accumulated, it had been for a while.  Documents and journals were strewn about, but Kyle¡¯s eyes were drawn to the center of the room, where the teleportation formation was inscribed into the stone.

    While he still had a lot to learn from Jarberry, he¡¯d picked up enough to understand that this was fundamentally different than many of the various formations and arrays he¡¯d previously studied.  Rather than facilitating any type of 2-way transport, this one was designed to take a one-way trip.

    Kyle paused at that, but the sound of screaming in the hallway behind him, and the feeling of powerful presences approaching snapped him back to the task at hand.  He frantically looked over the runic formation, searching for the correct rune to infuse in order to activate the teleportation.

    The guards were getting closer, and Kyle swore as he redoubled his search.  Just as the head of the ogre crossed the threshold of the room, he found it.  There!  He placed his hand upon the rune, and began infusing energy.  The formation greedily lapped it up, but it needed more.  The ogre dashed toward Kyle, and he mouthed a silent plea of forgiveness as tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out, draining her mana in a moment and pouring into the formation.

    In doing so, he also tried to inflict some swelling around the spinal column to put her down quickly, but non-lethally.  She fell, but he wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be able to recover without medical attention.  A D Grade troll and the E Grade guard from out front both came in next, but they were too late.  The mana from the ogre, coupled with Kyle¡¯s own, proved to be enough.  He felt the world around him swirl and twist, and then there was silence.

 Chapter 240

    ¡°What do you mean, he used the teleporter?  How did he even know that a teleportation formation was set up?¡±  Pall¡¯Eth was irate, pacing back and forth about the room as his mobile desk spun and whirred.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, sir,¡± the goblin said, each breath still painful due to his cracked ribs.  ¡°He seemed to move straight for it, almost as though he¡¯d been there before.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth spat on the ground.  ¡°As if it¡¯s not enough that he¡¯s working with the Resistance, he also has help on the inside.  What leads do you have, Delronor?¡±

    ¡°None, sir,¡± Delronor wheezed.  ¡°Preliminary investigations haven¡¯t revealed anything unusual.  The guards rotated as normal, nobody new has been added to the rotation in months.  The door itself was destroyed, but it looks like the alarm only went off moments before he escaped.¡±

    ¡°When was the last reported access?¡± Pall¡¯Eth asked.

    Delronor inhaled, then had a painful coughing fit before responding.  ¡°Apologies, sir.  Records show the last access was 837 days ago, with the door having remained sealed per instruction since.  Other than the mess made by the Courier, the room looked to be in a condition consistent with such a long time undisturbed.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth leaned forward, eyes intense.  ¡°And you¡¯re certain that nothing else was taken?  Nothing is out of place?¡±

    ¡°As certain as we can be, sir.  Is there something in particular you¡¯re concerned about?  We can get an inventory done.¡±  Delronor¡¯s expression belied some anxiety as he spoke, his gaze fixed on Pall¡¯Eth¡¯s focused expression.  Fortunately, the answer seemed to placate the Counselor.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Delronor.  We¡¯ll need to have a more thorough review of the access logs in any case.  There¡¯s something we¡¯re missing here, I¡¯m sure of it.  We need to find the traitor in our midst, and have them dealt with,¡± Pall¡¯Eth said.

    Delronor saluted.  ¡°Understood, sir.  Should we prepare a party to pursue?  Unfortunately many of the guards were injured, but we could put a force together¡­.¡±

    Pall¡¯Eth shook his head.  ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.  That teleporter leads far, far away.  And from what I¡¯ve heard of the creatures that inhabit those lands, it is unlikely we¡¯ll see the Courier again.  If we do, we will have plenty of time to prepare.  No, the most important thing now is to locate the rats among us and have them expunged.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±  Delronor said, before leaving the room.

    Once alone with his thoughts, Pall¡¯Eth let out a sigh of relief.  The room with the teleporter also housed hundreds of old records and research notes from the former king.  Many of these notes were in reference to the aberrant experiments he¡¯d run, and were only kept around as proof of his atrocities.  Other notes, however, were older.

    One such tome gave detailed explanations and information about shrikes; their habits, their skills, and most importantly, notes on how to control him.  Notes that he and his colleagues read 837 days ago as part of their plan to overcome the Resistance.  If they¡¯d gone missing, the list of potential traitors would have narrowed, but the risks would have grown.  He pulled out a small flute from a hidden pocket in his jacket, admiring the ancient relic.  So long as knowledge of this artifact was hidden, he still had an ace up his sleeve.

    ~~~

    There was no sign of the tower.  No screams echoed, no pursuers could be seen.  Kyle looked about, standing in the middle of a ruined stone structure.  Warm sunlight shone down on him, and he could feel a gentle breeze.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±  Kyle asked, mostly to himself.

    [I AM NOT SURE HOW YOU EXPECT ME TO KNOW THAT, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°It was rhetorical, C.H.A.D.D.¡±

    Kyle looked about, trying to get a better sense of the world around them.  The surrounding rubble was almost reminiscent of Earth after the calamity, except for the stone here was mostly dark granite rather than the mixed building material on Earth.  Moss and vines grew over much of the stonework, and as he climbed over a particularly large block, he saw what could only be described as a war-torn battlefield.

    Once, he could have easily pictured rolling hills rising over a lush wetland, dotted with vibrant trees and grasses.  Now, however, deep gouges dotted the land.  Fallen trees were littered all around the area like broken toothpicks.  Impact craters were visible among the destruction, remnants of some long-past conflict.  At the center of it all stood the ruins of the structure where Kyle found himself.  What was this place?

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what do your scans show you?¡±

    [THE AREA APPEARS TO BE SAFE, DR. MAYHEW.  LONG RANGE SCANS INDICATE TRACES OF MORE POWERFUL LIFE, BUT THEY ARE MANY KILOMETERS AWAY.  WHILE THE STRUCTURE WE ARE IN DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANYTHING LIVING, THERE IS A SUBSTRUCTURE THAT APPEARS TO BE WARDED.]

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°How far away is the entrance?¡± Kyle asked.

    [NOT FAR, THOUGH IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO ENTER.  CONTRARY TO THE ROOM IN THE TOWER, THE WARDS ON THIS DOOR APPEAR TO BE OF D-GRADE MAKE.]

    Kyle nodded, considering his options.  Nobody else appeared yet, which led him to believe that the guards in Er¡¯Mithren were hesitant to follow.  That made sense, considering that there was no easy way for them to return.  Of course, there was also the chance that they were simply waiting to gather their forces, in which case a small army could arrive at any time.

    If they did, the worst thing Kyle could do was to find himself trapped in another narrow area.  He was supremely confident in his ability to outrun and evade the D Grade force he¡¯d seen in the tower, but that didn¡¯t extend to him being trapped within the confines of a subterranean tunnel system.  He was curious, and intended to come back to learn more, but for now he wanted to get somewhere safe to observe and make a plan.

    ¡°We¡¯ll come back once things have settled down a bit,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°In the meantime, did your scans show anywhere nearby that could make a good shelter?¡±

    [SEVERAL, DR. MAYHEW.  I¡¯VE MARKED THEM ON YOUR MAP.]

    The map that C.H.A.D.D. deployed lit up with several bright nodes.  Choosing the nearest one, he climbed over some nearby debris and set a course.  The location C.H.A.D.D. marked was a small crevice inside one of the impact craters, sheltered from the sunlight and elements.  Not that he was particularly concerned, given the sun¡¯s soon departure beneath the horizon.

    That, of course, brought up the other major issue.  Kyle had no idea where they were.  Based on the relative position of the sun, they were clearly somewhere distant, but Kyle didn¡¯t really have a solid grasp of the planet¡¯s geography.  With C.H.A.D.D.¡¯s relative mapping abilities near-useless after being teleported, there was no easy way to know which direction they needed to go in order to get back to either Resistance territory or to the capitol.

    Coupled with the loss of the teleportation formation on top of the tower, Kyle was stuck.  The Verdant Republic and Courier¡¯s Guild could work out an extraction plan, given time.  Unfortunately, that time would likely be measured in months.  He still hadn¡¯t heard back from Suierrillax, and with communications taking this long, he could only imagine how much more difficult it would be to coordinate an extraction.  Doubly so when he considered all of the bureaucratic challenges of working with the Verdant Republic.

    He thought about all of these problems as he crested a small hill nearby, spotting the crevice that C.H.A.D.D. market for him.  It was a bit of a tight squeeze, though once he settled in on the ground it wasn¡¯t too bad.  He pulled some rations out of his pack, and started making a list of his possible options.  Don¡¯t make hasty decisions, he admonished himself.

    First, he could create a base camp nearby, and hunker down until he heard back from Suierrillax.  It was probably the safest option available to him, though it also likely brought the worst outcomes.  He would be little more than a liability in need of rescue, and Kyle was under no illusions about how that would be received.  Even with all the extenuating circumstances, it wasn¡¯t likely that potential employers would look at his work so far as a success.  In fact, the Verdant Republic would take the cost of his rescue out of his credits.

    His second option would be to try and make his way back to the Resistance.  The job could still be salvaged if D¡¯Oillelat stepped in and took leadership, and he felt confident that introducing her to the Verdant Republic would be a major win for him, even if there were still unknowns about getting them to join the Republic officially.  Naturally, the issue with this plan was that he had no way to find his way back to the Resistance.

    He could also do the same, but return to Er¡¯Mithren.  That option was dismissed almost immediately, because he couldn¡¯t see an outcome that didn¡¯t result in innocent bloodshed.  Lots of it.  No, if he returned to Er¡¯Mithren, he would need to have a plan to cut through the fanaticism.  Pall¡¯Eth seemed to be at the root of it, somehow, and given that the man had plenty of time to let the negative sentiment fester, it would be foolish to go back without a plan.  He had no issues with Pall¡¯Eth facing retribution, but he wanted to leave as many others people out of it as possible.

    His final option was much like the first.  Rather than stay and wait for extraction, he could begin exploring this side of the planet.  The risk to this type of plan were largely unknown, though he could admit that it could make him more difficult to track when an extraction team arrived.  On the other hand, it could also allow him and C.H.A.D.D. to make the most of their time left on the planet.  He had no idea if shrikes existed on this part of the world, but he was happy to search and find out.

    He took a while longer to ponder other choices as his mana slowly replenished, but every other idea he came up with seemed to boil back down to one of his initial 4.  Twilight was in full swing outside, and the relative quiet proved to be strangely peaceful.

    With a sigh, Kyle stretched, looking to the pack resting on the ground nearby.  ¡°C.H.A.D.D., what am I missing?¡±

    He and C.H.A.D.D. discussed the options at length, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t hurt to review it all with his companion.

    [I THINK WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE OPTIONS SUFFICIENTLY, DR. MAYHEW.]

    ¡°And what would you do?¡± Kyle pressed.

    [EXPLORATION SEEMS TO BE THE WISEST CHOICE, DR. MAYHEW.  FROM WHAT WE HAVE OBSERVED, YOUR LEVEL OF STRENGTH IS ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THIS PLANET.  ASSUMING YOU AVOID ENCOUNTERING ANY MORE C GRADES, THERE COULD BE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH OF US.]

    Kyle smiled at the drone¡¯s words.  He knew that C.H.A.D.D. was hoping for more unique plants to add to its collection, always greedy to expand its archive.  Still, Kyle agreed.  Making the most of a bad situation was part of being a Guild operator, after all.  If he could find something unique to bring back, he might be able to avert a bit of the backlash from the job¡¯s failure.

    Stretching, he settled down on the ground.  Kyle had a plan, and tomorrow morning he would begin exploring his new surroundings.  For now, he pulled out the spatial disk Jarberry lent him and pulled out his tomes.

    If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that he needed to keep getting stronger.  Kyle never expected an existence like the Scourge to attack them like it did.  He could only imagine what other threats were lurking, not just on Er¡¯Mithren, but across the broader universe.  Threats he would need real power to contend with.  So, as the light faded beyond the horizon, he focused as he opened the first tome and got to work.

 Chapter 242

    As the fist bore down on him, Kyle used Repel, the point originating on his left shoulder.  He was blown sideways and at an angle, Synaptic Barbs screaming as the air parted around the massive attack.  As expected, the creature followed-up with an elbow strike as it pivoted back around.  This was the same combination he¡¯d been struck with earlier, and he ducked underneath the attack, then sidestepped the chopping blow that came crashing down as a follow-up.  The ground below him shook, shards of bone embedding themselves in the monster¡¯s hand in the aftermath of the strike.

    That served as the signal Kyle needed.  With a surge of power, he twisted and tore at the creature with Parasitic Resonance.  The response was more dramatic this time, the creature letting out a shriek of pain as it began to thrash.  Kyle was forced to activate Storm Shelter in response, keeping the beast close as Parasitic Resonance did its work.

    Again, spiderweb cracks formed due to the onslaught, and Kyle knew he didn¡¯t have much time.  He felt a steady influx of mana from the creature, which was baffling in and of itself.  Up to this point, Kyle didn¡¯t think it would be possible for a D Grade to sustain this type of mana drain while still being able to move.  This creature shattered that belief.

    Just as Storm Shelter shattered, Kyle darted backward, distancing himself from the blindly thrashing beast.  The damage he inflicted with Parasitic Resonance was more pronounced, with its eyes being destroyed.  This part of the plan, at least, seemed to work well enough.  The monster continued its rampage blindly, unable to locate Kyle after he disengaged.

    Unfortunately, that was the only aspect that went as Kyle hoped.  Even with the significantly deeper application of Parasitic Resonance, the behemoth was still up and moving.  It was a mixed bag; one that Kyle didn¡¯t feel good about.  The creature¡¯s body was visibly being knit back together, though more slowly than before.  Identify confirmed that the mana pathways in its body were a mess, the lingering damage from Parasitic Resonance taking a tremendous toll.  Still, the monster continued to fight.

    Kyle couldn¡¯t image the agony and pain that it must be going through, which left a bitter taste in his mouth.  He never relished the suffering of others, and though this was a true life-or-death battle, he didn¡¯t want to prolong it.  Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter.

    With the monster¡¯s unreal durability, none of the other skills in Kyle¡¯s arsenal would do the trick.  From the look of things, he would have to repeat the process at least once more.  Even then, it wouldn¡¯t be a clean death.  Kyle would have to do enough damage to systematically shut down every critical function, and then hope the beast would simply collapse and fade away.

    He let out a weary sigh, then approached the monster again.  It was a shame it had to be this way, but at this point he wasn¡¯t willing to just walk away.  A familiar jolt of pain ran through his stomach, and he knew that the Core of the Parasitic Devourer had added a new item to its menu.

    Careful to keep a safe distance from the blinded creature, Kyle once again infiltrated its system with Parasitic Resonance, allowing the connection to go deep.  An explosion of gore fountained from one of its shoulders, and Kyle saw a fresh, bloodshot eye appear, fixating on him almost immediately.  The creature let out another feral bellow, and turned to pursue Kyle, a fist already on its way.

    Kyle simply activated Storm Shelter, and watched with a tinge of pity as the creature broke its newly reformed hands for the third time against his barrier.  It¡¯s howls were a mix of rage and pain, and part of Kyle wanted to know why it seemed so hell-bent on continuing its attack.  Most creatures with any type of survival instinct would have left by now, but this creature seemed keen on throwing its life away.

    Kyle obliged it.

    One final push of Parasitic Resonance, and the monster collapsed to the ground for the final time.  Kyle forced himself to watch as it let out its last, labored breath.  He wasn¡¯t satisfied with how he¡¯d gotten to this conclusion, and he felt relief when it finally expired.  He definitely wanted to take some time to meditate, but first he had a goblin to track down.

    ¡°C.H.A.D.D., where did the goblin go?¡±

    [IT RETREATED TOWARD THE RUINS, DR. MAYHEW.  MARKING IT ON YOUR MAP NOW.]

    A small dot appeared a good distance away, the goblin having made impressive time in its escape.  Of course, the battle against the monster hadn¡¯t exactly been a quick one.  With Ignition active, Kyle gained ground quickly.  The goblin looked back at him at one point, eyes only widening as it took in the crimson glow.  It let out a high-pitched squeak, and then redoubled its efforts at escape.

    With a final burst of speed, Kyle got in front of it, holding out his hands in a placating gesture.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Whoa, there.  Slow down, I¡¯m not here to hurt you.  I just have some questions,¡± Kyle said, using the most reasonable tone he could muster.

    ¡°What¡­ what are you?  And how do I understand you?  Wait, do you understand me?¡± the goblin asked, and Kyle could see that it was a younger male, likely just into adulthood.  ¡°Are you some kind of monster?  Please, don¡¯t hurt me!  I swear, I¡¯m not a threat!  Ancestors above, please!  I have a family!¡±

    The goblin¡¯s voice increased in tenor and pace with each word he spoke, shrinking back bit by bit.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but I¡¯m not from around here.  I promise, I¡¯m not looking to cause you any harm.  I just want to learn more about where I¡¯m at relative to the capitol, and about this place.  That¡¯s it.¡±  Kyle offered the goblin a warm smile, which didn¡¯t seem to help calm the young man down one bit.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to hear, just please don¡¯t eat me!¡±

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Why do you think I¡¯d want to eat you?  Actually, never mind.  Let¡¯s start with your name.  You can call me Kyle.¡±

    That seemed to get the goblin thinking, and he met Kyle¡¯s eyes for the first time, seeming to take a moment to study him.  ¡°My name is Vel¡¯Norn.  I¡¯ve never heard of monsters using names before, or communicating like this.  You¡¯re truly not one of the abominations?  You¡¯re not with the one that was pursuing me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Kyle said, consternation in his voice.  ¡°How could you think that I¡¯m related to that thing?¡±

    Vel¡¯Norn seemed to stop for a moment, considering the leaps in logic he¡¯d taken to reach his conclusions.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not entirely sure.  This has been a very stressful evening, as you can imagine.¡±

    Thinking back on the day he had, Kyle couldn¡¯t suppress a grin at the goblin¡¯s words.  ¡°I can certainly relate to that.  Let¡¯s start at the beginning ¨C why are you out here?  And while we¡¯re at it, where is ¡®here?¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t understand,¡± Vel¡¯Norn said, voice shaking.

    ¡°Do you know where we are, relative to the capitol city?¡± Kyle pressed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say with exactness, never having been there myself, but I believe we¡¯re the better part of a continent away.  If you arrived here to reach the capitol, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re in quite the wrong spot.¡±

    Kyle took a moment to compose himself.  The news wasn¡¯t great, though it could be worse.  All about perspective, Kyle thought.

    The goblin youth was still looking up at Kyle, eyes large, and he decided to keep asking questions before Vel¡¯Norn got overwhelmed again.

    ¡°Are monsters like the one that was chasing you common around here?¡±

    As if snapping from a trance, Vel¡¯Norn looked around, as if only now realizing that the behemoth was gone.

    ¡°Common?  No, hardly.  There are few enough of them, though I had the misfortune to encounter one.  How did you get it to leave?  Illusion spells?  Stealth?  No, not with you glowing like that¡­ perhaps using some sort of bait?  A lure?¡±

    Kyle considered telling the truth, before letting the matter drop.  The goblin was already terrified. Mentioning that he managed to kill one, and would need to hunt others was unlikely to make that particular problem better.  ¡°Relax, it¡¯s not going to come back.  You mentioned that they¡¯re somewhat rare, how expansive is their territory?¡±

    Kyle had to repeat the question once more to get Vel¡¯Norn¡¯s attention again before the goblin answered.  ¡°Oh, yes.  Apologies.  They¡¯ve spread out quite a bit, though they¡¯re all still within a few days travel of the ruins.  They have been for years.¡±

    Kyle frowned at that, meeting Vel¡¯Norn¡¯s eyes.  ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what were you doing out here?  No offense, but that thing had you dead to rights if I hadn¡¯t shown up.  If you knew that they were likely to be around, why come at all?¡±

    The goblin sighed, looking away.  ¡°A lot of the people in my village are getting sick.  Not the normal sick, mind you.  Whatever it is has been spreading, now our Healer is sick as well.  There used to be a lot of Healers and researchers here, and I was hoping that they might have left behind something that can help.  A notebook, some potions, anything.¡±

    Vel¡¯Norn paused for a moment, his eyes distant.  ¡°I¡¯m one of the fastest and stealthiest people we have.  I thought that I could slip by.  Serenel told me not to go, but I thought I would be good enough.  I was wrong.¡±

    Kyle nodded, his gut telling him that Vel¡¯Norn was being honest.  ¡°I¡¯m not a student of epidemiology, but I might be able to help.  At the least, I could try to stabilize your Healer and buy some time.  All I¡¯d ask is for a place to rest and some food to eat, if that¡¯s okay with you.¡±

    Vel¡¯Norn¡¯s expression turned thoughtful, his eyes looking up at the twin moons.  He stayed like that for nearly a full minute, and Kyle simply stood by, waiting for him to reply.  Eventually, he did.  ¡°Do you mean to tell me that you ended up out here without shelter or supplies?  You seriously just appeared out of nowhere, with no idea where you were going, and now you want access to the village?¡±

    ¡°Well, when you put it that way, it sounds sort of strange.¡±

    Vel¡¯Norn gave him a flat look.  ¡°You¡¯re an alien or some sort of mutated troll, you have no idea where you are, and you want me to believe that you might have the answers to all my village¡¯s problems.  You¡¯ll forgive me for thinking this all feels a little contrived.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to think that if you¡¯d like,¡± Kyle said.  ¡°That still leaves the question, are your odds better working with me or on your own?¡±

    The goblin thought for a moment, then nodded.  ¡°I suppose you have a point.  I was hoping to rest at the ruins tonight, but with the creature about we¡¯ll need to find somewhere safe.  Do you have anywhere in mind?¡±

    Kyle was about to tell him they didn¡¯t need to worry, but instead he nodded.  ¡°I know a spot.¡±  He guided the goblin to one of the other locations C.H.A.D.D. marked for him earlier, a clearing surrounded by large stones, and they settled in.  Kyle offered to take the first watch, despite his weariness, but before he let the goblin drift off to sleep, he had one question he wanted to get answered.

    ¡°What¡¯s so significant about these ruins?  It feels like whatever was here was built in the middle of nowhere.¡±

    Vel¡¯Norn nodded gravely.  ¡°It was built out here intentionally.  From what I¡¯ve heard, it was a secret medical facility, financed and maintained by the old royal family.  I don¡¯t know what it used to be called, but today we just call it Railen¡¯s Folly.¡±