《A Relatively Powerful Mage》 Chapter 1: Integration Imri lay helplessly in the hospital bed, the steady beeps of the monitors a constant reminder that he was still alive. He had been unable to sleep, the strange condition slowly taking over his body, making him unable to move without assistance. It seemed inevitable that he would eventually succumb to his condition; no one had been able to make any progress in discovering its nature. The doctors had devolved into arguing for their theories, circling back to diagnoses they had already ruled out. His normally stoic father had teared up last night, telling Imri he loved him. The thought of his father''s anguish was too much to bear; they had only recently just lost Imri¡¯s mother. If anything, he held onto life for his father¡¯s sake more than his own. He had willed himself to keep breathing, to keep the condition away from anything vital. Imri doubted he could continue through sheer willpower alone; surely that wasn¡¯t enough to affect something at a physiological level. Yet, he felt like he had, that his determination was why he still breathed. The nurse entered, quickly checking on his IV. She was an attractive young woman in her mid-twenties, short with a bust that was evident even on the loose-fitting scrubs. She turned from the IV and smiled at him, raising his spirits almost instantly. While it didn¡¯t hurt that she was easy on the eyes, Imri enjoyed her presence for the warmth she seemed to radiate, something that a hospice ward was almost entirely devoid of. Imri felt embarrassed as she helped him get up and head towards the bathroom only a couple of meters from the bed. He knew it was irrational to feel ashamed of his condition, and it was her job to help people like him. Fortunately, he still had enough of his faculties that she only needed to help him get to the bathroom. He had almost reached his destination when, suddenly, the world started to spin uncontrollably. He closed his eyes, hoping that would relieve the vertigo, but it only intensified. He opened his eyes, only to find his world completely changed. Instead of the hospital, there was nothing; it was as if he floated in a void with no gravity. Despite no discernable light source, he could see himself clearly. He moved his arms and legs, laughing as he no longer seemed to be affected by the mysterious condition that had almost killed him. Then, Imri had a sobering thought, had he died? It seemed like the most logical explanation. He had always feared death, not believing in an afterlife or reincarnation. If he had died, that belief was debunked. He shrugged. Whether this was an afterlife, death throes, or something else entirely, it didn¡¯t change his approach; all he could do was enjoy the experience for what it was. As he pondered his likely demise, a sourceless, mechanical-sounding voice spoke. ¡°Welcome to the multiverse. Your universe is currently undergoing integration, and matter reconfiguration is underway. Once completed, you will have the opportunity to distinguish yourself. Please be aware that many different planets have been combined to create diversity and competition. You can now select your starting class or profession.¡± Information flowed into Imri¡¯s mind without any visual layer, like it had been downloaded directly into his brain. It was disconcerting to gain information in this manner, but as he acclimated to it he realized how efficient it was. He let the wider-reaching implication go, focusing on all the class and profession options he somehow knew he could choose from. There were near-limitless options. Some were mundane, like a list of recommended career paths he had been given after taking an aptitude test, like engineer or banker. Others were similar but with more of an old-fashioned bent, like blacksmith or leatherworker. Classes had almost as much variety. Like professions, a subset of classes seemed lifted out of a fantasy game, like barbarian or rogue. Some were even more fantastical, like arcanists, warlocks, or psionics. In addition to all his options, there was a wide variety of slight variations, for instance, he could be a general mage or he could be hyper-specialized in one or two spells. The same was true for the more mundane options as well. Imri preferred 4x games, and he wondered if he could treat this like one of those games, allowing him to control entire civilizations, grow an empire, and eventually eliminate his opponents. Unfortunately, the system''s emphasis on competition made him focus on his immediate survival. He somehow knew that he would eventually be able to pick both a class and a profession, so it made sense to pick his class first. He mentally filtered out the professions, eliminating more than half the options. Next, he filtered out all classes with a primary stat that was either physical or charisma-based. Finally, he filtered anything related to dark, shadow, or death, finding those edge lord archetypes cringe-inducing. He added a criterion that the class had some sort of magical abilities, as that was too cool to pass up. He then filtered by how specialized he wanted to be, eliminating the generalists and the classes that specialized in only one thing. The remaining list was manageable, if still a bit long, and he mentally examined some of them.
Class Tier/Rank Primary Stat Description / Staring Abilities
Psionic 1F Willpower Through your will you can convert mana into a variety of psionic abilities including telepathy and telekinesis. Starts with Telepathy (1F), Telekinesis (1F)
Elementalist 1F Willpower Through your will you can convert mana into a variety of fundamental elements. Starts with Elemental Conversion (1F), Elemental Manipulation (1F)
Diviner 1F Intelligence Through your understanding of reality, you can divine truth using mana. Starts with Augur (1F), Diviner (1F)
Transmuter 1F Intelligence Through your understanding of matter, you can manipulate mana to shape the form it takes. Starts with Transmuter (1F), Shaper (1F)
Relativity Mage 1F Intelligence Through your understanding of relativity, you can manipulate space and time using mana. Starts with Spatial Manipulation (1F), Time Manipulation (1F)
Imri stopped after reading the Relativity Mage. While there were still many powerful options, what could be more powerful than manipulating space and time? Still, his analytical mind screamed for him not to make an impulsive choice. He queried for additional details, and the system responded.
Relativity Mage (1F)
Experience: Bonus experience is awarded for learning and effectively using space and time spells.
Primary Stats / Level
Agility .1%
Intelligence .25%
Willpower .15%
Secondary Stats / Level
MP .25%
Mana Efficiency .25%
New Traits Gained Tier/Rank Description
Spatial Manipulation 1F Gives an understanding of spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of space are learned and improved by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of space-based spells and abilities by 1.5%.
Time Manipulation 1F Gives an understanding of temporal concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of time based spells and abilities by 1.5%.
Imri frowned, the stats seeming rather insignificant. He checked several other classes but found that they gave similar amounts of stats. Feeling like he was missing something he queried his stats.
Primary Stats
Strength 112
Agility 84
Constitution 96
Intelligence 138
Willpower 125
Charisma 91
Secondary Stats
HP 107
FP 80
MP 172
Mana Efficiency 190
It took Imri a moment, but then an understanding clicked into place. The stats weren¡¯t linear but exponential. Someone with a 100 score was average in that score while someone with a 150 was far more than 50% smarter, they were a genius. It was essentially a normally distributed curve, similar to how IQ worked in the real world when not at the extremes. The system seemed to break from that at the higher end, likely as it neared 200. Imri found his stats acceptable. He knew he was intelligent; he had always been one of the smartest people in his class if not the best student. However, he was no genius, so the number seemed appropriate. His willpower was also high, and this was undoubtedly due to his recent illness. Facing certain death was bound to temper anyone''s willpower. That plus the mindfulness he had practiced to overcome his social anxiety and depression. His third highest stat was strength, and this was mainly due to his size more than any weight training. The rest of his stats were slightly below average. He had always been a bit of a clutz and a loner, though neither to an extreme. His understanding of stats did not sway his choice. He took enough time looking through classes to feel like he wasn¡¯t being impulsive. With a mental command, he selected the Relativity Mage and disappeared from the void as suddenly as he had appeared. Imri blinked several times, trying to acclimate to the environment before him. He stood in what looked like a forest. The trees were unlike anything he had seen, with bright blue and violet leaves and a strange rocklike texture instead of the typical wood. The strange trees were dense, obscuring him from seeing into the distance. The constant chittering of insects drowned out any other noise, sounding somewhat like cicadas. He no longer wore his hospital gown but a simple brown linen robe. At one hip rested a small sheath with a knife. A small satchel hung over his shoulder, resting near his other hip. Inside the satchel, there were several small vials of bright-colored liquid, two of each color. As he wondered what they were, he instinctively knew he had a skill that would help him, Identify. He used Identify on each of the different vials.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Standard Healing Potion 1F 1 Improves HP regeneration by 50.5% for 2 hours.
Standard Stamina Potion 1F 1 Improves FP regeneration by 50.5% for 2 hours.
Standard Mana Potion 1F 1 Improves MP regeneration by 50.5% for 2 hours.
Despite the strange circumstances, Imri smiled. He could move again, his feet on solid ground and able to put one foot in front of the other. He had been given a second chance and wouldn¡¯t waste it. Imri began searching the area for signs of other people. While searching, he pulled up his status and noticed none of his stats had improved. Each of the stats seemed to floor down to the nearest whole number. His class had improved to level 1, but he also noticed that his heritage was level 1.
Heritage Description
Primordial (1F) You are a primordial of unknown origins
Primary Stats / Level Secondary Stats
Strength .1% HP .1%
Agility .1% FP .1%
Constitution .1% MP .3%
Intelligence .3%
Willpower .2%
Charisma .1%
New Traits Gained Tier/Rank Description
Enigmatic Being 1F Increases your resistance to divination-based spells and effects by 10%
Discerning Eye 1F Improves visual acuity by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 25%. Can see mana in any form.
Primordial''s Intuition 1F Intuit basic understanding of concepts without any prior knowledge. Increase the rate at which intelligence-based spells and abilities are learned and improved by 5%.
Primordial¡¯s Intuition was responsible for understanding how the system worked, which Imri knew because of Primordial''s Intuition. Unfortunately, his intuition didn¡¯t extend to what a primordial was, and even the description was frustratingly vague. His Enigmatic Being trait wasn¡¯t immediately useful but would be invaluable if anyone ever tried to scry or detect him. His Discerning Eye was more immediately helpful, allowing him to see his surroundings more clearly. He also realized he could shift his vision, allowing him to see mana of varying intensities, almost like infrared goggles but for mana instead of heat. His own body glowed blue under the mana sensing vision, while the rest of the environment had a fainter glow. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. As he was experimenting with his new vision, he noticed the glowing outline of a creature in the trees, though its glow was still far weaker than his own. It was slightly larger than a human, with scaly skin of a similar dark hue to the strange trees. It had sharp claws that dug deep into the stonelike tree. Despite this, Imri relaxed. He noticed the creature''s lethargic energy and glacial pace as it reached out for another branch. It was so slow, and Imri wasn¡¯t sure he could move that slow if he tried. Imri watched the creature for a while, pondering the nature of time. This creature used the slowness of time within its own body to its advantage. It was a simple insight, but somehow it felt profound to Imri. He felt his class trait deepening as he observed a concept of time. It wasn¡¯t enough to learn a new spell, but it laid a foundation for future gains. Imri nodded to the sloth lizard, grateful to the creature. Somehow, he didn¡¯t feel foolish and swore the lizard understood the gesture. This realization also allowed Imri a more immediate insight. His two class traits did not give him spells to cast. Instead, they allowed him to manifest his understanding of space and time as spells. He currently had no spells and below-average physical stats while traveling through a strange indigo rock forest. He was acutely aware of this as he spotted movement again. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t the amble of the sloth lizard but a quick flash of movement from a predator stalking its prey. Imri embraced the wave of adrenaline that shot throughout his body. This would be over in the blink of an eye; he would either kill or be killed. The creature burst from behind a rock tree, flashing towards Imri at a ridiculous speed. It was a doglike creature with indigo splotches among its dark fur. Imri instinctively used Identity.
Heritage Tier/Rank Level Description
Ulfr Hound 1F 3 Ulfr hounds are weak creatures that hunt in packs. Have no strong affinities or weaknesses.
Before Imri could react, the hound was upon him, lunging for his throat. Imri desperately tried to shield his neck from the snapping jaws, slightly succeeding in that he managed to get his arm mangled instead of his throat. The hound continued biting down, shaking Imri¡¯s arm like a chew toy as it bore Imri to the ground. Agony shot throughout his arm, seeming to spread to every nerve in his body. Blood gushed out of the wound, though it was still clamped shut from the vice-like pressure of the Ulfr Hound¡¯s jaw. Imri did his best to stay calm despite the mortal peril so soon into his second chance. With his free hand, Imri pressed his hand to the beast and manipulated the area around it, compressing the space itself. As the amount of space decreased, the pressure slowly built around the creature''s head. The beast whimpered and released his arm before its skull caved in with a sickening pop, its head exploding like a popped zit, spraying blood and gray matter all over Imri.
Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Spatial Compression 1F Compress space in local space-time. Mana cost varies by density of matter within the compressed space, amount of space being compressed, and distance from the caster to the space being compressed.
New Quest Progress
Class Rank Up F to E Learn space or time spells 1/5.
New Achievement Earned Rank Primary Stats / Rank Description
Solo Hunter 2 .1% Slay a creature above your level without the aid of others.
The spell didn''t have any visual indicator or sound. He simply willed the effect into being with no chants or complex rituals. Even the gesture with his hand hadn''t been strictly necessary, though it had helped him keep the parameters of his spell well-defined, like the follow-through of a pitcher. It also hadn''t compressed space quickly, and if the hound had been moving, it wouldn''t have been so effective. Imri lay there for a moment, his arm mangled and bleeding, the headless hound¡¯s dead weight on top of him. With effort, he managed to free himself by rolling the carcass off. He wanted to be away from the dead creature, but something drew him towards it, a faint energy within it still resonating. Imri drew his dagger and cut into the beast using his uninjured arm. He did his best to ignore the blood and viscera carving into its chest for the source of energy. He cracked several of its ribs, then plucked out a tiny gem-like substance no larger than a bean.
Item Name Tier/Rank Level Description
Monster Core 1F 3 A core that is found within all creatures. It has a myriad of uses, including alchemy and enchantment. It can be absorbed directly to gain class or profession experience.
Imri held the monster core between two fingers. He could feel that both his class and heritage were close to a level up, and he decided to use it now to gain his first few levels.
Imri Padar has reached Level 3 in Relativity Mage (1F)
Imri Padar has reach Level 3 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained
+2 Intelligence
+1 Willpower
Secondary Stats Gained
+6 MP
+7 Mana Efficiency
Next, Imri checked his current resources to see how bad the damage he had taken was.
Resources
Hit Points (HP) 84/107
Stamina (FP) 77/80
Mana Points (MP) 118/178
Despite not being anywhere near death, having all the damage dealt to his arm limited his grip strength and dexterity. He didn¡¯t have any skills to help him recover his HP, and according to the system, it would take a week to regenerate 100% of his max HP. Given the amount of damage he had sustained, it would take about a day and a half to regenerate the damage done to his arm. The health potion seemed especially ineffective, only cutting the time by minutes. Likewise, MP recovered slowly, taking 3 days to recover 100%. Stamina recovered the fastest, taking only a day. There were also bonuses for resting, with stamina receiving the greatest bonuses with a 100% increase for resting, mana recovering with a 50% increase, and health with a 25% increase. Imri uncorked the HP potion and downed it in a single swallow. Its artificial taste reminded him of cough syrup. As he drank the potion, he felt slightly nauseous. He assumed that drinking multiple potions at once would result in him throwing the contents back up. Perhaps with a higher constitution, he could manage the negative effects better. Even with the health potion, Imri noticed his HP drop by 1 point as he lost blood from the open wound. He used his knife and cut off a strip of cloth from his robe, tying it tightly across his arm. With the makeshift bandage in place, the HP loss stopped. Imri continued to explore the stone forest, though more wary of ambush predators. His first concern was for more of Ulfr hounds to come to avenge their packmate. Fortunately, nearly an hour later, there was still no sign of more Ulfr Hounds. He had noticed other signs of life, more of the sloth lizards and an anteater-like creature that dug through the rock trees for insects. Neither creature paid him any mind, focused on their mundane tasks. As he wandered about, he heard the sound of moving water. As he moved closer, it became apparent it wasn¡¯t the burbling of a creek but the roar of rushing water. It grew louder and louder, and he had badly misjudged its size and distance. Slowly, the forest opened up to reveal a towering waterfall. The descent of the fall was further than anything Imri had ever seen on earth, with the source of the water not even visible, as if it descended from the heavens. Stranger yet, there wasn¡¯t a cliff or discernable structure that originated the falls, it was as if the water just poured from an unseen source. It pooled into a small lake before continuing on as a river. Despite the alien nature of the waterfall, Imri found its presence soothing. He decided to take a break. He removed his gore-stained robe and went into the lake. It was cold, but the shock to his body energized him. He washed the filthy clothing as best he could with only water, then hung it out to dry. It was cold enough that he was uncomfortable but not so much so that he was in danger of becoming hypothermic. He sat in his underwear, which the system had thankfully provided him. He crossed his legs and leaned against one of the rock trees. He closed his eyes and focused on the rhythmic sound of the roaring water. Soon, he felt as if he were the waterfall, the rock jungle, and the sloth lizards. He was a part of everything, and everything was a part of him. Eventually, he returned his focus to his body, his breath coming in and out slowly but deeply.
Skills Learned Tier/Rank Description
Meditation 1F Enter a state of meditation, shifting your gaze free from your mind and body. While in a state of meditation, you gain +1% MP regeneration / 10 Willpower. You are also considered resting for the purpose of mana regeneration.
Breath Control 1F Control your breathing efficiently. While using breath control you gain +1% FP regeneration / 10 constitution. You are also considered resting for the purpose of stamina regeneration.
Spell Learned
Metronome 1F Send out a pulse of mana at a regular interval. Mana cost varies by duration and frequency of pulses.
Quest Updated Progress
Class Rank Up F to E Learn space or time spells 2/5.
Imri smiled as his meditation ended. He opened his eyes and was confronted with a person only a meter away. Chapter 2: Not Alone Imri stared into the eyes of a person he recognized. It was the nurse who had been taking care of him. Emelia was her name, and she wore the same strange robes, dagger, and potion satchel Imri had been given. Imri quickly gathered up his robe, which was still slightly damp, and put it on, along with the rest of his equipment. He felt embarrassed that she had seen him almost completely naked, even though she had helped him shower when he was a patient. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to sneak up on you. I was just relieved to find someone else in this forsaken place,¡± she said with her hands up placatingly. Mr. Padar, is that you? How can you get around?¡± she asked as she recognized him a bit late. She had undoubtedly been thrown off, not expecting her hospice patient to wander around. ¡°The integration seems to have healed me, and just call me Imri,¡± He said with a shrug. His Primordial Intuition didn¡¯t give him any insight into his recovery; he just counted his good fortune and moved on. ¡°Integration?¡± She asked ¡°The system didn¡¯t explain it to you?¡± ¡°System? What system?¡± ¡°You know, the system that integrated us into the multiverse,¡± Imri explained, receiving a blank, uncomprehending expression from the nurse. ¡°One moment, I was helping you, and the next moment, I¡¯m here in this weird forest. I have this vague sense that I learned something, but I don¡¯t know what it was,¡± Emelia explained. Imri stared at her and used Identify.
Emelia Fields
Heritage/Class Tier/Rank Level Description
Human 1F 1 Humans are a sapient species with a diverse range of specializations, yet are masters of none.
Empathic Healer 1F 1 Empathic healers can use their compassion for life to heal others, especially effective at healing those with whom they have a shared connection. They are also able to understand and manipulate the creature¡¯s emotional states.
¡°Does an Empathic Healer ring a bell?¡± Imri asked. Emelia pursed her lips. ¡°Yeah, though I¡¯m not sure how I know that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember picking your class? No disembodied AI voice explained that Earth had been integrated into the multiverse?¡± Imri asked. She shook her head. ¡°Nothing like that. I just suddenly appeared here.¡± ¡°Try focusing on yourself, mentally commanding your character sheet to surface in your mind. You won¡¯t see anything visually, but all your traits, skills, spells, or attacks should surface in your thoughts. You can also see your stats, status, quest progress, and probably a few other things I haven¡¯t discovered yet,¡± Imri explained. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± She said. She sat there for a while, mentally processing all the information that Imri had been parsing through as he went. ¡°Do you know what all these 1F¡¯s mean in front of everything?¡± She asked. ¡°It''s the tier and the rank within that tier. So, 1F is tier 1 rank F. When it upgrades, it will improve to 1E and so on until it reaches tier 2 rank F, which will be a bigger jump than a rank up,¡± Imri explained. ¡°How do you know so much about this system, and how did you know that I was an Empathic Healer?¡± ¡°I have a trait that gives me a basic understanding of most things, especially regarding the system. I also have a skill that lets me identify properties of things. I used it on you, and it told me your name and that you were a level 1 Human level 1 Empathic Healer,¡± Imri explained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like being identified. It feels kind of like when my ex-boyfriend went through my phone,¡± Emelia said with a shudder. ¡°I''m sorry. I didn¡¯t think about that,¡± Imri said, mentally berating himself for his casual skill use. ¡°Just don¡¯t use a skill on me without asking,¡± She said. ¡°Yeah, sorry. It won¡¯t happen again,¡± Imri said, mad at himself for violating her trust. He was two minutes into interacting with someone in this new context, and already he was fucking it up. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up. I¡¯m sure it was an honest mistake. Besides, it''s not like we have social norms for magic skill usage. How about you make it up to me and let me use Identify on you? Then we¡¯ll be even,¡± she requested. ¡°I guess that''s fair,¡± Imri said after a brief hesitation. His only concern was what she would think of his heritage. Did being a Primordial mean he wasn¡¯t human? ¡°That¡¯s weird. It didn¡¯t work. How about you tell me instead?¡± she asked. Imri suspected his Enigmatic Being trait protected his heritage from being discovered. He also wasn¡¯t sure how effective the average Identify was because he was more effective thanks to his Discerning Eyes. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m a level 3 Relativity Mage, a class specializing in space and time spells. I have one practical spell right now, and it lets me compress space within an area, essentially crushing things,¡± Imri explained. ¡°You¡¯re level 3? How did you manage that?¡± Emelia asked excitedly. ¡°I was attacked by a monster called an Ulfr Hound, which is kind of like a hyena. I managed to defeat it with that spatial compression spell,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Wait, there are monsters out here? I¡¯ve been wandering around, and I could have been attacked by a hyena. This is so fucked up,¡± She said as she had a small panic attack. She grabbed Imri''s arm as if he were about to run off into a crowd and leave her behind. Imri stood awkwardly, conflicted about being touched by the attractive woman. He had never liked being touched, even handshakes, yet he enjoyed Emelia¡¯s touch, even if it was platonic. Emelia seemed to notice his discomfort. She was Empathic, and he wasn¡¯t exactly a smooth operator. ¡°Sorry, I have issues with physical contact, ¡± Imri explained, then mentally berated himself for calling more attention to it. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I understand. I shouldn¡¯t have just grabbed you like that,¡± Emelia said as she awkwardly put her hands behind her back as if having them in front of her would cause issues. ¡°You are really not scared of those monsters, of this weird fucked up reality?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m brave or anything. I just don¡¯t care,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°What the hell does that mean? How can you not care?¡± she asked in an accusing tone. ¡°It¡¯s not like I had anything worth living for, so who cares if I die?¡± ¡°I care, so don¡¯t ever say something like that again,¡± she demanded. Her intensity surprised Imri, and he unconsciously nodded in agreement. ¡°I won''t,¡± he promised. "Good. Now let me see your arm," she said. She took several minutes to check the wound and then redid the makeshift bandages less haphazardly. "How''s that? It should feel tight but shouldn''t cut off the circulation." Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "It''s good. Thank you," Imri said. "Don''t mention it. So what do we do now?" Emelia asked. ¡°I¡¯m focusing on learning new spells and hopefully evolving my class as soon as possible. You should also focus on learning spells. I don¡¯t think it would be wise to wander around the stone forest without any means to defend yourself,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°How do you know I can even learn spells?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but an Empathic Healer sounds like a class that should get healing spells.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m just supposed to think about healing to get healing spells?¡± ¡°Just ponder the nature of healing. Look for insights around you. The same thing with empathy,¡± Imri explained. She nodded and sat down a few meters away from him, imitating his pose. It quickly became apparent that she had never practiced meditation before, as after about ten minutes, she was fiddling around. After fifteen minutes, she stood up and began pacing around. Imri sighed and stood up, gaining all his insight from meditation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not good at sitting still,¡± Emelia said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This probably isn¡¯t the safest location,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Everything needs water, so this is a one-stop shop for predators.¡± ¡°Yeah, let''s get out of here,¡± Emelia said, looking back and forth nervously. ¡°I did spot a strange black pyramid with a beam of purple shooting from it while I was searching the forest, about an hour''s hike from here. Think that would be worth checking out?¡± ¡°You''re joking, right?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Is that a dumb idea?¡± ¡°Maybe, but why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Most people don¡¯t see a strange alien pyramid and think that it would be a cool place to check out. Most people see it and think, ''hell no, I¡¯m going to go anywhere but here.'' Are you sure this isn¡¯t your ''fuck it, who cares if I die attitude''? Because I do not want to die,¡± Emelia said. ¡°No, this is my Isekai protagonist attitude, where I want to get stronger at any cost. Just wandering around and meditating won¡¯t get me there, and fighting random monsters would be slow and boring. This pyramid thing might be an important clue or some sort of dungeon where we could level up,¡± Imri explained. ¡°I don¡¯t know if boring would be the word I would use when describing monster attacks,¡± Emelia sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯m somewhat curious about what''s in there, but I¡¯m also equally terrified. Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± ¡°No, not really, but you wouldn¡¯t have brought it up if you weren¡¯t at least considering it,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Fuck it, it¡¯s not like I have any better ideas,¡± Emelia conceded. They made their way through the forest, Emelia leading the way. At first, Imri was worried she would set too slow of a pace, but it quickly became apparent that she had better physical abilities. She outpaced Imri despite being a full 30 centimeters shorter. The hike took longer than the hour Emelia had mentioned. She wasn¡¯t exactly sure where it was located, having only a vague general direction. After about an hour and a half, they stopped to take a rest, Imri having lost over half of his stamina. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t keep up,¡± Imri said as he breathed heavily between gulps of water. ¡°You were in hospice less than a day ago. The fact that you''re walking at all is miraculous,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Besides, I think we¡¯re close.¡± Emelia was right, shortly after their break they came to the structure. Imri would describe it as a temple, and it reminded him of the structures the Aztecs had built, somewhat pyramid-shaped with a massive set of stairs that ran up what was presumably the front of the structure, with a doorway-shaped entrance near the top at the end of the stairs. From the top, a purple beam of energy emanated out, spanning up as high as he could see before being obscured. The structure was entirely pristine, not a scratch or blemish in sight. The material it was made out of reminded Imri of obsidian, being nearly unnaturally black and polished. As he felt the stone, he could tell it wasn¡¯t obsidian but some unknown material. ¡°Are you sure about this? This place creeps me out,¡± Emelia said with an unconscious shudder. Imri frowned. He could understand how she felt; the temple and its beam gave off an ominous feeling. ¡°Nothing ventured, nothing gained,¡± Imri said. Emelia nodded but didn¡¯t immediately begin ascending, instead letting Imri take the lead. Imri obliged, ascending the steps of the dark temple. The ascent took longer than expected, and Imri carefully made his way up the stairs, which were polished smooth enough not to give his boots a good grip. When they neared the top, almost fifty meters up, Imri looked above the tree line. The stone forest stretched as far as he could see, only broken by the waterfall several kilometers away. He still wasn¡¯t able to discern where the water was coming from. Together, they made their way to the zenith, and the temple¡¯s entryway came into view. Hovering above the floor was a several-meter-tall indigo crystal, its point nearly touching the structure''s pinnacle. It gave off an eerie glow, bathing the entire room in an unnatural purple color. The top of the structure was open, allowing the beam emanating from the crystal to ascend to the heavens. A creature stood vigil near the crystal, roughly humanoid in build but with scaly skin and a slender, wiry frame, slightly shorter than Emelia. It wore dark robes with embroidered shapes that were foreign to Imri. It held an ornate serrated dagger made from black metal with an encrusted gemstone resembling a miniature version of the massive crystal. Blood dripped from the serrated blade, a drainage system leading away from a lifeless corpse on the ground.
Heritage/Class Tier/Rank Level Description
Chixel 1F 6 The Chixel are a sentient species known for their agility and soul rituals.
Soul Priest of Ulzo 1F 6 Soul priests specialize in converting souls to mana, powering rituals in a rite to the god Ulzo.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Serrated Dagger of Soul Capture 2F 11 A ceremonial dagger that is used to capture the souls of the lives claimed by the dagger.
¡°Blasphemers! These ones'' souls shall be offered to Ulzo. It is an honor these ones do not deserve, but it would be a shame to waste willing sacrifices,¡± the Chixel hissed. Somehow, Imri understood it, even though it spoke a strange language he had never heard before. The Chixel was fast, faster than any creature Imri had ever seen. He closed the several meters of distance between them in a few graceful steps. Imri panicked, casting his Compression spell where he thought the creature would be. It compressed nothing but air as the creature moved too fast for Imri''s Spatial Compression. In a fluid motion, the Chixel lashed out with the dagger, scoring a light gash across Imri¡¯s arm. Despite the cut being superficial, it burned with an agony that felt worse than what the hound had done to his arm, and he nearly dropped his weapon The Chixel continued to dart back and forth, easily avoiding Imri¡¯s clumsy strikes with his dagger. With each strike Imri made, the Chixel scored another light wound, each burning with white-hot agony nearly unbearable. The Chixel grinned a smug satisfaction in knowing he was the superior fighter. Despite this, the creature was cautious, only taking large openings to deliver minor injuries before jumping out of reach. Every instinct in Imri¡¯s body screamed at him to avoid the dagger the Chixel wielded and the pain it inflicted. The physical agony was nothing compared to what the dagger would do if it managed to kill him. That would be a fate far worse than any death before the system; it would be a true death, with his soul sent into the crystal. Despite every instinct telling Imri to get far away, his rational brain asserted itself. He would die if he tried to run, as there was no way he would outrun the far faster Chixel. When the Chixel made its next strike, it was caught off guard as Imri didn¡¯t bother to avoid the slash. Instead, Imri stepped in closer, taking a deeper gash across his arm. The pain seared into his brain, far worse than anything Imri thought possible. Imri ignored it, reaching desperately to grapple with the slippery lizard-like creature. Despite its superior agility, the Chixel¡¯s momentum and surprise worked against it. Imri managed to grab the creature, his shoulder slamming into its waist while he used his hands to lift its legs, tackling it to the ground. The two hit the ground hard, with Imri¡¯s weight landing on Chixel¡¯s slight frame. The Chixel struggled to breathe as the impact knocked all the air from his lungs. Imri took advantage, hammering his opponent''s face while he held onto the Chixel¡¯s hand with the soul-stealing dagger. Imri got in a few good blows, but eventually, the lizard creature recovered, using its agility to evade the clumsy blows Imri attempted. It squirmed around, struggling to free itself. Imri¡¯s strength waned as the Chixel thrashed and squirmed about, slowly wriggling its way free from the amateur wrestling moves Imri had employed. Imri desperately held on, knowing he would die if the creature freed itself. Despite his determination, his body and soul failed him, as it was too damaged to move how he wanted it to. The priest managed to reverse positions, getting on top of Imri. If it were only a matter of strength, Imri would have held, but the creature was fast and slippery, slowly gaining a better position. At that moment, Imri knew he was doomed. Chapter 3: Shared Burden Emelia had steeled her resolve, as this place had a wrongness to it that she couldn¡¯t describe. The strange lizard creature had an evil presence to it, oozing malicious intent. Yet, that had been nothing compared to the dagger and strange crystal, which gave off emotions that she had never felt before. This was especially strange given that she had never felt an emotion from an inanimate object before. Though it was perverse, the dagger gave off an emotion closest to a strong desire. By far, the worst was the crystal, which gave off an intense feeling of agony, though it felt as if it came from hundreds of sources. The strange emotions flooded her, stunning her to inaction as the fight broke out. She could feel the agony that Imri felt as the malicious blade slashed him, followed by emotions emanating from the dagger, satisfaction followed by more desire. She felt the lizard creature''s joy whenever it landed a blow. It emanated a confidence that it would win. This was followed up with a sense of surprise when Imri managed to tackle it, followed by a brief moment of fear as they struggled on the ground. Its fear slowly subsided as it became apparent that Imri was faltering. Finally, Emelia snapped out of her stupor as she felt Imri¡¯s determination and will to keep going even as his body could no longer keep up. Emelia could feel his terror, he did not want to die, despite what he had said. Emelia closed the few meters between them as quickly as she could, drawing her knife as she did. The lizard creature was focused on breaking free of Imri, which it had almost done. She brought her knife down, stabbing it into the back of the distracted creature. The dagger punched through the creature¡¯s scaly flesh, buried to the hilt. It hissed as it gave off an emotion of agony followed by confusion. It had completely forgotten about Emelia. It gave off a feeling of anger when it realized what had happened. Emelia didn¡¯t care; she was just as angry. She pulled her knife and stabbed down again before the creature could recover. Blood began seeping from its wounds, intermingled with the blood of its victim. ¡°Just die already,¡± Emelia screamed as she repeatedly stabbed the creature. The creature''s anger soon became terror as its vitality seeped away. Still, Emelia kept stabbing and stabbing, so many times she lost count. She stabbed it a few times after it no longer gave off any emotion.
New Achievement Gained Rank Primary Stats / Rank Description
Group Hunter 3 .05% Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less.
Emelia Fields has reached Level 2 in Empathic Healer (1F)
Emelia Fields has reached Level 2 in Human (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Charisma 122
Secondary Stats Gained
+2 Mana Efficiency 148
Emelia didn¡¯t even care about the level and title. She dropped the dagger, sobbing uncontrollably. Her emotions were out of control, bouncing between fear, anger, shame, and sadness. She vomited out the little bit of food she had managed to keep down since the integration. She wanted to curl into a ball and sleep until this nightmare ended, and she was back in her bed. She managed to compose herself enough to focus on her companion. He lay unmoving on the ground, only minor gashes on his arm visible, besides his previous injury. None looked serious, yet she could still feel his agony. Something about it was wrong; it reminded her of her feeling when looking at the crystal. She collapsed on the ground next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die,¡± She commanded him. She reached out to him, not physically, but through her empathic connection. She could feel his suffering, and she would take on some of that burden.
Skill Learned Tier/Rank Description
Shared Burden 1F Through your empathic connection, you can take on the burdens of others. You may transfer injuries to yourself, effectively healing the other at the expense of your own HP. A small amount of MP is required to maintain the spell.
Emelia felt his injuries, felt the indescribable agony that emanated from the shallow cuts. So intense was the feeling that she almost lost concentration on the spell. Despite this, she knew it was only a small fraction of the pain he had experienced. She continued taking on his injuries until the pain became too overwhelming, and she passed out. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she had been out, but when she came to, Imri was watching over her, concern plainly written on his face. ¡°You''re alive!¡± She yelled in relief, embracing him in a hug. The moment after she did, she remembered him being uncomfortable with physical contact. At the same time she couldn¡¯t control her empathic connection, she understood all the emotions he felt from that embrace. First came his relief; he had been just as worried for her as she had been for him. Second came a feeling of contentment and the need to touch and be touched by others. Next came lust, a desire for her, as he felt her body press against his. It was surprisingly fierce, far stronger of an emotion than his body language or actions suggested. This was immediately followed up by an equally intense feeling of shame, shame for having had the previous emotion. This was mixed with a feeling of fear, fear that she would discover he had these feelings. A fear that she would be repulsed by him, that she would humiliate and embarrass him for daring to have these feelings. This was followed by a slightly less strong version of shame, embarrassment. He was embarrassed for having these feelings, knowing that he shouldn¡¯t be turned on by a platonic embrace. Then he felt confused, questioning whether she liked him in that way. This was followed by disgust, not towards her, but to himself. He hated himself for being so cowardly, never telling anyone how he felt. No one could ever love him; he was too awkward, too cowardly, too stupid, and too ugly. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Emelia felt this entire cascade of emotions, which was clearer than anything she had ever felt. She wondered if her skill had anything to do with it. She had been empathic before the system, always able to feel what others felt. People had always assumed she was just good at reading body language, but it had always been more than that. Even then, she knew that the feelings Imri had just experienced were not subtle. If she had those same emotions from a single hug, she definitely would have stopped at desire and told the other person to take their clothes off. Emelia noticed none of the turbulent emotions that she knew existed inside Imri showed in his body language. Instead, Imri awkwardly hugged her, lightly touching her back, too nervous to hold her tightly. Emelia squeezed her arms around him tighter, refusing to let go. This sent another wave of cascading emotions through Imri, almost exactly the same as the first. She almost got mad when he started thinking she was repulsed by him. He certainly couldn¡¯t think rationally regarding his emotions for someone so smart. ¡°Sorry, I forgot you didn¡¯t like being touched,¡± Emelia said as she pulled away from the embrace. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Imri replied, not bothering to elaborate. Emelia debated telling him how much she was picking up with her empathic connection. She wouldn¡¯t say everything she had felt, just let him know she could read emotions. But would he hate her for it? Emelia thought back to how she felt when he used Identify on her. It had felt like an invasion of privacy, and he had just learned her name, class, and level. What she had done was a thousand times worse. If someone could read her emotions, how would she feel? ¡°Are you alright?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still adjusting to a new skill,¡± she said. ¡°The one you used to heal me?¡± ¡°Yeah, that one,¡± Emelia lied. ¡°Are you sure you''re ok? Those soul wounds are no joke, and it looks like you took some of mine yourself,¡± Imri said. ¡°Soul wounds?¡± Emelia asked. Imri had been near death from soul wounds, and she had used her skill to heal them by taking them herself. ¡°That dagger,¡± He said, motioning to the black serrated dagger that the lizard creature had used. It lay untouched on the floor, still giving off a hunger for souls. ¡°And that crystal?¡± She asked, though she already knew she wouldn¡¯t like the answer. ¡°The crystal is just a way to store energy. It¡¯s essentially a giant battery,¡± Imri said. ¡°Batteries don¡¯t shoot purple beams, and how is this battery-powered?¡± Emelia asked, though deep down, she already knew the answer. ¡°It¡¯s powered by souls. The dagger and crystal are linked, kind of like a wireless charger. The beam comes from runes inscribed throughout this room. I¡¯m not entirely sure what it''s doing, but I think I¡¯m close to understanding it,¡± Imri explained. Emelia hadn¡¯t noticed it, but sections of the wall around the crystal were covered in a glowing, strange script. ¡°And if we had died from that dagger?¡± She asked. ¡°Our souls would be ripped apart and fed into the crystal,¡± Imri said matter of factly. ¡°You were this close to becoming energy for a soul battery,¡± Emelia said, holding two fingers a centimeter apart. ¡°And that doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± She asked. Yet, you''re terrified of hugging me, and thinking it would be too inappropriate was the unspoken part that really got to Emelia. Imri just gave her his typical shrug. ¡°I always assumed death was final; in this case, I would have been right,¡± He explained. Emelia just shook her head. Something was seriously wrong with him. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps,¡± She suggested. ¡°I think it¡¯s safe. We were both unconscious, and we were still fine. How does that skill work, by the way? It looks like you healed me but took some of the damage, thanks for that by the way.¡± Of course, he wants to know how a skill works instead of getting away from the creepy soul battery, Emelia thought. ¡°It''s exactly like that. I can form a link and heal an injury, but it goes onto me instead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad you don¡¯t have a way to convert mana to health yet. Mana recovers more than twice as fast as HP, so any halfway decent healing spell like that will be OP. Not that your spell isn¡¯t great; it saved my life. And it allows double the hp regen by splitting damage among two people. It is a spell, right? Not some OP passive skill? Does it work both ways?¡± Imri said far faster than Emelia could follow. ¡°I think taking the damage only works for me, not vice versa. What does OP mean? Double HP regen?¡± She asked. ¡°Really, you have never heard OP before? It stands for overpowered, usually used in reverence or vein at some ability the devs didn¡¯t properly understand before they released or updated their game. The double regen was in reference to our current situation. It takes seven days for someone at 0 HP to return to full HP. Though technically, it''s an approaching limit; as HP approaches infinity and HP approaches 0, HP recovery time approaches 7 days. It isn¡¯t possible to have 0 HP and still be alive, though there could be a skill that allows that. But if you split the damage between 2 people, the most you would need is half that time. Though if you are actively using that skill, it''s close to a double hp buff, assuming I¡¯m the only one taking damage,¡± Imri rambled on. ¡°Can we leave now?¡± Emelia asked when he was done nerding out. ¡°Let me at least finish studying the runes; I¡¯m close to understanding them. Oh, and one more thing,¡± He said, digging a small marble-sized gemstone from his pouch. ¡°This is a monster core; you can absorb it to gain XP.¡± ¡°Where did that come from?¡± She asked. Imri pointed to the lizard creature, and that¡¯s when Emelia noticed the creature''s chest cavity had been carved out. ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± She said, starting to feel queasy. ¡°Are you sure? You would probably gain a level from it,¡± Imri said with genuine confusion. How could he be ok with absorbing the core of that lizard creature? ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± she reaffirmed. ¡°Are you sure? If you don¡¯t want to use it, you could hold onto it. At some point, I think monster cores will be a sort of currency, or at least they might be pegged to a more conventional form of currency.¡± ¡°You keep it; you can owe me one. Now I¡¯m going to wait outside, yell if you need anything,¡± Emelia said, turning to leave before he could respond. As soon as she was outside, she started laughing. She didn¡¯t know why she thought using the phrase pegged was so funny, but she was just childish like that. Chapter 4: Magic and Science Imri examined the monster core he had taken from the Chixel. It was slightly larger than the one he had absorbed from the Ulfr Hound, about the size of a marble. He couldn¡¯t find a reason why Emelia had been so uncomfortable with it. He willed his body to absorb the energy, the core responding instantly. He felt the surge of leveling up and reviewed his recent gains.
Base Willpower has increased from 125 to 126
New Achievement Gained Rank Primary Stats / Rank Description
Group Hunter 3 .05% Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less.
Imri Padar has reached Level 4 in Relativity Mage (1F)
Imri Padar has reached Level 4 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Intelligence 141
+2 Willpower 128
Secondary Stats Gained
+5 MP 183
+2 Mana Efficiency 199
With this new level came a new realization. When he improved a primary stat, such as his intelligence, it didn¡¯t change how he thought. Instead, his increase in intelligence made it easier to process and remember. Likewise, if someone eventually gets major boosts in physical attributes, such as strength, it wouldn¡¯t change their actual body. So, someone high enough in level could appear physically weak while actually being quite strong. Imri guessed that this was more theoretical than practical. He suspected that those with a physical class would also be physically imposing people, gaining base strength as they used it. He also noticed that the stats gained summary included everything from the last time he had checked it. So, the 2 willpower included 1 from the base increase and 1 from the level up. Imri returned his focus to the room he was in. The sacrificial victim was an older man Imri didn¡¯t recognize, probably in his mid to late sixties. He had a jagged cut where his throat had been slit, and judging by the still-wet blood, it had been recent. The man might still be alive if they arrived an hour or two sooner. Imri turned his attention to the dagger, lying in a pool of the Chixel¡¯s blood. While he was loath to use such a vile weapon, it was too powerful to discard. He picked it up and carefully put it onto his belt after not finding a sheath for it. He had been studying the runes throughout the room, and he felt like he was close to a breakthrough. It reminded him of his days spent as a software engineer. When looking at the entire jumble of runes, it seemed incomprehensible, but broken into discrete blocks, it was doable. For example, he had quickly been able to separate the runes that controlled the orientation of the crystal. This was followed by a script that took energy from the crystal and passed it to another function. Some runes took inputs from some unknown source, seemingly having something to do with distances and angles, which then fed back into the function controlling the amount of energy drawn from the crystal. The final function simply converted the energy into an upward force. It was so simple, yet he was stumped. Why have all these runes only to essentially shoot up a beam of force? Why did the angle and amount of energy need to be so precise? Why use so much energy? Imri thought about it, then had an epiphany when he remembered the waterfall. He rushed out to speak with Emelia. ¡°It¡¯s an active support,¡± Imri explained. ¡°What¡¯s a what?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°That beam, this whole structure. I was confused why they would spend so much energy, but active support explains it.¡± ¡°Back up, what is an active support?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a science fiction concept. Basically, you use energy to support a larger structure as opposed to passive support, which simply relies on the strength of your building material. In practice, active support usually supplements passive support. This is just a ridiculous waste of energy,¡± Imri explained. ¡°So you could build bigger buildings with energy, but this creepy temple isn¡¯t that big.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a temple. There is something above us, something massive based on the amount of energy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. How can a beam of energy hold anything up?¡± ¡°Think of it like this. Suppose there was a piece of paper floating in the air. It could stay up in the air for as long as a wind current shot up, canceling the downward force of gravity with an exactly equal force opposing it. Now, scale up the piece of paper to something like a giant floating island, and the air would need to be replaced with something equally powerful. Something like a beam of soul energy,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Are you saying there is an island floating above our heads? How do you know that?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but it¡¯s the only explanation I can think of. You remember how the waterfall appeared to come from nowhere?¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s that large? What would they need a giant floating island for?¡± ¡°Yes, though I suspect there are several of these temples, probably at least three for stability. As for why, I''m not sure. Maybe it''s a religious thing? That Chixel called me a blasphemer and said I would be sacrificed to Ulzo, which I¡¯m assuming is their god or something equivalent.¡± ¡°You understood that? How the hell do you speak lizard?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°I guess my understanding trait expands to languages,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°This floating island isn¡¯t going to come crashing down, is it?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. That crystal has a lot of energy, but it¡¯s also burning through it rapidly.¡± ¡°What is quite a bit? Hours, days, years?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°Days, maybe a week,¡± Imri said after doing some quick math. Emelia relaxed a little but was still on edge. ¡°Are we leaving then?¡± she asked. ¡°Not yet. I noticed there was a set of stairs,¡± Imri said. ¡°You still want to explore the rest of that temple, don¡¯t you?¡± Emelia asked with a sigh of exasperation. Imri nodded without hesitation. ¡°Fine, but we¡¯re getting the hell out of here the moment we see another one of those lizard things.¡± Imri had discovered the passage downward from the ritual altar. It was a steep descent with shallow steps, clearly designed for the more nimble Chixel. The pair descended, carefully taking each step one at a time. As they went down, the bright light from the beam reflected behind them, backlighting them. They descended the equivalent of two flights of stairs before it leveled out, continuing straight through a passageway. The glow from above was faint at this depth, but a similar, if fainter, glow emanated from smaller crystals embedded in the wall. ¡°The Chixel have used magic like we used technology,¡± Imri said in wonder as he stopped to examine the light source. ¡°So we¡¯re screwed? This world is playing by their rules, not ours?¡± Emelia asked ¡°Not necessarily. I don¡¯t see any reason why our technology wouldn¡¯t work, possibly even be better with magic. No, the issue will be establishing new supply chains, and I think they will have as much of an issue with that as we will.¡± ¡°You''re saying a fantasy world will be dominated by logistics, not swords and fireballs?¡± Emelia asked, to which Imri just nodded. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering it since I fought the Ulfr Hound. When I used Identify, it said it was a pack hunter, but it was by itself. We were a couple of meters apart when the integration happened. We were relatively close together in the new world but obviously more than that apart.¡± ¡°You''re saying it spreads everyone out, but not entirely?¡± ¡°It keeps the relative position of things. So, someone a kilometer away would have come into this world twice as close to us as someone who was two kilometers away. I''m not sure what that exact scale is, but it¡¯s significant given we didn¡¯t see each other right away.¡± ¡°That would make this new world unimaginably large. How is that even possible?¡± Emelia asked. Imri shrugged. While they were conversing, Imri looked for runes similar to the ones found near the soul crystal. Despite his careful search, he could find no such runes empowering this crystal. Curious, he took out his knife, pried one of the small crystals off the wall, and identified it.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Quartz Crystal 1F 5 A crystal that is capable of mana storage. Stores 1050 mana / cubic meter.
The F-grade quartz crystal fit in his palm, far smaller than a cubic meter, and could only store a few mana. It was insignificant compared to the larger crystal above. The crystal still held some residual mana despite the light having gone out when it had left contact with the wall. Also, the crystal appeared to hold the mana, not leaking it meaningfully. Curious, Imri willed a small amount of his mana into the crystal. There was a slight resistance before the mana entered, filling the crystal to capacity. He noted that some mana was lost in the transfer, a small amount but significant in terms of percentage. It seemed that directly infusing the mana wouldn¡¯t be an efficient storage solution, especially because there would also be a loss when withdrawing the mana. Imri examined the empty socket where the crystal had been secured to the wall. He noticed a small copper setting that would have been in contact with the crystal.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Copper Setting 1F 3 A conduit for mana conductivity. 14.55% mana lost / kilometer and through transference of mediums.
The copper was used as a mechanism for energy transfer, similar to copper wiring. He also noticed the runes he had been searching for were etched into the copper setting. He carefully pried the copper setting out of the wall, careful not to warp or scratch any of the runes. Once the small copper setting was free, he touched it to the crystal, instantly causing it to light up. Imri absorbed all the mana from the small quartz crystal, cringing at the inefficiency of the transference, even though he had only wasted a couple of mana by transferring in and out of the crystal. The moment the last mana had been absorbed, the light ceased. Finally, he repeated the experiment, this time infusing his mana into the copper setting, noting that it was slightly more inefficient than the direct infusion into the crystal. Imri felt Emelia¡¯s gaze on him, noting her impatience with his experimenting with the lights in the creepy temple. She undoubtedly didn¡¯t want to be down here any longer than necessary, though she didn¡¯t voice her complaints aloud. Satisfied, Imri continued down the hall. The hallway eventually opened up into a larger room with high ceilings. The side of the room was supported by functional and decorative pillars. An altar stood on a raised dais near the point where they entered. The center of the room had stone benches made of the same dark stone from which the temple was constructed. The room made Imri¡¯s description of the structure as a temple more apt, confirming that this structure held some significance besides being purely an active support pillar. Movement caught Imri¡¯s eye, shifting his attention to a lone figure who sat on one of the benches. It was another Chixel, though this one moved slowly compared to the priest above, with an even slighter build and shorter stature. It was unarmed and wore unadorned black robes. Emelia drew her knife, awaiting the attack from the Chixel. Imri frowned, not concerned.
Heritage/Class Tier/Rank Level Description
Chixel 1F 1 The Chixel are an enlightened race known for their agility and soul sacrifice rituals
Acolyte of Ulzo 1F 1 Acolytes are youths who assist the Priests of Ulzo, preparing prisoners to be sacrificed
¡°It¡¯s an Acolyte. It''s not a threat,¡± Imri explained to Emelia. ¡°So what? Do you really think this ritual-sacrificing lizard will be nice just because he¡¯s younger and more progressive? I don¡¯t think so,¡± She said, not lowering her knife as the Chixel regarded them. Imri sighed and approached the Chixel without hostility, causing a steady stream of curses from Emelia. The Chixel was still a dozen meters away, but it stopped and stared at Imri. Its body language shifted when it spotted the soul-capture dagger on Imri¡¯s belt. It hissed, lashing out its forked tongue in displeasure. Despite its obvious distress, it didn¡¯t react violently, instead shrinking back in obvious fear. Its discomfort also caused Emelia to relax slightly, though not enough to put her knife away. ¡°That one has come for this one¡¯s soul,¡± it said, staring at the black dagger. ¡°I¡¯d prefer answers,¡± Imri said in the hissing language of the Chixel, startling the acolyte, who had clearly not expected a response. ¡°That one speaks the Chixel language? How is that possible?¡± the acolyte asked. ¡°I got a skill that allows me to speak any language,¡± Imri lied. ¡°That is a great skill. Is that one an ambassador for that one¡¯s species? If so, these ones would be glad to open dialogs for those ones¡¯ species to become a vassal to the mighty Chixel,¡± he said, seemingly pleased to have found what he considered a negotiation partner. Imri snorted, getting surprised looks from the Chixel and Emelia. ¡°I am the farthest thing from an ambassador. I¡¯m closer to a scientist, and negotiations are not my strengths. She would be closer to an ambassador,¡± Imri explained, pointing at Emelia. ¡°That one''s mate speaks for that one?¡± the young Chixel asked in confusion. This time, Imri couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter. ¡°What the hell is so funny?¡± Emelia asked, clearly frustrated by being left out of the conversation. ¡°He thought I was an ambassador and that we were a couple,¡± Imri explained between laughs. ¡°Yeah, very funny. Can you take this a bit more seriously? The emotions I¡¯m getting from him give me the creeps. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying, but it is malicious and thinks of us as bugs.¡± ¡°You got all that from his body language?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Something like that; remember, I am an empath.¡± ¡°Well, he did ask me to negotiate on behalf of humankind to become vassals to the Chixel. I get the sense the Chixel are a bit racist, or maybe speciesist?¡± Imri mused. ¡°Just tell him to fuck off; humankind will never submit to a bunch of lizards,¡± Emelia said. Imri nodded and turned to the Chixel, relaying Emelia¡¯s message verbatim in the Chixel language. ¡°That one¡¯s species will rue the day they made an enemy of the Chixel. These ones will enslave that one¡¯s entire species; that one will be cattle to empower the Chixel empire,'''' The Chixel hissed. ¡°What do we do with him?¡± Imri asked as the Chixel continued to rant about the horrors that would be afflicted upon humanity. ¡°As much as I would like to kill him, it¡¯s only a kid. Killing it would make us no better than them; we will lead by example,¡± Emelia said. ¡°Now, can we get out of here?¡± Imri nodded, and the pair turned to leave the way they had come in. Apparently, turning their back to the Chixel and considering him a noncombatant was regarded as a grave insult. Enraged, the Acolyte hissed and charged towards them faster than Imri thought the youth could. Still, it was nothing like the movements of the priest they had faced earlier, perhaps slightly superior in agility to the average human. Unfortunately for the Chixel, Imri now had a strategy for dealing with their superior agility: takedowns. It was far easier for Imri to get a hold of this Chixel, and as he took it to the ground, he felt the give of several bones breaking under his weight. A few heavy punches later, the Chixel lay motionless on the ground. ¡°So much for leading by example,¡± Imri said as he stood up, blood smeared over his hands and robes. ¡°It had its chance,¡± Emelia said. Imri sighed and did the gruesome work of digging out the core. He was far from having surgical precision, but he managed better on the second attempt. Its core was tiny, around the same size as the Ulfr Hound. He was about to absorb it when he noticed Emelia looking at it. ¡°Did you want it?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Absorbing that thing will make me stronger? It won¡¯t infect me with anything that lizard has?¡± ¡°It will make you marginally stronger, and it''s completely safe,¡± Imri reassured her. Emelia held the core in her palm, staring at it. It took her a moment to intuit how it worked, but eventually, she absorbed the energy within. ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get left behind,¡± she said after a long pause. ¡°Now, come on, we¡¯re getting the hell out of here,¡± she ordered. Chapter 5: Soldier, Scholar, and Leader The stone forest had a new air of danger, as Emelia kept expecting one of the lizards, a Chixel Imri had called them, to ambush them. Her life before the integration hadn¡¯t been perfect, but compared to having a race of lizards trying to enslave you, things had been great. Imri, unflappable as always, rambled on about how the damn lights worked. ¡°Mana shares many properties of other forms of energy. That¡¯s why using mana to power lights is so fascinating. Think of what we can do if we find methods of gathering large amounts, besides ripping people''s souls apart that is. Combining that with our modern knowledge can accomplish many things science fiction hadn¡¯t even considered.¡± ¡°You''re seriously more excited about using mana than you are concerned about homicidal lizards that want to enslave the human race?¡± Emelia asked, though she already knew the answer. Imri just shrugged. Emelia shook her head, though she felt strangely reassured by his unending nerdiness in the face of unspeakable evil. They had decided to head back to the waterfall. While Emelia wasn¡¯t entirely thrilled about returning to the spot Imri had described as a one-stop shop for monsters, they didn¡¯t have a better idea. The idea of a hungry monster hunting them for food seemed far less concerning when sentient Chixel wanted them enslaved. It also reassured her that they wouldn¡¯t be sleeping under a floating island held up by beams of energy powered by souls. Yes, Emelia was certain she would not be sleeping any time soon despite not sleeping since the integration. Falling unconscious from taking on soul wounds just wasn¡¯t the same as sleeping. As they neared the site, they spotted a group milling around the pool''s edge formed by the waterfall. Fortunately, they were other humans, and Emelia even recognized some of them as fellow hospital staff. There were about a dozen people, all dressed in the simple clothing provided by the system, though some had slightly different variations than the robes she and Imri had both been given. A particularly large man had armor made from various animal pelts and a sword slightly smaller than Emelia. As Emelia and Imri approached, she noticed the group tense up, then visibly relaxed when someone recognized her. They had been arguing about something, but she couldn¡¯t hear any of it above the waterfall''s roar. As she drew closer, her empathic skills flooded her mind. The entire group was terrified, though she didn¡¯t need the system to learn that. She felt relieved that she wasn¡¯t the only one in a state of panic over the unusual circumstances; Imri was just the weird one. They were gathered around the corpses of several hyena creatures that she was certain were the Ulfr Hounds Imri had mentioned. Mixed among the monsters was a human body, an elderly man who had been a patient at the hospital. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Zhaire, who knows how many people would have died? This place isn¡¯t safe.¡± ¡°As opposed to what, wandering around? We¡¯ll run into more monsters that way.¡± The pair argued on, scarcely acknowledging the new arrivals. Emelia hoped Imri would step in and calm the panicked group down, but he averted his eyes when she looked over at him. He wasn¡¯t terrified like the others, but he was definitely uncomfortable with the larger group. It pained her that his unease extended to her. Just two minutes ago, he had rambled incessantly about his different theories, and now he couldn¡¯t even look at her. Was he afraid she would leave him for this group? That she would abandon him in favor of someone more normal? She had to admit she had been put off by him initially, and in a normal world, she would have left it at that. But now she wasn¡¯t so sure; something about him reassured her. He was the only one making any progress with understanding this world. ¡°Everyone calm down!¡± Emelia yelled, startling the group that had barely noticed her. She wasn¡¯t sure what she had done, but she cast a spell as she said those words.
New Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Project Emotion 1F Influence others'' emotions to mirror your own more closely. Mana cost varies on the severity of the emotion of the target and the caster, and the distance from the caster to targets.
Emelia Fields has reached Level 3 in Empathic Healer (1F)
Emelia Fields has reached Level 3 in Human (1F)
Secondary Stats Gained New Value
+1 MP 123
+1 Mana Efficiency 149
The spell took effect, calming the group down enough for Emelia to speak without interruption. ¡°I think we should all listen to Imri. He at least has some idea of what¡¯s going on.¡± As one of the group turned to Imri, many doubtful sentiments were expressed in hushed whispers. Imri, the man who had faced a Chixel with a soul-destroying dagger without flinching, was visibly nervous from a small crowd of people. Imri started by explaining how their universe had been integrated. When the questions started to come, Emelia could see Imri gained confidence. It quickly became apparent to everyone that he knew far more than they did. It took him a couple of hours to go through everything, Emelia occasionally adding in a detail or two, mainly to stress how fucked up the lizards are. When Imri finished, the crowd of onlookers stared at him, waiting expectantly. ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you to tell them what to do,¡± Emelia whispered to the bewildered Imri. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m not a leader,¡± Imri said loud enough for others to hear, followed by his signature shrug. ¡°You got this. Just treat this like you did when it was just me,¡± Emelia reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Imri¡¯s emotions swirled before settling on resolve. ¡°First, we should get the cores from all the monsters. Most people here have a noncombat class similar to what they were doing before the integration, but for now, we should prioritize leveling up those who can fight,¡± He said. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. No one objected to this first order of business, and with a sense of hierarchy established, the hospital employees worked efficiently. None of them were squeamish, and after a brief instruction from Imri, they could easily extract the cores far more efficiently than he had. There was a brief discussion about the ethics of using the core of the fallen person, but eventually, pragmatism won out. The elderly man''s core was extracted with more care, a doctor doing that work with the same deference given to an organ donor, albeit with far inferior operating conditions. There was a brief service for the fallen man. No one had known him, but a few people stepped up and said some kind words and wished his spirit peace. This held extra significance with the Chixel¡¯s perversion of the soul. With the memorial completed, the cores were to be divided among the members designated as combatants. Apart from herself and Imri, there were two others, Zhaire and Sylvi. Zhaire was the mammoth of a man with an almost equally massive sword. He stood nearly half a meter taller than her and was two meters tall with a bodybuilder''s physique. Apparently, he had aspirations of being a professional football player before a pair of knee injuries ended his career. He had spent the past few years working in the hospital as an orderly, though he clearly hadn¡¯t slacked in his physical training. The integration had healed the buildup of scar tissue in his knee, allowing him to move like he had before the injury, leaving him practically giddy. His class was called linebreaker, a melee warrior who specialized in quick bursts of speed to charge an enemy with reckless abandon. Their fourth was a wiry woman named Sylvi. She had been one of the younger patients who had the misfortune of a terminal illness in her prime. She was ex-military, one of the few women in the world who had been a female special forces operative. Like Imri, her body had been devastated by illness, far from her prime physique. Still, she emanated excitement at the second chance she had been given. Her class was a sharpshooter ranger, specializing in ranged combat and nature survival. Emelia immediately felt like the odd one out. The three psychos around her were excited, not thinking of the new world as a curse but as an opportunity. All three of them had some chronic illness cured through the integration, and for Imri and Sylvi, it was a life-saving event. Despite this, the three of them turned to her, the least remarkable in this group of four. ¡°I nominate Emelia as the group leader,¡± Imri said, the other two nodding along, not even bothering to discuss. ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯m not special. I¡¯m literally the worst choice out of everyone. I barely feel qualified to be in this group,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why you need to lead,¡± Zhaire pointed out. ¡°You saw how we managed before you arrived. Neither Zhaire nor I are leaders. We¡¯re soldiers,¡± Sylvi said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m similar; I am a scholar, not a leader,¡± Imri said. ¡°Do you all really believe I¡¯m the best candidate to lead?¡± Emelia asked, giving them one last chance to reconsider. All three nodded without hesitation. ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m going to delegate. Imri, you''re in charge when a decision needs to be made about magic or science stuff. Sylvi, you''re in charge of combat or tactical decisions. Zhaire, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯ll be in charge of, but I will find something.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright; not everyone needs a thing,¡± Zhaire said, his emotions neutral and unbothered. ¡°As for the monster cores, Zhaire, you were responsible for slaying them, so you get to decide,¡± Emelia declared. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t even know these were a thing until y¡¯all brought it up,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°I think we should prioritize those who haven¡¯t gained levels yet. The amount of experience for each level increases, so someone at a lower level will get more from them. Also, I think they become less effective the more you use, at least for some amount of time until your body can fully integrate the energy,¡± Imri said. In the end, Sylvi got 2, Zhaire and Emelia took 1, and Imri abstained. It took a little bit of instruction before Zhaire and Sylvi could absorb theirs. After absorbing the cores, Imri and Zhaire were level 4, Emelia was still level 3, and Sylvi was also level 3. The four of them returned to the other survivors. They briefly discussed plans for the upcoming days. The general goal was to find a defensible position to set up a semi-permanent camp while integrating as many survivors as they could find along the way. It wasn¡¯t the most sophisticated of plans, even by Emelia¡¯s standards, but she had been reassured when Imri hadn¡¯t objected. After the group moved some distance from the waterfall, further away from the temple, they did their best to get some sleep. A rotating watch was established; two people were always awake while the remainder tried to sleep. Some people passed out, their exhaustion exceeding their fear. Others wept, the stress and anxiety coming forth. Emelia wanted to use her emotional projection spell to reassure each of them, but even if she had the mana, it wouldn¡¯t have worked. She needed to be calm to project it, and she was closer to breaking down. She decided to move closer to Imri. Something about his presence drew her in. He was studying the piece of copper he had ripped out of the temple''s wall. He noticed her and set the item down. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± she said with a sniffle as a tear formed unbidden. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°Just shut up,¡± Emelia said, confusing Imri until she leaned against him. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her as she cried into his chest. He was surprised and momentarily uncomfortable, but that quickly shifted to a sense of duty. He wanted her to feel safe, and he felt it was his obligation. ¡°Everything will be alright,¡± Imri said soothingly. It was a comforting sentiment, made all the more powerful that Emelia could tell he believed it. Emelia felt his swirl of emotions. Gone were the negative emotions, and he no longer believed she was doing this as a platonic gesture. He wanted more, but he was still afraid¡ªafraid she would reject him, afraid he would be taking advantage of her in a moment of emotional instability. Emelia wanted to tell him he was being stupid and that she wanted him to keep holding her. She looked him in the eyes, refusing to back down. He met her gaze, and she could feel his doubts melting away. She leaned in, moving her face mere centimeters from his. He got the message, closing the distance between them and kissing her. It was gentle at first, as if posing the question, ''Is this alright''? Emelia responded fiercely, passionately kissing him back. This snapped the last of his uncertainty. He kissed her back with equal passion, even holding the back of her head, tender yet insistent. They paused for a moment, their lips centimeters apart, both of them with wide grins. They continued kissing for longer than they should have, yet it felt like a moment that passed in the blink of an eye. They only stopped when it was her turn to stand watch, another nurse having awkwardly interrupted them after not finding an opportune way of letting her know. Emelia gave Imri a quick parting kiss with a coy smile. Chapter 6: The Worst Watcher Imri was awoken by Emelia, who smiled apologetically at him. He had only gotten a few hours of sleep but still felt invigorated. She kissed him before they traded places, Imri on watch and Emelia trying to get some sleep. While Imri knew he should be focusing on his duties as a watch member, his mind quickly drifted toward learning new spells. The first idea was expansion, the opposite of compression. He thought this would be easy, with the universe''s expansion surely it was more natural than compressing space inward. However, it wasn¡¯t nearly as simple as he had hoped. It seemed that the matter within the space resisted being pulled apart. Fortunately, his attempts weren¡¯t entirely in vain; his repeated attempts to manipulate space gave him a better understanding of the space in an area.
Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
True Distance 1F Determine the distance between two frames of reference. Mana cost varies by precision and the distance from the caster to the frames of reference.
Quest Updated Progress
Class Rank up F to E Learn space or time spells 3/5
Like the metronome spell, this was more of a foundation for future spells but wasn¡¯t immediately applicable in obvious ways. It also brought him one step closer to completing his class quest. His watch came to an end, with Zhaire taking the last watch. Imri didn¡¯t feel like he needed more sleep; instead, he meditated for the last few hours before they broke camp. He found it difficult to separate himself from his emotions for a reason he wasn¡¯t familiar with. He was too happy, his thoughts drifting back to kissing Emelia. He eventually gave up and wandered back to where Emelia was sleeping, settling in close to her but careful not to wake her. He wanted to hold her, to keep her safe, but his inability to get over his insecurities plagued him again. Instead, he decided to watch her sleep like a creepy stalker. Her hair was disheveled, her face speckled with grime and dirt. Yet, to him, she was still beautiful beyond words, and for some reason, she liked him. A part of him still couldn¡¯t believe it was real, couldn¡¯t believe she would choose him over someone more attractive, like Zhaire. He pinched himself just to be sure he wasn¡¯t dreaming. He wanted time to stop so they could spend as much time as they wanted together. Yet, cruelly, time marched on, seeming to accelerate through life''s most joyous moments and grind to a halt during the cruelest moments. He realized that time was a construct of perception and could, therefore, be relatively faster or slower to the perceiver. It was another insight into time that didn¡¯t lead directly to a spell, but with each insight, he felt closer to being able to wield time itself. He was so lost in thought that when he focused on the present, he noticed that Emelia had woken and now stared at him with a coy grin. ¡°Good morning,¡± she said with a smile. Imri immediately averted his gaze, embarrassed at staring and still having completely zoned out. She giggled, turned his head back towards her, and kissed him. ¡°Good morning,¡± He said, wholeheartedly agreeing with the statement, all sense of embarrassment and insecurity melting away, for the moment at least. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you do that, how you can be so focused on thoughts that you''re oblivious to everything around you. You probably shouldn¡¯t be on watch if you space out this much,¡± Emelia said, standing and stretching out the soreness of sleeping on the hard earth. As she stretched out her back, Imri couldn¡¯t help but stare. The motion accentuated her chest, which pressed against the loose robes, revealing her bust. He was allowed to stare, right? Imri knew he wasn¡¯t being subtle, and when Emelia noticed his staring, he was sure she would tell him to stop. Instead, she gave a coy smile and seemed to accentuate the stretch further. ¡°We should check in with the others,¡± Imri eventually said, feeling embarrassed for being so brazen. Emelia just smiled, apparently reveling in his awkwardness. The entire camp was beginning to stir as everyone awoke. Someone had taken the initiative and cooked up a large portion of meat from the Ulfr Hounds. Despite his initial aversion to eating the monster, it had been almost two days since the integration, and he hadn¡¯t eaten anything. Judging by the amount of food consumed by the entire camp, most hadn¡¯t eaten either. It was far from the best meal he had ever eaten, with no spices or flavoring, but it was well cooked. He ate a piece of meat larger than anything he had ever eaten in a steakhouse, devouring it in several minutes. With sated bellies, they broke camp. With no one having any belongings worth mentioning, the entire process took only a few minutes. In quick order, they began hiking through the forest. Sylvi took the lead with the most wilderness experience, even if it wasn¡¯t completely applicable to the stone forest. Zhaire took up the rear, hopefully protecting them from anything that decided to follow. Imri stayed with the main group, nominally to protect the group from any unexpected threats. In truth, it was because he was out of shape and clumsy. He doubted he could get to Sylvi before Zhaire, even with the head start. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. While most of the group consisted of healthcare workers in decent shape, there were still several elderly patients and obese staff. Imri wouldn¡¯t be the group''s anchor, but due to his recent illness, he was a bit on the out-of-shape spectrum. However, they made a decent pace with the help of more physically fit people. ¡°So you were a patient before all this happened?¡± A middle-aged man asked. Imri recognized him as one of the two doctors in the group, Dr. Thompson. Imri nodded. ¡°What did you do before you were a patient?¡± ¡°I was a software engineer,¡± Imri said. ¡°How do you think you got that class, Relativity Mage?¡± The doctor asked. Everyone in the group had gotten classes similar to what they had done before the integration, with Imri being the most notable exception. None of them had a choice in class; they had simply been assigned their class by the system. Even Zhaire and Sylvi, who seemed to have strange classes, made some sense. Zhaire clearly identified more as an athlete than an orderly, and the Line Breaker was somewhat similar to his position in football. Sylvi was just a badass special forces operator, both pre and post-integration. Even Emelia¡¯s class made some sense with the strange empathy that she had possessed. Imri was clearly an outlier, having been able to select whatever class he wanted. ¡°I did always have an interest in cosmology, and from what I''ve seen, advanced magic is similar to software,¡± Imri explained, both of which were true. He omitted the fact that he had been able to select his class, something no one else had mentioned to this point. ¡°Still, that seems like quite a jump. You were interested in cosmology, so now you can control it?¡± The doctor said, some jealousy leaking out into his tone. Imri didn¡¯t entirely blame the man; the doctor had worked hard to become what he had. The system seemed to assign other people more powerful classes seemingly at random. ¡°Maybe it gives those with professions that were overly specialized to our previous lives different classes. It could have made Zhaire a football player, but it made him a fighter that fit his existing skills. All of you are still healthcare workers because we still need healthcare workers,¡± Imri speculated. That response seemed to appease the doctor somewhat. ¡°Still, it would have been nice to have gotten magical healing. It doesn¡¯t seem fair to give that ability to a nurse when there are plenty of capable doctors. Imagine what we could do with both knowledge and magic,¡± He said, oblivious to the fact that the nurse in question was his girlfriend. Was she his girlfriend? He wasn¡¯t sure how that thing was decided; he hadn¡¯t had many girlfriends before the integration. Imri¡¯s annoyance must have shown, so Dr. Thompson apologized and left him alone. Imri had never been good at hiding his emotions. He wondered how much of an open book he was to Emelia. They hiked for hours, taking breaks every so often. Few in the group had come this far in a single direction, meaning they were in uncharted territory again. They hadn¡¯t seen any sign of the Chixel or the Ulfr Hounds. They were nearing the end of the daylight when Sylvi rejoined the group, motioning for everyone to stop. ¡°There is a city up ahead, and I think it¡¯s Minneapolis,¡± Sylvi said. This was followed by a cheer and a chorus of people excitedly talking about what they would do once they were back in the city. Imri was less excited, mainly because he realized what many of them hadn¡¯t. The city wouldn¡¯t be what it had been. Every one of them had been near the city''s center when the integration had happened, yet they found themselves spread out kilometers away. While there would undoubtedly be a few people who had been integrated within the city, most would be far away. They wouldn¡¯t be returning to a functioning civilization but an eerie ghost city that would mostly be abandoned. Imri voiced his logic, and while it made sense to most people, it only slightly dampened the mood. Most were excited to be out of the strange stone forest they had been wandering since the integration, even if it had only been a couple of days. ¡°You aren¡¯t excited to be back somewhere familiar?¡± Emelia asked Imri. The camp had broken into smaller groups, conversing while they waited for Zhaire to rejoin the main group. ¡°It might be nice to be back in a city, but I think everyone underestimates how creepy it will be to have an entire city with no people,¡± Imri said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s creepy, it can¡¯t be worse than a stone forest or a soul-sacrificing temple,¡± Emelia said. ¡°What if the city has attracted attention? Like how we were attracted to investigate the temple,¡± Imri pointed out ¡°You think there will be Chixel there?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°That, or possibly worse. Who knows how many monsters are out there, at least in the forest we¡¯re relatively well hidden. In the city, things will be able to spot us a lot easier.¡± ¡°I see your point,¡± Emelia said with a frown. ¡°Still, everyone is going to want to go there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying we don¡¯t, just that we should be careful,¡± Imri said. He hoped everyone would take his warning to heart or that he was just being paranoid, but he didn¡¯t think that either was likely. Chapter 7: Ruins from the Previous Era Everyone was being irrational, at least from Imri¡¯s perspective. Everyone acted like nothing had changed, as if they could walk home and resume their normal lives. This was the new normal, and people needed to accept that. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only one with some sense. Sylvi was a professional, and she approached the situation from a tactical perspective, outlining all the potential issues that came from a mostly abandoned city. ¡°All those tall buildings could give an enemy a superior vantage point, and we could be spotted from anywhere. Unless we had a larger team with better equipment, I don¡¯t see a way to do this without hoping no one is watching. Our best bet would be a small team going in at zero hour,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°I can see pretty well in the dark; anything with mana will be visible as if they were wearing bright reflective clothing,¡± Imri said. ¡°I was hoping you would volunteer. Hopefully, we don¡¯t find anything unusual, but I think you¡¯re the only one who could make sense of it,¡± Sylvi said. Imri nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m coming too,¡± Emelia blurted out. ¡°I could heal you and calm down someone who might need help,¡± She added belatedly when Sylvi gave her a withering glare. ¡°While I appreciate the enthusiasm, I need your boyfriend focused on the mission, not you,¡± Sylvi pointed out. Emelia opened her mouth as if to protest some aspect of Sylvi¡¯s statement, then closed it. Imri was also disappointed not to have her with, but he felt a childish glee when Emelia didn¡¯t immediately refute the boyfriend moniker. ¡°And me?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what you can do in a fight. I would love to have you come with us, but I¡¯m trying to avoid any confrontations. You and your sword aren¡¯t exactly subtle and stealthy. I think you would be most effective deployed at the base, just in case some Chixel or Ulfr Hounds come snooping around, ¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m fine sitting this one out, but don¡¯t sideline me too often. I¡¯m our strongest fighter, after all,¡± Zhaire stated. He probably wasn¡¯t wrong, but his arrogance rubbed Imri the wrong way. ¡°While we¡¯re on this mission, I have command. Our objective will be to secure a building with a high vantage point and observe for several hours,¡± Sylvi explained to Imri, who had no objections to that plan. The news that only a small group would enter the city was immediately met with protests and complaints. One angry glare from Zhaire and most of the arguments died in the wind. The remaining requests were mostly for searching for loved ones or securing certain items. Imri and Sylvi made no promises, knowing it was unlikely they would find a specific person within the city. Imri watched as Sylvi did one final gear check, ensuring they both had plenty of potions. She also checked her ammo store, a quiver with a dozen arrows. Finally, she checked her weapons; her bowstring was in good condition with a spare, and her dagger and scimitar had good edges. The edge of the forest came into view, the city''s outskirts visible. The sight reminded Imri of post-apocalyptic shows: cars abandoned on the interstate with no people within sight. All the cars and buildings showed signs of decay, as if they had been sitting here for years, not days, though it wasn¡¯t so severe that anything had started to crumble. ¡°It appears the integration took some time,¡± Imri said. ¡°You¡¯ve only been integrated for a couple of days?¡± Sylvi confirmed, receiving a quick nod in response. ¡°Everything still appears structurally sound, and the forest hasn¡¯t overtaken the city,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Meaning what?¡± ¡°The city might have aged by several years but wasn¡¯t here while it aged. If it had, we would see signs of the forest taking over. Time was passing while we were being integrated, but we just didn¡¯t perceive it,¡± Imri said in awe. It was the final piece of insight he needed as a new spell came together within his mind.
New Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Time Dilation 1F Slow down relative time for a target, allowing them to move and perceive faster than creatures not affected by time dilation. Time would appear to move at 1 / Amplitude for the target. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on the amplitude of the effect and distance from the target to the caster.
Quest Updated Progress
Class Rank Up F to E Learn space or time spells 4/5
Imri studied his new spell. It was essentially an amazing single-target buff that would last as long as he supplied it with mana. The downside was that its cost skyrocketed exponentially as he increased the amplitude, meaning it would likely be more efficient to use it at the lowest level that still provided a noticeable improvement. ¡°This is interesting, but I don¡¯t see any change to the mission,¡± Sylvi said, oblivious as to why Imri had stopped and started ruminating. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s not that. I got a new spell,¡± Imri said excitedly, describing in detail what it did and how he planned to use it. They broke from the cover of the forest, moving into the ruins of the previous era. The downtown skyscraper stood in the distance, surrounded by the nearest residential suburbs. They decided to stay on the interstate, using it as a pedestrian walkway. Cars were interspersed throughout the road, though not consistent enough to provide constant cover. Imri adjusted his vision to see mana signatures, noting the utter absence of mana in the air until he adjusted to his most sensitive range, far less mana than the stone forest region. He readjusted to exclude the ambient mana, noting that even a non-mage, like Sylvi, glowed brightly from that level of sensitivity. If a monster or another person had a similar signature, he could easily spot them. They had been traveling for almost two hours and were nearing the exit towards downtown when Imri spotted a glowing humanoid shape from his mana vision. He motioned to Sylvi, and the pair of them ducked behind cover. As it moved closer, it became obvious that it was a person. As Imri observed them, something seemed off in their movement. They wandered down the interstate, moving with a strange gait that made Imri think they were injured. He looked around for signs that this person wasn¡¯t alone but didn¡¯t see any. Something seemed off to Imri, but before he could voice his concerns, Sylvi left the cover of the car, getting the individual''s attention. ¡°It¡¯s alright; we¡¯re here to help,¡± Sylvi said, holding up her arms to show she hadn¡¯t drawn her weapon. Imri used Identify on them, something he should have done immediately, but he had hesitated due to the perceived invasiveness.
Heritage/Class Tier/Rank Level Description
Azala 1F 2 An Azala is a species of parasitic psionic beings capable of controlling a host''s body.
Drone 1F 2 A drone is an early-stage integration for an unwilling host.
¡°They aren¡¯t human; we need to go,¡± Imri said a moment too late. The thing let out a screeching yell that was too high-pitched to be entirely human. It rushed towards Sylvi, its gait still off, reducing its speed to that of a fast jog. Sylvi stepped back to the car, drawing her bow. ¡°What is it?¡± Sylvi asked Imri, though her focus was still on the creature who rushed towards them. As Sylvi got a better look, the creature definitely appeared human. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°It¡¯s called an Azala Drone, level 2. It¡¯s some kind of parasite that took over that person''s body,¡± Imri explained as Sylvi nocked an arrow. ¡°Is there any way we can save the person?¡± Sylvi asked. Imri looked again, noticing a faintly more intense mana signature emanating from inside the person''s body, close to where the core was located. ¡°Maybe, but we would probably need one of the doctors to remove it,¡± Imri said. ¡°Damn, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll make it back with that thing trying to kill us,¡± She said as she sighted the arrow over the hood of the car. She waited until the creature was within ten meters before taking the shot. The arrow struck true, lodging itself into the head of the creature, instantly dropping it. ¡°We have to get back, now,¡± Sylvi said, loud and stern, brooking no argument. Imri felt slightly annoyed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to study the creature or retrieve the core. However, with the noise the creature made, everything within a kilometer would have already heard, so Sylvi¡¯s concern was certainly warranted. They started jogging back in the direction they had come from at a much faster pace, not bothering to use the cars for cover. It was a mad dash back, but Imri held out hope that if there were any other infected, they were not in front of them. With their awkward gate, he felt certain they would easily outpace them back to the forest. His hopes were dashed when he saw movement from the exit ramp that led off the interstate. A small pack of people was jogging towards them with the strange gait of the first Azala. There was also nowhere to run, as the interstate had high walls separating it from the residential area. They could double back the way they had come, but Imri was certain there would also be pursuit from that direction. Their only option was to fight through the group of Azala in front of them. Sylvi seemed to reach the same conclusion he had as she drew her bow and started nocking an arrow. Imri drew his mundane dagger, leaving the black steeled soul-capturing blade on his belt for now. There were six Azala in total, making the odds decidedly unfavorable. They ranged in levels, some low-level, like the first one they encountered, all the way to level 9 at the high end. Some of the higher-leveled Azala hosts were beginning to show signs of strange growths, small worm-like tentacles writhing in the air. As soon as the creature was within thirty meters, Sylvi fired an arrow, landing the shot in the gut of the lead Azala. Unfortunately, this didn¡¯t even cause the creature to stumble, seemingly unfazed by a wound that would eventually kill a person. Slyvi quickly nocked a second arrow, sighted, and fired. This one struck true, hitting a second Azala in the heart, and after a brief moment, the creature collapsed to the ground, unmoving. Whatever effect the Azala had on their human hosts, they still required functioning physiology. As the remaining Azala closed the distance, engaging them in melee combat, Imri used his newest spell. He targeted Sylvi with 1.075 amplitude Time Dilation, yelling out a warning so she was aware and didn¡¯t stumble as the spell took hold. The effects were immediately obvious, Sylvi moving like a dervish as she drew her scimitar. Despite her incredible alacrity, she was still outnumbered five to one and could not completely occupy their entire attention, and a singular uninjured opponent engaged Imri. Imri''s opponent was a younger man, maybe in his early twenties, with the same tattered robe and knife he was wielding. Despite the obvious impediment to the creature''s agility, it was still capable, and Imri¡¯s lacking agility prevented him from capitalizing on the weakness. However, in endurance, the Azala was far superior, at least in the short term. Shallow knife wounds were easily shrugged off, seemingly with little regard for its host. Without warning, the creature abandoned all pretense of defense, stabbing at Imri with its knife. The knife sunk into Imri¡¯s gut, impaling him but missing anything vital. Imri cursed as the blade was pulled out of him, blood gushing as the pressure ceased. Knowing he had no choice but to go on the offensive, Imri pulled out his other weapon, the black serrated dagger. Instantly, the countenance of his opponent shifted from uncaring to terrified, despite them having nearly killed him. Only because of that terror was he afforded an opportunity, and Imri seized on it. The vile blade dug deep into the creature''s chest near its core, and It died instantly as its soul was torn from its body and stored in the small gemstone. As he finished his fight, Imri began to feel lightheaded, but more than from the blood loss. To his horror, in the brief time he had focused solely on his survival, he had burned through almost his entire mana pool. Sylvi had managed to inflict some serious damage, having decapitated two, dismembered a hand from another, and left a deep gash on the fourth. Unfortunately, Imri could hold the spell no longer, not even able to shout a warning as the spell expired. Imri watched in horror as Sylvi stumbled when time returned to normal speed, presenting a wide opening. Her mostly uninjured opponent capitalized on it, stabbing a dagger into her shoulder. Sylvi screamed but kept fighting, dismembering the arm that had inflicted the wound. Imri tried to come to her aid, but the world spun as he tried to take a step, causing him to crash unceremoniously to the ground. As he hit the ground, everything went black. As if no time had passed, Sylvi was helping him to his feet, pressing makeshift bandages to his gut wound. All six of their opponents lay dead on the ground, five in a bloody mess, and his opponent barely looked injured except the vacant eyes. A flurry of notifications flooded his mind, and he focused on them instead of the pain.
Base Constitution increased from 96 to 97
New Achievement Gained Rank Primary Stats / Rank Description
Horde Slayer 3 .1% Slay a group of creatures that outnumbered your group. Rank based on the ratio of enemies defeated / group members, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower.
Achievement Upgraded Old Rank | New Rank Total Primary Stats | Improvement
Group Hunter 3 to 5 .25% (+.1%)
Imri Padar has reached Level 5 in Relativity Mage (1F)
Imri Padar has reached Level 5 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Strength 113
+1 Agility 85
+2 Constitution 98
+1 Intelligence 142
+1 Willpower 129
+1 Charisma 92
Secondary Stats Gained
+3 HP 110
+3 FP 83
+5 MP 188
+4 Mana Efficiency 203
Current Resources
HP 11/110
FP 49/83
MP 6/188
¡°Can you move?¡± Sylvi asked as she finished applying the bandage. Imri took a deep breath and nodded when the world didn¡¯t completely blur on him. ¡°It¡¯s not just the physical wound. I completely drained my mana from the Time Dilation spell, and that seems almost as bad as having no health,¡± Imri explained, though his speech was slow and slurred like he was drunk. Despite his low mana, his health was the far more immediate concern, as it still ticked down from the bleeding. He uncorked the vial of HP potion and chugged it down. ¡°Can you make it a few blocks off the interstate? We¡¯ll find somewhere to hole up and recover. Hopefully, the Azala don¡¯t have the resources to search door to door,¡± Sylvi suggested. ¡°I should be able to make it,¡± Imri said, though he didn¡¯t sound convincing. ¡°That Time Dilation spell was really helpful. I don¡¯t think I could have held out against that many opponents without it, let alone defeat them,¡± she remarked. Though it was an obvious ploy to keep Imri lucid, it worked. ¡°Was the amplitude strong enough to have a noticeable effect? Imri asked. ¡°Amplitude?¡± ¡°I can make the spell''s effects stronger or weaker at the cost of more or less mana. It has an exponential cost, so I want to keep the amplitude low enough to maintain it through the entire fight, but it had a higher cost than I expected,¡± Imri explained. ¡°It was definitely strong enough; if anything, you could dial it back, and it would still be decent. I certainly wouldn¡¯t want it to be more pronounced without some training first,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Imri said, his speech even more slurred than before, his eyes heavy. ¡°You stay alert, you hear,¡± Sylvi said, prodding him gently. Imri was vaguely aware of nodding, but moments later, he was drifting away, his body refusing to cooperate. His eyes closed, and he felt as if his body and mind were separated by a yawning chasm as he passed out. Chapter 8: Defectors Emelia paced back and forth, struggling to control her anxiety. The plan had been simple: Sylvi and Imri were supposed to scout the city for several hours and then return. At most, they should have been gone for a day. Two days had passed, and there was still no sign of them returning. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Zhaire said as he lounged on the ground nearby. While he was trying to be nice, he radiated annoyance. ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Emelia snapped back as she continued to pace. The big man just shrugged. ¡°Fine, then he¡¯s dead, and we should move on,¡± he said callously. Emelia just glared at him. ¡°I hate this; I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m in charge of this whole group. All I want to do is go charging in there and bring them back.¡± ¡°Now that I can get on board with,¡± he said, moving to get up. ¡°I wasn¡¯t being serious. As much as I want to, how would we even find them? They could be almost anywhere,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me like that,¡± Zhaire said as he laid back down. Emelia sighed and stopped pacing. She knew she couldn¡¯t do anything but hated every second of it. What really scared her was her next thought: How long could they afford to wait in one spot? As if on cue, a shout went up from one of the sentries posted outside of camp. Before she could even consider what to do, Zhaire was up and sprinting towards the disturbance. She followed, though well behind the former pro athlete. When she arrived, she was confronted with something she hadn¡¯t expected. Five Chixel stood in view, but their weapons were stowed away on their belts with hands raised in the universal symbol of surrender. They were dressed in silk-like garb that reminded Emelia of a medieval lord. The presumed leader was also bedecked in jewelry, several rings, and a pendant held from a gold chain. Rightfully confused and terrified, the sentry gripped his knife so hard his hands trembled. Zhaire stood at the ready, his massive weapon in front of him, a desire for combat radiating from him. Fortunately, he showed the good sense to hesitate when the Chixel didn¡¯t attack, but his killing intent terrified the Chixel. Emelia focused on the Chixel, reading their emotions instead of being able to converse. While the most prevalent emotion was fear, Zhaire wasn¡¯t the only cause of it. Instead, they had a fear of something else, something pursuing them. Zhaire actually caused them to be hopeful once the initial shock of seeing him wore off. Perhaps they thought he could help with their other source of fear? Either way, she didn¡¯t sense any deceit or malice from the Chixel, a vast difference from what she had felt from the priest and acolyte. They were not here to hurt them but were instead seeking aid. Emelia did her best to put her feelings of mistrust and resentment to the side. Emelia motioned for Zhaire to lower his blade, which he reluctantly did. This act produced a surge of excitement and hope from the Chixel. They started speaking in their strange hissing language. Emelia shook her head, unable to understand their communication. Only Imri could converse with them. ¡°What are you waiting for? Aren¡¯t these the lizard creatures you and Imri were warning us about?¡± the sentry asked, still holding his dagger out, though the Chixel seemed unconcerned. ¡°They are, but I assume not every Chixel is on the same page. Just like not every person is the same. Maybe that first group were some religious fanatics, and these are peaceful Chixel,¡± Emelia pointed out. Zhaire seemed annoyed at having his hope for fighting squashed while the sentry was still on edge. ¡°They killed people, destroyed their souls, and you''re just alright with that?¡± The sentry asked. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not alright with that. I¡¯m trusting my empathic skills, and it¡¯s telling me these Chixel are different,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°But¡­¡± the man started to protest, but Emelia cut him off. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then go back to camp. Zhaire and I will deal with this.¡± ¡°So, now what? We still can¡¯t communicate,¡± Zhaire pointed out after the sentry had left. The five Chixel stood there, waiting for something. ¡°How are your charades skills?¡± Emelia asked. Zhaire just grunted in annoyance, obviously not a fan of the game. As it turned out, neither of them was great at it, simply bewildering the confused Chixel. Emelia tried to act out the pyramid with the beam, but the Chixel just stared blankly. Suddenly, the Chixel turned around, facing away from Emelia and Zhaire towards the forest where they had emerged, hissing in alarm and drawing their weapons. Moments later, more Chixel came into view, charging towards them with weapons drawn. Emelia cursed and stepped back, falling behind Zhaire, who once again had his sword ready. The new arrivals stood out from their brethren. Garbed in sparse leathers that only covered vitals, they had long and slender weapons by human standards. The battle between the two groups of Chixel was unlike anything Emelia had seen. The two groups fought in a fluid fighting style that was unlike the clumsy hacking at each other that was normally considered fighting. Each attack was careful and brief, none landing more than shallow cuts, but each moving rapidly. Their only weakness appeared to be their lack of power and unwillingness to take advantage of larger openings, content to land a shallow cut and dash back before a retaliatory strike could land. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Emelia and Zhaire were content as observers, though she was secretly cheering for the original group. She felt Zhaire¡¯s frustration. He wanted to be in the thick of battle, showing the Chixel what an elite human could do. One foolish Chixel granted him his wish, breaking away from the battle with their brethren to strike at Zhaire. Zhaire grinned at the opportunity, rushing the last few meters to close the distance. The Chixel''s shock and fear were apparent, having badly misjudged the size and speed of the large man. Zhaire didn¡¯t bother with his sword; instead, he tackled the Chixel with far more grace and power than Imri had managed. The Chixel hit the ground hard, bones crunching audibly. The stunned and injured Chixel never had a chance to recover as Zhaire drew his knife and slit its throat. Some of the remaining Chixel broke off from their original fight to avenge their fallen comrade. They were far more cautious than the first, not allowing Zhaire to tackle them quickly. This had also evened the odds in the fight among the Chixel, giving the defectors a momentary reprieve. The two Chixel who had broken off approached Zhaire, careful to keep their ability to dodge in any direction. They jabbed with long spears with a narrow blade, scoring minor cuts on Zhaire before leaping away. Unfortunately, they still underestimated Zhaire¡¯s speed. He took an explosive step forward and grabbed the leg of one of the retreating Chixel. Both of the Chixel stabbed at him, scoring deeper gashes, but Zhaire just grinned, bringing the dagger down into the chest of the grappled Chixel. Zhaire, having now slain two Chixel in a short amount of time, stood and faced his third attacker, who now radiated terror. Emelia, not wanting to feel completely useless, focused on Zhaire and established a link with Shared Burden. Some of Zhaire¡¯s wounds visibly disappeared and transferred to Emelia. Zhaire¡¯s opponent didn¡¯t notice Emelia gaining the injury but only saw a monster that could regenerate any wound inflicted on it. The terror it radiated now was stronger than any emotion Emelia had felt. It ran, shouting something that also caused the remaining Chixel to retreat. The five Chixel, who seemed to be defectors or rebels of some kind, made hissing noises at the retreating Chixel. Emelia assumed they were insults or curses in their language. The group turned and looked at the fallen, then at Zhaire. They held the same emotion as before, both hope and fear, but far stronger than it had been. Then they looked at Emelia, the person whom Zhaire deferred to. Fear and uncertainty radiated, and Emelia realized they were equally afraid of her. She was unknown, and they assumed she was powerful. ¡°Should we gather the cores?¡± Zhaire asked, looking uncertainly at the five defectors who had various wounds of varying severity. Emelia had gotten over her squeamishness at using the cores of the fallen to empower herself, but she was uncertain how the defector would react to the mutilation of their kind. All doubt was removed when the defectors did that exact thing, efficiently extracting the cores and presenting them to Zhaire. ¡°Well, I guess that answers that question,¡± Emelia said. ¡°You want them?¡± Zhaire asked as he held them out to her. ¡°You earned them, are you sure? ¡± Emelia asked. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine without them, and I got to level 5 from the fight. Besides, they feel like cheating. I want to win without any unfair advantage,¡± he said. Emelia didn¡¯t argue, taking the two cores and absorbing them.
Quest Updated Progress
Class Rank Up F to E Heal others 67/250
Emelia Fields has reached Level 4 in Empathic Healer (1F)
Emelia Fields has reached Level 4 in Human (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Constitution 108
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 105
+1 FP 120
¡°Thanks. Should we continue charades or go back to the others?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°You''re the boss,¡± he said with a shrug, smiling when he saw that response annoyed Emelia. Emelia sighed, motioning for the Chixel to follow, hoping that the gesture was universal enough. The Chixel got the hint and followed a few meters behind, quietly conversing in their language. Emelia was greeted by a cacophony of incoherent questions when she arrived at camp. The sentry had mentioned to the group that there were Chixel, though he had also expressed his feelings on them. Emelia felt a wide range of strong emotions, most negative, though a few radiated more curiosity. The bombardment of questions continued, with no time for Emelia to answer the previous questions. ¡°Enough!¡± Zhaire shouted, shooting angry glares at a few people who had been especially persistent. The camp quieted, though a few exchanged whispers before another glare from Zhaire shut them up. ¡°Yes, these lizard creatures are the ones known as Chixel,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°However, these five had nothing to do with the temple Imri and I explored. Furthermore, we just fought a battle against Chixel. And yes, I am including these five. There is clearly more than one faction within the Chixel, just like there was more than one faction of people before the integration. How would you feel if all of humanity was judged if the first people other species met were terrorists?¡± The last point seemed to hit home. Many nodded in agreement, though most were still wary of the five Chixel. Emelia didn¡¯t blame them; she was wary, but she just didn¡¯t want outright hostility if there was a diplomatic solution. Everyone was also put at ease when the defectors handed over their weapons without a fight. Emelia also posted a pair of guards to watch over them at all times. ¡°Do we move the camp? That''s what Sylvi told us to do if they weren¡¯t back within a day,¡± Zhaire pointed out. ¡°To hell with that, I¡¯m not abandoning them,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Zhaire asked with undisguised annoyance, which was evident without her empathic abilities. ¡°Set up a watch near the edge of the city. Hopefully, we can figure out what¡¯s keeping them without putting people in danger,¡± she said. She didn¡¯t know when she would be able to give up, to assume they had passed away with no evidence but their absence. She just hoped Imri would return soon and make that decision irrelevant. Chapter 9: Only the Essentials Imri awoke with a start, sitting upright. Pain lanced through his abdomen, and he groaned in pain. ¡°Take it easy. You''re lucky to be alive,¡± Sylvi said, coming to his side. Imri dazedly looked around. They were in a smaller bedroom, with a somewhat musty scent as the bedding had been sitting out for who knows how long. There was a dresser and a nightstand, but little in the way of personal belongings of the previous occupant. They now held Imri¡¯s weapons and potion satchel. ¡°We¡¯re on the third floor of an apartment building,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°How did I get here?¡± Imri said, his mind still foggy. ¡°What do you think? I carried your sorry ass,¡± she said, though her smile indicated she was messing with him. He tried to recall what had happened, remembering he had been stabbed. He looked over and saw the black dagger and recalled using it to kill. A sudden, sickening realization hit him. He had used it to kill, but he hadn¡¯t just killed the parasite; he had killed a person with the soul-capture dagger. Shame and anxiety hit him, threatening to overwhelm him and inducing a panic attack. ¡°Hey, it''s alright. We¡¯re safe here,¡± Sylvi said, trying to reassure Imri. It didn¡¯t help, and for several agonizing minutes, Imri felt like he was having a heart attack. He constantly had to remind himself that it was only a panic attack. He eventually calmed enough to focus on his breathing exercises and meditation. Eventually, it subsided, though Imri¡¯s breathing still felt off and his shoulder and chest ached. ¡°It¡¯s not about the injury. It¡¯s about that,¡± Imri said, pointing to the dagger. Sylvi looked from him to the dagger, confusion plain on her face. ¡°I killed someone with it, a person controlled by that parasite. It killed the person and the parasite, and now both of their souls are trapped,¡± he explained. Sylvi mouthed an ''oh'' as she understood. ¡°Can you free them from that gem?¡± she asked. ¡°Maybe if I destroy it, but I don¡¯t even know how to do that,¡± Imri said. ¡°You¡¯ll figure out a way,¡± Sylvi reassured him. Imri nodded but didn¡¯t feel so certain. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t used that dagger, I would be dead right now, so I don¡¯t know if I would do anything different if the same situation came up again. Does that make me a horrible person?¡± Imri asked. There was a long pause before Sylvi answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve seen the worst in humanity, and none of them were as conflicted as you are. However, I¡¯ve never seen such a vile weapon. I pray you never use it again and set those souls free as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I will. I just need to get stronger first,¡± Imri replied. ¡°Well, you''re not going to get stronger if you die from that stab wound,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°How long was I out?¡± Imri asked as he checked his status.
HP 14/110
FP 83/83
MP 54/188
¡°Around twelve hours, it¡¯s getting dark out now,¡± Sylvi answered. ¡°Any signs of more Azala?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping watch, and every few hours there is an Azala patrol along the streets. Fortunately, they don¡¯t seem to have the resources to search every building. I¡¯ve also seen groups of survivors that I believe were still in control of their faculties, but I didn¡¯t want to risk it.¡± ¡°So, what now?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Now, you rest. We¡¯re not going anywhere until you''re capable. I will keep going through the apartments and take anything that might be useful. Before we leave, we¡¯ll sort through it and take two backpacks worth of supplies,¡± she said, handing him another HP potion. Imri was going to protest, but his 14 HP was still alarmingly low. Hopefully, he would continue recovering now that the bleeding was under control. Despite having just woken up, he immediately fell back asleep. This time, he didn¡¯t sleep all the way through, plagued by nightmares and blinding agony whenever his wound rubbed the wrong way. He eventually gave up as he heard Sylvi organizing the items she had brought back. Imri took a hesitant step, relieved that he didn¡¯t immediately collapse to the floor. He probably should have waited for Sylvi to come to help him, but he had been dependent on others for too long. He made his way out of the bedroom, one shaky step at a time. Fortunately, the entire apartment was tiny. Apart from the small bedroom he had been in, there were only two other rooms, a bathroom and a main room which combined kitchen and living area. The main room was covered in looted items, far more than the two of them could carry. Most of it looked like camping supplies, from crank-powered lanterns, a small gas stove, a hand pump for filtered water, rain ponchos, sealed freeze-dried food, matches, a hatchet, and a tarp. There was also a small pharmacy, both over-the-counter and prescribed medications. Finally, there were several weapons, most of which were designed for cooking, but she managed to find someone¡¯s machete and the fireman¡¯s axe. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t find any firearms. Sylvi gave him a questioning look as he hobbled in but didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she set up the portable gas stove and began heating some water from jugs of purified water. She took it off when it was near boiling and made several packets worth of oatmeal. However, it was the second item she made that excited Imri. Coffee, how he had missed it. He didn''t even care that these beans had been sitting for years; it still tasted like the best coffee he had ever had. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. After breakfast, they continued going through the apartments, Sylvi having only cleared the nearby rooms. The entire apartment complex, and presumably the entire city, was without utilities, either from disrepair or ripped apart by the integration. Fortunately, Sylvi had managed to secure several flashlights, one of which she handed to Imri. Most of the rooms smelled awful, everything perishable having long since started to mold, though he quickly grew accustomed to the smells. Imri eventually went on his own once Sylvi was convinced that he wouldn¡¯t keel over. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have much luck, as almost everything seemed impractical for the new world they found themselves in. His system awarded robes had seen better days, having been bitten, stabbed, and stabbed again. He was in dire need of something less ripped and blood-stained. Eventually, he found some musty clothing that fit him well enough, though they would need to be hand-washed. He grabbed a few pairs of everything and made his way back. When he returned, he found Sylvi going through their gathered items. She hadn¡¯t added much, though she was stuffing something into one of the first aid kits. He paused when he noticed the circular ring shape protruding from the square plastic packaging. ¡°Are those¡­¡± he started, unable to finish the sentence. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll be glad I packed these,¡± she said without any shame. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sylvi, but I already have a girlfriend,¡± Imri said awkwardly, suddenly wanting to be far away. Sylvi laughed uncontrollably for longer than Imri thought possible. ¡°That¡¯s a good one,¡± she said, finally getting her laughter under control. ¡°Sorry, I should have been clearer. It¡¯s not because I want to,¡± she started to say but then started laughing again. ¡°Imri, you''re not my type.¡± ¡°Your type?¡± Imri repeated dumbly. ¡°Another woman, Imri. I¡¯m a lesbian.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Imri said dumbly. ¡°For someone so smart, you can be kind of dense,¡± Sylvi said as she wiped away a tear. ¡°You''re the second person to say that exact thing to me,¡± Imri said. ¡°Yeah, I bet the other was Emelia,¡± she said. ¡°How did you know?¡± Imri asked. She gave him a look that suggested he was being an idiot again. ¡°You really think I¡¯m going to need those?¡± ¡°I was going to say yes, but that was before this conversation,¡± she teased. ¡°Can we just focus on getting back?¡± Imri asked, mildly annoyed that he was such an easy target for teasing. ¡°Sorry, yes,¡± she said, instantly switching her demeanor. ¡°By all rights, we shouldn¡¯t have won that fight, but we did. I don¡¯t plan on tempting fate a second time. We should avoid the interstate if we can, cutting through as many yards and alleys as possible. It will slow us down but there is more cover, and likely even less patrol coverage than what I saw on the streets outside this apartment building. If we do get into a fight, how long can you maintain that Time Dilation spell, assuming you leave yourself enough mana so you aren¡¯t incapacitated?¡± Imri did some quick calculations, his MP had been almost double where it was now, and his slight mana efficiency gains didn¡¯t offset that much. ¡°At the same amplitude, roughly 5 to 6 seconds, about half as long as last time,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°What happens if you were to make it half as strong? Would it last twice as long?¡± ¡°The cost increases exponentially with the amplitude, so technically, it would last longer than that. It would last about three times as long, given the variable isn''t quite squared.¡± ¡°Sure, go with half of what you used last time if it comes to that,¡± Sylvi ordered, seemingly not understanding all the math but getting the gist of it. Imri nodded. ¡°And get some more rest if you can. We leave as soon as it¡¯s completely dark. Imri did his best but was unable to sleep. Instead, he focused on his meditation, though even that was of limited effectiveness as his mind wandered. Nightfall seemed to take forever to approach, and Imri took note of the slow passage of time as an insight for his next spell. They spent a lot of time choosing what to bring with them, optimizing for small and essential items. In addition, a few key items were on the heavier side, like the gas stove. Some of the items Imri put to use right away, changing into the musty clothing and taking the machete and hatchet. They would each carry a heavy pack, though they would abandon their looted goods at any sign of trouble. Despite having already searched the apartment, Sylvi cautiously checked each corner, taking no unnecessary risks as they left. They made their way out of the building through the back exit, which led into an alley. It was dark outside, the only light coming from the stars, which shone brighter than they had before the integration. Imri suspected that this new world no longer had the same pollution as the previous one. They quickly made their way down the alley, moving at a brisk hiking pace. They had made it several blocks away when they heard a sound off in the distance. It was the high-pitched shriek of an Azala, likely alerting nearby patrols to whatever it had found. Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t been near them, though it was hard to judge the exact distance it seemed to be coming from closer to the city''s center. Sylvi motioned for them to continue when it was apparent that they hadn¡¯t been discovered. They continued at a slightly faster pace, all illusions of a peaceful city shattered as more shrieks went up throughout the night. They continued hiking outward, further away from the disturbance. Imri did his best to keep up, not wanting to be a burden. His wound ached but, fortunately, didn''t burst open. The city slowly shifted from tall buildings to more residential neighborhoods as they left the outskirts of the downtown metro. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they had to cross the interstate, and they would be back in the relative safety of the jungle. He was beginning to think they had gotten lucky when another sound caught his attention as they moved through another residential alley. It wasn¡¯t the shrieks of Azala but of something more mundane. It sounded like a group of people arguing. Sylvi motioned for them to get behind cover, which was little more than overgrown shrubbery. They crouched low and listened. ¡°Are you fucking serious right now? There are killer zombie things, and who knows what else. We¡¯re lucky to be alive,¡± a man said, loud enough that Imri was certain any Azala in a ten-block radius would have heard them. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving the city until I find my family. I don¡¯t care if there is a one percent chance I make it back; to me, that¡¯s worth it,¡± another man said, equally as loud. ¡°Russ, I know how you feel. I also want to find my family, but there is no guarantee we¡¯ll find them. You¡¯d be throwing your life away for nothing,¡± a woman said in a placating tone, though still far louder than Imri would have been. ¡°Those people are fucking idiots, what should we do?¡± Imri asked in a hushed whisper. ¡°If the enemy finds them, they¡¯ll be that much closer to finding us. We just need to get them to shut up,¡± Sylvi suggested as the group on the other side of the building continued arguing, loud enough to be heard easily. The shriek of a nearby Azala cut the other group''s argument short, proving Sylvi¡¯s dire prediction true. The bickering group started to panic, and many of them now argued about whether they should run or fight. Imri and Sylvi were going to be caught up in their mess. Chapter 10: Being of Eons ¡°Should we save them?¡± Imri asked, knowing that they might be able to help. They were close enough that they might get mixed up in the fighting anyway. Sylvi sighed but nodded. They made their way out of cover, heading to the front of the house. They were a group of six, all in their mid-thirties or early forties, wearing an assortment of looted clothing, in several cases fitting them either too tight or too loose. None of them appeared overly athletic, and something about the way they held themselves suggested they had been white-collar office workers. When the group noticed Imri and Sylvi, they drew their weapons, brandishing them. Most had little more than the system-granted knife. ¡°We¡¯re friendly, not Azala,¡± Sylvi said, already scanning their surroundings for signs of incoming patrols. ¡°An Az, what now?¡± a heavier-set man asked. ¡°I was a special forces operator before the integration; if you want to survive, you do what I say without question,¡± Sylvi ordered. The group nodded, at least smart enough to understand they were out of their depth. ¡°We move towards the forest on the other side of the interstate; it¡¯s less than a klick out. Hopefully, we can lose them in the forest; if not, we have people nearby who can help fight. Do any of you have any combat capability, including magic?¡± ¡°Magic is a thing?¡± one of the women asked. ¡°Yes or no? We can chat later,¡± Sylvi admonished. They all said no. They immediately started jogging towards the interstate, Imri¡¯s wound burning but thankfully not getting any worse. His HP was at 26 and seemed stable, but any combat could go badly for him. As they neared the interstate, Imri hoped they had avoided a confrontation. His hopes were quashed when he saw a group of humanoids moving along the interstate. There were fewer Azala than they had people, with only four of them, but one of them stood out when he identified it.
Class/Heritage Tier/Rank Level Description
Hive Champion 1E 12 The Hive Champion is the chosen warrior of the Hive Queen with a direct telepathic link.
Azala 1F 12 The Azala are a parasitic species that take over the bodies of other sentient species.
The Hive Champion stood out from the rest, its body covered in fleshy growths that reminded Imri of classical plagues. Unlike the other Azala, this one seemed to have fully adapted, moving with more grace than the host likely had in life. It was armed with a pair of butchering cleavers. The other three Azala were level 5-7, on the higher end of what they had faced but certainly manageable, armed with typical system-granted daggers. If they could eliminate the Champion, they would likely be alright. Imri relayed this aloud, mainly to Sylvi, but loud enough for the awkward business types to understand. ¡°Copy that,¡± Sylvi said as she dropped her pack to the ground, Imri following her lead. She nocked an arrow, aiming for the leader. She waited for a clear shot at a reasonable distance, then let the arrow fly. It was well-placed and might have taken the Champion out, but the Azala moved to the side at the last second. The arrow struck it in the shoulder but missed anything vital. The champion showed no signs of injury, not even a shriek or a grunt in pain. Instead, it deliberately slowed, allowing a drone to interpose itself before Sylvi could get another shot off. Sylvi cursed but wasted no time, quickly notching a second arrow and firing, this time shooting down the lead drone with a shot to the head. ¡°Imri and I will handle the leader, and the rest of you will take care of the drones,¡± Sylvi ordered as the Azala closed on them. The champion seemed to have arrived at the same strategy, identifying Sylvi as the only true threat after a cursory analysis. As it moved to engage, their ability difference became apparent. It was slightly faster and far stronger than anything they had faced before. Sylvi was quickly on the defensive, taking minor wounds from the champion¡¯s cleavers, barely avoiding decapitating strikes. Its threat assessment changed when Imri drew the soul-capturing dagger. Like every other creature Imri had faced, it somehow felt the wrongness of the dagger, knowing it was something it couldn''t afford to take hits from. However, Unlike the other opponent Imri had faced, fear did not debilitate it. The Champion seemed to realize Imri was no fighter as it easily avoided a few obvious stabs that were easily dodged. It managed to strike Imri with a counterattack, inflicting a cut that gouged into his shoulder. Imri screamed and backed off, his HP dangerously low as it dipped into the single digits. Fortunately, Sylvi managed to draw its attention back, away from him. ¡°You will make great hosts for the hive,¡± The champion said in English, effortlessly countering Sylvi¡¯s attacks. Sylvi redoubled her efforts, swinging powerful blows with her scimitar with the intent of turning the battle with one swing. Unfortunately, her tactic was easily countered, the champion dodging and taking advantage of the opening, landing several deep gashes across her abdomen. A particularly deep wound caused her to scream and stumble forward, off balance and exposed for a decapitating strike. Imri didn¡¯t hesitate to attack, hoping to prevent the champion from exploiting the opening. It worked, but Imri felt sluggish from his low HP, just barely managing to avoid a counterattack that would have likely killed him. Imri backed off again, and fortunately, the Champion didn¡¯t press him; it still focused on Sylvi, who had regained her balance and was now fighting more defensively. As Imri fought, he contemplated which spell to use. While he might be able to surprise the champion with a compression spell, he doubted it would work. It was constantly moving; if it didn¡¯t work, he would be out of mana with nothing accomplished. He could cast Time Dilation on Sylvi, but if he stuck with the 1.0375 amplitude, it would only even the fight for a brief time, but he doubted Sylvi would be able to definitively end the fight with such a small effect. He could use the spell at 1.075 amplitude he had the day prior. From what he had seen, that effect had been significant enough to shift the tide of battle in Sylvi¡¯s favor, but only by a small margin. With his lack of mana, the few seconds at that amplitude wouldn¡¯t decisively alter the battle but would more likely present an opening when the spell expired. He could push the amplitude even higher, but that would be for only a fraction of a second, again not long enough to be useful. Imri was beginning to despair, seeing no way this could end well for them, when he noticed a lone figure sprinting towards them from the interstate. As they drew closer, Imri recognized them, and he laughed in relief. Hope was not yet lost. The large form of Zhaire raced across the interstate, rapidly moving to join the battle. Imri spared a quick glance over at the other fight. The group of six noncombatants was holding their own, though they were too scared to use their numbers advantage properly. This resulted in a stalemate, both sides seemingly content with a protracted skirmish, with the true fight decided by the champions. The hive champion took advantage of its opportunity, pressing the attack before Zhaire could arrive. It managed to get Sylvi on the backfoot from its furious onslaught, landing a few cuts before overextending, allowing Imri to cut it with the soul-stealing dagger. Despite landing only a shallow cut, it caused the champion to screech and take a step back. It fought defensively now, anticipating it couldn¡¯t win before Zhaire arrived. The battle shifted again when Zhaire arrived dramatically. He rushed the Champion, bringing his large sword down in a powerful overhand swing that recklessly abandoned any pretense of defense. It didn''t underestimate the strength of the former pro athlete, but it did underestimate his speed. As it moved to capitalize on the opening Zhaire had presented, Zhaire managed to recover quickly, hitting the champion with a follow-up attack that left a deep gash through its infected-looking body, oily green fluid oozing from the deep wound. The fight moved with a new cadence, the Hive Champion not making the same mistake twice. It took small wounds but managed to inflict some in return. As it became a battle of attrition, Imri didn¡¯t like their odds. The lower-level drones had been able to push the bodies of their hosts beyond what a person could normally endure, and Imri doubted the champion would be weaker in that respect. Both he and Sylvi had endured quite a few injuries and were getting dangerously low on HP. Imri noticed that the champion moved with precision, dodging at the last possible moment to take advantage of small openings. That was an opening for Imri. He waited until one such exchange was about to take place, and as it did, he manipulated the flow of time for the champion.
Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Time Contraction 1F Speed up relative time for the target, causing time to move faster for them relative to all unaffected objects by a factor of amplitude. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on the amplitude of the effect and distance from caster to target. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Time Contraction was the opposite of the Time Dilation he had used on Sylvi, speeding up time for the targets rather than slowing it. He used it at a low amplitude, only 1.05, but it was enough to throw the champion''s timing off. Instead of narrowly avoiding the heavy blow from Zhaire, the blade caught him, causing another deep gash. This was compounded by allowing Sylvi an opening to land a cut on the creature''s back. Imri released the spell, having only held it for a second. In the previous fight, when he had used Time Dilation, he wanted to avoid releasing the spell, as the adjustment to the time shifts was disorienting. He had no problem using that same concept against the champion now. It was less efficient to cast the spell multiple times, mana was lost establishing a spell as a static constant that was paid regardless of how long the spell lasted. Despite this, messing with the champion''s sense of time was far more effective than strictly running a Time Contraction at 1.05 for as long as possible. It would¡¯ve adapted, given enough time. On the next exchange, he varied the Time Contraction further, using it at 1.1 amplitude. In conjunction with the injuries it had sustained, this allowed Zhaire to make solid contact with his sword, bisecting its body through the chest with a powerful swing. The two pieces fell to the ground in an oily mess. The internal anatomy of the parasite was more obvious than it had been for the drone, resembling a small slug with branching tendrils that looked like nerves or tree roots. With the champion defeated, the rest of the fight ended quickly. Though the three remaining drones were doomed, they made no effort to flee, instead making a futile stand. Zhaire and Sylvi efficiently dispatched them, the others providing just enough support to turn the fight into a slaughter. Imri was entirely useless for this cleanup phase, having single digits in both HP and MP, and even his FP wasn¡¯t much better. Everyone was exhausted, breathing heavily from the exertion. Sylvi gave them only a few seconds before barking out orders. She sent two of the survivors to retrieve the backpacks Sylvi and Imri had abandoned. Then, they went about the grim task of retrieving the cores of slain Azala. The four nearby survivors seemed appalled at what they considered savage mutilation of an enemy''s corpse, but all of them were too terrified to suggest any wrongdoing. They had each extracted a core, including the Champion''s core, when the two men sent to retrieve the supplies returned. As soon as the last core was removed, Sylvi ordered them to retreat to the forest, having them move at a moderate jog despite their exhaustion. It proved to be a prudent choice as they heard the shrieks of another patrol ringing out from behind them. They ignored these pursuers, continuing towards the relative obscurity of the denser terrain. Imri relaxed slightly as they made it to the forest. He spared a quick glance back, seeing the faint outline of the Azala patrol on the other side of the interstate. The patrol gave another shriek before turning around and abandoning their pursuit. A sense of relief washed over the entire group, each of them taking the time to catch their breath. As Imri did, he reviewed his notifications.
Quest Complete Progress
Class Rank Up F to E Learn time or space related spells 5/5
Relativity Mage (1E)
Primary Stats Value / Level Increase
Agility .1% -
Constitution .05% +.05%
Intelligence .3% +.05%
Willpower .15% -
Secondary Stats
HP .1% +.1%
MP .4% +.15%
Mana Efficiency .35% +.1%
MP Regen Rate .25% +.25%
Trait Gained Tier/Rank Description
Being of Eons 1F You have achieved control over time within your body. You age 3% slower, both from natural and magical effects. Improves the mana efficiency of beneficial temporal spells that target you by 3%.
Achievement Upgraded Primary Stat Bonus Improvement
Group Hunter 5 improved to Group Hunter 7 .35% +.1%
Base Agility Increased from 84 to 85
Imri Padar has reached Level 6 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached Level 6 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Agility 86
+2 Intelligence 144
Secondary Stats
+1 HP 111
+1 FP 84
+4 MP 192
+8 Mana Efficiency 211
Imri smiled at the number of notifications he had received. While the class rank-up wasn¡¯t overpowered, every power boost was welcomed. While the primary stats it increased weren¡¯t significant, only .1% total between the two stats, it had improved his more linear secondary stats by a decent amount. He was especially excited to see a mana regeneration stat. He had a 1.5% bonus when adding all 6 levels together, which approximately reduced the time it took to recover his mana from 72 hours to just under 71. This wasn¡¯t a huge improvement yet, but it helped alleviate his biggest weakness, his constant lack of mana. This also didn¡¯t account for resting, meditation, or any items like potions. His new skill was also a welcome addition, though it was far from some overpowered cheat ability he had hoped for. The slower aging was a nice long-term benefit, giving him a chance to extend his life and hopefully push for a supernatural constitution to extend his life even further. He also knew instinctively that a 3% decrease in aging resulted in more than a 3% extension to his life span. This was due to his constitution holding off a certain fixed amount of aging, so it took less than 100% slower aging to counteract the effects completely. The more immediate benefit was from the effect that increased the efficiency of his time-based spells that targeted himself. He suspected he would use Time Dilation on the frontline fighters more than himself, but it was nice to have it regardless. The group of six survivors had been huddled together, quietly conversing amongst themselves. Eventually, they came to some consensus as one of the women stepped forward. ¡°I know we didn¡¯t put our best foot forward back there. We would like to apologize for any trouble that might have caused,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°Your group nearly got all of us killed,¡± Sylvi said sternly. ¡°We know, and we¡¯re genuinely sorry. We hope all of you will forgive us and allow us to join your group,¡± the woman said, her five companions looking horrified. ¡°Sylvi, I know they''re not soldiers, but neither am I. Our goal is to reestablish human civilization, and we¡¯ll need more than soldiers for that,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Don¡¯t compare yourself to them,¡± Sylvi said to Imri before addressing the group of survivors. ¡°You better hope Emelia has a use for a pack of stiff suits ''cause I sure as shit don¡¯t.¡± The mere mention of Emelia¡¯s name made Imri want to leave the group and go back to camp to see his girlfriend. It had only been a little over two days, but given what those days had entailed, it felt like it had been far longer. ¡°They won¡¯t be the only new arrivals. Our camp has a group of Chixel that are seemingly defectors from the soul-sacrificing ones. At least that''s Emelia''s best guess, based on reading their emotions,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°What is a Chixel?¡± one of the newcomers asked. ¡°Soul sacrificing?¡± another asked with terror. ¡°I¡¯ll talk with them after I¡¯ve had a chance to see Emelia,¡± Imri said, instantly understanding he was the only interpreter. He gave the newcomers a brief overview of the Chixel as Zhaire led them back to the camp. Chapter 11: First Date Emelia felt as if a mountain had been lifted when she saw the group walk into camp. They were immediately confronted by a mass of people, all shouting various questions. She spotted Imri, no longer wearing a robe, but more normal-looking clothing with jeans and a t-shirt. She pushed through the crowd, not wanting to wait for them to disperse. She smiled as they reunited, and she wrapped him in a tight embrace. He winced in pain, having a number of injuries that were aggravated. However, when Emelia tried to apologize and break off the embrace, he just held her tight, ignoring the pain. Emelia smiled and continued the embrace, though she was a little more gentle with him. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that,¡± Emelia demanded, tears streaming from down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Imri said. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to die, I forbid it,¡± Emelia stated seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Imri said. ¡°No, it¡¯s not allowed,¡± she reiterated. ¡°Now take your shirt off,¡± she demanded. ¡°In front of all these people?¡± he asked anxiously, a deep blush visible on his face. ¡°I need to take a look at your injury. I also learned a more conventional healing spell, so I should be able to at least partially heal you,¡± she explained. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, moving to comply. ¡°What did you think I meant?¡± she teased, causing Imri to blush an even deeper shade of red. While he had several minor injuries, the stab wound on his abdomen was by far the worst. Emelia poured most of her remaining mana into healing it.
Quest Updated Progress
Class Rank Up F to E 119/250
Emelia Fields has reached Level 5 in Empathic Healer (1F)
Emelia Fields has reached Level 5 in Human (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Willpower 113
+1 Charisma 123
Secondary Stats Gained
+2 MP 125
+3 Mana Efficiency 152
Spell Name Tier/Rank Description
Compassionate Healing 1F Heal another target, restoring HP. Mana cost varies by the amount healed, distance from target to the caster, and compassion the caster has towards the target.
The wound wasn¡¯t completely healed, but it looked far better than it had moments ago. This casting had been far more effective than the previous time she had used it, undoubtedly due to her greater compassion towards Imri. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked as she reapplied a fresh bandage. Imri went on to explain the creature called Azala, a mind-controlling parasite that slowly took over a person¡¯s body. The thought of having something else in control of your body was terrifying, and Emelia wasn¡¯t sure which was worse, the Azala or the Chixel. Either way, they had drawn the short straw, being near two vile races of aliens, both wanting human prisoners for different reasons. ¡°I might be able to fill in some details,¡± a woman interrupted. She was even shorter than Emelia, with naturally curly hair and a lithe physique. Unlike Emelia, she had managed to get actual clothing from before the integration, though they were much too tight for her. The woman leaned in towards Imri, giving him an obvious view of her cleavage. ¡°There were more of us originally, in our group I mean. One of those who didn¡¯t make it swore that some of the buildings downtown were covered in these giant growths. I had originally thought he wasn¡¯t right in the head, but now I think he was right. These things, I think they''re taking over the city, not just the people.¡± ¡°Thanks, that is good to know,¡± Imri said, a bit awkwardly after the woman had practically thrown herself at him. Even Imri wasn¡¯t so oblivious as to miss that. ¡°My pleasure, if you ever need anything just ask for me, the name¡¯s Teresa,¡± she said. Emelia glared at the shameless woman, who gave her a fake smile back. She sauntered off, already focused on the next man she thought she could win over. Emelia turned her glare to Imri, who was swirling in emotions. While he was lusting after the woman, Emelia was pleased that feelings of annoyance and confusion were also intertwined. She quickly changed her demeanor, grabbing his hand and reveling in his flush of emotion from the touch. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere quieter,¡± Emelia suggested. There wasn¡¯t anywhere too private, they were in a large group for safety with no individual spaces. Still, they did their best to get away from the masses. As they were alone, Imri grew nervous, despite not showing any outward signs of it. She immediately felt guilty, how could she criticize him when she was constantly reading him, invading any private thought he might have. Not for the first time, she cursed her overly active empathy. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°I have a confession to make,¡± she said quietly, looking up at him. ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure it''s fine,¡± Imri encouraged her. ¡°You know I have an empathy skill, that I can read people''s emotions?¡± ¡°Of course, I know you told me shortly after we met,¡± Imri said, radiating confusion. There was another long pause as Emelia hesitated, considering her words carefully. ¡°It¡¯s more effective than what I let on,¡± she said with a nervous glance at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± he asked, still confused. ¡°It is and it isn¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°I can feel and understand every emotion you feel,¡± she blurted out. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what empathy is,¡± Imri said. ¡°Not really. Normal empathy is feeling a small fraction of what someone else feels when they have strong emotions. I can tell how someone feels about the meal they just ate, when someone is annoyed or mad at me even when they show no outward sign. I can tell when someone is lusting after someone when a pair of tits comes into view.¡± ¡°You know how I felt about Teresa,¡± he said nervously. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m not mad, I think any straight man would have the same reaction. I just don¡¯t think you realize what I¡¯m doing. I know all your emotions when you''re around me, it feels closer to mind reading than normal empathy.¡± ¡°Then you already know I¡¯m not mad about that either,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t understand why. Aren¡¯t you mad that I know you think Teresa is attractive?¡± ¡°You already said you can¡¯t control it, so it would be irrational for me to be mad at you for it. While I might not want you to know exactly how I feel about everything, I¡¯d rather have you know everything than not know how I feel at all.¡± ¡°It still feels wrong. All my exes would have hated me for this, they hated it when I tried to get them to open up emotionally. This feels like taking a hammer and forcing it open.¡± ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not your ex,¡± Imri said with a grin. ¡°In all seriousness though, I think this could be amazing. For me, emotions have always been hard to express, so as long as you don¡¯t hold them against me too much, I think it''s a great thing. If you still feel guilty, you can make it up to me.¡± ¡°How would I do that?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°Pretend I¡¯m the opposite, that I can¡¯t pick up on other people¡¯s emotions at all. Don¡¯t assume I can understand how you''re feeling, tell me instead,¡± Imri requested. ¡°Pretend?¡± Emelia asked skeptically, teasing Imri. ¡°And stop teasing me so much,¡± he added. ¡°Never,¡± she said, kissing Imri on the lips. ¡°Don¡¯t stop doing that either,¡± he whispered between kisses. ¡°How many requests are you going to have?¡± she asked in mock indignation. ¡°I can think of a few more,¡± he said. ¡°I bet you can,¡± Emelia said, grinning and kissing him again. They made out for a while, though unfortunately nothing further happened even though Emelia knew they both wanted more. She smiled at him as they cuddled on the ground together, his arms wrapped around her. ¡°Does it bother you that we¡¯ve never had a proper date?¡± he asked. ¡°Imri, I don¡¯t think anything is open,¡± Emelia pointed out sarcastically. ¡°I know that, I just wish things were different. That we had found each other before the integration, and before I had gotten sick,¡± he said. ¡°We could still have a normal date,¡± Emelia realized. She got up, motioning for Imri to stay there. She went into the camp and started going through the supplies they had brought back, focusing on the food items. There wasn¡¯t much to choose from, most items were simple freeze-dried camping meals or military MREs. She eventually settled for two of the freeze-dried meals and started boiling some water for them. ¡°Tuscan soup or beef stroganoff?¡± she asked as she brought the prepared meals back and sat beside him. ¡°You made me dinner,¡± he said, staring at her in disbelief. ¡°All I did was boil some water,¡± she said sheepishly. ¡°But when we have a proper setup I¡¯ll make you something more elaborate,¡± she added more confidently. ¡°No, this is great, I love it. Thank you,¡± He said, taking the beef stroganoff. Emelia felt herself flush at his words. ¡°So what did you do, before the integration and your illness I mean?¡± Emelia asked awkwardly, finding it a bit silly to be asking first-date questions when they had already been through life and death situations together. ¡°I was a software engineer,¡± he replied a bit awkwardly. ¡°How did you pick that?¡± She asked, trying to get him to elaborate. ¡°I didn¡¯t go to school for it or anything like that. My life was kind of a mess, I had barely graduated college and was working a dead end job. I wanted to change so I was researching how to code online, teaching myself. I took to it, and eventually, I got invited to take a coding challenge and interview for a large tech company. It changed my life. What about you, why did you become a nurse?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s cliche, but I always wanted to help people. Nothing was anywhere as rewarding as nursing, especially when you know exactly how people feel,¡± She explained. ¡°But why hospice care? Being an empath around so much death and suffering couldn¡¯t have been easy,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy. There were definitely hard days, but when I made a difference I could feel it. Even though they were dying, nothing was more rewarding than making their day, even if it was something small.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Imri said. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal,¡± Emelia said, feeling embarrassed. ¡°What are your plans? What do you want to accomplish in this new reality?¡± She asked to change the subject. ¡°I want to make a place where people can be safe, a safe haven for all. Somewhere where magic and technology are woven together, greater than the sum of their parts.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to reclaim Minneapolis? You want to build something new?¡± ¡°Those Azala are no joke, and we haven¡¯t gotten that far from those Chixel temples. We need somewhere defensible, not some vestige of our past,¡± Imri explained. Emelia shuddered, though she didn¡¯t disagree, it felt strange to call their lives of only a few days past a vestige. Hopefully, they could continue to find moments like these, moments that felt normal and right. For a few hours, all was right with the world. Chapter 12: Gods and Primordials Imri had intended to listen in on the Chixel when he was done with his date. Unfortunately, he underestimated how exhausted he was and fell asleep while holding Emelia. He had slept for almost twelve hours straight but still awoke with Emelia beside him. Even though nothing more than cuddling had happened, he was giddy with joy. He made his way to the group of Chixel. He was too embarrassed to even look at anyone who stared at him as he walked through camp. They were located near the center of camp, a pair of sentries keeping a watchful eye over them. Imri could tell that the humans were more unsettled than the Chixel, who just seemed bored. Imri and another man replaced the two sentries at the appointed hour, hopefully avoiding any suspicion. ¡°It has not watched us before. Perhaps it is new?¡± one of the five Chixel commented. ¡°He is large. Perhaps he is another strong warrior,¡± another suggested. ¡°Tssk, it is no warrior. It is soft and weak like so many of these smooth skins. These ones waste time here,¡± a Chixel with several scars said. ¡°Something is off about that one, and it is watching us like none have,¡± the last Chixel, the smallest of the five, spoke. Imri did his best to imitate the bored indifference the other sentries had adopted. ¡°It was just curious. Perhaps It had never seen one of the Chixel. Look, it already grows tired of studying these ones,¡± the warrior with scars pointed out. ¡°This one is not an expert on smooth skin body language, but this one believes it is faking indifference,¡± the short one said. Imri noted the other four seemed to defer to this one, even the hot-headed Chixel with the scars. Imri decided to put on a spectacle, shouting at the Chixel in English when they all stared at him. He tried to act annoyed at their attention, but it didn¡¯t convince anyone. ¡°That one is strange; something seems off about him,¡± the tall, slender one said. ¡°Yes, it''s as if it is behaving like the angry ones, but not,¡± the one with scars. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We wait for the smooth ones to make the first move. Have patience,¡± the leader said. They stopped speaking after that, though they still stared at him suspiciously. Imri did his best to act nonchalant and listen in. They said nothing of note for a while. Occasionally, the one with scars expressed annoyance, but the leader quickly rebuffed him. ¡°At this rate, the Ulzites will find a primordial before these ones leave camp,¡± the scarred one said in annoyance. Imri did a double-take at the mention of his mysterious ancestry, and the keen leader seemed to notice. ¡°That one understands these ones,¡± the leader said to him, to the surprise of the other four Chixel and Imri. Imri sighed and nodded, but the Chixel didn¡¯t use this gesture, so he spoke in their tongue. ¡°Yes, the system gave me a skill,¡± Imri explained. ¡°This one knows of no such skill. Perhaps it is something given to ambassador-type classes,¡± the leader said. Imri just shrugged, which was another gesture that confused the Chixel. No wonder they hadn¡¯t gotten anywhere with nonverbal communication; human gestures were just that: human. ¡°Tell me, what is this one called?¡± the Chixel asked. ¡°My name, it¡¯s Imri Padar. And you are?¡± ¡°That one may refer to this one as Ettes.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Ettes.¡± ¡°This one is also honored to meet you, Imri Padar.¡± ¡°Please, just call me Imri.¡± ¡°Did that one not introduce that one as Imri Padar?¡± Ettes asked in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s my full name. My family name is Padar, and my individual name is Imri. We use individual names for those we know, as full names are too formal.¡± ¡°Very well, Imri of the humans,¡± Ettes said. The word human hadn''t been translated, and it sounded strange coming from the Chixel¡¯s tongue. ¡°Tell me, Ettes, why did you come to our camp?¡± Imri asked, getting straight to the point. ¡°How much does Imri know of the system and the multiverse?¡± Ettes asked. ¡°Pretend I know nothing.¡± ¡°Surely that one knows something? This one could not possibly explain everything,¡± Ettes said. Imri sighed. ¡°How could I know much? It''s only been a few days,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°This one is not a historian, but this one believes it has been many cycles of the planet since the Chixel learned of the system,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me the Chixel knew about the system before the integration?¡± ¡°Of course, did that one¡¯s gods not explain the system?¡± ¡°Gods are real?¡± Imri asked, dumbstruck at the nonchalant way Ettes discussed the divine. ¡°Of course, do humans not have gods?¡± Ettes asked. Imri wasn¡¯t sure how to answer that question. He believed in a higher power but not in organized religion. However, the way Ettes spoke about gods made it sound like they could be communed with. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Imri said. ¡°How can Imri not be sure? Gods are powerful beings of immense stature. This one has never met any gods but knows those who have. Those ones say gods are impossible to miss. Gods have a presence that can be felt by those within a long distance.¡± ¡°So your gods have a physical manifestation within your world, an avatar that priests can interact with?¡± Imri asked. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°It is so, Imri of humans,¡± Ettes confirmed. ¡°How much magic did your world have? Was it common?¡± Imri asked, a theory beginning to form. ¡°This one does not understand this word, magic.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s define it as the use of mana to accomplish work,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Ah, this one is regrettably not an enchanter. Zathri can explain better,¡± Ettes said. Zathri was the tall Chixel who was slender even by Chixel standards. ¡°Most of Chixel society runs on this magic work. These ones use it to assemble buildings, transport goods, and cool foods. These ones call this enchantment, and those who assemble enchantments as enchanters. You may call this one Zathri. This one is an enchanter.¡± ¡°Thank you, Zathri. I would very much like to exchange knowledge with you. We didn¡¯t have enchantments in our society, but it sounds like we were able to accomplish many similar things.¡± ¡°This one is most curious: how is it possible to accomplish these things without enchantment? This one would have thought that impossible,¡± Zathri exclaimed. Ettes glanced at the excited Zathri, who had apparently breached some sort of protocol. Zathri slumped from the silent rebuke, appearing timid once more. ¡°This one apologizes for that one¡¯s rude behavior,¡± Ettes said. Imri just shook his head despite the gesture going unrecognized. ¡°It¡¯s alright; I am something close to what you would call an enchanter, only without using mana. I am sure Zathri and I could learn much from each other,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Very well, this one will permit such an exchange,¡± Ettes said to the elation of Zathri. ¡°After these ones have finished their discussion,¡± Ettes added when it looked like Zathri would start asking more questions. The slender enchanter swished their tail back and forth. ¡°If these ones did not have enchantments, how did these ones build cities?¡± Ettes asked Imri. ¡°We found ways to work without enchantment. We used science, math, engineering, and many other things. We didn¡¯t even know there was such a thing as mana until the integration.¡± ¡°This one is not familiar with those words,¡± Ettes admitted. ¡°Basically, we had to learn how the universe worked. We learned of many ways to harness energy; we gathered it from the gusts of wind, the rushing of water, the natural resources found in the ground, and the rays of our star. We turned all those energy sources into electricity, which we used to power our machines.¡± ¡°Fascinating, this one did not think it possible to do so much without mana. Did that one¡¯s world have a low mana density?¡± Zathri asked. Ettes didn¡¯t object to the enchanters questioning this time, undoubtedly curious as well. Imri thought he had made it clear they didn¡¯t have mana, but that point seemed so foreign to the Chixel that they must have assumed it was an error of language. ¡°We didn¡¯t have any mana, at least not that we were aware of,¡± Imri said. ¡°Impossible, no world can exist without mana. It is essential for life,¡± Ettes said. ¡°Maybe it was low, and we just never developed a way of perceiving it,¡± Imri said with a shrug. He was genuinely curious if that was true but doubted he would ever truly know. ¡°So, these ones have no war-casters, enchanters, or gods,¡± Ettes exclaimed. ¡°These smooth skins were useless. Perhaps the Ulzites were right,¡± The scarred warrior said. ¡°Silence, Srez. This one has heard enough complaints,¡± Ettes admonished. ¡°This one apologizes for the insult.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, water under the bridge,¡± Imri said before seeing the blank expression. ¡°Sorry, that''s a human saying. It means it''s of no concern.¡± ¡°This one would like to know if Imri speaks for all humans?¡± Ettes asked. Imri chuckled. ¡°No, I¡¯m not even the leader of this camp. That would be my girlfriend, Emelia,¡± Imri explained. ¡°That word, girlfriend, it does not translate. Is it a title?¡± Ettes asked. Imri found it strange that ''girlfriend'' didn¡¯t translate. ¡°Well, she¡¯s a girl, woman more accurately, and she¡¯s my friend, romantically speaking,¡± Imri said. ¡°These terms, girl and woman, do not translate either,¡± Ettes said. ¡°Do the Chixel not have gender?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That word is also foreign,¡± Ettes confirmed. ¡°Emelia is my partner,¡± Imri said, using the most generic word he could think of. This seemed to translate finally. ¡°These ones would appreciate an audience with this Emelia. We must ally to fight against the Ulzites,¡± Ettes said. She seemed to have finally said something the warrior agreed with, his tail thrashing from side to side in what Imri was now coming to interpret as a nod. ¡°I would be happy to act as interpreter, but we''re just a small band of survivors. She only speaks for this camp,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Then where is the leader of the humans?¡± Ettes asked. ¡°We don¡¯t really have a leader. We had governments that governed the people, but I doubt the social constructs that gave governments their power survived the integration.¡± ¡°That is regrettable, for now, these ones are looking forward to conversations with Emelia of the human camp,¡± Ettes said. ¡°Tell me, who are these Ulzites you speak of?¡± Imri asked. Srez let out a word that didn¡¯t translate, but Imri gathered it was a curse word of some kind. ¡°Ulzites are worshipers of Ulzo,¡± Ettes said simply. Imri remembered the priest at the temple had mentioned this Ulzo, and he inferred it was a god who approved of soul sacrifices. ¡°And you are fighting these Ulzites?¡± Imri asked. Srez immediately said yes, while Ettes said no. ¡°It is not so simple. Ulzo is the most powerful of Chixel gods in this universe, and even these ones admit that. Other gods do not dare oppose Ulzo, so these ones dared not as well. However, these ones would not let this opportunity pass. We had hoped to find a god who would be willing to oppose Ulzo, a god from another species who had no previous dealings with the Chixel,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°This one would rather die than see another child sacrificed to Ulzo,¡± Srez added. Ettes¡¯ tail gave a slight twitch, the equivalent of a subtle nod. ¡°So finding out that we humans are a magicless and godless species makes us rather pathetic,¡± Imri said bluntly. ¡°It is disappointing,¡± Ettes admitted. ¡°These ones do not think humans are pathetic, merely victims of a lifeless planet.¡± ¡°Perhaps we can help each other. We want to rebuild human society to some degree. If you help us, then we can help you find another species that might have a helpful deity,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°That is a kind offer, Imri of the humans. Unfortunately, that seems doubtful. It is rare for a new species to be integrated. Most species are like the Chixel, with many throughout the multiverse. Those ones would not help the Chixel without an existing alliance, and those wouldn''t likely support a rebel faction,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°What about these primordials that Srez mentioned?¡± Imri asked, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. It had been the first question on his mind, but he had waited, hoping it appeared like a minor curiosity. ¡°It is unlikely a species with no magic has a primordial,¡± Ettes said. ¡°What are they?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Those ones are outliers, beings who are shaped by mana. They manifest in different ways, and no two primordials are identical. Those ones are rare, rarer than gods. It is a saying, like that one¡¯s ''water under a bridge''. To say something will happen after seeing a primordial is to say it will not happen,¡± Ettes explained. Imri desperately wanted to ask more questions but didn¡¯t want to appear overly interested. He doubted they would suspect he was one such being since seeing a primordial was an idiom for never going to happen. ¡°Could finding a primordial instead of a god be a solution?¡± Imri suggested. Srez let out a strange clicking noise that was likely the equivalent of a laugh. ¡°This one appreciates the thought. Do not be concerned with primordials; those ones will never be seen,¡± Ettes said. Imri left it at that, sensing they didn¡¯t have any real knowledge of his origin. Chapter 13: Combat Exhilaration Zhaire was bored. He hated waiting, hated planning, and hated scheming. He wanted to do something, anything but sitting around. The fight against the zombie parasite was amusing, and the champion was his first real challenge. It had been several days since they had returned from that excursion, with Imri and Emelia spending most of their time pining over each other. Sylvi was the only other person who seemed to hate waiting as much as he did. Unfortunately, she was into planning everything before actually doing anything, not taking any risks. To pass the time, he had some fun with Teresa. She was attractive and proved to be an enthusiastic partner. There was no cuddling or romance; it was two adults having transactional sex, not that she didn¡¯t seem to enjoy the transaction. She also wasn¡¯t entirely defenseless; having been a former ballerina, she had been given a class called a dervish. She specialized in acrobatically weaving throughout combat, dual-wielding short swords with fluidity and grace. Zhaire decided she could have the level 12 core they had gotten from the champion, bringing her level from 1 to 3. He had gotten some glares for that, but when he glared back, the issue was dropped. A few people had trickled into their camp, either escaping the city or encountering one of their sentries while wandering through the stone forest. However, the newcomers slowly stopped arriving, and the reason soon became obvious. Some of the last stragglers to join the camp had mentioned a large pack of doglike beasts pursuing them. It was the Ulfr Hounds, though it sounded like they had formed a large pack. They hadn¡¯t bothered the camp and seemed to prefer stalking lone prey or small groups. Zhaire had suggested they hunt the pack down. They could gain XP, cores, and food, all while keeping people from getting hunted. Most importantly, it would be something to do. Unfortunately, no one else saw it that way. Imri and Sylvi were still recovering from their injuries, though both were in good enough condition that it shouldn¡¯t have been an issue. Emelia wasn¡¯t much of a fighter, her only combat ability was to heal others and she was constantly going through her mana. That left the Chixel, who had several capable fighters. Imri had explained what the five were. There was Ettes, a priest of some sort, but Imri hadn¡¯t gotten them to divulge their capabilities. Srez was a skirmisher who specialized in hit-and-run tactics, the preferred method of Chixel combat that used their higher agility. Zathri was an enchanter, which Imri described as a sort of magical engineer, they weren''t a fighter but had made a staff that anyone with mana could use. Basically, it was a magic staff that fired bolts of energy when activated. Zhaire wanted one since he had mana and nothing to use it on. Zathri had been willing to craft one for him but lacked the necessary materials. Apparently, almost every profession used cores, and as Imri had predicted, cores were the desired trade commodity. Their fourth member was also a crafter and an alchemist named Thrisk. He could recreate the potions they had been given by the system and at a higher quality. The camp still had a decent supply of communal potions, but they wouldn¡¯t last much longer. They also needed cores and strange herbs that grew within the forest. The final Chixel was a mystery. Imri had tried to inquire about them, but Ettes had simply said they were an attendant for the priest. Zhaire suspected the mysterious fifth Chixel was capable, but Imri had been uncomfortable pressing the issue. Zhaire decided to bring his idea to the Chixel, with Imri translating. Everyone needed more cores, but if they wanted humanity''s help, they would need to contribute or leave. Emelia frowned at how he had phrased it, suggesting something slightly more diplomatic for Imri to relay. To Zhaire¡¯s relief, the Chixel, especially Srez, were eager for a chance to be useful. The enchanter Zathri was also on board, albeit less excited about it, until it was made clear that Zhaire would be coming with. The group would also need to include Imri, who was more for his interpreting than his combat magic, but that was also welcome. Zhaire promised Emelia Imri would stay out of the thick of combat, if possible. His HP and MP hadn¡¯t fully regenerated but were nearly full. The final member of their group was Teresa, with whom Zhaire was definitely okay having. They set out as soon as they had replenished their packs. They had enough supplies for a couple of days, and everyone had several of each type of potion. None of them were true naturalists capable of tracking. Instead, they relied on the directions of the most recent survivors. They hoped that the Ulfr Hounds would take the bait, deciding their group was small enough to be easy prey. If they didn¡¯t, it would simply be a boring hike through the forest, no great loss. It was certainly better than doing nothing. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel good to stretch your legs?¡± Zhaire asked, patting Imri on the shoulder. The awkward mage was already breathing hard from the brief hours they had already been hiking. ¡°I suppose,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°Do you trust them?" Zhaire asked, not giving the Chixel any hint they were talking about them. ¡°For the time being. They made themselves rebels and outcasts, and they needed allies. If a better opportunity presents itself, then we might be in trouble,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we do the same?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Maybe. I get the sense that we are a more diplomatic species, and the Chixel are more violent and backstabbing. They¡¯re used to plotting and scheming amongst themselves. I think the only reason they''re going along with us is because they see us as ignorant monkeys who know nothing about the multiverse.¡± ¡°This is way over my head, and I¡¯ll leave all that political bull shit to you and Emelia. I have yet to meet a problem that can¡¯t be solved with brute force,¡± Zhaire said. Imri just shook his head. At least Imri was useful, unlike most of the elitists, who thought they were too good to work with their hands. Most of them would be dead before long, unable to adapt to a more demanding world. They had left camp early in the morning, hiking all through the day. Unfortunately, the last sighting of the hounds hadn¡¯t borne fruit, and now they simply hiked around, hoping they were a tempting enough target. They didn¡¯t get too far from the camp, staying within a couple of klicks, not wanting a long hike back if they needed to return in a hurry. Zhaire began to feel a sense of disappointment when the sun started to dip below the horizon. That¡¯s when they heard the menacing cackling of a creature stalking them. Several more cackles echoed throughout the stone forest in response, the entire pack they had been hoping for. It was hard to judge their exact position due to the strange way the sound traveled through the forest, but Zhaire was sure they were close. He smiled, sword at the ready. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Come get some,¡± Zhaire shouted in defiance. The Ulfr Hounds didn¡¯t immediately charge in. Instead, they circled nearby, cackling maniacally, hoping to cause fear. Zhaire just smiled; the strong didn¡¯t need tricks to scare their opponents. Imri also seemed unaffected, and the Chixel were hard to read, but they at least had the good sense to hold their ground. Unfortunately, the sounds did unnerve Teresa, who visually trembled as the pack closed in on them. The cackling grew louder until it sounded like it was right on top of them. The first came into view, appearing from around one of the stone trees. Zathri launched an attack, a bright bolt of blue energy shooting out from his staff. Unfortunately, the enchanter missed their mark, the bolt slamming harmlessly against the resilient tree. Zathri must have been on edge, as they had discussed waiting until the hounds were closer before attacking. More of the hounds appeared from every direction, surrounding them. Zhaire prayed that the others would manage to watch his back. The hounds continued to circle, hoping to find a weak point in their formation. Zathri¡¯s second blast struck true, the hound convulsing in pain. This signaled the start of the true fight, the Ulfr Hounds rushing in, snapping their jaws. Zhaire met them, his sword trailing down in an arc, meeting the closest hound''s snout and cleaving its face in two. The rest of the group didn¡¯t fare as well. The Chixel and Teresa were agile skirmishers, and their strength wasn''t in holding a line. They managed to avoid taking damage, but their formation was ruined. Zhaire cursed as several hounds rushed in immediately. He suddenly felt the world around him slow slightly as they rushed him. He moved with alacrity, striking down several hounds easily as he managed to dodge and counter. A few bites connected, but when they refused to let go, Zhaire simply brought his sword down. They relied on bringing their foes down to the ground but could not bring someone as large as Zhaire down. Just like that, the hounds were on the back foot, their numbers no longer a major advantage as their pack dwindled to Zhaire¡¯s blade. Now, the skirmishing style of the Chixel and Teresa were no longer a liability, they went on the offensive. Srez struck with a spear before leaping back out of reach of the snapping hound. Another magic blast connected when a hound went to attack the warrior¡¯s flank. Teresa also managed to regain her composure, lashing out with her dual shortswords in quick succession, fatally injuring another. Imri swung wildly with a machete, not managing to connect but keeping the hounds off him. For some reason, he left the strange black dagger undrawn despite it being his most powerful weapon. As the pack neared annihilation, the final few hounds had the sense to flee. Zhaire managed to cleave another as it turned to run. The last couple of hounds escaped, fleeing into the forest and out of sight. None of them bothered to pursue, as they had culled most of the pack, making them far less of a threat to small groups or even capable individuals. Zhaire smiled as the exhilaration of battle was replaced with the triumph of victory. As the adrenaline and Time Dilation spell receded, the numerous bites on his legs, which he had barely noticed during the fight, started to bleed and hurt. He ignored the pain and shouted victorious, the Chixel staring at him with what he assumed was a mix of fear and admiration. They had slain eight hounds, an incredible number but not enough to earn new achievements. He did have several system notifications that poured into his mind.
Quest Completed Progress
Class Rank Up F to E Slay creatures 10/10
Linebreaker(1E)
Primary Stats / Level Improvement From Previous Rank
Strength .25% +.05%
Agility .15% -
Constitution .15% -
Willpower .05% +.05%
Secondary Stats / Level
HP .25% +.1%
FP .2% +.1%
Attack Efficiency .45% +.15%
HP Regen Rate .15% +.15%
FP Regen Rate .1% +.1%
Trait Learned Tier/Rank Description
Combat Exhilaration 1F While others find the prospect of fighting daunting, you are exhilarated by it, allowing you to keep fighting longer. Improves all resource regeneration by 5% while in active combat.
Zhaire let out another cheer of triumph. One of his primary motivators for the hunt had been his class rank-up quest. He wasn¡¯t sure how all the stats worked. Imri had tried explaining it, but it was all too complicated. All he knew was that he had gotten stronger, and if he kept doing that, he would be unstoppable. They gathered the cores, having decided to save them for crafting items rather than directly absorbing them for levels. With that done, they set up camp for the night, deciding not to risk the journey while it was dark. Imri protested, not wanting to be apart from his girlfriend. ¡°A little time apart will do you some good. You wouldn¡¯t want to be clingy,¡± Zhaire chided the lovestruck man. ¡°Why don¡¯t you see if the Chixel need help?¡± Teresa suggested to Imri. ¡°I¡¯m sure they are fine. I didn¡¯t see any of them take damage,¡± he said, oblivious to the point. ¡°Imri, Teresa, and I would like some alone time,¡± Zhaire said, a bit more harshly than he had intended. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll be over there,¡± Imri said awkwardly, practically sprinting away. Teresa let out a girlish giggle at the mage¡¯s antics and Zhaire¡¯s impatience. ¡°You could have been a bit more subtle,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t do subtle,¡± he said, bringing the smaller woman to the ground. ¡°I see that,¡± she said with a coy grin as they undressed. Chapter 14: Chemist and Alchemist
Imri Padar has reached Level 7 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reach Level 7 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Intelligence 145
+1 Willpower 130
Secondary Stats Gained
+5 MP 197
+4 Mana Efficiency 215
Imri took solace from the gains he had made. While his Time Dilation spell had become noticeably more efficient than the first time he had used it, it was still far from sustainable. Fortunately, the fight had been brief. He had been almost full on MP before using it, so he still had a decent amount of his MP remaining. He also felt that his Time Dilation spell was nearing a breakthrough to E rank. Next, he examined the cores they had claimed. All were small, as the creatures they had slain were only levels 3 to 8. While they were tempting to absorb, he could feel a limit being reached. It was only possible to progress so far through absorbing cores. After a certain amount of experience, it was impossible to absorb more. Eventually, the body would fully absorb and integrate the energy and be capable of absorbing more, but that took time. He suspected that there was a primary stat that governed the amount of core energy that could be absorbed, likely constitution or willpower. He briefly tried to meditate, but the sounds from Zhaire and Teresa kept breaking his concentration. They were loud enough to alert any Chixel or Ulfr Hounds within a few kilometers. Imri was eventually joined by Srez, who sat beside him without comment. ¡°Those customs are strange. How can one sit so still?¡± the Chixel asked. ¡°It¡¯s called meditation. It''s a practice of placing oneself out of the body and mind, at least this type of meditation,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Such a thing is not possible. Ones are made of body and mind,¡± the Chixel countered. ¡°It¡¯s difficult,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not a meditation expert, but the idea is that we are everything: the wind, the trees, the earth, all of it. Our body and mind are but a small piece, a focus but nothing more.¡± ¡°That one is stranger than this one thought. Such things make no sense. This one is not a rock; this one is Srez,¡± the Chixel said, pounding its chest. ¡°This one would be interested in learning,¡± Zathri said as they joined the conversation. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not an expert, but I do have a skill. I would be happy to teach you what I know. In return, you could teach me some enchanting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± Zathri agreed. Srez seemed slightly more interested when Imri mentioned it was a skill but quickly grew bored. ¡°Have fun pretending to be rocks,¡± Srez said as he left, practicing his fighting in a kata. Imri did his best to instruct Zathri through a simple guided meditation. The Chixel, even the more scholarly ones like Zathri, were not disposed to sitting still. They lasted only a few minutes, beating Emelia¡¯s record for the shortest meditation attempt. ¡°It¡¯s not working,¡± Zathri complained. ¡°It was designed for humans,¡± Imri said with a shrug, knowing that someone who couldn¡¯t sit still for two minutes was destined never to meditate. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Zathri conceded. With the guided meditation session ending, Imri resumed his own meditation. It took him a while, but he eventually found serenity. The next morning, they made their way back to camp. They were all slightly encumbered as he carried large portions of salted monster meat. While most of them were growing tired of eating the strange creature, it was still far preferable to starvation. As they returned to camp, a general malaise hung over it. While some were beginning to adjust to their new reality, many simply sat around when not actively on watch or engaged in keeping the camp orderly. Their number had steadily grown each day, with more than thirty people now living in the camp. Still, they were surviving, not thriving. Every single person needed a purpose. His musings were cut short when Emelia came over to greet his return with a kiss. His mood instantly improved. ¡°We¡¯ll get there; it will just take some time,¡± she reminded him. She understood how he felt when he looked at the apathetic camp. ¡°I¡¯m going to deliver these to Thrisk,¡± he said, holding several of the cores they had claimed. Thrisk, the Chixel alchemist, had agreed to teach them alchemy in exchange for keeping the first batch of potions created. The Chixel had their potions seized when they were brought to camp, and while they were technically entitled to the use of potions, just like any other member of the camp, they feared they would be denied access if the potion supply ever ran low. Emelia had agreed to their request, knowing the knowledge they possessed was far more valuable than the raw ingredients they had gathered. Those ingredients were useless without the knowledge, except for the cores. Thrisk was waiting expectantly as Imri approached. Beside the Chixel sat a short younger woman with dark wavy hair and glasses. Her name was Caroline, and she had been a chemist before the integration. She was one of the few who seemed to approach the integration with an open mind, having an innate curiosity for all the strange new herbs and minerals. When Imri mentioned his deal with Thrisk, she jumped at the opportunity to learn alchemy. While Caroline had been given a class similar to what she had been in before the integration, Thrisk assured him that if Caroline had the aptitude, she could learn alchemy skills. ¡°One¡¯s class or profession is not permanent. One could change either with aptitude and desire in a different area, though one would lose any existing levels and abilities related to the lost class,¡± Thrisk explained to him. ¡°So, given enough training and aptitude, Caroline could become an alchemist?¡± Imri asked. Thrisk confirmed with a tail nod. ¡°That sounds great. Most of my formal training was in large labs with various equipment. It will be a long time before anything like that is up and running,¡± Caroline agreed. ¡°The quality of the product is dependent on two things. A weighted average of the quality of ingredients, with the primary ingredients taking the majority of the weight. The second is obviously the skill of the crafter. The greater the difference between one of the two aspects, the less future improvements will be added. A skilled alchemist could not create the greatest potions from inferior stock. Likewise, a novice alchemist would waste a precious ingredient. However, improvement in either is always good,¡± Thrisk explained as he showed them the ingredients. For simple recipes like this, there were only three ingredients. The first was a bright yellow flower speckled with blood red, which Imri identified. The other two were water and the core.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Blood Arfaj 1F 3 A flower with medicinal healing properties. It can be consumed for a 10.3 % increase in HP regen for 2 hours. It can be used as a material in alchemical creations.
Thrisk took a few of the flowers and separated the petals, placing them in a mortar and pestle. They ground the flower down for a good while until it was a reddish paste. When Imri identified it again, it added paste to the name but was otherwise the same. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°When refining or harvesting, the goal is to reduce the quality as little as possible,¡± Thrisk explained as they showed the paste. ¡°For example, the flower might have been of slightly higher quality but lost quality levels when it was crudely harvested by an amateur. This is why having specialists at every production level is important. A botanist to cultivate the plant, a gardener to harvest it, and an alchemist to refine it. For higher level ingredients, there are even more specialists, to refine the product, a generalist wouldn¡¯t dare touch such a precious resource, lest it be ruined.¡± Caroline scribbled down notes as Imri translated. She was meticulous, stopping the Chixel and asking for clarification on nearly every point. Thrisk didn¡¯t seem annoyed by the frequent interruptions. Instead, they seemed relieved to have an engaged audience. Caroline also wasn¡¯t the only student. Many other people had gathered to watch, though most of them had no interest in becoming alchemists, simply bored and finding a lecture from the Chixel fascinating. Next, the Chixel added the core to a bubbling water-filled cauldron. They explained that this part of the process would take some time, as the water needed to be infused with the energy within the core. ¡°Depending on the core, one will get several uses from a single core, its energy being depleted from each use. Generally, the solution cannot be of greater quality than the core level. Higher level cores also tend to last longer, so a level 10 core is far preferable to 2 level 5 cores,¡± Thrisk explained as Caroline continued her furious notetaking. Thrisk continued answering questions during the relative lull of the infusion process. They occasionally checked the solution, using what Imri assumed was a specialized version of Identify. The entire infusion process took a couple of hours, during which most of the casual spectators lost interest, though a few remained with little else to occupy their time. Thrisk fished out the core with a slotted ladle when the infusion finished. The core had visibly less luster, though it still had a faint sheen to it. ¡°This has nearly been spent, and it does not have enough energy to make even a small batch. Someone could absorb it, as it would be wasteful to discard, but it is scarcely worth anything,¡± Thrisk said as he proffered the pea-sized gem to Imri. Imri just shrugged and passed it to Caroline. She seemed taken aback, until this point all the fighters had been the sole recipients of the cores. ¡°We had been giving them to those who could fight because they were the main contributors. Now, we will be relying on your potions at least as much as our combat abilities. At least I will be, with how often I keep getting stabbed,¡± Imri explained. ¡°The next part is where an alchemist proves one¡¯s worth. The ingredients must be combined, but most do not do so willingly. One must use one¡¯s mana to facilitate the combination. For a relatively simple potion like this one, it is just a matter of infusing a small amount of mana. Others are not so simple. Observe,¡± Thrisk explained, waiting for Imri to finish the translation before continuing. Compared to infusing the liquid with the core, this part took only a moment. Thrisk cast a simple spell to direct the mana as the Arfaj flower paste combined with the infused water. Within a moment, the liquid turned red like the familiar healing potions. The batch contained over a liter of liquid, enough for over a dozen doses of the potion. He quickly identified the potion.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Standard Healing Potion 1F 4 Improves HP regeneration by 53.04% for 2.05 hours.
The potion was slightly superior to those given by the system in every way, increasing HP regen by 2.5% more and lasting .05 hours longer or 3 minutes. Imri had learned that everything had a quality level, and each level increased the effectiveness by 1%. However, the 4% improvement from the quality level should have increased the effectiveness to 52%, not 53.04%. The duration was also extended by 3 minutes, which also didn¡¯t appear to be related to the quality of the potion. ¡°Do you have an ability that increases the effectiveness and duration of potions?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Very Astute. Yes, this one has two skills related to brewing potions. One which increases the effectiveness of potions by 2%, while the other increases the duration by 2.5%,¡± Thrisk admitted. ¡°I had another question: what would happen if I drank two potions in rapid succession? I¡¯m assuming it wouldn¡¯t double the effect?¡± Caroline asked as Imri translated. ¡°Most certainly not. If one consumes a second while still under the effects of the first, it will extend the duration, not the effect. It also has diminishing returns, so drinking two would not give a full two hours of benefits, closer to one and a half. The body would also be overwhelmed with potion toxicity, and a third potion would be unwise. It would still extend the duration, but only by roughly an hour, and it would come with major discomfort. However, this can be overcome with a higher constitution,¡± Thrisk explained. With Thrisk¡¯s explanation of potion toxicity done, they moved on to create the second batch of potions. Caroline did the crafting this time under Thrisk''s watchful eye, with Imri remaining as a translator. Imri didn¡¯t need Emelia¡¯s empathy skills to know the young woman was nervous. She double-checked her notes during each step despite the process not being overly complex. They made a smaller batch this time, with the expectation that the first attempt likely wouldn¡¯t be a success. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s alright?¡± Caroline asked, holding the lowest level core procured from the Ulfr Hounds. ¡°Zhaire will be more than happy enough procuring more cores. Having someone else in the camp as an alchemist would be worth losing all these cores,¡± Imri explained. The unsaid statement was that it would be good to have a human alchemist. Slightly more confident, Caroline placed the core in the bubbling water. The infusion process took far less time with the smaller amount of liquid. During that time, Thrisk had Caroline practice infusing her mana into a dormant pool of water. This was the trickiest step, and Caroline had yet to use her mana on any spell successfully. ¡°One needs to will it into the water. One¡¯s mana is an extension of oneself like another hand to be ordered,¡± Thrisk explained. Imri agreed with the sentiment, when he had learned his spell it had come as naturally as breathing. Curious, he tried following Thrisk¡¯s instructions. He willed a small amount of mana into a separate supply of water. His mana leaped to his command, a smell tendril extending from his hand, visible thanks to his Discerning Eye, before settling into the water.
New Skill Learned Tier/Rank Description
Mana Infusion 1F Transfer mana from yourself to an external source. The rate of transfer varies by mana channeling. Inefficiency varies by the medium of transference. Reduces transfer inefficiency by 5% and improves transfer rate by 5%.
This wasn¡¯t the first time he had infused mana, and his ability to easily channel mana was probably thanks to his ability to see mana at will. He had done so when experimenting with the magical lights in the Chixel temple. That had been done directly with a material designed for conducting mana. That hadn¡¯t risen to the difficulty needed to acquire the skill, but it had helped him understand some of the concepts of mana. Starting with something like that would likely be easier than infusing mana into water. Imri went to his pack, digging around until he found the copper setting with the small gemstone. He returned and presented it to a confused Caroline. ¡°Try practicing mana infusion on that. It¡¯s a system designed to pull in mana, so it should be slightly easier. The gem will light up when it''s working, so you¡¯ll also get instant feedback,¡± Imri explained. Thrisk seemed slightly taken aback when they realized Imri was carrying around a Chixel light fixture, but they didn¡¯t comment. Caroline took the small device and began practicing. It took a while, but eventually, the gem sputtered to life for a moment before fading again. She continued practicing, eventually able to sustain the light. Caroline was elated with her achievement in mana control. While they had been practicing mana control, Thrisk had finished the small batch of potion when it became apparent that Caroline wouldn¡¯t master the mana infusion skill in time to finish the potion before it spoiled. ¡°That one should continue practicing mana infusion. These ones can try again tomorrow,¡± Thrisk suggested. They all agreed though Caroline was clearly disheartened by her lack of progress. Chapter 15: Runic Enchanter Imri decided to spend some of his precious free time with the Chixel, hopefully taking Zathri up on the enchantment lessons. He hoped his general understanding of programming would allow him to quickly pick up some new skills and potentially even a profession. ¡°What would this one like to know?¡± Zathri asked. Imri noticed that the mysterious fifth Chixel, Rhesk, was closely watching them. ¡°Just start with the basics; I don¡¯t want to assume and get something wrong. I¡¯m specifically seeking information on becoming an enchanter,¡± Imri said. ¡°This one wants to become an enchanter; that is great,¡± Zathri said, clearly excited to find someone interested in their field of study. Imri had noticed Zathri staring enviously at Thrisk as they instructed Caroline, so it wasn''t surprising they were eager for a student. ¡°I thought this one was a combat mage?¡± Srez asked, genuinely confused. ¡°I am, but I also wanted to pick up a profession,¡± Imri said. ¡°So that one wishes to walk two paths. This one is surprised such a thing is known by humans,¡± Ettes said. In truth, Imri had only suspected that such a thing was possible, likely guided by his intuition skill. ¡°Such an endeavor should not be taken lightly, Imri. While many may take a second class, one usually supports the other. An explorer cartographer, a ranger herbalist, a soldier medic, and so on. Such things have synergy, but what that is two separate things. One will not be able to gain levels in both classes; one will be working on one or the other,¡± Rhesk explained, saying more than they ever had to this point. ¡°I want to be good at both things,¡± Imri explained. It sounded lame, even to him, but the truth was both the class and profession seemed cool. He couldn''t bring himself to have only one or the other. Instead, he hoped enchanting would be easy to pick up, given his past experience. ¡°Such a thing is uncommon but not unheard of. Those who master both are some of the greatest Chixel. However, many who attempt it become unfocused and not good at either,¡± Ettes said. ¡°I want it. I want to be great,¡± Imri said. Zathri seemed to hesitate, looking to Rhesk and Ettes, who gave a subtle tail nod that reassured the enchanter. ¡°This one would be honored to teach you enchantment,¡± Zathri said. Imri took out the light fixture and asked questions about its design. ¡°The materials used in all enchantments are critical. Pathways on which mana travels are called leylines, and usually metallic materials are the best leyline materials, with gold and platinum being the best due to the low mana loss. The second critical component is the mana storage since feeding mana into a circular leyline would result in mana being lost via traversal. Crystalline materials make the best mana storage, with diamonds being the best.¡± ¡°So this copper setting with a quartz crystal is inefficient but likely is far more affordable,¡± Imri guessed. ¡°Precisely. For something like a light, the amount of mana flowing through is minimal, so some loss to save on cost is necessary. The quartz in this case is more aesthetic than practical, most light enchantments don¡¯t have a crystal for each light source,¡± Zathri confirmed. ¡°So then there is the third component, the mana itself,¡± Imri guessed. ¡°Indeed. An entire sector of Chixel society was devoted to mana generation. The simplest and arguably least efficient method is directly powered. One simply infuses mana into the device using one¡¯s mana supply. There was also a practice of infusing one¡¯s mana into crystals in exchange for a good or service. Many religious institutions still have a ritual component of offering one¡¯s mana, though this is symbolic more than practical,¡± Zathri explained. ¡°And more industrial methods?¡± ¡°There were several, each with benefits and drawbacks. The first is ambient mana absorption, which is simply using runes that absorb mana from whatever medium they are in, usually in the ground or air. The benefit is simple: it is sustainable at scale. It uses only ambient mana, similar to how one¡¯s mana regenerates. The main drawback is the cost, ambient mana runes need to be incredibly efficient, otherwise more mana is consumed than is generated. The ambient mana of the location also greatly affects how viable this option is, the higher the mana density the greater the absorption. The second is similar but is more specific. Certain natural treasures contain vast amounts of mana and mana regeneration. That mana generated can be tapped into much more efficiently; one simply needs such a natural treasure. In theory, less efficient runes could be used, but in practice, they are so valuable that one wouldn¡¯t waste a treasure with suboptimal runes. The final way to generate mana, and the most common, is by using a method called mana burn. Certain materials one can find in the ground can be refined into a liquid called manicite. When manicite is burned, it will produce a large amount of mana. This is the cheapest method, as long as one can acquire manacite,¡± Zathri explained. ¡°That sounds familiar to how we produce energy, with the main difference being we can¡¯t tap into living things,¡± Imri said. ¡°Yes, that is both a blessing and a curse of mana. That one saw what can be done at the extreme end of the spectrum. Souls have incredible amounts of mana, but destroying souls is abhorrent,¡± Zathri said, getting not-so-subtle tail nods from all the other Chixel. Imri was glad the knife he had taken from the priest of Ulzo wasn¡¯t on him at the moment, though they had seen him wearing it. He endeavored not to use it again. ¡°So these runes, I figured out which one is the light itself, but what do the rest do?¡± Imri said, refocusing the conversation on enchantment, not just mana generation. Zathri studied the light fixture briefly before nodding and launching into an explanation. ¡°Most of the other runes are used to measure things. This rune here measures the mana present in the crystal. When it reaches a certain amount, it will trigger this rune, stopping the absorption of more mana. This rune does the opposite, when the mana level is low enough it requests mana from the leyline.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What happens if there is too much mana in the crystal?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Mostly, it''s just inefficient. If the flow of mana was strong enough, it could shatter it, or if the mana was truly excessive, it could even explode violently.¡± ¡°Are crystals ever weaponized like that?¡± Imri asked. Zathri shook his tail. ¡°Such things are wasteful; a rune of explosion would be more efficient, and even that is considered crude,¡± Zathri explained. ¡°Are there any special skills needed to inscribe runes, or can I just etch them onto a piece of metal?¡± Imri asked as he rotated the fixture in his hand. ¡°As with most things, it can be done without a skill, though skills certainly make it easier. As to how one cannot simply etch runes with a crude tool. Runes are inscribed directly with mana; it is like a spell, though technically it is not.¡± ¡°So, inscribing runes takes mana, too,¡± Imri said, somewhat disappointed. Zathri nodded. ¡°One sees now why these ones cautioned against such a path, though this combination is not unheard of. Both classes will synergize in giving relevant stats and mana, and your understanding of spells will help with runes,¡± Zathri explained. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed. I want this to be my path,¡± Imri confirmed. All the Chixel nodded their tails, convinced by his enthusiasm. As soon as Imri made up his mind, a mental prompt appeared.
Imri Padar has gained the profession Runic Enchanter (1F)
Primary Stats / Level Secondary Stats / Level
Intelligence .2% MP .2%
Willpower .2% Crafting Efficiency .3%
Charisma .1%
Traits Gained Description
Runic Crafting (1F) Gives an understanding of how runes work and how to create them. Improves the rate at which new runes are learned by 5%. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 1.5%
Runic Infusion (1F) Decreases mana inefficiency from directly infusing mana into runes by 5%.
Synergy Trait Gained
Relativity Runic Enchantment (1F) Understand how to create runes of all known relativity spells. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments based on relativity increased by 2.5%.
Imri Padar has reached Level 1 in Runic Enchanter (1F)
Imri smiled as the knowledge entered his mind. Many of his assumptions had been correct, and he now instinctively knew a greater variety of runes, especially everything related to his Relativity Mage class. He also noticed a new line item on his character sheet for his crafting efficiency. It was currently a few points higher than his mana efficiency. He realized it was derived from that stat, so his crafting efficiency would always be greater than his mana efficiency. ¡°Well, that was easier than expected,¡± Imri said triumphantly. The Chixel stared at him, and Imri quickly added, ¡°I got the Runic Enchanter profession.¡± ¡°How is that possible? That one only began learning about enchantments. Gaining a class or profession is normally an endeavor that takes years,¡± Zathri exclaimed. All the Chixel tails nodded in agreement. Imri just shrugged. ¡°Like I said, it had a lot of synergies with my previous profession before the integration,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Even still, that is not normal,¡± Rhesk said. Imri felt uncomfortable as the mysterious Chixel stared intently at him. Imri began questioning whether he should have told them about gaining the profession immediately. ¡°Would that one like instructions on how to begin the process of enchanting?¡± Zathri asked. Imri debated internally. He felt he knew enough to get started on his own, but he decided it wouldn¡¯t hurt to get practical instruction from someone who had made several enchantments. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that,¡± Imri confirmed. ¡°Very well, simply pick a material one wishes to inscribe runes onto. Technically, any surface will work, especially when testing or experimenting with new enchantments. It is possible to remove runes, but it is more difficult than inscribing,¡± Zathri said, demonstrating by creating a rune on the ground. ¡°The more efficient the material, the harder it is to inscribe or remove a rune. Any rune placed on a piece of platinum is near impossible to remove, or so this one has heard.¡± Something about practicing on the ground felt wrong to Imri. Instead, he went through his belongings until he found what he was looking for. It was a mostly empty notebook that he had looted during his initial foray into the city. He had intended to keep a journal but was too preoccupied to get into the habit. Imri turned to a blank page and began to create runes on the page. As Zathri had said, creating runes on a practice surface was mana-efficient, and his runes easily stuck to the page with only a small amount of mana. He copied the design of the light array, drawing in small leylines and runes into the paper. With multiple skills aiding him, he could perfectly recreate the system. The final result looked like a strange conceptual drawing with the runes appearing on the page like arcane glyphs. He infused some mana into the page, watching as the mana caused a portion of the paper to light up. It stayed lit for a few moments before blinking out. ¡°Was one an enchanter in a previous life?¡± Zathri asked in disbelief. ¡°I just copied something. It¡¯s not that impressive,¡± Imri said with a shrug, feeling uncomfortable with the compliment. ¡°Zathri is right. One does not simply learn enchantment in a day; it''s one of the more difficult professions to master,¡± Ettes said. Rhesk¡¯s tail nodded in agreement. ¡°I guess I just got lucky,¡± Imri said, though he truly felt it hadn¡¯t been anything impressive. ¡°There is one final step, sealing the enchantment in place. For this, one needs a core, ideally of a sufficient level. The energy of the core needs to be directed over the rune. This seals the runes, preventing them from eroding with use or with time. The higher the core level, the less efficiency is lost when sealing.¡± ¡°So, when I create the runes, they will be based on my crafting efficiency, which is based on my mana efficiency, with some being lost, depending on the materials'' quality. Then, a core is used to finish the enchantment, locking the quality in place,¡± Imri reiterated. Zathri nodded, and all the Chixel stared at him, clearly having not expected him to understand this much. He bid the Chixel farewell, feigning exhaustion. In truth, he was exhilarated; he couldn''t wait to create all kinds of enchantments. Supplement 1: Character Sheet - Imri through Chapter 15
Imri Padar
Heritage/Class/Profession Tier/Rank Level
Primordial 1F 7
Relativity Mage 1E 7
Runic Enchanter 1F 1
Stat Summary
Primary Attributes Final Score
Strength 113
Agility 86
Constitution 98
Intelligence 145
Willpower 130
Charisma 92
Secondary Attributes
HP 111
FP 84
MP 197
Mana Efficiency 215
Crafting Efficiency 218
Mana Regen / Hour 2.78
Hours to Full MP 70.76
Abilities and Achievements
Traits
Spatial Manipulation 1F Gives an understanding of spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of space are learned and improved by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of space based spells and abilities by 1.5%.
Time Manipulation 1F Gives an understanding of time concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of time based spells and abilities by 1.5%.
Enigmatic Being 1F Increases your resistance to divination based spells and effects by 10%
Discerning Eye 1F Improves visual acuity by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 25%. Can see mana in any form.
Primordial''s Intuition 1F Intuit basic understanding of concepts without any prior knowledge. Increase the rate at which intelligence based spells and abilities are learned and improved by 5%.
Being of Eons 1F You are a being which has achieved control over time within your body. You age 3% slower both from natural and magical effects. Improves the mana efficiency of beneficial time based spells that target you by 3%.
Runic Crafting 1F Gives an understanding of how runes work and how to create them. Improves rate at which new runes are learned by 5%. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 1.5%
Runic Infusion 1F Decreases mana inefficiency from directly infusing mana into runes by 5%.
Relativity Runic Enchantment 1F Understand how to create runes of all known relativity spells. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments based on relativity increased by 2.5%..
Skills
Meditation 1F You are able to enter a state of meditation, able to shift your gaze free from your mind and body. While in a state of meditation you gain +1% MP regeneration / 10 Willpower.
Breath Control 1F You are able to control your breathing efficiently. While using breath control you gain +1% FP regeneration / 10 constitution.
Mana Infusion 1F Transfer mana from yourself to an external source. Rate of transfer varies by mana channeling. Inefficiency varies by medium of transference. Reduces inefficiency of transfer by 5% and improves rate of transfer by 5%.
Spells
Spatial Compression 1F Compress space in local space time. Mana cost varies by density of matter within the compressed space, amount of space being compressed, and distance from the caster to the space being compressed.
Metronome 1F You are able to send out a pulse of a mana at a regular interval. Mana cost varies by duration and frequency of pulses.
True Distance 1F Determine the distance between two frames of reference. Mana cost varies by precision and the distance from the caster to the frames of reference.
Time Dilation 1F Slow down relative time for a target, allowing them to move and perceive faster than creatures not affected by time dilation. Time would appear to move at 1 / Amplitude for the target. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on amplitude of the effect and distance from target to caster.
Time Contraction 1F Speed up relative time for the target, causing time to move faster for them relative to all unaffected objects by a factor of the amplitude. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on amplitude of the effect and distance from caster to target.
Achievements
Solo Hunter 2 Slay a creature above your level without the aid of others. .1% increase to all primary stats / rank.
Group Hunter 7 Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less. .05% increase to all primary stats / rank.
Horde Slayer 3 Slay a group of creatures that outnumbered you, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. .1% increase to all primary stats / rank.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Detailed Breakdown
Primary Attributes Final Score Base Attribute Class Bonus Profession Bonus Heritage Bonus Achievement Bonus
Strength 113 112 1 1 1.007 1.0085
Agility 86 85 1.007 1 1.007 1.0085
Constitution 98 97 1.0035 1 1.007 1.0085
Intelligence 145 138 1.021 1.002 1.021 1.0085
Willpower 130 126 1.0105 1.002 1.014 1.0085
Charisma 92 91 1 1.001 1.007 1.0085
HP 111 110 1.007 1 1.007
FP 84 84 1 1 1.007
MP 197 188 1.028 1.002 1.021
Mana Efficiency 215 210 1.0245 1 1
Crafting Efficiency 218 215 1 1.003 1
Mana Regen / Hour 2.783993056
Hours to Full MP 70.76167076
Chapter 16: Empathic Bond Imri found a quiet place to sit down and continue his enchantment. He took out his notebook and began inscribing a similar pattern to the basic light array, this time with a slight alteration. He added a rune based on his metronome spell, setting the interval to every two seconds. He added a basic boolean rune that flipped from true to false every time the metronome rune triggered. With his test design completed, he charged it with a bit more mana than he had the previous time. He nearly shouted triumphantly as the light flickered on and off every few seconds, going through a few cycles before running out of mana. For his next test, he tried something similar, this time using his other auxiliary spell, True Distance. He ripped out two pieces of paper, drawing two almost identical patterns, one on each sheet. The idea was similar to the Metronome test; there was a boolean that either allowed mana to proceed or blocked it. This time, the boolean would flip to true if the two sheets of paper were within one meter. The only tricky part was assigning the true distance spell to have two reciprocal frames of reference. It wasn¡¯t very difficult, as the spell and, thus, the rune were designed to accomplish just such a task. He infused mana into both papers, and they lit up simultaneously. He quickly moved them apart, watching the light extinguish. He then returned the paper to the required distance, the light briefly returning before dying out. He noted the papers extinguished at different times. This led him to another realization. The target of the true spell didn¡¯t need to be another enchantment. With a little bit of focus, he realized he could create the rune to be relative to just about anything. He inscribed similar runes, then had them measure his distance from the paper. This worked as he expected, providing light when he was within a meter but extinguishing when he moved away. Next, he decided to expand the complexity of his existing design slightly. He added a second true distance spell, having it measure the distance from a particular tree, setting the boolean to true. He combined the booleans with a logical operator, meaning the switch would not be true unless both conditions were met. Again, it worked as he had expected, lighting only when both he and the paper were within a meter.
Imri Padar has reached Level 2 in Runic Enchanter (1F)
Secondary Stats Gained New Value
MP +1 198
Crafting Efficiency +1 219
Imri was pleasantly surprised by the level. He technically hadn¡¯t completed any functional enchantments, merely practical experiments in a notebook. Fortunately, the system seemed to recognize his progress and rewarded him for it. It also made sense to reward learning; novice enchanters probably wouldn¡¯t be given actual materials until they had a modicum of understanding, so they would rely on this type of experience for the first few levels. It was good that the experience came quickly, as his levels had yet to give him any primary stats. He had grown accustomed to the gains that came with his class and heritage leveling simultaneously, often with new or upgraded achievements. He was startled when Emelia came up to him. ¡°You¡¯ve been working at that for hours. Why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± She suggested. Imri had indeed lost track of time, having spent the entire day on his enchantments. He also realized he had spent more mana than he had intended, more than would regenerate from resting through the night. ¡°That sounds like a good idea. What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°Zhaire just got back. He and a small group of people raided some stores near the city''s outskirts. He¡¯s in the best mood I¡¯ve ever felt from him, which probably means they got a shit ton of stuff, and he got to take out his frustrations on a few unlucky Azala. He wanted everyone to gather in the center of the camp. I figured we could join the festivities for a little while before having some time alone,¡± she said, with a suggestive emphasis on the last part. Imri had been so absorbed in his experiments that he hadn¡¯t even known Zhaire had left for the day. Then it clicked in his head what she was possibly suggesting. He was a bundle of nerves and excitement, both in equal measure, until he remembered that Emelia could read his emotions. When she just smiled at him and didn¡¯t say he was being an idiot, they flipped again. They made their way to the center of their growing makeshift camp. A large crowd had gathered, and apart from the few people posted as senteries, most of the camp appeared to be present. A bag of red disposable plastic cups and several bottles of liquor were passed around. It seemed irrational that one of the first supplies gathered was something so impractical. Yet, even Imri had to admit, that morale had been slipping, people were scared and angry. Liquor wouldn¡¯t solve everything, but people smiled, momentarily forgetting they were in a strange world with monsters and loved ones unaccounted for. ¡°All of us are survivors,¡± Zhaire said, loud enough to get everyone''s attention. ¡°This new world might be fucked up, but we can make it our own. We can do whatever we want and be whoever we want to be. No more society telling us we aren¡¯t good enough or bureaucrats and governments telling us we must pay our taxes and follow their rules. The strong will take this world, and we shall make the rules. Here¡¯s to us, the strong, the survivors,¡± Zhaire said, raising his plastic cup. A chorus of cheers rang out, followed by the dull clink of plastic cups taped together, followed by large amounts of alcohol spilled and consumed. Imri shook his head. While things would be different, he certainly wasn¡¯t in favor of anarchy or ''might makes right'' style governments. Unfortunately, many in the camp seemed to agree with Zhaire, and judging by how anxious Emelia looked, it was a concerning number. Still, tonight was not the night to lay down laws; doing so would only be seen as stuffy and elitist when they should be celebrating the modicum of success that was raiding a liquor store. Imri and Emelia weren¡¯t the only ones put off by Zhaire¡¯s strange speech, as many of the office workers seemed especially concerned. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You''re just going to allow this thug to say things like that?¡± Russ asked in a hushed tone as they stood near the fringes of the milling crowd. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to confront him yourself,¡± Emelia said, knowing full well that no one would dare confront Zhaire directly. ¡°Maybe I will,¡± Russ said, taking a swig of the hard liquor in his cup. He stared at the Zhaire, openly envious of the power he possessed, of the lithe secretary who was practically clinging to him. ¡°He¡¯s not a tyrant; he is just happy that his lot in life has changed. He was stuck in a low-paying job, looked down on by people like you. Now the roles are reversed, and he¡¯s the one with an in-demand skill set,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°I worked hard for what I got in my life. It¡¯s not fair that a cosmic shakeup has taken everything from me,¡± Russ complained. ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair,¡± Imri said simply. ¡°What would you know about it? Seems like you''re doing alright,¡± Russ snapped. ¡°Imri has earned everything he¡¯s gotten,¡± Emelia snapped. ¡°If anyone would know about things not being fair it would be him, he was in hospice care before the integration.¡± His girlfriend rushing to his defense felt amazing. He squeezed her hand and leaned close to her. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know,¡± Russ said sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It really doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the current situation,¡± Imri said. ¡°Of course it does. It gave you a perspective most people don¡¯t have. You and Sylvi both took the changes in stride far better than anyone else. You realize that shit happens, and it''s about how you deal with it,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two be. I just wanted you to know that not everyone feels the same way Zhaire does,¡± Russ said, leaving Imri alone with his girlfriend. ¡°Well, at least he can take a hint,¡± Emelia said with a mischievous grin. ¡°Here¡¯s to us,¡± Imri said, raising his red cup. ¡°To us, proving that you can find someone even when the world goes to hell,¡± Emelia said, clinking her plastic cup. They kissed passionately, and both of their desires mirrored. All inhibitions were gone, quashed by certainty in how the other person felt, the moderate amount of alcohol, and the fact that any day could be their last. She took his hand, guiding him to some measure of seclusion. Emelia took control, smiling mischievously as she undressed him. In a flash, they were both naked, bodies pressed against one another. Imri wished these moments could last forever. It was the only thing that felt right since the integration. Unfortunately, his body, spurred by desire, moved of its own accord, and it was over far sooner than he would have liked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Imri started to say, as feelings of shame welled up in him as they cuddled under a blanket. ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t you fucking dare say that,¡± She said. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But, nothing. It was your first time, and it wasn¡¯t that bad. Honestly, I¡¯ve had a lot worse,¡± Emelia said, staring into his eyes. ¡°You knew?¡± He asked in disbelief. ¡°Imri, I doubt you could have fooled anyone, let alone an empath,¡± She pointed out. ¡°Then, why be with me?¡± ¡°Because there is more to a person than their sexual experience. You¡¯re a great person who needs more confidence,¡± She said earnestly. ¡°I will try,¡± he vowed. ¡°There is something I need to tell you,¡± she said after a brief silence. She was nervously fidgeting and not looking him in the eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I got my class to E rank and got a new skill,¡± She said. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, what is it?¡± Imri asked. There was another long pause. ¡°It¡¯s called Empathic Bond. It allows me to form a link with someone, and once established, we would always know where each other is. We would also know general status things, like how their HP and FP are doing. It also gives both people resistance to psychic damage. Last but certainly not least, it gives both people the ability to know the other person''s emotions at all times.¡± ¡°That sounds like a great skill,¡± Imri replied. ¡°Were you listening? I would always know where you are and how you are feeling. That doesn¡¯t scare you?¡± ¡°A little bit, but that doesn¡¯t outweigh the benefits. If we had functioning phones where I could call you and let you know I¡¯m okay, that would be one thing. Besides, it doesn''t change anything when we¡¯re around each other. The real question is, are you ok with it? I¡¯m mostly oblivious to how you¡¯re feeling unless you tell me. When I said I wanted you to be blunt with me, this wasn¡¯t what I had in mind, but it would solve that issue for me,¡± he said. There was another silence as Emelia contemplated what he had said. ¡°I¡¯m a bit nervous but surprisingly excited by it,¡± she said, her tone suggesting she was surprised by what her internal emotions revealed. ¡°Then let''s do it, become bonded,¡± Imri said with a smile. Emelia nodded and concentrated on activating the skill. It took effect without any noticeable visual indicator, flooding Imri¡¯s mind with a torrent of information. He could feel Emelia''s nervousness, practically terrified that she would scare him off. He felt her anxiety, anxiety that she wasn¡¯t good enough, that Imri would leave her. No, that couldn¡¯t be right; how could she feel that way about him? He smiled at her, not saying anything but sending love and reassurance through the bond. Her fears and anxieties melted away, and together, they created a recursive loop of happiness as each of them was reassured by the other. It was a more intimate experience than anything he had ever felt, including his experience earlier that night. Chapter 17: Master Crafter Imri sighed as the arguments from both sides dragged on. He vainly wished everyone would be more rational and stop appealing to a sentimental rationale. He sensed Emelia through their bond, amused at his annoyance. She was far better at navigating emotional discussions and was far more at ease. ¡°We need to find a better location for our camp. The goal is to create a city where we can rebuild civilization,¡± Imri explained to those gathered, a mix of every group represented. ¡°Why do we need to find and rebuild anything? There is a perfectly fine city right there,¡± Russ said, motioning in the general direction. ¡°Excluding a parasitic slug that takes over your body,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s always going to be something. I say we fight to reclaim our homes,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°Even if we retake the city, redoing the infrastructure would require a lot of work. There will also be new magic infrastructure that should be included as well,¡± Imri said. ¡°There¡¯s also far more city than there are people,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°So we rebuild a small portion of the city and add new infrastructure. That¡¯s still better than starting from scratch,¡± Russ argued. Even Imri could see that Russ''s arguments resonated with many of those gathered. ¡°It might be tempting to think we could simply pick up our old lives, reclaim our homes. It isn¡¯t that simple. There is magic now, and the Chixel have an entire floating island as one of their cities. It¡¯s not a small thing that you just add on; it changes everything,¡± Imri said. ¡°Are you suggesting we build a floating city? That seems preposterous,¡± Dr. Thompson said, voicing his typical distrust of anything magical. ¡°We need some kind of a defendable location. Our best advantage has been our obscurity and mobility. If we camp in the middle of the city, every Chixel and Azala will know where we are. They knew the integration would happen, and our Chixel allies informed us that the Chixel leadership would be well-established soon. If they wanted to, they could send an army and shatter what little we had rebuilt,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°So we''re just going to be nomads the rest of our lives, too scared to put down roots?¡± Russ argued. ¡°We continue searching for something unique, a natural treasure that is worth settling a new city for. Once we find a location, we can build a home with the advantages we¡¯ve gained,¡± Imri explained. The arguments reached an impasse. Both sides continued arguing, repeatedly bringing up many of the same points, like a broken record. Eventually, they dispersed, with no real decision made. ¡°Everyone is scared, and they want to turn to what they know,¡± Emelia explained to a frustrated Imri as their group of four started a side discussion. ¡°They need hope,¡± Sylvi agreed. ¡°I think we need to give them a reason to settle somewhere else before they¡¯ll agree.¡± ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± Imri asked. ¡°We find the location where we want to settle down. We find a natural treasure that is worth building a city around,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I like the idea, but it might take some time. Powerful natural treasures don¡¯t just pop up everywhere. They''re rare and hard to find,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°I propose we start the search immediately,¡± Sylvi said, getting a nod of agreement from Imri but a concerned frown from Emelia. ¡°While I¡¯m not opposed to the idea, you¡¯ve admitted it won¡¯t be a short excursion,¡± Emelia stated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I was going to suggest I go alone. Imri won¡¯t be going on another excursion away from camp,¡± Sylvi reassured her. ¡°Won¡¯t it be dangerous going alone?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°I can move faster and stealthier on my own. If we had enough people to spare, maybe it would be nice to have someone watching my back, but I¡¯ll manage,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I could join you,¡± Zhaire suggested. His general sentiment for retaking the city was more likely a reaction to inactivity rather than a genuine desire to rebuild Minneapolis. ¡°While I appreciate it, I think you''re needed here. It won¡¯t be a short excursion, and the best approach will still be avoiding conflict,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°Just be careful,¡± Emelia said, Imri nodded in agreement. Sylvi promised she would, though she knew it wouldn¡¯t matter if she had the bad fortune of running into a group of Ulfr Hounds or worse. ¡°If we move the camp, we¡¯ll leave a message for you. We¡¯ll hide it in that tree,¡± Imri said, pointing to one of the stone trees with a small hollowed recess. Sylvi was decisive after making the decision. She immediately moved to begin packing her bags. Imri sensed Emelia¡¯s unease as she watched her friend set out. He laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Zhaire huffed and walked off, Imri hoping he wouldn¡¯t do anything reckless. With that decided, Imri refocused on completing his first practical enchantment. He already had a concept in mind, with the main obstacle being the materials. Fortunately, the material components weren¡¯t needed in large quantities, at least not for this kind of item. He went around the camp, asking everyone if he could use their jewelry, with the promise that he would return it with an enchantment added on. While many were reluctant to give up their precious items, many saw the practical benefits and readily let him borrow them. For his first enchantment, he selected a silver necklace with a teardrop diamond. He selected it for several reasons. First, it was slightly larger than the rings or earrings that many of the women had, making it easier to inscribe the runes and leylines. Second, unlike the fitted pieces, it could be given to anyone on an as-needed basis. The final reason was that the jewelry belonged to Teresa, and he hoped to ingratiate himself with Zhaire for a time. He studied the necklace for a long while, mentally mapping out where each of the runes would go. It was a simple enchantment, the only challenge being the much smaller scale of the runes than what he had grown accustomed to practicing on paper. He sketched out his final design on paper, crafting the runes at the same minuscule scale they would be on the final work. His first practice run didn¡¯t go as expected, so he repeated the attempt several more times until he had successfully inscribed all the runes at the proper scale twice in a row. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Feeling confident, he moved to the necklace, slowly inscribing the runes like he had on the paper. He worked slowly, carefully reproducing every rune with as much precision as possible. Even with the slower pace, it didn¡¯t take long for him to complete the enchantment. He tested his creation, channeling a small amount of his mana into the leylines, which ran along the length of the necklace. The mana ran from the leyline into the small teardrop diamond, where it remained. Imri tapped the diamond and felt his enchantment activate, feeling the world around him slow ever so slightly. The effect lasted only a moment before the world returned to normal. Imri raised a triumphant fist into the air. The enchantment had worked; he had created a Time Dilation necklace. There had been several challenges in creating the necklace. The first was the centerpiece of the enchantment, the rune of Time Dilation. He suspected it was far beyond any novice enchanter, and the only reason he could craft it was his heritage and the synergy with his class that had given him the chronomancy runes skill. In addition to the complexity of that one rune, there was the challenge of what to set the amplitude at. He had originally considered the 5% effect, which was his standard amplitude when casting the spell personally. However, he strongly suspected the enchantment would be much less efficient than his own casting, and the diamond also wouldn¡¯t be able to hold as much mana. This meant even at full charge, the time dilation effect would be brief. So, he settled on 3%, the lowest number with a noticeable effect. The second major challenge was the activation of the Time Dilation. He had originally considered activating the enchantment as soon as mana was present. However, that would have meant the mana would need to be charged in the middle of battle. This was limiting who could charge the necklace to the user. He also wasn¡¯t confident that anyone would have the control necessary to charge the necklace efficiently. Even Caroline, who had been practicing mana control, could barely infuse her mana. Instead, Imri decided to activate the Time Dilation enchantment using the True Distance rune. Again, this presented challenges; he wanted anyone to be able to use the necklace, so he couldn¡¯t have the rune measure something overly specific. Fortunately, his practice had shown him that the spell could measure distances between something having a specific characteristic. The key was providing enough information so the spell could distinguish which object to measure. So, Imri had written the rune to measure the distance from the gem to the wearer''s right index finger. When that distance was 0, the enchantment would be activated. The downside was that the True Distance rune was constantly running, meaning the necklace would need to be recharged constantly. Imri hoped the rune had negligible consumption, as he currently didn¡¯t have a better option. Satisfied with his work, he fortified his runes to full strength, having been somewhat diminished from the test run. Finally, he took out the highest level core that was available, a level 8 Ulfr Hound core. He used the core to finish the enchantment, locking it into place. With his work completed, he identified the finished product.
Item Tier/Rank Mana Efficiency Description
Silver Necklace of Time Dilation 1F 126 An aesthetic piece of silver jewelry with a teardrop diamond, mass-produced before system integration. Enchanted with Time Dilation by Imri Padar. The effect is activated by tapping the diamond with the wearer''s right index finger. Upon activation, the wearer slows down relative time by 3%, allowing them to move faster than creatures unaffected.
Imri was relatively pleased. He knew the 126 was the mana efficiency of the rune, only slightly above half of the efficiency of his own spell. This was a bit worse than he had hoped for, but not an entirely unexpected outcome. This also didn¡¯t consider the mana lost from charging the necklace. Imri was proud of his creation, but it certainly wouldn¡¯t replace his spellcasting anytime soon. What it did provide, was a use for others mana, people who weren¡¯t using any mana now had a use for it. Imri shifted his focus, and a mental prompt brought up the logs for his gains through crafting.
New Achievement Rank Primary Stats / Rank Description
Master Crafter 1 .1% Produced a crafted item of significance. Rank is determined by the quality and function of the crafted item.
Imri Padar has reached Level 4 in Runic Enchanter (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Agility 87
+1 Intelligence 146
+1 Willpower 131
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 FP 85
+4 MP 202
+3 Mana Efficiency 218
+4 Crafting Efficiency 223
New Quest Gained Progress
Runic Enchanter Class Rank Up F to E Craft functional runes 7/20
Imri was pleased with the results, most of which came from the primary stat gain, though every point from secondary growth was welcome. Imri was curious about the results if he could craft the same item again, and he expected it would be a couple of points more efficient. He was also pleasantly surprised with how easy it would be to rank up his profession. The quest counted not only the primary runes he had used but also every boolean and switch that was required to complete the enchantment. He had also added a faint light that would activate when the necklace was nearly fully charged. He returned the necklace to Teresa, who seemed only mildly interested as Imri explained how the enchantment worked. However, Zhaire more than made up for her lack of enthusiasm. He practically ripped the necklace away from the former ballerina, who seemed not at all bothered to give it up. ¡°Do I need to wear this around my neck?¡± he asked as he inspected the necklace, which would fit almost everyone in camp except for Zhaire. ¡°You just need to touch the gem with your index finger while wearing it. How you wear it is up to you,¡± Imri explained. Zhaire nodded, fiddling with the setting until it fit around his left forearm like a bangle. He hadn¡¯t needed to adjust it much, his forearm being of comparable width to Teresa¡¯s neck. ¡°Can you make more of these?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Eventually, my mana is getting low, and I should wait before crafting another. We have enough jewelry for now, but cores are going fast with Caroline and I using them,¡± Imri explained. ¡°I think another raid into the city is in order. We should be able to snag a few Azala that are patrolling nearby,¡± he said almost reverently. He was clearly pleased to have an excuse to look for trouble. ¡°Just don¡¯t go too crazy. There will be plenty of fighting even if we don¡¯t go looking for it,¡± Imri said. Zhaire¡¯s face clearly said he disagreed, but he nodded anyway. With the necklace currently uncharged, Zhaire handed it back, tasking Imri to charge it for him. Imri wasn¡¯t about to spend his precious MP on it, so he spent the next few hours teaching several people how to infuse mana. It was worse than he feared, and many could not channel mana to any degree. Those few that could, did so with terrible efficiency, and most of the mana was lost to the air. Despite many people with full mana pools, the necklace remained almost entirely uncharged. It would take some practice in mana control before using the necklace would be feasible. Fortunately, Zhaire was nothing if not competitive, and Imri did not doubt that he would eventually become proficient at controlling his mana. Zhaire went ahead with the raid, planning a route to an upscale jewelry store in a shopping mall. He assembled a small group that included Teresa, Dr. Thompson, and several others Imri wasn¡¯t well acquainted with. With Sylvi, Zhaire, and Teresa gone for a time, the camp had a dearth of capable fighters. Chapter 18: Exalted Imri noticed the eyes of the mysterious fifth Chixel, Rhesk, lingering on him. While he was no expert on human body language, let alone Chixel, he could swear the creature looked frustrated and perplexed. His intuition appeared correct, as Emelia also studied the Chixel intently. Imri had been refraining from using the Identify skill, hoping to foster some trust between the two groups. That felt like childish idealism, and he had overreacted to Emelia¡¯s discomfort with being identified. He focused the skill on Rhesk.
Rhesk
Class/Profession/Heritage Tier/Rank Level Description
Seer 1E 13 Seers are willpower-based divination mages specializing in foresight and scrying.
Exalted 1E 7 Exalted are high-ranking nobles within Chixel society, often with a divine right to rule. Specialized in social and managerial abilities.
Chixel 1F 13 The Chixel are a sentient species known for their agility and use of souls in enchantment.
¡°You¡¯re a spy,¡± Imri blurted out before he could consider the implications of such a statement. Tensions rose, and the other four Chixel looked like they would physically defend their leader despite being unarmed. ¡°This one is no spy. Please, let this one explain,¡± Rhesk hurriedly said. ¡°You have two minutes to convince us otherwise,¡± Imri said. ¡°Why does one think this one is a spy?¡± The small creature asked. ¡°I have a powerful version of Identify, and I know you are a Seer and an Exalted,¡± Imri stated, not seeing any benefit in hiding this information. ¡°This one has wards against such things. Imri is full of surprises and is quite competent, especially for a newly integrated species,¡± Rhesk said. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter me while insulting humans. Answer the question,¡± Imri demanded, doing his best to try to channel his inner anger. ¡°And because this one has divination magic, one assumes this one is a spy?¡± Rhesk asked. Imri didn¡¯t dignify that question with a response. ¡°This one has, on occasion, used divination to spy, but what would the gain for the mighty Chixel be? Why spy on one small group of human survivors? No, it is not these ones. The Azala are known enemies of the Chixel, and they are the targets of the divination.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why stay here?¡± ¡°Rhesk is sincere; their hatred for soul sacrifices is real. Rhesk is trying to save humans from becoming victims at the sacrificial altar. Rhesk is trying to build good relations with an ignorant fledgling species, gaining nothing in return. How dare this one accuse them of being a spy,¡± Ettes shouted in a surprising outburst of emotion. Rhesk put a hand on their shoulder, calming the irate priest. ¡°It was part convenience, part genuine curiosity,¡± Rhesk explained. ¡°This one needed to be relatively close to the Azala hive, making it easier to divine what they were doing. The fact that this one could do that while learning about a new species was an added benefit. Especially one as curious as humans.¡± ¡°Curious how?¡± ¡°That humans would be from a planet with almost no mana; such a thing is unheard of. Even now, this one can feel how dead your former planet was in the remnants of the human city,¡± Rhesk said. Imri recalled how little mana was in the air when he was within the remnants of Minneapolis. ¡°And Exalted One, what is that all about?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Most are born in such a profession. However, this one gained it through ability. Those with mage classes are exceedingly rare and highly valued within Chixel society,¡± Rhesk explained. ¡°Wait, you''re a noble because of your Seer class?¡± Imri asked. ¡°It is so. That is the other thing that makes humans so unique. To have two mages among such a small group and from such a dead planet. It is strange, unheard of in the entire multiverse, at least as far as this one is aware,¡± Rhesk said. ¡°How much sway do you have in your society? Can you actually affect change?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Alas, such a thing is not easy. Even among the Exalted, there is a hierarchy, and this one is low in that sphere. None below an Exalted would dare show me so much as a discourtesy, but those of equal rank think of this one as an extremist. This one will not be able to change all of society to be more accepting of other species. That is why this one fears the Azala will eventually control this planet,¡± Rhesk said. ¡°Control it how?¡± Imri asked. ¡°An Azala hive is slow to spread but almost impossible to stop. Once a hive has truly been formed, they are nearly impossible to stop while within the psychic range of their queen. One would be assaulted by powerful psychic attacks before getting close to the center. All while fighting the elite of Azala, augmented with a fervor that makes an Ulzite Priest look like a pacifist.¡± ¡°Why not stay away from the hive? Surely they can¡¯t keep expanding indefinitely, and this world is massive,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°That would work for a time. However, the hive would eventually grow large enough to be considered the capital city of this world, giving the Azala great benefits. At which point, they would be unstoppable and would eventually expand to engulf this entire planet.¡± ¡°Why would being considered the capital city matter?¡± Imri asked. ¡°One does not understand; it is not a perception of being such. After some time, there will be a system event that unlocks system-recognized settlements. This confers increasing bonuses as the settlement is expanded,¡± Rhesk explained. ¡°So, it''s important for your species to stop them before they grow too powerful,¡± Imri reasoned. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Precisely, this is why this one spies on the Azala.¡± ¡°So, your fellow Exalted will want whatever information you have gathered, and they are probably not happy you¡¯ve been captured by a band of ignorant monkeys?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Ignorant monkeys?¡± ¡°Hairy stupid humans,¡± Imri explained. ¡°It is so,¡± Rhesk agreed. ¡°It is likely that a battle group has been dispatched to retrieve this one. However, it would be unwise to think this one can be killed to solve the problem. They will not let a slight against the Chixel go unanswered. They would avenge any injury against an Exalted, even one such as this one,¡± Rhesk replied coldly. Imri turned to Emelia and spoke in English, ¡°Did they lie about anything?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell when I¡¯m not a part of the conversation. As far as I can tell, no,¡± she said. ¡°Whatever they said to you, they are fairly confident it will work out for them.¡± Imri needed some time to process this information, so he turned to his meditation, hoping to still his conflicted mind. However, he hadn¡¯t been meditating long when loud yelling quickly snapped his attention back to reality. He wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but the entire camp seemed to be in disarray. He felt fear and panic coming through his bond with Emelia and raced towards her. Imri sprinted, weaving through the panicked and confused people. He was only a scant dozen meters from his destination when he saw the source of the commotion. The Chixel had returned, but it wasn¡¯t a small raiding party this time. Dozens of Chixel swarmed the camp, surrounding everyone in quick order. They brandished spears and short swords, not striking unless their opponents armed themselves. They quickly dispatched several people who thought they could fight them off. Fortunately, Emelia wasn¡¯t one of them. Imri also noticed the five Chixel defectors were taken prisoner as well. The defectors appeared to be the primary purpose of the raid, and the one whom Imri presumed to be in charge approached Rhesk. ¡°What foolishness, did the Exalted One really think a few humans would stop us from returning the Exalted One to Trosano,¡± the lead Chixel said with a hiss. ¡°This one merely wished to form good relations with a new species in the multiverse,¡± Rhesk said in a much calmer manner. ¡°Why would the Exalted One waste time on such a pathetic species? These ones have enslaved many humans, and none have shown any talent worth mentioning. Is it not so?¡± ¡°It is so,¡± Rhesk said, sparing a glance towards Imri, though it was subtle enough that the commander hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°However, this one has found them to be amusing pets. This one has claimed these humans.¡± ¡°It is bold to lay claim to so many, even for an Exalted One,¡± the commander said. ¡°This one thought there were many human slaves. Surely, such a small group would not be noticed?¡± Rhesk asked. ¡°Some must be sacrificed to Ulzo, and the Exalted One has yet to offer any tribute,¡± The commander pointed out. Imri felt his stomach sink. He had seen the temples where souls were torn apart in the name of Ulzo. It was a fate worse than death to have the soul used as fuel for a dark god''s palace. He briefly considered drawing that very cruel implement, hopefully taking out the nearest Chixel before he would be cut down. He felt Emelia¡¯s terror; she couldn¡¯t understand exactly what was happening, but she could feel his anger and hopelessness. Her emotions caused him to pause long enough for Rhesk to notice him. At that moment the Exalted Chixel made a very human gesture, he shook his head instead of his tail, a gesture he had never seen any Chixel make. ¡°The Exalted One¡¯s reverence for all life is commendable,¡± the commander said, though even Imri could tell the commander didn¡¯t feel that way. ¡°However, it is not pragmatic. All glory to Ulzo. It is through the god that the Chixel have become a dominant species. Does Ulzo not deserve tribute for such a favor?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Rhesk said, a response that clearly annoyed the commander. ¡°These humans shall be taken to the temple, and the high priest will decide their fate,¡± the commander declared. Imri knew what that meant; there would be no mercy for them. In the time while the two Chixel had been arguing, he had regained a semblance of composure. He knew they were doomed if he couldn¡¯t get away. For better or for worse, Zhaire and Sylvi weren¡¯t in camp, their two most powerful fighters. If he could somehow warn them, perhaps they could mount a rescue attempt before they were sacrificed to Ulzo. Imri surveyed the camp as the humans were slowly herded together. The Chixel had a secure perimeter, and it was unlikely anyone could escape by conventional means. He needed to make a breakthrough, and it was so tantalizingly close. He understood the space between himself and his destination and if he could only shorten it so that his step would take him to the space he needed to get to. It was so close; all he needed to do was connect the space he was in with the space he wanted to go. He exerted his willpower, using most of his remaining mana to bend space and step through.
Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Boundless Step 1F Distort space, allowing you to step to a distant location that is visible and aligned with the step. Mana cost varies with the distance traveled.
New Achievement Gained Primary Attribute Bonus Description
Escape Artist 1 .1% Escape dire circumstances without getting caught. Rank varies depending on the difficulty of escape and the consequences of failure.
Imri Padar has reached Level 8 in Relativity Mage (E)
Imri Padar has reach Level 8 in Primordial (F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Strength 114
+1 Constitution 99
+1 Intelligence 147
+1 Charisma 93
Secondary Stats Gained
+2 HP 113
+1 FP 86
+2 MP 204
+4 Mana Efficiency 222
+4 Crafting Efficiency 227
New Quest Progress
Relativity Mage Class Rank Up E to D Learn New Relativity Spells 1/5, Relativity Spells Ranked Up: 0/5
With a single step, Imri appeared on the outskirts of the camp, behind the line secured by the Chixel invader. Though he was only a few meters from the nearest sentries, none had reason to turn around, or they would have easily seen him. He quickly but quietly ducked behind the nearest tree, obscuring himself from being spotted. He moved through the forest as the bewildered guards, who had just seen him disappear without a trace, shouted in alarm. Through the confusion, he managed to slip away, heading towards the city.
New Quest Progress Reward
Rescue Captives Rescue the humans captured by the Chixel before they are sacrificed to Ulzo. 0/34 XP, Achievement with rank dependent on the number of people saved and contribution to saving them.
Imri didn¡¯t need a quest because he fully intended to return for those captured. He could still feel Emelia, her terror now punctuated by a faint glimmer of hope. He would save her, but first, he needed reinforcements. Supplement 2: Character Sheet - Sylvi through Chapter 18
Sylvi Vesik
Heritage/Class Tier/Rank Level
Human 1F 7
Sharpshooter Ranger 1E 7
Primary Stats Final Score
Strength 105
Agility 131
Constitution 111
Intelligence 105
Willpower 124
Charisma 99
Secondary Attributes
HP 118
FP 148
MP 130
Attack Efficiency 175
Traits
1F Increase XP gained by 2.5%
1F Increase rate at which all abilities are gained and improved by 2%.
Sharpshooter 1F Increases the rate at which ranged attacks are learned or improved by 5%. Increases attack efficiency of ranged weapons when firing from a distance by 2%
Naturalist 1F Increases the rate at which nature skills are learned and improved by 5%. Increase the effectiveness of nature skills by 1.5%.
Battle Hardened 1F Improves mental resistance by 7.5% to negative mental states caused from battle.
Survival 1F Gain an intuitive understanding of a natural environment, helping with navigation and finding viable shelter.
Nature Lore 1F Gives an intuitive understanding of naturally occurring resources and monsters. Improves effectiveness of Identify by 5% for things that are considered natural.
Skills
1F Mark a target creature within visual range to be hunted. Increase damage against this creature by 2.5%, and ability to perceive and track the creature by 5%. The mark lasts 24 hours, unless the creature is killed. Only one target can be marked at a time, and mark cannot be ended early.
Tracking 1F Increase the effectiveness of attributes by 5% for perceiving and identifying trackable signatures of creatures.
Attacks
Quick Shot 1F Nock and shoot an arrow in one smooth motion. Increases ranged attack speed by 2.5%.
Power Shot 1F Increases the damage of a shot by 3%
Achievements
Solo Hunter 2 Slay a creature above your level without the aid of others. .1% increase to all primary stats / rank.
Group Hunter 7 Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less. .05% increase to all primary stats / rank.
Horde Slayer 3 Slay a group of creatures that outnumbered you, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. .1% increase to all primary stats / rank.
Detailed Breakdown of Stats
Primary Stats Final Score Base Class Bonus Heritage Bonus Achievement Bonus
Strength 105 103 1.0105 1.0035 1.0085
Agility 131 127 1.021 1.007 1.0085
Constitution 111 109 1.0105 1.0035 1.0085
Intelligence 105 104 1 1.0035 1.0085
Willpower 124 123 1 1.0035 1.0085
Charisma 99 98 1 1.0035 1.0085
Secondary Attributes
HP 118 116 1.0175 1.007
FP 148 145 1.0175 1.007
MP 130 130 1 1.007
Attack Efficiency 175 171 1.0245 1
Chapter 19: The Seagrass Plains Sylvi continued her hike, moving at a far more brisk pace than most of the camp would¡¯ve been able to manage. The constant low-intensity exercise had also done wonders for her recovery, bringing her physical conditioning closer to the level it had been before she had been diagnosed with cancer. She shuddered at the memory as it brought back feelings of helplessness. It reminded her that no matter how strong she was, a cruel fate could await her by random chance. She had hiked for several days now, though she still wasn¡¯t entirely sure what she was looking for. Imri¡¯s broad suggestion to build a new city centered around new strategic resources seemed like a good idea. What those resources were, she had no idea. She was going with the, know it when you see it philosophy, which was the exact opposite of her normal approach. Still, she wasn¡¯t entirely clueless, her Nature Lore trait affording her some intuition. She could understand the properties of plants without prior knowledge, though most were lesser plants used in common alchemy, nothing worthy of being called a natural treasure. She hoped this trait would indicate when she found something worth building a settlement around. Her intuition also told her that she was on the right path as she reached what appeared to be the edge of the stone forest. Just like its edge around Minneapolis, the end of the forest was abrupt, the line of trees almost uniformly ending along a straight line. What greeted her was a vast open plain of tall grass that had a slight blue tinge to it. Weirder yet, the strange grass seemed to move on its own accord, many of the stalks moving in different directions, making it apparent that they weren¡¯t just blowing in the breeze. Far in the distance, a mountain range towered over the relatively flat rolling plains, its peaks obscured by the clouds. It was enormous, and even though Sylvi couldn¡¯t see the exact height of the peaks, she felt certain it was taller than any mountain peaks on Earth. As she gazed at the mountains, awestruck by their sheer majesty, a streak of blue shot across the sky before impacting the ground a scant thirty meters in front of her. It impacted the ground with a barely audible thud as it disappeared from view, obscured by the tall grass. It had happened so fast that Sylvi couldn¡¯t see anything more than the blue streak, reminding her of a falling star. Sylvi studied the strange landscape, looking for any signs of life or more of the strange shooting star-like objects. She didn¡¯t have to wait long before she saw another blue streak across the sky. It quickly became apparent that whatever this phenomenon was, it was a regular occurrence as more and more blue streaks fell from the sky. They fell regularly, coming into existence every thirty to forty seconds. She wasn¡¯t sure exactly where they all landed, as most had been far further than the first object, but she felt relatively certain they rained down close to the divide between forest and plains. After determining the chances of being struck by a shooting star were slim, she decided to venture outside the stone forest and into the plains. Before she went far, she looked closer at the strange grass. With slight hesitation, she reached out and touched it with a gloved hand. She was instantly relieved that there was no reaction, relieved it wasn¡¯t some strange creature or dangerous plant that was trying to kill her. Still, she found their motion strange and could not discern why they moved the way they did. However, their motion reminded her of how some plant life on the bottom of the ocean moved. She briefly considered searching for where the shooting star had landed but quickly dismissed the idea. Instead, she made her way towards the distant mountain range. She wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long it would take her to reach the mountain range, but she suspected it wouldn¡¯t be a short journey. However, not having any better landmarks to navigate to, she set out. She moved at a deliberate pace, moving slower than her top speed to avoid rustling the strange grass as much as possible. While she wasn¡¯t sure if she could distinguish between the strange movements of the grass versus something disturbing it, she doubted that was true for any predator that called this terrain home. She also crouched down to have her head dip below the top of the grass so her entire body was obscured. She was beginning to think she might have been overly cautious when she heard some rustling of the grass about fifty meters ahead. She crouched further down, straining her hearing to pick up the sounds. The straining proved wholly unnecessary as an explosion sounded out, followed by a plume of fire. ¡°How do you like that?¡± A man¡¯s voice shouted, confusing Sylvi a moment before a bestial snarl could be heard over the crackle of burning grass. The man cursed and took off running, judging by the rustling of the grass in his wake. The creature was obviously faster, and Sylvi suspected it wouldn¡¯t be long before the man was overtaken. Fortunately, the man¡¯s path seemed to be headed closer to her, and she could catch up before the creature caught him. She continued to stay low, taking care that she didn¡¯t overly disturb the foliage, though she was able to push her pace a bit faster, counting on the beast being distracted by pursuing its target. The man rushed past her. Sylvi didn''t notice much about his appearance, and the man didn¡¯t even seem to notice her. The creature bounded into view a second later, in close pursuit of the man who had likely burned it. It was a tiger-like creature with jet-black fur that seemed to give off wisps of black smoke around its entire body, except around a large patch of burned skin. It was also slightly larger than any of the predator cats that had existed before the integration, though it still seemed lithe and agile. Sylvi didn¡¯t have time to reconsider helping, and her arrow was loosed before she had time to take in the menacing creature fully. The moment the arrow was released before reaching its target, she activated her Mark of the Hunt skill that she had just gotten from achieving E rank in her class.
Skill Tier/Rank Description
Mark of the Hunt 1F Mark a target creature within visual range to be hunted. Increase damage against this creature by 2.5% and the ability to perceive and track the creature by 5%. The mark lasts 24 hours unless the creature is killed. Only one target can be marked at a time, and the mark cannot be ended early.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The arrow struck true, embedding itself deep into the creature''s side, eliciting a snarl of pain from the tiger-like creature. Unfortunately, the creature was too large to be felled by a single arrow that missed its heart, and the tiger snarled as it took in the ambush. Sylvi hadn¡¯t been waiting, immediately discarding her bow to draw her scimitar. She expected the creature to close on her, using its superior size and speed to knock her over. Instead, it just glared at her before shaking itself like a wet dog. However, it wasn¡¯t water it released, but the strange smoke like black smog billowed out. The strange smoke instantly obscured her vision, reminding her of the effects of smoke grenades that had been deployed when she was a special forces operator. She didn¡¯t panic; instead, she crouched low and waited for the effect to clear. Unfortunately, the smoke seemed to have a mind of its own, hanging in the air far longer than any gas she was familiar with. Eventually, it dispersed, but there was no sign of the tiger. ¡°It¡¯s likely long gone,¡± The man said in a scratchy voice. Sylvi nodded but still scanned the surroundings for signs of disturbances for a couple more minutes before agreeing with the man¡¯s assessment. ¡°I¡¯m Avery, Avery Winters,¡± The man said, holding out a hand. ¡°Sylvi Vesik,¡± she said, grasping his hand and still scanning for any signs that the creature was lurking nearby. ¡°What the hell was that thing?¡± she asked when it was apparent that Avery was correct. She turned her gaze to Avery. He looked wretched, his system-granted robes torn in more than a few places. His hair was long and disheveled, with a portion tied back in a bun, and an equally long and disheveled beard that had obviously been growing out since before the integration. He looked skinny, and his lips were cracked as if it had been days since he had eaten or drunk anything. ¡°No idea, we call them shadow tigers,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°We?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Just me, I guess. There were more of us, but¡­¡± the man said, his sentence trailing off as the obvious implication hung in the air. ¡°Are you alright? Do you need any food or water?¡± Sylvi asked. Avery looked at her, and then his eyes widened as he noticed the pack lying on the ground and her generally less wretched state. ¡°If you have anything to spare I wouldn¡¯t turn it down, but I already owe you my life, I don¡¯t want to take the last of your supplies as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing; I have plenty,¡± Sylvi said, pulling out some of the freeze-dried meals designed for backpacking. The man''s eyes widened even further at this. While this was technically true, she was nearing the halfway point of her supplies, meaning she would need to return soon or get more supplies somehow. ¡°Where did you get all this?¡± he asked hesitantly as if asking the question would cause her to rescind her offer. Sylvi did her best to explain the situation: how they had found the ruins of Minneapolis and raided it for supplies. ¡°If you found a city, why come out this way?¡± He asked. Sylvi then explained her mission: to search for a new strategic resource to build a city around. She also explained how they currently found themselves pinned between soul-sacrificing lizards and body-stealing parasites. The man¡¯s expression of hope and excitement faded a bit at that. ¡°I guess nowhere is safe,¡± he said in a hushed tone that was almost inaudible, a sad expression crossing his face. ¡°If nowhere is safe, then we¡¯ll fight to make somewhere safe,¡± Sylvi said with conviction. ¡°Do you mind if I come with you? I don¡¯t have much mana now, but I can manage another decent fireball after some rest,¡± Avery said. Sylvi considered for a moment, knowing she was obviously in better condition. His expression fell when she didn¡¯t immediately respond. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll manage on my own,¡± he reassured her. ¡°Like I said, I have my primary objective. If you can keep up and keep quiet, I don¡¯t mind having someone watching my back. If not, I can give you directions back to the camp,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep up, and I won¡¯t be a burden,¡± He said resolutely. ¡°Good, then we move out in five minutes. We¡¯re going to resupply,¡± she said with a wicked grin. ¡°Resupply?¡± ¡°I hope you like shadow tiger steaks,¡± Sylvi said. Avery¡¯s mood dampened. ¡°I understand you¡¯re strong, but we got lucky back there. Those tigers have killed hundreds, if not thousands, of people. It might have run away, but that¡¯s only because they''re cautious ambush predators. If we back it into a corner, things won¡¯t be so easy,¡± He said, lifting his shirt to show a massive, partially healed gash. ¡°Like I said, you don¡¯t have to come with me, but I¡¯m not giving up on my mission,¡± Sylvi stated. Avery considered it for a time, clearly torn between being left alone or pursuing a predator that had traumatized him. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you, just be careful. I¡¯ve already lost too many good people.¡± Sylvi spent the five minutes she gave Avery picking up the trail of the shadow tiger. Even with her skills, she doubted she could tell what way the tiger had traveled based on tracks or disturbance to the plant life. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t need to rely on those methods; her arrow had left an open wound that bled. The red of its blood stood out against the blue tinge of the grass, and the creature couldn''t move through the grass without leaving smears of blood. With her Tracking skill, they could follow the blood trail, which ran perpendicular to the direction she wanted to take. She had hoped to overtake the wounded tiger quickly. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t as wounded as she had hoped. They also weren¡¯t moving quickly, frequently stopping to pick up the blood trail. Sylvi began to doubt they would catch it before nightfall, even though it seemed like they were slowly gaining on the wounded creature. She was so caught up in their pursuit that she almost didn¡¯t see it until it was too late. She likely only noticed because of her increased perception of it, thanks to her mark. The shadow tiger pounced towards her, having set an ambush of its own. Sylvi barely had time to react before it bore her to the ground, hitting her with the force of a small car. Chapter 20: Hot Spring If the shadow tiger had been fully healthy, Sylvi would likely have died as it barreled into her. As it was, it bore her down to the ground, hitting her hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs. Its fangs flashed towards her throat, and Sylvi did the only thing she could, putting her arm between her throat and the tiger''s maw. It bit into her arm with force, and Sylvi gasped as she heard the crunching of bones breaking. She desperately tried to wrench her injured arm free, agony lancing throughout her entire body as she did. It was useless; its bite strength was likely stronger than a normal tiger''s, and Sylvi was fortunate that her arm hadn¡¯t been completely severed. Avery slammed into the creature as if he intended to tackle the creature that likely weighed nearly a ton. Predictably, the tiger wasn¡¯t moved at all, barely noticing the force Avery had exerted. It continued to savage Sylvi¡¯s arm, spelling likely doom for the pair of humans. Suddenly, the tiger let go, letting out a deep yelp of agony. The smell of burnt flesh hung in the air, and two hand-shaped burns had appeared where Avery had grabbed it. Avery stumbled unsteadily, clutching his head, likely having used more mana than he would have liked. Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate to take advantage of the opening. She slashed up with a knife in her one good hand. She got lucky, catching the tiger in the throat with a deep gash that tore open an artery. Blood sprayed out like a firehose, getting all over Sylvi. The shadow tiger stumbled back, trying to escape for a second time. Neither Avery nor herself were in any condition to pursue the creature. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t get far, after only a few steps before it began staggering, then eventually crumpled to the ground. It whimpered and then stilled as a large puddle of blood coalesced where it had collapsed. Sylvi sighed in relief, though she couldn¡¯t celebrate just yet. She was beginning to feel faint from blood loss. She ignored the pain, sterilized the wound, and tightly wrapped it in gauze and bandages. Slowly, the blood loss receded, and she quickly downed the best HP potion she had brought with her. Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t brought any MP potions with her; otherwise, she would have given one to Avery. ¡°Thanks for saving my life. I owe you one,¡± Sylvi said as they collapsed into the tall grass. ¡°I think that just makes us even,¡± Avery said as he rubbed his temples. Sylvi¡¯s pain was somewhat alleviated when she felt the notification pinging at her mind.
New Profession Gained Description
Trailblazer (1F) You relentlessly forge a path for others, never stopping until everyone has reached their destination. Experience is awarded for finding and forging new paths and for leading people on those paths
Primary Stats / Level Secondary Stats / Level
Strength .05% HP .15%
Agility .15% FP .45%
Constitution .2%
Willpower .1%
Trait Gained Tier/Rank Description
Recall the Trail 1F Improves attributes by 5% for the purpose of recalling details about the trail you blazed.
Relentless 1F Improves all resource regenerations by 1.5% while not resting.
Achievement Upgraded
Group Hunter 7 upgraded to Group Hunter 8
Sylvi Vesik has reached Level 9 in Sharpshooter Ranger (1E)
Sylvi Vesik has reached Level 1 in Trailblazer (1F)
Sylvi Vesik has reached Level 9 in Human (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Agility 132
+1 Constitution 112
Secondary Stats Gained
+2 HP 120
+4 FP 152
+1 MP 131
+4 Attack Efficiency 179
Sylvi smiled despite the immense pain in her mangled arm. She had gained not one but two levels in her ranger class. She had also gained a profession and had a strong suspicion as to why. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Avery asked, though it was unclear whether he was referring to her arm or her mental state. ¡°Between potions and slightly improved regeneration from my class and profession, I¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t bleed out, and once we get back to camp, there are both magical and mundane healers,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°That sounds good. We should start heading back to your camp as soon as you''re ready to go,¡± Avery said. Sylvi shook her head, ¡°I still have a mission to complete,¡± she said. Avery stared at her in disbelief. ¡°But your arm,¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Like I said, it will be fine. I might not be at full combat readiness, but this is a recon mission, not a combat mission. I can still accomplish the objective,¡± Sylvi explained. That was why she had gotten the trailblazer profession. The moment she had decided to continue her mission, she had gotten the profession. It took Sylvi a while to convince Avery that she wasn¡¯t completely mad. She had spent long enough with Imri and Zhaire that she had forgotten how most people react to perilous situations. She also came from a baseline of special forces operators who wouldn¡¯t think twice about continuing the mission injured as long as they didn¡¯t jeopardize the team. Eventually, Avery relented when she gave him an ultimatum. He could either come with and help her or find his way back to the camp. Something in the way she spoke must have convinced Avery because he finally relented. With the pointless argument concluded, Sylvi instructed him on how to harvest the creature, especially the core. Based on the achievement upgrade she had gained, the tiger was at level 15. Fortunately, that was easy enough, its core being the largest she had seen, about the size of a golf ball. It also glowed far brighter than any of the others, with flecks of black shadow-like motes swirling throughout the gemlike structure of the core. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Avery asked, transfixed by the strange core. Sylvi did her best to explain what cores were and why they were important. She hadn¡¯t even considered how much more knowledge their group had. Most of their information came from Imri or his ability to converse with the Chixel defectors. ¡°You were in the military before the integration?¡± Avery asked. ¡°It''s that obvious?¡± Sylvi asked with a grin. ¡°It took about five seconds to tell, the way you talk and the way you hold yourself. It¡¯s nice to have someone who knows what they¡¯re doing,¡± Avery said. Sylvi practically snorted up some of the water she was drinking. ¡°I was prepared for a lot of things, but an all-powerful system reconfiguring our universe was not one of them. I just got lucky and found some competent people who kept their heads on straight,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°More military personnel?¡± Avery asked. ¡°No. The one who knows the most about all this shit was a software engineer, though I suspect there is something else going on with him,¡± Sylvi said. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Something else?¡± ¡°It would be one thing if he had some class that gave him this knowledge, but it''s not from that. Like you, he¡¯s a mage, but he can manipulate space and time.¡± ¡°That sounds cool,¡± Avery said, entirely missing the point. ¡°His girlfriend is a nurse that can read and manipulate people''s emotions. She¡¯s also the magical healer who can fix my arm when we return.¡± ¡°Manipulate people¡¯s emotions? Like magically?¡± Avery asked. ¡°Yes, and fortunately, she¡¯s more of an empath than a psychopath. As far as I know, she hasn¡¯t used that ability for more than calming down panicked crowds.¡± ¡°And I thought I was special for having magic. Throwing some fireballs around seems less impressive all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short. We¡¯ll need everyone if we¡¯re going to make it in this fucked up world. What did you do before the integration?¡± ¡°I was a welder, not the most useful in an apocalypse.¡± ¡°That could come in handy. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have some welding projects once our settlement is established, and you could use your magic until we get you set up. It¡¯s certainly more useful than another accountant or project manager.¡± Sylvi was exhausted, and as she curled up on the ground, she quickly passed out. She woke before dawn, Avery still sleeping. She stared out into the distance, towards the towering mountain range that still called to her. As she stared, she saw more of the shooting stars off in the distance, clearly visible against the dark background of night. She didn¡¯t do anything for some time, just staring at the beautiful display across the sky. After about an hour of staring, she willed herself to confront the rapidly approaching day. She roused Avery, and together, they had a hearty breakfast of shadow tiger steaks. Avery still looked half-starved but could keep a much larger portion down. Sylvi also ate her fill and then some. With no good way to preserve the meat, they would end up throwing most of it out. They made their way through the strange grass, moving straight towards the mountains with no notable features that needed to be navigated around. They were both on edge for signs of a predator stalking them. With Avery¡¯s mana still at a relatively low level and her arm unusable, any attack would likely be lethal. Eventually, their path ran into a small creek that likely flowed from melting ice. ¡°So, what exactly are we looking for?¡± Avery asked as they refilled their water. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure,¡± Sylvi admitted. ¡°But you think it¡¯s in the mountains, whatever it is?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Sylvi said confidently. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but it wasn¡¯t a lie. She genuinely felt confident that they were headed in the right direction. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel foreboding to you?¡± Avery asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s foreboding as hell. That doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t where we need to go,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°I know there might be something interesting up there, but do you really think people will want to settle down there?¡± ¡°It might discourage some, but it will also discourage our enemies from pursuing us. Besides, if we can find a reason, people will get over it.¡± Avery nodded, though he didn¡¯t look convinced. They finished filtering water in silence, drinking a good portion of the water and refilling it. Avery was about to say something when Sylvi felt a vibration, throwing up a hand for silence. It only took a moment for the rumbling to become more distinct. A quick scan of the area didn¡¯t help much; there was nothing to see and nothing more substantial than the tall grass. She reached for an arrow instinctively and winced in pain as her body refused to obey. All she could do was crouch and hope whatever caused the noise wouldn¡¯t notice them. The creatures came into view as they crested a small rise in the rolling plains. They moved with incredible speed despite not appearing to be labored in the slightest. They resembled a large horse, though their leathery skin accented with chitinous armor made them far more imposing, something more akin to a lithe rhino or a barded warhorse. A large jagged horn extended from the end of their snout, though it was long and thin enough that Sylvi didn¡¯t think it would survive more than a single use. Sylvi¡¯s fears were assuaged when she noticed that Avery brought his hands down and relaxed his posture. ¡°They''re amazing, aren¡¯t they?¡± He said as they watched the herd of creatures gallop in a line that wouldn¡¯t intersect with them. ¡°Yeah, they are,¡± Sylvi said, dumbstruck. ¡°We call them star seekers. They roam around in packs, looking for those shooting stars. That horn of theirs seems to attract the shooting stars and absorb them. As far as I know, they are peaceful.¡± Avery explained as they watched the pack of star seekers gallop across the plains. As they watched it became apparent that some of them were playing, racing against each other. It was a beautiful sight, reminding them that not everything about this new world was monstrous. They didn¡¯t resume their journey until the sight of star seekers disappeared over a distant hill. Despite the break, they quickly made up the time, both invigorated by the sight of the majestic creatures. When they stopped for the night, the mountain loomed over them, their view of the entire range dominated by the nearest ascents. The shooting star phenomenon was far more pronounced closer to the mountains, producing a dazzling light show. The next day, they set a more leisurely pace when it became apparent they would reach the foot of the ascent near the end of the day. It made more sense to begin their journey into the mountain range at the start of the day instead of the end of it. For that reason, there was no rush; they simply needed to reach the foot of the mountain before nightfall. This also had the added benefit of giving them a day where they didn¡¯t push themselves, allowing them to start with full stamina. Throughout the day, they saw several more packs of star seekers, though they galloped around with enough speed that it could have been a single pack running circles around them. There were no signs of shadow tigers, though Sylvi doubted they would spot one unless it came closer. She also noticed a change in the grass as they drew closer; it was far more active than before. It made it far more apparent that it wasn¡¯t regular grass, whereas before, it had taken her a few moments of observation to notice the behavior. Several of the shooting star-like objects had landed nearby, and Sylvi noticed the grass had moved toward where the object had landed. Eventually, there were too many shooting stars, and one of the hurtling objects slammed into Sylvi, nearly knocking her off her feet. She expected it to hurt, but it felt more like someone had thrown a water balloon at her as the object dissolved upon contact, giving off a mist of hazy blue fog before dispersing into the air. Sylvi wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it. It had been moving fast enough that even water would¡¯ve hurt far more, but it was almost like a gas pocket. Sylvi was sure Imri would be delighted to study the strange substance, whatever it was. The next day, they started their ascent. It started easy enough; most routes up were challenging hikes but nothing too technical. This quickly changed, as many of the steep hills became sheer rock faces. Even if they had wanted to climb, their lack of equipment and Sylvi¡¯s injury made that nearly impossible. Instead, they spent much of the day hiking upward, only to have to backtrack in search of easier ascent. By the end of their day, they had only traveled a few kilometers, though the view of the plains far below them made it clear that they had made some progress. The next day progressed similarly but involved even more arduous hikes and frequent backtracking. Finding a reasonable route might have been impossible, but Sylvi¡¯s new profession alleviated some of their issues. No matter how many times they backtracked, she could perfectly recall the routes they had already tried. Eventually, they found a moderately sized hot spring. The water was nearly scalding, almost too hot to be comfortable. Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate to strip out of her clothes, shocking Avery with her brazen behavior. ¡°We can take turns. I¡¯ll wait just out of sight,¡± Avery said as he averted his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a waste of time, and there¡¯s plenty of room. Besides, you''re not my type,¡± Sylvi explained. Enough room was a bit of an understatement. The spring probably could have fit twenty people and still had plenty of room. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m not your type? I might be a little scrawny now, but I¡¯ve been starving almost constantly since the integration,¡± Avery said defensively, though it was obvious he wasn¡¯t too offended. He hadn¡¯t shown any interest in her in that way during their days together. Sylvi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his expense. ¡°You¡¯re not my type because you have a cock,¡± She said with a wry grin. ¡°Wait, what?¡± he asked, his brain working slower than his ear. ¡°Oh, got it,¡± he said as his surprise wore off. ¡°Hurry up and get in here. This water is amazing,¡± Sylvi said. The water was indeed amazing, and it had been ages since she had a proper bath. While the water initially felt too hot, her body had acclimated faster than expected. ¡°At least turnaround,¡± Avery insisted once he had stripped down to his underwear. Sylvi did as he requested; moments later, she heard him splash into the water. He tentatively sank into the hot spring. They relaxed in the water in silence for a time. While a hot bath did wonders for aches and soreness, this water was a step beyond that. Sylvi felt the number of small aches and bruises she had accumulated washing away. She wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it if it was just that, assuming it was just overused muscles getting a therapeutic soak. However, she felt a tingling sensation spread throughout her broken arm. It wasn¡¯t an entirely pleasant sensation, and she had to restrain herself from scratching at the bandages. She would have removed the offending limb from the water, but the constant throbbing pain seemed to be fading by the second. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Avery asked as he noticed her confusion. Sylvi didn¡¯t answer, instead she carefully inspected her body. She found the spot where she had a minor scrape, now completely healed with unmarred skin and no signs of so much as a scab. She tried moving her broken arm. It still hurt, but instead of unbearable agony, it was a slightly dull pain, like the broken bone was almost completely healed. She confirmed this when she unraveled the bandages and revealed undamaged skin. ¡°I think we found our first natural treasure,¡± Sylvi said. Chapter 21: Guns are a Thing Zhaire leisurely strolled through the ruins that had once been Minneapolis. It had been another successful supply run. Not only had they found more supplies, such as food and camping gear, but they had also hit the jackpot. The outdoor store also had many firearms, primarily hunting rifles and shotguns. At first, he had been concerned that firearms wouldn¡¯t be a thing anymore, but he had been pleasantly surprised to find a small armory worth of functioning weapons. He wondered why the system all encouraged them to fight using swords and sorcery instead of just giving them guns. Imri would probably know, but it was guns over swords until he had a compelling reason not to use them. On the topic of Imri, Zhaire had also secured the items he requested. Teresa was carrying a small backpack full of the most expensive-looking jewelry he could find. It was likely millions of dollars worth of diamonds, silver, and several other precious stones and metals; hopefully, that would be enough to keep the enchanter busy for a while. In addition to the supplies, they had a few cores among their loot, an Azala patrol foolish enough to attack their group without reinforcements. Zhaire had made short work of them while the rest of the group had distracted them. He had even gained a level, bringing his current level to 10. Zhaire was now confident he was in better shape than he had been as an aspiring pro athlete. He had stayed in good condition after his injury, but that was relative to the general population. Whatever steps he had lost, he had regained thanks to the system. They were nearing the city''s edge, only a half kilometer from the boundary between urban and forest, when a figure burst through the tree line, racing towards them. A moment later, a half-dozen Chixel came into view, pursuing the lone human. Zhaire sprinted towards the man, soon realizing the man in question was Imri. The Chixel in hot pursuit were not the so-called defectors; at least, Zhaire didn¡¯t think they were. He had to admit he struggled to tell them apart. Zhaire wasn¡¯t sure if Imri would make it to them in time. He watched in horror as Chixel overtook Imri, the lead Chixel jabbing a spear that seemed destined to skewer the mage through the back. Instead, the spear hit nothing but air as Imri vanished. It took a moment for Zhaire to realize where he was. The mage had teleported twenty or so meters closer to Zhaire and his party, now easily capable of reaching him before his pursuers caught him. It also took the surprised Chixel a moment to regather themselves as they scanned for the mage. They also came to the same conclusion, noticing Zhaire approaching. The Chixel, to their credit, didn¡¯t flee. Instead, they braced themselves for a charge. However, they were ill-prepared for the type of fight they now found themselves in. Zhaire pulled up, took out one of his newly acquired weapons, a bolt action hunting rifle of some variety, and fired. Zhaire was far from a sharpshooter, having only fired a gun several times in his life. However, the Chixel stood stationary, only twenty meters away. An easy shot, even for an amateur shooter like himself. The lead Chixel fell, shot through the chest. His companions stopped, staring at their comrade in shock before another shot rang out. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, and Zhaire laughed in glee. The remaining Chixel turned and ran, and Zhaire picked off a third before they reached the forest cover. The victory felt hollow to Zhaire as if he hadn¡¯t earned it. The system seemed to agree with him, he hadn¡¯t gained much experience for the kills and his quest hadn¡¯t progressed. Still, he would gladly trade bullets for cores any day of the week. Zhaire walked up to the mage, who was breathing hard from the brief chase. He signaled for the others to harvest the cores while he figured out what the hell was going on. ¡°The camp¡­ It was attacked,¡± Imri stammered as he managed to catch his breath. How low was his stamina if that short run got him that winded? Despite clearly not being in shape, the man knew to stand up straight, hands on head. ¡°How bad was it?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Not good. There were too many to fight, but a few people died trying,¡± Imri explained. ¡°I see; well, that¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Zhaire said, knowing they couldn''t do anything. ¡°It was just an hour ago; if we hurry after them, we can catch them whenever they decide to camp for the night,¡± Imri said. Zhaire felt for the man. He was clearly besotted with the busty nurse and even seemed to care about those other Chixel. Sadly, Zhaire had to shake his head. ¡°Sorry, Imri. I know you care for those people, but there¡¯s nothing we can do for them,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°The hell there isn¡¯t,¡± Imri said loudly, the rest of the group stopping their harvesting to look at them. ¡°What do you want us to do? If there were too many for the rest of the camp, then I don¡¯t see what half a dozen people can do,¡± Zhaire pointed out. He knew Imri was smart; if he were acting like his normal rational self, he would have conceded the point instantly. However, he wasn¡¯t his normal self; he was a love-struck puppy who would do anything to get his girlfriend back. He even dared to get right up into Zhaire¡¯s face. ¡°I never took you for a coward,¡± Imri challenged. Before Zhaire could even think, his fist moved, striking Imri in the jaw, not hard enough to break anything but hard enough that the stunned mage crumpled to the ground. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me a fucking coward,¡± Zhaire shouted over the prone man. Imri rubbed at his jaw, looking up at Zhaire. Zhaire noticed his eyes weren¡¯t defiant or angry but contained tears from frustration and helplessness. Zhaire started muttering to himself, ¡°I am not my father. Keep it together, Zhaire.¡± ¡°We have to do something. There has to be something,¡± the grief-stricken mage started muttering. ¡°I know you''re upset and genuinely sorry for your loss, but I¡¯m not throwing my life away for people I barely know. That doesn¡¯t make me a coward, and you know that,¡± Zhaire said as he stood over Imri, offering him a hand to help him up. ¡°I can feel her fear, feel how scared she is. I won¡¯t leave her to die, no matter what,¡± Imri said, tears welling up. He rubbed at his face to hide the tears, slowly getting back to his feet with Zhaire¡¯s assistance. ¡°I can tell you really care for her,¡± Teresa said as she injected herself into the conversation. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t she want you to live, to not throw your life away pointlessly?¡± ¡°Could you let someone you care for be slaughtered like livestock? Worse even, have their immortal soul torn apart to be used as a battery,¡± Imri said. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d probably be doing the same thing you''re doing now,¡± Zhaire empathized. ¡°But it would be just as foolish.¡± ¡°What about the guns? Surely half a dozen people armed with modern weapons can take some lizards with spears and short swords?¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°There are exactly two of us who have ever used a gun, and that¡¯s counting me, who had fired a gun only a few times before today. I was only able to gun them down because we were in the middle of an interstate. In the forest, where they would be up close or behind cover, I¡¯m probably better off with my sword,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to help, then I¡¯ll just have to go after them myself,¡± Imri said as he turned to leave. Zhaire debated physically restraining the man, but he knew that would be pointless when the man could teleport. He just had to hope that Imri would come to his senses before it was too late. As he was leaving, a notification entered Zhaire¡¯s mind.
New Quest Progress Reward
Rescue Captives Rescue the humans captured by the Chixel before they are sacrificed to Ulzo. 0/34 XP, Achievement with rank dependent on the number of people saved and contribution to saving them.
Even the damned system was trying to help Imri, tempting Zhaire with additional stats gained for rendering aid. It made Zhaire consider helping but still didn¡¯t tip the balance. Stats wouldn¡¯t be useful to a dead man, which was still the most likely outcome. ¡°Hold up,¡± Zhaire said, regretting it as soon as he spoke. Imri looked at him expectantly while everyone else looked at him like he was crazy. He probably was a little bit crazy. ¡°I¡¯ll help if you can devise a better plan than fighting an army. I¡¯m the brawn; you¡¯re supposed to be the brain.¡± Zhaire could tell Imri was deep in thought, his brows furrowed. Finally, he seemed to come to some conclusion as he excitedly spoke. ¡°Rhesk, we have to get them away from the group,¡± Imri said. ¡°Rhesk¡­Isn¡¯t that one of those Chixel?¡± Zhaire asked, vaguely recognizing the name though not knowing anything about the strange Chixel. In truth he didn¡¯t know much about any of them, he hadn¡¯t paid them much mind except for the pair that had gone with him on the hunting expedition. ¡°Exactly. They were the leader, not Ettes,¡± Imri said excitedly. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°So, that was the reason the Chixel raid was conducted. They were there to get Rhesk, not to capture us. If we can rescue them, the raiders would likely abandon our people to get Rhesk back or, at the very least, divide their forces,¡± Imri explained. ¡°And how do you know that?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°From what I know of Chixel society, Exalted is a title for nobility, like lord or lady. The commander is taking our people to be sacrificed as a sort of secondary objective, and even that seemed to be to teach Rhesk a lesson.¡± ¡°Suppose all this is true; that still doesn¡¯t make it any easier to free this Rhesk. We¡¯ll still need a way to save them,¡± Zhaire pointed out. ¡°I should be able to manage that once my mana recovers,¡± Imri said, though his tone suggested he wasn¡¯t confident. Zhaire just shrugged. If Imri¡¯s plan to save the Exalted Chixel failed, it would be no loss to him. If it worked, he could potentially get a new achievement while having the mage owe him a debt. It seemed like a gamble worth taking, as long as he wasn¡¯t the one making the suicidal rescue attempt. ¡°If we help you with this, you will owe me,¡± Zhaire said, vocalizing his thoughts. ¡°Of course,¡± Imri replied without hesitation. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Zhaire said, not bothering to check with the others. He knew they would follow his lead. Imri pointed in the direction he had come from, and they all took off at a light jog. They continued at this pace for an hour, though their speed decreased once they entered the stone forest. Imri ran out of stamina first, while Zhaire¡¯s own was still nearly full. The pace slowed to a slow walk as they allowed the mage to recover his stamina. Despite his low stamina, Zhaire noticed he chugged down a blue vial to recover his mana. Whatever his plan involved, it would certainly require a near-full mana pool. Despite moving at a snail''s pace, Imri informed them they were still closing the distance; the Chixel were herding the prisoners after all. So, they continued at the current pace, as Imri reassured them they would intercept well before the Chixel reached their destination, which Imri said was the strange black temple that he had first discovered. Eventually, it grew dark, and Imri declared that the Chixel were only a few hundred meters ahead of them, camping for the night. ¡°Why are we stopping then?¡± Zhaire asked as the mage suggested they camp for the night. ¡°I¡¯m going to need all the mana I can get,¡± Imri pointed out. Zhaire nodded, and his group made camp for the night. Chapter 22: Boundless Determination Imri tried to spend as much time sleeping as he could. Unfortunately, the more necessary sleep became, the more elusive it was. He tossed and turned as he imagined horrible things happening to Emelia. He constantly checked on her through the bond they shared. She was alive and physically well, and he took some solace in that every time he checked, which was often. ¡°Not able to sleep, hun?¡± Teresa asked in a whisper, having noticed him rolling around. ¡°I know I should be getting sleep, but the more I think about it, the worse it gets,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°Why can¡¯t you sleep?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how anyone can sleep out here. You know, I never went camping much. What I wouldn¡¯t do for a nice bed and a mint on my pillow,¡± she said with a wistful sigh. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m being an idiot, risking everything for a woman I¡¯ve only really known for a week?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I thought we were trying to save thirty-four people?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s just it; I wouldn¡¯t care if it was three hundred people. Zhaire was right; I wouldn¡¯t be doing this if Emelia were safe. Does that make me a bad person?¡± he asked. ¡°Most people would save their own family over countless people starving in a third-world country. That doesn¡¯t make you a bad person, just human,¡± she said. The next morning, Imri was awoken roughly by Zhaire. ¡°They¡¯re moving out; get up,¡± he said. Imri rubbed his eyes, having only managed a few hours of sleep. He would need every possible point of mana he could. Yesterday, he had been able to slip into a walking meditation as they hiked through the forest. He was still far from full mana, but his mana had recovered to a respectable level. They could afford one more day of following behind the marching captives before making their move. Maintaining a state of meditation while hiking through the forest proved difficult, as negative thoughts and emotions threatened to end the state as soon as it began. However, his efforts were rewarded as a notification entered his mind.
Skill Rank Up Increase
Meditation F to E Improved skill effectiveness by 2.5%
The skill rank was appreciated. While the skill was 2.5% more effective in terms of mana regeneration, the greater benefit was the ease with which he now found meditation. He could now easily maintain the state of meditation while they hiked. His negative thoughts seemed far off, no longer intruding upon his meditation. The skill had likely been the first to rank up due to the combination of having experience in meditation before the integration and being consistently used. He also suspected the challenge of maintaining meditation while under these adverse conditions had been the final catalyst to spark the rank up. Imri ended his musing on his skill, redoubling his efforts to devise a feasible plan to rescue the captives. Unfortunately, no obvious means of rescue were readily apparent. His first idea had been to crank Time Dilation to the highest possible degree, rushing through the outer defenses with unimaginable speed. While this might work to get him in, he doubted he could maintain it long enough to get back out with Rhesk, especially since he would likely need to extend the spell to them as well. His other idea had been to teleport in with a boundless step, then back out with Rhesk. Unfortunately, the Boundless Step spell only teleported himself, and with that only recently unlocked, he was far from making another breakthrough in spatial concepts. His next idea was to create a distraction that Zhaire could use. If he revealed he was the one who had killed the soul priest by using the soul capture dagger, he would likely elicit a large response. While he didn¡¯t doubt this method would be somewhat effective, it was unlikely to draw enough of them away for Zhaire to assault the remainder quickly. Imri even considered revealing he was a primordial, something he hadn¡¯t even told Emelia. He wasn¡¯t sure what response that would elicit, though he suspected disbelief would be the only significant response. His planning was interrupted as Zhaire approached him. He instructed Imri to hold out his hand, depositing the cores of the slain Chixel they had encountered. He also handed him a handgun with a fully loaded magazine and a holster. Imri was the third person with some experience with firearms, though he was like Zhaire, having only occasionally gone to a shooting range. Imri fashioned the holster, feeling reassured by its weight on his hip. He also didn¡¯t hesitate to absorb the cores of the fallen Chixel, even though it was far from efficient at this point. He could feel some of the energies go to waste as his body neared the limit of gains that could be made through absorbing cores. Luckily, it was just enough for him to push through to the next level.
Imri Padar has reached Level 9 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reach Level 9 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Intelligence 148
+1 Willpower 132
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 114
+5 MP 209
+3 Mana Efficiency 225
+3 Crafting Efficiency 230
Imri thanked Zhaire, but the big man just shrugged and walked away. Imri could tell the man had seen through his bravado. However, as long as he was willing to support him, that was good enough. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. They stopped as the Chixel did, and Imri¡¯s pulse began racing as he realized they would have to make their move. They were less than a day away from the black pyramid, the pillar of Trosano that he and Emelia had explored. Imri hoped they weren¡¯t too close to the temple; if the raiding party could dispatch a runner for reinforcements, things would only get more difficult. With nearly full mana, thanks to his walking meditation and a steady stream of potions, Imri set out. Imri cautiously approached the camp, only aware of Emelia¡¯s location, not the camp as a whole. He was only a hundred meters from her when he noticed a pair of sentries. They glowed a bright blue under his mana sight, making them even easier to spot. He easily noticed them first, as they made little attempt to scan their surroundings and even less effort to hide. It appeared that Chixel had the same issues as humans, unable to expend maximum effort on a monotonous task that seemed unnecessary in their minds. Imri moved perpendicular to the direction they were facing, now with even more caution. Soon enough, he spotted another pair of Chixel on watch. He methodically made his way around the surveyed area. It was easy to spot the rest of the sentries; their distance from the camp was almost identical, and few took the responsibility of watching seriously. Despite this, Imri doubted he could get much closer without revealing his presence. The sentries made up for their inattentiveness with numbers, not leaving a single unguarded approach. Instead, Imri would need to rely on the method he used in his previous escape. Imri used Boundless Step, silently appearing behind a pair of especially inattentive Chixel. He would''ve been spotted easily if either had turned around at that moment. Fortunately, they had no reason to suspect someone had already passed their line of sight. However, unlike the last time he had used the spell to escape, this time he couldn¡¯t rush out of their potential line of sight, doing so would likely put him into view of someone in the camp. Instead, he had to creep ahead carefully, even though he could easily be spotted by the sentries. Fortunately, they never turned around, and Imri settled into a relatively hidden position from both the sentries before and ahead. Despite his precarious position, the next layer of defense would, in theory, be even easier to evade, as those sentries were more concerned with escaping prisoners than someone infiltrating their camp. He could feel Emelia¡¯s presence, hardly more than fifty meters away, causing Imri to consider a more straightforward rescue despite knowing it would be futile. Instead, he used Boundless Step again, this time appearing near the heart of the camp but safely elevated in a stone tree that also provided plenty of obscurement. He scanned the camp for the second set of prisoners, the Chixel defectors. It took him longer than he would have liked, as he still felt exposed even from a vantage that no Chixel would consider an attack vector. It was too dark to distinguish the Chixel apart, but his eyes eventually landed on a group of Chixel who stood guard over another group. They were treated far better than their human counterparts, they were unbound and unharmed, but no less prisoners than the humans. However, they were even more well-guarded than the larger number of humans, which reassured him his plan had merit. Unfortunately, that reassurance didn¡¯t make it any easier. Despite the possibility of discovery, Imri bided his time, surveying the movements of as many Chixel as he could. His higher intelligence had a noticeable effect on more than his magic, as he found it easier to memorize and remember where every point of interest was. He also took advantage of the time to swallow another mana potion, hoping he had enough mana to complete his final gambit. He took a deep breath and sprang into action. He used a third Boundless Step, appearing in the middle of the camp, a scant few meters from those guarding the defectors. He didn¡¯t hesitate to use the last of his mana, using a 7.5% Time Dilation on himself. The first guard didn¡¯t even know anything was amiss as a near-point-blank shot hit them in the head. The next few guards didn¡¯t fare much better, with Imri benefiting from surprise, his superior weapon, and magical enhancement. The final few guards managed some form of a reaction, though it was far from coordinated. Several fled while the remainder launched a fool-hardy attack that quickly got them gunned down. His attack was so effective that the fight, if it could be called that, was over within a few seconds, which turned out to be for the best, as he released the time dilation spell he began feeling the onset of a mild mana headache. The defectors were not unaffected by his onslaught. None were directly injured, but they were unable to comprehend the slaughter that had just taken place. Like the other Chixel, they had never seen a gun, and it had been too quick to process what had happened. Imri didn¡¯t waste any time, reloading his weapon and approaching the Exalted Chixel. Rhesk seemed relieved as he recognized Imri, then confused as Imri grabbed him and grappled him, pressing the handgun to Rhesk¡¯s head. Imri then moved them so that his back was against a tree, preventing any surprise attacks while using Rhesk as a meat shield. The other defectors stared at him with confusion and hurt over the betrayal that transcended the inability to read other species'' body language. It wasn¡¯t long before the area was flooded with Chixel, all brandishing weapons in Imri¡¯s direction. Imri did his best to appear confident despite his lack of mana. If this didn¡¯t work, he would be completely screwed, with no way to retreat. Chapter 23: Inhuman Despite Imri¡¯s precarious position, none of Chixel dared approach, as they quickly noticed the dead guards and the strange weapon Imri held. None dared risk the life of the exalted one, just as Imri had hoped. The prison break had turned into a hostage situation, and eventually, the commander approached him, weapons stowed. ¡°Are you in charge?¡± Imri asked in the Chixel language, surprising the commander. ¡°How does one know this language, human?¡± the commander said in a tone that was more of a demand than a question. ¡°This new species makes excellent hosts, especially this one,¡± Imri said. ¡°Azala,¡± The commander hissed. Imri noticed many of the Chixel tensed at this remark. ¡°This one will slaughter this Azala,¡± they threatened. ¡°Then you would be responsible for the death of an Exalted, and I would teleport away before your blow landed,¡± Imri lied, his mana being entirely spent. ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t this one already done so?¡± the commander asked. ¡°As I said, this new species makes great hosts. I was not lying when I said that,¡± Imri said. ¡°This one would trade the life of an Exalted for some lowly humans?¡± the commander asked skeptically. ¡°As you can see, they are far more capable than they appear. A group of human hosts could easily wipe out a pathetic army ten times this size. The hive shall expand and take control of this world with these new hosts,¡± Imri said. ¡°And that strange wand?¡± the commander asked, but Imri ignored the question. ¡°Do we have a deal, the humans, in exchange for your Exalted?¡± Imri asked. ¡°This one would never make a deal with a parasite,¡± The commander hissed. It was only thanks to Imri¡¯s high willpower that he could maintain his composure, doing his best to affect nonchalance at the Chixel¡¯s proclamation. ¡°The hive will be disappointed, but not nearly as much as your priests,¡± Imri said as he waved the gun in a flourish before slowly creeping his finger toward the trigger. ¡°Wait, this one is certain these ones can come to an arrangement,¡± the lead Chixel shouted, his desperation again crossing the species divide. ¡°We demand all of the human hosts; nothing less is acceptable.¡± ¡°Surely half¡­¡± the commander started to say, but Imri quickly cut him off. ¡°This is not a negotiation. I know you would trade many more humans for your Exalted. Do not take my generosity for weakness,¡± Imri said. The commander eventually relented, though he had been looking to save face by somewhat salvaging the situation. Imri had the winning hand, and he knew it. ¡°Give us our hosts, and we will free your Exalted,¡± Imri demanded when the conversation shifted to the logistics of enacting the exchange. ¡°This one was not hatched yesterday; the prisoners stay here until the Exalted is safe,¡± the commander insisted. Imri felt certain they would remain firm on this point, from what he had learned the Azala weren¡¯t exactly known for cooperation or honesty. He was already pushing believability simply by enacting this plan. ¡°Escort half of our hosts back towards the city. There is a group of drones and a champion who will accept this exchange. Once we have the hosts, I will release your Exalted, and you will give us the rest of the hosts. If you attempt anything at this point, your forces will be divided, and I think it likely my unit could easily wipe you out,¡± Imri explained. ¡°What is to stop that from happening anyway?¡± the commander asked, clearly distraught knowing more humans were presumably Azala. ¡°The hive is prioritizing these human hosts. While we would likely win in a confrontation, I doubt we could do so without losing some of our desired hosts.¡± ¡°I also require a particular host to be in the first group, the human leader known as Emelia,¡± Imri said, doing his best to make the request seem like something insignificant that had almost slipped his mind. In truth, it was essential to his plan. While having Emelia safe would put his mind at ease, he also needed her bond to know when the exchange had been made. This was essential for keeping the ruse up, as a true Azala would be psychically linked with their hive. ¡°Why does that one matter?¡± the commander asked, though he seemed more curious than suspicious. Imri pretended to consider the question before telling the Chixel. ¡°She has a rare class with some unique abilities,¡± Imri said, telling the truth when a good lie hadn¡¯t come to mind. The Chixel seemed to consider the statement and then bobbed its tail in assent. The Chixel weren¡¯t thrilled with those terms, and neither was Imri. If they decided to betray them after he released Rhesk, at least Emelia would be safe. With half the camp armed, it was also possible that they could save the other half. The one most at risk was himself, and he hoped his mana would recharge enough to cast a short Boundless Step. He felt a mix of confusion and relief through the bond as the first group contacted Zhaire¡¯s group. Imri waited a few moments to confirm there wasn¡¯t any duplicity before hardening his resolve. He shoved the exalted Chixel towards the gathered guards while moving to get away, his gun still aimed at the very important Chixel. Several of the nearby guards quickly interposed themselves between Imri and the exalted one, rendering his threat ineffective. Imri quickly retreated, not waiting to see if the Chixel would honor their word. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t appear they were interested in another confrontation with the mage of unknown means and weapons. Imri quickly made his way back to Emelia''s location. When he saw her, he very nearly abandoned his Azala persona to embrace her. Instead, he used his willpower to restrain himself, settling for the wash of positive emotions that coursed through their bond. Imri had another dilemma on his hands. The Chixel had honored their agreement and released all their prisoners. His dilemma was that they hadn¡¯t bothered to escort the second group of people or even try to get the first group of Chixel back. The commander had essentially sacrificed them. Imri suspected they had only released the second group of prisoners to prevent pursuit. The dilemma was what to do with his new Chixel prisoners. His first decision was easy; two group members were Zathri, the enchanter, and Thrisk, the alchemist. While he didn''t entirely trust them anymore, they could be useful sources of information and were at least less radical than the other. Imri would have them in a similar role to the one they had been in before but with enhanced supervision. The fact that these two were in the group escorting prisoners further reinforced Imri¡¯s notion that this group had been sent to be sacrificed. The other four captured Chixel were less obvious. On the one hand, Imri wanted them to set an example for how this conflict should be treated, following codes of conduct for wartime before the integration. On the other hand, the Chixel didn¡¯t follow this code, doing the one thing that would likely be less humane than torture, and Imri doubted his example would change that. When he spoke with Zhaire and those in his group, they quickly advocated for their execution, some of them going as far as calling dibs on some of the cores. While Imri reluctantly agreed, he felt some measure of disgust. He only went along with it because there wasn¡¯t a good alternative. They certainly didn¡¯t have the resources to maintain a prison. Simply releasing them was also out of the question; doing so would result in Imri¡¯s ruse being discovered. Zhaire took on the role of executioner, efficiently beheading each of the four Chixel with one cut each from his massive greatsword. The entire camp watched in grim silence. Most seemed relieved as some measure of vengeance was enacted for their poor treatment. Even Emelia had little empathy for her tormentors, though Imri could feel through the bond that she took no pleasure from the act either. It was simply something that had to be done. With the ruse no longer needed, Imri rushed over to Emelia. He held her tightly, as if he didn¡¯t use all his strength, she would somehow slip away. She returned the gesture in equal measure, and despite the physical discomfort from squeezing, the emotional euphoria vastly overpowered any physical sense. The embrace continued for several minutes, neither wanting to be the first to relinquish their grip. Eventually, the matter was decided as Zhaire told them to stop acting like teenagers, though his tone was more teasing than serious. They broke apart and joined the rest of the camp as they began the hike. As they walked, Imri turned his attention to several notifications he had ignored. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Spell Rank Up Rank Improvement Effect Improvement
Time Dilation F to E 2.5% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Boundless Step F to E 2.5% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Quest Updated Progress
Class Rank Up E to D Learn new time or space spells 1/5, time or space spells ranked Up 2/5
Quest Completed Progress Reward
Rescue Captive Rescue Captive 34/34 XP, Savior 3 Achievement
New Achievement Gained Rank Primary Stats / Rank Description
Savior 3 .05% Achievement granted for rescuing those captured by the Chixel raiding party.
Imri Padar has reached Level 11 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reach Level 11 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+2 Intelligence 150
+1 Willpower 133
Secondary Stats Gained
+7 MP 216
+8 Mana Efficiency 233
+8 Crafting Efficiency 238
Imri smiled broadly as he reviewed the flood of notifications. While the gains he had received were secondary to saving his people, he certainly wasn¡¯t disappointed. His Time Dilation spell had been on the verge of ranking up because it was his most used and essential spell. He suspected it hadn¡¯t ranked up previously due to having mostly repeatedly used it in the same way. His quick burst at a higher effect level had been just what was needed to push the advancement over the precipice. His Boundless Step spell ranking up so soon was a pleasant surprise, though he had used it heavily since acquiring it. The achievement gain had been expected, though Imri hoped it would be slightly more effective. Still, it seemed the system still deemed a small Chixel raiding party insignificant in the grand scheme of the multiverse, likely only awarding any achievement due to the incredible difficulty of the task. He also learned that Zhaire and the rest of his party had received the Savior 1 title due to having minimal involvement in the rescue. The entire camp quickly began their march back toward what had once been Minneapolis. No one wanted to be anywhere nearby when the Chixel returned, which might be sooner than they preferred. With the Chixel not having to escort prisoners, with the lone exceptions of Rhesk, Srez, and Ettes, they would undoubtedly make better time, likely reaching the Ulzo temple in a matter of a few hours. Imri wasn¡¯t sure how many Chixel had congregated there, but the way Ettes had explained it made Imri certain there would be more than enough to form another raiding party, only this time to eradicate the troublesome humans. He hoped his ruse would spark a conflict between the Azala and the Chixel, but he doubted smarter minds wouldn¡¯t be able to spot the discrepancies in his act. Their group made steady progress, if somewhat slower than desired. The pace improved somewhat as the light of day made hiking through the treacherous stone jungle significantly easier. Imri was still far from the prime physique he had held in his college days, but he wasn¡¯t the slowest one. Several of their members were middle-aged, and others had some degree of obesity. Still, no one was completely incapable; those who were hadn¡¯t made it past the first days of the integration. Imri continued to take advantage of the time to continue with a walking meditation. It wasn¡¯t simply an efficient way to spend his time; he had always found it easier to enter a state of meditation when going for leisurely walks than sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat. The hike was more than a leisurely stroll, but his newly upgraded skill and the tranquility of knowing Emelia was safe made the state easy to achieve. Emelia and Zhaire approached him when he wasn''t meditating, hoping to understand their destination better. Zhaire had relented on his ambitions of reclaiming a section of the city and living as they had before the integration. He admitted on their frequent city raids that the Azala had steadily increased in activity. In the first few days they had been scouting the city''s outskirts, most of the people they encountered were actual people. Conversely, in the days before the abduction, most people were Azala, and their numbers steadily increased. Despite this, Zhaire still wanted the camp to settle down near the city to continue raiding for supplies. Much of their effort had gone to waste, though he hoped their original camp remained unmolested. He hoped to reclaim as much of their supplies as possible before establishing a new camp. Eventually, they settled on a plan. They would make their way around the city''s outskirts, establishing a similar camp to their former on the opposite edge of the city, slightly further into the forest than the previous one. This slightly reduced the risk of the Azala discovering the camp and hopefully kept them well away from any potential Azala-Chixel conflict. As night approached, the continuous march abated, and nearly everyone immediately fell asleep. Imri snuggled against Emelia, though his exhaustion overtook his desires. He couldn¡¯t help but grin when he realized she was disappointed by this, her physical condition greater than his own and her desires no less strong. The march resumed at first light, Zhaire playing the role of villainous taskmaster, forcing everyone who still struggled to get going with scathing remarks he had undoubtedly heard from his football coaches. However, the encouragement effectively spurred the stragglers, including Imri. They reached the remnants of their camp slightly after midday, and Imri was pleasantly surprised to find it intact. They took a break for lunch and regathered their supplies. Imri also left a message for Sylvi, explaining the approximate location of their new camp. Hopefully, she was progressing on her mission, and the second camp would be short-lived. When they resumed their march, they looked like a group of experienced backpackers, except for a few people who awkwardly carried their belongings. Regaining their supplies was mostly a long-term boon, but in the short term, it slowed their pace. They needed to stop more frequently for breaks as people tired out faster while encumbered, during which time people greedily devoured power bars and water. As Imri was physically exhausted, he found it more difficult to meditate, though it was less pressing now that he had regained a good portion of his mana. During the hike, he was also frequently approached by many people. Most just wanted to thank him for saving them from the Chixel, but others were curious about how he had managed it. While many knew, in general, what his class was, he felt uncomfortable delving into details on what he was capable of. He brushed off their inquiries, saying he had simply gotten lucky and scared the Chixel into surrendering their prisoners. Some accepted that, having heard the gunshots. However, others were less convinced but didn¡¯t press the issue. He told Emelia, not wanting any secrets between them. With that sentiment, he approached the conversation they were about to have when they made camp the second night. Emelia was immediately aware of the serious nature of the conversation, and Imri doubted she even needed the bond to sense his apprehension. ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± he said in a hushed voice as he triple-checked that no one was eavesdropping. ¡°Whatever it is, you can tell me,¡± she said as she gently touched his shoulder to reassure him. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯m not entirely sure about myself, but I got something strange when I was integrated,¡± Imri said, struggling with each word. ¡°Is this related to how you just know things about the system?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but not all of it. I don¡¯t know how to say this,¡± Imri said, then paused before blurting out, ¡°I¡¯m not human.¡± ¡°You look and feel pretty human to me,¡± Emelia said, not at all phased by his revelation. ¡°I¡¯m serious, I¡¯m not human,¡± Imri repeated. ¡°I heard you fine the first time.¡± ¡°And you''re ok with that?¡± ¡°What about you is not human?¡± she asked. ¡°On my character sheet, it tells me my heritage is Primordial. That gave me an ability that gives me an intuitive understanding of how the system works, a better Intelligence skill, and a faster progression of intelligence-based abilities. It¡¯s also giving me more stats than a human.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you what stats and abilities it gave. Those are nice, but that doesn¡¯t fundamentally change anything. Has anything fundamental about you changed?¡± ¡°Nothing that I¡¯m aware of,¡± Imri said after a moment''s consideration. ¡°Then don¡¯t worry about it. Besides, it''s a heritage, not a species. People just use them interchangeably because no one else has anything besides human.¡± ¡°And if I become some weird creature?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Then we¡¯ll deal with that when it comes up. Now come to bed,¡± Emelia said, though neither of them intended to sleep. Imri felt a wave of relief as the weight of his secret was lifted. His worst fear had been that she would be repulsed by him, but that was clearly not the case. Chapter 24: Spatial Expansion The steady march continued for a third straight day. They continued to make good time as a general rhythm had been established, and everyone grew somewhat used to hiking. Still, many of them, Imri included, had blisters and chaffed legs. It was quickly becoming apparent that they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this up indefinitely; they would need to set up a camp in a day or two at most. However, no one complained, knowing there wasn¡¯t any alternative. Imri¡¯s mana had completely recovered with the walking meditation and rest. Seeing it as a waste to sit on full mana, he practiced his Boundless Step spell. He used the spell twice, his first time to easily surpass a particularly difficult section with a steep incline. He also used his true distance spell to measure the distance traveled accurately. Finally, he paid close attention to how much he had progressed in his abilities and level. He didn¡¯t have exact numbers for those; he just had an intuitive sense of how close he was to progressing to the next rank. Despite the ambiguity, Imri was sure that in both aspects, the gains were minimal and nearly insignificant when compared to using them in life-or-death struggles. This experiment confirmed something Imri had suspected: there was more to leveling than just spamming abilities. He conducted one more experiment, using a Boundless Step to teleport the same distance. However, this time it was used on a relatively flat and easy-to-traverse section. As Imri felt his spell and level progress, he could tell the gains had been less than before. It appeared that the slightly useful nature of his first spell had been rewarded, while the near-useless application had resulted in even smaller gains. It was the difference between tiny and minuscule, but it was significant over the long run. It also gave Imri a theory that skill and experience were doled out at the system''s discretion as if some grand arbiter judged all of their exploits. By the end of the day, they had nearly circled halfway around the city, having progressed through the forest rather than risking a confrontation with the Azala. Despite this not being the exact location they had discussed, no one wanted to start the next day with another hike, so it was quickly agreed that this would be the new temporary camp. The location suited their needs well enough; there was ample space in a clearing for their ever-growing population. A small lake fed by a creek provided ample water. It also didn¡¯t need to be perfect; it was a temporary location. The next day, Imri excitedly resumed his enchanting. While he was excited at the prospect of creating new enchantments, Zhaire''s necklace of time dilation had been a great success, and he had gotten near ceaseless requests from the rest of the fighters to create something similar. Even Zhaire hadn¡¯t been satisfied, requesting a superior item be created once Imri had leveled up a few more times. Imri had readily agreed, hoping this would settle the debt he owed the man. He quickly started creating two necklaces, intending to make them identical to the one he had made for Zhaire. The jewelry he was inlaying the runes on was of similar quality, if not slightly superior, with plenty of supplies to choose from. Unfortunately, cores were in much shorter supply, so he was forced to settle for slightly inferior cores at quality levels 5 and 6. Despite the material being of a lower quality level, Imri hoped his improvement in his crafting efficiency would offset the difference, having improved from 218 before his first successful craft to 238 today after having gained several levels in both his profession and class. Imri quickly redrew the runes, his mind still remembering every minute detail despite the week that had passed since his previous success. It took him far less time, completing the entire process in under an hour. He quickly inspected his work, infusing a small amount of mana and activating the necklace to ensure everything worked properly. Everything worked as expected, but something felt off about his work. Imri eventually dismissed the notion, assuming he was less enthusiastic about mass-producing practical items than discovering new designs. He still used the lowest level core he had available when finishing the enchantment.
Quest Updated Progress
Runic Enchanter Rank up F to E Craft functioning runes 14/20
Despite the quest update, Imri frowned, having felt less progress towards his profession than expected. He inspected the finished product and quickly spotted a problem. While the item description was identical in function, the effective mana level of the runes was 113 as opposed to the 126 on Zhaire¡¯s. While he had thought it possible for the overall efficiency to be lower, he hadn¡¯t thought it would be this much. While the effect of the time dilation rune would be the same, having been set to a constant 3% just like the previous version, the amount of mana needed just to maintain a brief duration would be exorbitant. It wasn¡¯t just an inefficiency of Time Dilation runes but all the other runes as well. The true distance rune was constantly active, and while it drained negligible mana compared to the Time Dilation rune, it was still a significant factor. Imri had guessed that Zhaire¡¯s necklace would go from full mana to empty in only a few days, and this new necklace would drain even faster. Imri almost discarded the necklace out of frustration but eventually calmed himself down. He studied it some more, this time looking at the runes to see if some issue had created the inferior product. While there weren¡¯t any glaring flaws in the piece, Imri noticed that many of the inscriptions were sloppy when compared to the original. They weren¡¯t egregious errors, but Imri began to wonder if the overall precision had something to do with the quality. His curiosity was now piqued, and he began another experiment. He would create the same necklace using nearly identical materials, but this time he worked with the care and precision he had used on his first attempt. He went as far as to exchange the level 6 core he had for an inferior level 5 version just to eliminate every variable possible. He spent the better part of half a day on this attempt, making sure everything was as flawless as possible. When he had finished, he knew the final result was vastly superior even before looking at it with Identify. The final result was runes with a mana efficiency of 132, slightly higher than the one he had made for Zhaire and vastly superior to his earlier attempt. Smiling, he turned his attention to his system notifications.
Quest Completed Progress
Runic Enchanter Rank Up F to E Craft functioning runes 20/20
Runic Enchanter F has ranked up to E
Runic Enchanter E
Primary Stats / Level Improvement
Intelligence .25% +.05%
Willpower .25% +.05%
Charisma .1% -
Secondary Stats / Level
MP .25% +.05%
Crafting Efficiency .4% +.1%
MP Regen Rate .5% +.5%
Skill Learned Tier/Rank Description
Rune Removal 1F Enables the runic enchanter to use mana to remove runes inscribed on an item, allowing the material to be repurposed. This skill consumes mana/rune removed. The mana cost varies by material and level of core used in the finish divided by crafting efficiency.
New Quest Description
Runic Enchanter Rank Up E to D Craft functioning runes 1/50, Design 10 different enchantments 1/10, Craft 15 different runes 1/15
Imri reviewed the changes to his profession from the rank up. Unlike his class, the stat gains stayed in his primary attributes rather than forcing it to be spread around. This made sense; while a mage needed some constitution and agility to not be completely helpless in combat, an enchanter had no such needs. Similarly, for his secondary stats, an enchanter had less need for a large mana pool, instead needing a more steady but moderate supply of mana. He assumed this is why he got even more mana regeneration for his profession while not getting as much mana and no HP. His new profession rank-up quest also had a significant jump in difficulty. While crafting 50 runes seemed like a lot, Imri could complete that in a few days, given enough cores. The harder challenge was coming up with 10 different designs. Fortunately, Imri felt he wouldn¡¯t need to develop 10 designs as complex as his Time Dilation enchantment. Implementing the light runes he had practiced on was an easier way to make some progress on this quest. Still, he wouldn¡¯t rush; he wanted to craft functional items, not just some Rube Goldberg monstrosities that served no purpose but to advance the quest. He also suspected the system wouldn¡¯t award much experience for that sort of method. The final clause in the quest was to craft 15 different runes, something he expected to easily hit by creating 10 different enchantments. It was likely in the quest to prevent enchanters from making ten slightly different designs that were functionally identical. Imri fell into a routine over the following days. He started his morning by joining the combat-focused individuals as they implemented a physical training regimen. Zhaire didn¡¯t hold anything back, putting them through rigorous drills that had many breathing hard while the rest threw up their breakfast. The regimen combined the standard military PT and Zhaire¡¯s more sports-related exercise. It started with a light jog and some stretches before they did agility drills, high stepping over or around various makeshift obstacles that had been set up. After that, it was body weight strengthening, which was sports science for push-ups, situps, and pullups. The penultimate exercise was a series of sprints before ending in a light jog, which still felt grueling considering his entire body hurt. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The first few times Imri participated, he was slightly discouraged, being one of the worst participants. His status as a powerful mage didn¡¯t give him special treatment either, with Zhaire shouting his typical disparaging remarks at him whenever he lagged behind. His hard work paid off as all three of his physical attributes increased their base value, and Imri noticed he was catching up. His body had more room to improve than others as he recovered from his pre-integration illness, though he wouldn¡¯t be able to use that as an excuse for much longer. After his morning workout, he spent time working on his enchantments. Much of that time was spent learning from Zathri, who helped him shore up a few blind spots. The most immediate improvement was to how the primary runes were activated. In the case of his time dilation, it was readily apparent that using the true distance rune was far from the most efficient method. Zathri taught him several runes related to sound that would help with that. The first was a simple logic rune related to whether the wearer of the item was speaking. The next two runes were used in conjunction to determine if the user had said something specific. When those booleans were true, the Time Dilation rune activated, targeting the wearer. Essentially, this meant the item''s wearer said a phrase that activated the rune, reminding Imri of various anime where characters would shout out their powers to activate them. While this initially seemed ridiculous, this configuration was far more efficient, preventing the items from needing frequent recharging. It also didn¡¯t require a shout, as Imri had set the sensitivity on the detection rune to pick up a normal conversation amplitude. ¡°This one sadly cannot teach much more,¡± Zathri explained after Imri had incorporated their advice into his newest design of the time dilation enchantment. ¡°What are you talking about? Your help has been invaluable, and I still have so much to learn,¡± Imri said. ¡°Unfortunately, this one is no master enchanter, having reached only level 8 before the integration. Even that low level took me decades to achieve, and it is readily apparent that Imri has much more talent for the craft than this one,¡± Zathri explained, a tinge of sadness apparent in their tone. Imri was surprised the Chixel enchanter was only level 8; his level in Runic Enchanter was nearly as high, having reached level 7 with the several days of crafting he had been afforded. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just a benefit of the integration. Once you can start crafting again, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll start leveling again,¡± Imri said, hoping to cheer up the downcast enchanter. ¡°This one is nothing when compared with Imri. This one had hoped to reach level 20 before time was over. Now that is doubtful.¡± ¡°You only expected to get to level 20 in your lifetime?¡± Imri asked in shock. ¡°Before the system, getting to level 10 was considered a great achievement. Now, with the integration, this one suspects 20 would be applauded as a success that most will never reach, and that is focusing on a single class,¡± Zathri explained. ¡°So, I¡¯m an outlier,¡± Imri stated. He had been pleased with his leveling speed but compared himself to Zhaire, who consistently managed to be a level or two ahead of him when only considering their classes. ¡°Don¡¯t get this one wrong; there are those who are outliers among the Chixel as well, just not this one,¡± Zathri added. Imri thanked the Chixel for their instructions and forthright conversation. His mind raced as unbidden questions entered his mind. Was he really an outlier? Was it because of his heritage? He considered the level of all those around him; most of the camp hadn¡¯t even reached level 5, and the vast majority were sitting at levels 3 and 4. Even Emelia was starting to lag behind at only level 7. He shook his head as if the physical act could shake out an errant thought. He spent the subsequent part of the day on a walking meditation to clear his mind, which was the next part of his daily routine. During this time, he gained an inspiration related to his spatial magic. He had long been annoyed at only having Spatial Contraction and not the opposite spell, which he assumed to be Spatial Expansion. Spatial Contraction had been the first spell he learned, and while it had seen infrequent usage since acquiring time spells and not at all since getting a pistol, he still considered it an essential spell. This wasn¡¯t because it was incredibly useful but because he suspected it was fundamental in learning more powerful spells. He strongly suspected he wouldn¡¯t have been able to learn Boundless Step without first acquiring this spell. His breakthrough finally came when he realized he had been thinking of expansion all wrong. He had been hoping to use expansion as a weapon, like he had with contraction. However, this was an incredibly poor way of thinking about it. Spatial Contraction could only be used as a weapon because he condensed the space around his opponents, in essence forcing their bodies to exist in a space that wasn¡¯t large enough for them, forcing them to diffuse to fit into the space. It wasn¡¯t his spacial magic doing the damage directly, but it was simply the body requiring a static state to function properly. He also knew it was impossible to cast spells that manifested inside a living being, their mana disrupting the spell before it could manifest. He had been foolishly trying to break this rule by using expansion to separate body parts. Instead, he needed to use expansion to create more space outside. He couldn¡¯t think of any practical application of this until another inspiration struck. Imri took out two water bottles, both nearly full. He focused on the space inside the bottle, willing it to expand. There was a brief sloshing as it seemed like half the water disappeared. Imri smiled and poured the contents of the second bottle into the first. The water poured in without issue. It appeared like a normal water bottle to anyone who looked at it. Conversely, when he tried to pour all the water into the normal water bottle, he only got halfway through the spelled water bottle before the mundane one filled up. Unfortunately, Imri could feel his mana slowly depleting, making the Spatial Expansion a temporary effect fueled by his mana. He released the spell, and the half-full bottle was instantly full again despite no change in the actual amount of water.
Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Spatial Expansion 1F Expand space in local space-time as defined by local anchors. Mana cost varies depending linearly on the amount of space created, the distance from the caster to the anchors, and the ratio of existing space to newly created space.
Quest Updated Progress
Relativity Mage Rank up E to D Learn new space or time spells 2/5, Rank up space or time spell 2/5.
The description wasn¡¯t useful in terms of telling him what the spell did, simply stating he could expand space. Like all his spells, it was versatile in theory, allowing everything from the trick he had just done with the water bottle to something like an entire world existing inside a building. The key to the spell was defining the anchors, or in other terms, where the space existed. In his experiment, the anchor was the edge inside the water bottle, meaning all space he had created existed inside this boundary and was diffused evenly. To double the amount of space meant the ratio was 1, or the space existing was equal to the space created. This meant that the mana cost when keeping the anchor constant was exponential. As was customary with gaining a new spell, Imri did some experiments. First, he increased the amount of space by half of what he had, giving the spelled bottle 150% of its normal capacity. As he had predicted, the mana required to keep that spatial expansion powered was a quarter of what his first attempt had been. Likewise, when he doubled the space, it took four times the mana, an amount that Imri couldn¡¯t keep up for long. Curious to test out another extreme, he changed the anchor to be the entire planet, then cast the spell to increase the space by the same amount as the water bottle. Unsurprisingly, the spatial disturbance wasn¡¯t even noticeable, though intuitively, Imri knew the spell was working. Unsure of a practical use case for having such a large anchor, he nevertheless filed it away as an interesting oddity to expand on later. He pondered what the next extension of this manifestation of space could involve. If teleportation was an extension of Spatial Contraction, what was the extension of Spatial Expansion? Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, and he had to content himself with gaining a new spell. Fortunately, another new notification came to his attention, one Imri was pleased to see. As he brought it up, he expanded the level-up gains to include all his progress in the past week.
Imri Padar has reached Level 12 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached Level 12 in Primordial (1F)
Imri Padar has reached Level 7 in Runic Enchanter (1E)
Primary Stats Gained
+1 Strength 115
+2 Agility 89
+1 Constitution 100
+2 Intelligence 152
+2 Willpower 135
Secondary Stats
+3 HP 117
+4 FP 90
+10 MP 226
+7 Mana Efficiency 240
+10 Crafting Efficiency 248
His thoughts were interrupted as he neared the camp, a commotion quickly returning his attention from his internal musings. He relaxed slightly as his senses registered that the commotion was not an attack or anything of that sort. He smiled as he spotted Sylvi. Chapter 25: Moving On A throng of curious bystanders crowded around Sylvi, a cacophony of incomprehensible questions muddled together. She had found the camp after a couple of days of searching. The few dozen people had ballooned to over a hundred people, most of whom she didn¡¯t recognize. Given the number of people, she would have thought a couple of people entering the camp would have gone virtually unnoticed, but some of the camp''s original occupants had excitedly started questioning her, drawing the attention of those nearby. Sylvi shook her head, annoyed at the chaos of the camp. She didn¡¯t blame the gathered people for curiosity; her displeasure was directed at the lack of a proper command structure to take control of the situation. Many people seemed to have found their purpose, picking up various crafts or gathering and processing raw materials. Still, there was a general haphazard nature in which everything was done. Emelia had been appointed their leader, but her lack of leadership experience couldn¡¯t entirely be compensated for by her magical abilities. Emelia seemed to intuitively realize her annoyance, as no sooner had Sylvi thought that was Emelia shouting for everyone to get back to their assigned task. The hesitant and meek way the woman had said it made Sylvi doubtful it would be effective, then she was pleasantly surprised most people moved to obey. Sylvi arched a suspicious glance at their leader, who withered from her glare, confirming to Sylvi that she had indeed used some amount of magic. She couldn¡¯t outright control people, but her subtle emotional manipulation had the same effect as a practiced politician, albeit in a much less conventional manner. It also wasn¡¯t a sustainable solution; Emelia couldn¡¯t solve their lack of structure with that method. The few loiterers who lingered nearby were quickly dispersed with a glare from Zhaire, giving their core group enough space to converse with the new addition of Avery. The group also included Caroline, who claimed she could explain alchemical properties from a sample or identify plants by description. Sylvi was impressed by her progress in the few short weeks since she had last seen the petite woman. She said as much, and Caroline flushed at the attention and couldn¡¯t meet her gaze. Was she embarrassed? ¡°Who''s this?¡± Zhaire asked gruffly as he looked at the red-haired fire mage. ¡°Avery Winters,¡± the man said with an extended hand that Zhaire clasped. ¡°So, was the mission a success?¡± Imri asked directly, skipping over the pleasantries and getting directly to the point. ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever they found isn¡¯t so urgent that it can¡¯t wait until they have something to eat,¡± Emelia said, shooting Imri a glare of annoyance. He put his hands up in a placating gesture. ¡°That would be great,¡± Avery said. ¡°There¡¯s no need; we can relax after we discuss what we found,¡± Sylvi said, countermanding Avery. Emelia looked like she was about to insist, but she just shook her head, muttering something about workaholics. "So, you found something?¡± Zhaire asked. Sylvi launched into a structured report about what they had found. She started by explaining the one natural treasure they knew of, the healing hot spring. They didn¡¯t know the limits of what it was capable of, but it was quite powerful going off her injured arm. They had also spent several days scouting around the area near the healing spring. Several other hot springs were nearby, and they weren¡¯t sure they had the same properties. In addition to explanations, they procured a sample of some of the more interesting things they had found, including a sample of the spring water. Caroline was especially interested in several of the plants they had brought back. Judging by the Chixel nearly ripping the sample from her, they were equally enthused. ¡°What about threats? You mentioned something about your arm being mangled,¡± Zhaire said, almost sounding excited by the prospect of facing monsters. Sylvi explained the shadow tigers that prowled the plains, with Avery providing more details. Most of the people he had lost were victims of the powerful creatures. They also mentioned the star seekers, though they emphasized they weren¡¯t threats. There were also creatures they had seen in the mountains, though none had been overly aggressive towards them. Of particular note was a lizard-like creature that was larger than a crocodile that Avery had called a cliff drake. They mostly had clung onto the sheer cliffs that they had avoided, though they witnessed one of the drakes dive down dozens of meters to attack an unsuspecting star seeker. The lizard creature had a flap of skin that reminded Sylvi of suits she had worn while base jumping. The drake had essentially crashed into the rhino-like creature at a speed that would have splattered any pre-integration creature. Fortunately, the large creatures didn¡¯t seem to be overly active hunters, completely ignoring anything that wasn''t almost directly below them. Everyone seemed concerned by the terrifying monsters except Zhaire, who seemed excited about the challenge, and Imri, who seemed to be processing the information with callous detachment. Still, everyone present was well aware of the threats pursuing them. The next part of their report delved into possible settlement locations. Given the rugged terrain, there weren¡¯t many options. Many of the natural outcroppings were well suited for a singular structure but certainly wouldn¡¯t support a settlement. This left two options. The first was uninspired, simply building in the foothills at the mountain''s base. It gave them access to the mountain while limiting the directions approaching armies could come from. Apart from that small defensive advantage, it wasn¡¯t ideal. The plains didn¡¯t have many resources of note, and most of the interesting mountain resources, including the springs, were still a considerable trek. The second site was Sylvi¡¯s recommendation. She and Avery had discovered it just a short hike above the spring, a large plateau with several of the nearby ranges still towering around it, forming a natural bowl-shaped space. It was large enough that it had taken more than a day to walk around the bowl''s perimeter. Within that plateau, a large glacial river flowed down from the peaks, settling into a moderately sized lake. While it was a significant elevation, it was still low enough that many plants grew, and many of the more interesting samples came from the plateau. The only real downside that Sylvi could think of was the relative difficulty reaching the location. It would take the better part of a day to reach the plateau from the foothills, and most of it was challenging ascents. The second issue was that the cliff drakes lived nearby, sometimes descending from their cliff perches to the glacial lake. Fortunately, everyone seemed to agree with Sylvi¡¯s assessment, and the conversation transitioned into the logistics of making the journey with enough supplies to establish the settlement. Even Zhaire seemed on board with the decision, stating he had only originally opposed the idea because it had seemed like a retreat. As she delivered her report, a notification entered Sylvi¡¯s mind, prompting her to review the changes since her previous level. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Base Strength Increased from 103 to 104
Base Constitution Increased from 109 to 110
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 3 in Trailblazer (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Strength 106
+1 Agility 133
+1 Constitution 113
+1 Willpower 125
Secondary Stats Gained
+3 HP 123
+4 FP 156
+1 MP 132
+2 Attack Efficiency 181
It had been frustrating that she hadn¡¯t gained anything in her profession before now. It made some sense, though. The profession was about blazing a trail for others, and she hadn¡¯t done that until she gave her report to the camp. With her report done, she relaxed slightly. She answered several mundane questions about the journey, mostly related to the difficulty of traversing the terrain. She noticed Zhaire had grown bored at the detail-oriented discussion and excused himself. He returned a few minutes later, holding a modern composite bow and various firearms. He motioned for her to come over when there was a lull in the conversation, then deposited the pile of weapons at her feet with a wide grin. Sylvi couldn¡¯t help but smile back like a kid in a candy store. She reverently checked many of the weapons, holding them with the practiced familiarity of a professional soldier. ¡°I never thought I would be this well-armed again,¡± she said as she reviewed the weapons. ¡°It is strange that we get deposited here with swords and bows, only to replace them with guns,¡± Zhaire agreed. ¡°You still have your sword,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°Imri thinks the system doesn¡¯t like guns,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t like it?¡± Sylvi asked, emphasizing each word. ¡°It won¡¯t give any skills or abilities related to guns, and eventually, they will be obsolete for those who obtain superhuman abilities. It also doesn¡¯t give you much experience for killing something with it,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± Sylvi said, her enthusiasm for the weapons only slightly curtailed. ¡°On a more logistical front, we have a limited ammo supply. Our current best shooters are amateur hunters, so I¡¯ll make sure you have whatever you need.¡± ¡°Thanks for this, Zhaire.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m glad to have competent people back,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, studying the large man. ¡°Not that everyone else is useless, but it''s not the same. It¡¯s just frustrating that we''re living through an apocalypse and people still want to laze about, it''s infuriating,¡± he said, visibly frustrated. ¡°I doubt Imri was just lazing about,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°Probably not, but he spends hours staring at his runes. I have no idea what he¡¯s doing; it¡¯s all beyond me. What I¡¯m trying to say is, it''s good to have another soldier around,¡± he said. ¡°Another soldier?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure as hell not a football player or hospital orderly,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I agree. I was wondering how long it would take you to identify that way,¡± Sylvi said with a wry grin. ¡°And soldiers don¡¯t worry about what their commanders are doing. They follow orders and do what needs to be done, no questions asked,¡± she added seriously. Zhaire scowled at this remark. ¡°It¡¯s not like we have a proper military structure,¡± Zhaire pointed out. ¡°Besides, even if we did, I would hope not to have Imri or Emelia as the leader.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not ideal candidates, but they¡¯re far more qualified than either of us,¡± Sylvi pointed out, inducing a scoff from Zhaire. She chose to ignore it and continued. ¡°You should talk to Avery; he¡¯s seen how bad it can get out there. We¡¯ve gotten this far largely thanks to Imri and Emelia; try to have a little more faith in them.¡± Zhaire didn¡¯t say anything, but he did incline his head slightly. He didn¡¯t waste any time following her advice, immediately seeking out Avery. Sylvi sighed. That man had the patience of a small child. She was just debating what to do next when she noticed the meeting was ending with its members slowly wandering off to begin preparations for the journey. She saw Caroline looking at her, and she didn¡¯t immediately look away when their eyes met. Instead, she approached her, obviously steeling herself for something. ¡°Hi Sylvi, do you have a minute to talk about something,¡± she said shyly, unable to look directly at Sylvi. ¡°For you, of course,¡± Sylvi said with a wide grin, producing a visible flush in the petite woman. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, caught off guard, obviously losing her train of thought. It took her a few moments to regather her thoughts before she quickly blurted out, ¡°Avery mentioned something about a powerful core. I was hoping I could convince you to give it to me.¡± ¡°Of course, you can have it,¡± Sylvi said as she dug through her pack for the golfball-sized core. ¡°I was hoping we could work together on this project,¡± Caroline said quickly. ¡°I¡¯m working on a more advanced solution to force a heritage rank up. Thrisk told me about it. Apparently, the ingredients you use can determine the stats and abilities you gain. The first rank up is supposedly very impactful, so I definitely want to get it right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gladly let you experiment with me,¡± Sylvi said with a sly grin. ¡°That¡¯s great. The solution should be ready in a couple of days; I just need to finish gathering a few more ingredients, with your input, of course,¡± She rambled on before she suddenly stopped, her face going an even brighter shade of red as the double meaning of the Sylvi¡¯s sentence became apparent. ¡°I¡­I would like that very much,¡± she said nervously. That was enough of a cue for Sylvi, and she closed the distance between them. She gently cupped her hands around the shy woman''s head and kissed her. Sylvi could feel the last of Caroline¡¯s apprehensions faded, and the tentative kiss became something more fierce. ¡°I had this big plan: we would spend days together working on this project. I was hoping to work up the nerve at the end of it to ask you out,¡± Caroline explained, shaking her head. ¡°How¡¯s that plan working out?¡± Sylvi said with a smug grin. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair. You have enough confidence for this entire camp,¡± Caroline said. ¡°And you¡¯re so easy to tease, and you¡¯re too cute when you''re flustered,¡± Sylvi said, producing the desired result when Caroline looked away, clearly flustered. She lightly hit her in mock outrage when she realized this was exactly what Sylvi had been trying to do. Sylvi couldn¡¯t help but feel a measure of relief. She wasn¡¯t normally so brazen with her previous girlfriends, but there was nothing normal about this situation. There would never be normal dates again; this was the new normal. You could either seize what you wanted in this new world, or it would take everything from you. Chapter 26: Immortality and Wrinkles The plans for the camp''s migration had progressed at a blistering pace. Over the past few days, many people had begun to feel uneasy, to the extent that Emelia didn¡¯t even need her empathy to notice. It had been about this amount of time in one place when the Chixel raiding party had kidnapped them. The memory of that experience still woke her up with vivid nightmares. She did her best to keep herself occupied, which wasn¡¯t hard during the day. There was always something to attend to, and it seemed like everyone had to ask her for instructions for even the most trivial tasks. She didn¡¯t mind being the camp''s leader, but she still felt like an imposter, no matter how often Imri assured her she was doing a good job. No matter what she did, it never felt like enough. It didn¡¯t help when she empathically knew people doubted her abilities. It was often tinged with jealousy or pride as people coveted her position, those she could ignore easily enough. The harder ones to ignore radiated from Zhaire and Sylvi. Sylvi was easy enough to understand, and she didn¡¯t need empathy to understand, given how direct the ex-special forces woman was. She told her to put her foot down more, take charge of the situation, and establish a clear hierarchy. While Emelia could understand that approach, it wasn¡¯t her approach. She instinctively wanted to work with everyone, her empathy having instilled in her an instinct to try to please everyone. This had been difficult enough when she was just a nurse, but now it was impossible. No matter what she decided, someone wasn¡¯t happy with her, leaving her feeling stressed and anxious. Zhaire was closer to falling into the outright hostile group, thinking she was out of her depth leading people, a sentiment she agreed with. He wanted her to be less involved, not more. She also tended to agree with this and had tried to insist that there was someone more qualified to lead them. She pointed out that they now had several people who had senior leadership positions in their companies before the integration. She also knew for a fact that they thought they were more qualified for the position, though most didn¡¯t outwardly say as much. However, none of them seemed willing to take on the role, usually saying that their experience running a company had little to do with leading a group in a post-apocalyptic world. She could tell by their emotions that this was mostly true, judging by their fear and doubt. In addition to her unease with her leadership position, she was starting to doubt her abilities in magic. She had the advantage of a fast start and Imri being at her side within the first few hours of the integration. Despite this, she was now lagging behind the other group members. Even Caroline, who had entirely switched her profession, was now at the same level as she was at level 7. Imri, whom everyone regarded as a prodigy, had a profession at the same level, and he didn¡¯t even have the human heritage that increased experience gained. Her depressive musings must have been severe because Imri¡¯s concern for her well-being pulsed through their bond. He even stopped experimenting with the makeshift grenades he had been fashioning using spatial magic and plastic bottles. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said simply, not bothering with the bubbly persona she normally kept up. ¡°For what?¡± he asked as he sat beside her. ¡°For this,¡± she said, waving to the air. They both knew she was referring to the bond. Imri was decent at reading the room when he took the time, but he was normally too caught up with his work to even notice the room. He would still be chucking magically stuffed water bottle grenades if it weren''t for the bond. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said matter of factly. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. I¡¯m being dumb, and I know it. Now, I¡¯m dragging you into it,¡± she said ¡°You are being dumb, but not for the reasons you think,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Oh, and in what ways do you think I¡¯m being dumb?¡± she asked. He had the good sense to pause, composing his thoughts carefully before diving into sensitive waters. ¡°You¡¯re being dumb because you are amazing and incredible. You''re a compassionate person who cares deeply, sometimes too deeply. If you can¡¯t solve every problem, you feel like you are failing everyone. You¡¯re doing an amazing job, and someone will always disagree with something you did. Most people wouldn¡¯t notice, but you always notice.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be making me feel better?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m trying to point out that you can¡¯t please everyone. No one can. You just have to let it go,¡± Imri said. ¡°And what if I can¡¯t?¡± she whispered. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Then I will be here to help you through it,¡± he said. She gripped him tightly and moved his arms so they wrapped around her. ¡°What if I can¡¯t keep up? What if our level gap just keeps growing?¡± she asked. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen. I¡¯ll find a way to power-level you if that''s what it takes,¡± he said. ¡°And if you become some immortal being while I grow old and wrinkly?¡± she asked. Imri just laughed, eliciting a glare from Emelia. ¡°That¡¯s what you''re worried about? Wrinkles?¡± he said between laughs. ¡°I¡¯m being serious,¡± she pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not the wrinkles, necessarily. It¡¯s what they represent.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize wrinkles had a significant meaning. I just thought they were wrinkles,¡± he said, genuinely confused. Even with an Empathic Bond, Emelia still had to spell everything out for him. ¡°It means I¡¯ll be old and ugly, and you won¡¯t look at me the same way anymore,¡± she said. ¡°First off, If I¡¯m some immortal, all-powerful being specializing in time magic, I would find a way to reverse aging. Second, even if I couldn¡¯t, I would still love you, no matter how wrinkly you get.¡± ¡°Love?¡± she asked. They both knew how they felt about each other, with the Empathic Bond they knew this wasn¡¯t a fling or an infatuation. Still, neither of them had said the L word until now. ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± he started to awkwardly say before Emelia cut him off. ¡°I love you too,¡± she said, kissing him passionately. ¡°Is there any problem you can¡¯t solve?¡± she asked playfully, her mood significantly better than it had been moments ago. ¡°Trying to find a way to tell my girlfriend she is being too critical of herself without her getting mad at me,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°Well, you already solved that problem,¡± she said, kissing him again. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it go to your head; you can still be remarkably dense for someone so smart,¡± she added after they had finished their kiss. ¡°How am I being dense now?¡± he asked. ¡°You have an Empathic Bond with your girlfriend, and you still can¡¯t figure out what she wants right now,¡± she said. ¡°What she wants right now?¡± he repeated back as a question. Emelia just smiled at him, and the moment he figured it out, he made an oh face that quickly morphed into a smug grin. The next day would mark the start of the mass exodus. She had been honest about the dangers, not leaving anything out when she had addressed the entire camp. While a few had considered the journey reckless, most agreed that it was an opportunity worth pursuing. It had taken very little convincing, and the few who remained stubbornly opposed were going to be left behind. The camp had accumulated more in the week than it could carry with it. The debate about what was critical for founding the settlement was more contentious than whether they should proceed. This was further complicated by the fact that most of its carrying capacity would be spent on supplies just to make the journey possible. This time, it was Imri¡¯s turn to feel useless. Emelia felt his frustration as he went through his spells, looking for a way to help with their logistical problems. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t develop a workable solution with his given power level. He claimed that any proper space mage would not be constrained by the limits of a backpack. Emelia was practically gleeful as she almost used the same speech he had used on her. He shook his head when he noticed that, calling her a weirdo in a playful manner. Their banter did have the desired effect, and he was back to his nerdy self almost instantly. The morning of their departure arrived, and tendrils of nerves and excitement radiated from almost everyone. Throughout the camp, people finished packing the last of their supplies, double-checking that they had everything they would need. They were underway shortly after first light, the last stragglers encouraged effectively by their fellow travelers. Everyone¡¯s pack was filled to capacity; there was no wasted space, and everyone struggled as they grew acclimated to the increased weight. Sylvi led the way, somehow not needing any instruments or maps to remember her route. The more fit and capable people led the rear, ensuring no one fell too far behind while defending them from potential pursuers. While there had been suggestions of making the journey at a leisurely pace, that had been discarded for a more aggressive pace, having them arrive at the destination within a week. The reason was logistical, if they went any slower they would need to bring even more supplies. With every pound of weight accounted for, this would mean discarding some of the other items they considered essential for building the settlement. The pace was brutal for some of the less physically fit. This included Imri, who had rapidly improved but was still far from peak condition due to his pre-integration illness. He was far from the worst off, while no one truly incapable had survived the integration, there were still several middle-aged overweight office workers. However, despite their obvious struggles, no one wasted any breath complaining. Emelia could feel a mix of determination and gratitude from this group as they were helped along whenever they struggled. They stopped to make camp with barely enough time to get everything set up before nightfall. Everyone was exhausted, quickly falling to sleep without protest. Emelia was about to do the same when she noticed Imri was trying to get some enchanting done. Emelia tried to get him to come to bed, but he just waved her off, deeply absorbed in what he was working on. She shook her head but didn¡¯t press the issue. He was going to regret it tomorrow. Chapter 27: Nexus of Civilization Imri looked through his notes one last time. He had been frustrated by his lack of contributions to the migration. He had quickly discarded some of his more extravagant ideas. He was still a long way off from rendering backpacking logistics irrelevant. Still, if he couldn¡¯t solve that problem he would find another meaningful method of contributing. His epiphany had come while he had been walking, his mind free to ponder things as he monotonously put one foot in front of the other. He recalled a conversation he had with Zathri, where the Chixel had mentioned the importance of mana density. It not only affected the rate at which mana recovered but also the rate and effects of natural treasures, with higher density areas producing them more frequently and with greater effects. Unfortunately, it also affected the rate and strength of monsters on the same axis as treasures. Zathri had speculated that the mana density of areas ripped from Earth would be almost zero, though they claimed that even pre-integration Earth didn¡¯t actually have zero mana, just extremely dismal amounts. They had also theorized that anything adjacent to those areas would probably either have violent mana storms, due to the clashing densities, or a mana density on the lower end of the spectrum. Zathri thought the stone forest they were currently in was an example of the latter, while the shooting stars in the plains were an example of the former, with the shooting stars actually being globs of condensed mana. Despite the importance of mana density, they currently don¡¯t have a direct way of measuring it. The best Imri could do was measure the density through his Discerning Eye trait which gave him mana sight. However, this was far too inexact for Imri¡¯s liking. Even the Chixel, who had lived in a world full of mana and had developed a society around magic, had yet to find a direct tool for measuring mana. Instead, they relied on indirect analysis, giving areas a rough classification after studying the treasures and monsters. He thought it was appalling that such an oversight existed, and his latest project sought to remedy this. His solution was so simple he was kicking himself for not figuring it out sooner. One of the other benefits of high mana density was that it made a great location for mana gathering facilities. They worked by gathering mana particles that passed onto an enchanted panel. While these facilities were much larger in scale than anything Imri could produce, he had produced a small prototype to practice the runes. The mana required to run the prototype far exceeded the amount of mana it could accumulate by several orders of magnitude. Imri had mentally filed that away in his mind, intending not to revisit the concept until he had gained quite a few levels and better materials. Now he was reinscribing those very runes on a thin sheet of copper. He had measured the dimensions of the film as precisely as possible, creating a 10 centimeter by 10 centimeter square. The thin sheet was placed over a wooden board to give the item structure, with a small gemstone on the back for a mana supply. Next came some math, as Imri worked to come up with some standard measurement of mana density. He set the standard as a square meter, so he multiplied by 100 to compensate for the small handheld device. He also multiplied twice to eliminate the mana loss due to transference, eliminating a dependency on material components. The hardest variable to account for was the mana efficiency of the enchantment. While he had a decent idea of approximately what the final item''s mana efficiency would be, he certainly couldn¡¯t accurately say exactly what it would be, there were too many variables. Instead, he worked in a set of runes that would activate the first time sufficient mana was available. The runes would reference the mana efficiency of the mana collection runes and divide so that the number was standardized to 100 mana efficiency, a nice even number that any half decent enchanter should easily be able to create with the worst components. He also had to standardize the amount of time the collection rune ran, setting it to be a variable that multiplied the amount of time to one minute, no matter how long the collection ran. This meant a sample run for six seconds would be multiplied by 10 while an hour long sample would be divided by 60. This left his final measurement as mana per square meter per minute per 100 mana efficiency. The next problem was how to send those results to the operator. Fortunately, this was also a problem he had dealt with in other enchantments, specifically his range-finder tool. He had experimented with two options, the first was a noise rune that would read out the results in a mechanical voice. While this was doable, it wasn¡¯t as practical as the second option, which involved the first enchantment he had ever learned. The light runes could be used to form a crude display. It took a fair amount of work to have the lights configured so that they would display the numeric result. Imri had decided to use a separate item to create the display, fashioning a crude display screen out of a small old-fashioned mirror that had an ornate silver border and back. He had been wanting to try having a two-piece enchantment, the idea actually originating from the wicked soul capture dagger he had claimed from the Chixel priest. It was linked to the giant crystal which had powered the main enchantment with both items being linked despite not being physically connected, an enchantment network. Unfortunately, this was the most difficult part of the enchantment he was currently working on. He would need to create runes on the mana collection panel that would send the results to the display, with corresponding runes to pick up that data. As the hours passed Imri¡¯s fatigue from the hard days hike began to affect him. He could feel his mind sluggishly working through the problems that came up, at this point fueled only by his enthusiasm for solving a difficult problem. At last, he admitted defeat as he realized he wasn¡¯t getting anywhere with some rather elementary problems that would have only taken him moments to figure out when he wasn¡¯t exhausted. He had made good progress, and he felt confident another session would see his new tool completed. He also had been rewarded for his hard work, a level up notification pinging his mind. He ignored it, knowing he would have plenty of time to review it during tomorrow''s hike. He instantly fell asleep the moment he lay down. The next day was hell, he had only gotten a scant few hours of sleep. Normally this wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem, but before the integration, he had often worked with almost no rest when an interesting problem was stuck in his head. However, those days didn¡¯t involve grueling hikes with a heavy pack. He was miserable, and it showed as he was often prodded by the rear guard to pick up the pace when he had struggled to keep up. Despite his miserable state, he still did his best to focus on the last steps that would be needed to finish the enchantment. While he wanted to solve the problem as quickly as possible simply due to his obsessive nature, there was a second motivator. He wanted the tool to be available as soon as possible so they could get several readings of the mana density in the forest. This would allow them to have a baseline to compare against when they reached the plains and mountains since he doubted the numeric value would mean anything without context, it was a unit of measurement he had just invented. As if his sleep-addled brain needed another problem, a system notification pinged his mind. It was especially surprising given that he hadn¡¯t done anything that warranted a skill or level up. The notification also felt more insistent, as if the system had put a metaphorical red exclamation to grab his attention, something it had never done.
System Notification
One month has elapsed since inhabitants materialized on this world. Congratulations on surviving this first phase. Many talented individuals will now vie for control over this planet, and to do so they will need to establish their seat of power. To this end, such individuals have been awarded the nexus of civilization. Once placed, the nexus will provide benefits to those who live within their boundaries, as well as access to a system run shop. Once placed a nexus can no longer be moved. Additional information will be available to those who have access to a nexus.
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System Notification
Congratulations, you have earned the right to be a progenitor, giving you access to a nexus of civilization. Once placed, the nexus cannot be moved, establishing a settlement. You will be given special access to designate citizens and nobility for your settlement. All individuals will receive a benefit to resource regeneration and experience gained while within the radius of effect. You can access a system run shop from the nexus hub, see the shop for additional details. Additional functions of the nexus will be unlocked as the settlement evolves and ranks up. System events and quests will be generated that reward settlement advancement. Settlements can also be advanced by destroying other nexus. Nexus also advance slowly based on the amount of currency generated through taxation. Progenitors may freely give their nexus to another progenitor instead of placing their nexus, resulting in the original nexus advancing. You will have one week to place the nexus from when this notification was sent, at which time it will shatter if not placed.
New Achievement Gained Primary Stat Bonus Description
Progenitor .15% You have distinguished yourself, reaching level 10 within the first month of the integration.
Imri read through the notification several times, cursing at the terrible timing. Why couldn¡¯t it have come a day earlier when he wasn¡¯t sleep deprived? He supposed he shouldn¡¯t be too upset, if it had come much sooner they wouldn¡¯t be able to place it where they were planning to settle. He was somewhat surprised that his now flagging pace hadn¡¯t caused another prod from the rear guard, but he quickly noticed why. Nearly everyone had stopped to read the notification, not just those who had become progenitors. It soon became apparent that they wouldn¡¯t be going anywhere without addressing the numerous questions people had, so an early halt was called for a quick lunch and learn. It quickly became apparent that everyone had gotten the same first system notification. Everyone also got a second notification, though only he and Zhaire got the message for progenitors, everyone else got a notification informing them to seek out settlements with nexus to gain their benefits. Sylvi was a bit disappointed that she hadn¡¯t qualified to become a progenitor, the 10 level requirement referred to heritage levels and not total levels, missing it by only a single level. When the camp learned that both Imri and Zhaire had qualified to become progenitors there was a clamor of excitement. No one was surprised, but it was still reassuring to everyone that this group was capable. Unfortunately, this left them with an awkward situation, which of them would be the one to establish the settlement? Imri doubted Zhaire would simply give up his nexus without concessions if he even would. It took a while to satisfy everyone''s curiosity, though eventually everyone¡¯s questions were sufficiently answered to the point where they could continue their journey. The conversations and speculations continued as they hiked through the stone forest. As exciting as the nexus was, Imri¡¯s mind soon wandered back to his mana density measuring device. While it was likely far less significant in the grand scheme of things, it was something he could solve. There were too many questions about the nexus that he couldn¡¯t answer before they were deployed. Despite being completely exhausted when they stopped for the day, Imri was determined to finish his project. He fought off the sleep that threatened to claim him, quickly setting up his workspace where he had left off the night prior. Imri quickly began testing the ideas he had formulated during the day. It took him several tries to get the two separate pieces to connect, but eventually, he managed. With that done, the rest of the enchantment was simple, combining concepts he had already put into practice. With a satisfied grin, he finished inscribing the final rune with an emphatic flourish. With the device ready, he channeled some mana into both pieces. With that done he tapped a rune that activated it and began taking a measurement. He tapped the rune ten seconds later to get his results. A second later number appeared in the mirror, glowing a neon green color. While the display left something to be desired in terms of readability, Imri was able to make out the result, 10.11. As he suspected, the number didn¡¯t mean much to him, other than giving him an idea of how much mana could be absorbed if we were to create mana absorbing panels. He took several more readings, just to make sure the device wasn¡¯t spitting out random meaningless numbers. While he sometimes got a slightly different number, all the numbers were within .1 of the mean, and some fluctuations were expected as mana density wasn¡¯t entirely constant in an area. He also tested different durations for the measurements, just to ensure the math was accounting for this. This worked as expected, and he noticed the longer tests seemed more precise, deviating by less than .01. Satisfied that his prototype was working as well as he could manage, Imri went about applying the finish. He used some of the mid level cores from the camp supplies, not needing the device to be particularly mana efficient. However, due to the sheer number of runes involved, he was forced to use a second core to complete the project.
Imri Padar has reached Level 9 in Runic Enchanter (1E)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Constitution 101
+1 Intelligence 153
+1 Willpower 136
+1 Charisma 94
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 118
+4 MP 230
+3 Mana Efficiency 243
+4 Crafting Efficiency 252
Quest Updated Progress
Runic Enchanter rank up E to D Craft functioning runes 50/50, Design 10 different enchantments 8/10, Craft 15 different runes 15/15
Imri smiled at his rapid progress. In just over a week he had almost completed his profession rank up quest, something he hadn¡¯t done for his class despite having gotten it much sooner. He endeavored to finish the quest once they set up the settlement, resorting to slight alterations of existing designs if necessary. His elation was slightly dampened as he felt a tinge of jealousy and annoyance through his bond with Emelia. She quickly quashed the emotion, but Imri vowed not to brag about his recent progress. He went to bed even more exhausted the night before, his mind finally subdued now that it no longer had an immediate problem to solve. Chapter 28: Glyph of Flashbang Sylvi was in a foul mood as she tracked the Ulfr hound pack. The pack was staying well clear of their migratory march, making this excursion not entirely mandatory. However, Sylvi felt that a hunt was the best way to vent some of her frustrations. When the system notification came and she discovered that she had been 1 level short of meeting the progenitor requirement, it infuriated her. She put on a brave face and did her best not to be bitter as everyone congratulated Imri and Zhaire. Her competitive nature made it hard to accept that she was at the third highest level, especially when there were tangible benefits beyond just the levels. Her arrow struck the pack leader, killing it instantly before it was even aware of Sylvi. When the notification entered her mind, she wasn¡¯t sure if she should laugh or curse.
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 10 in Sharpshooter Ranger (1E)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 10 in Human (1F)
Primary Stats Gained
+1 Strength 107
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 124
+1 FP 157
+1 Attack Efficiency 182
The rest of the pack fled without a fight, and Sylvi decided not to pursue them. Despite her foul mood, she wouldn¡¯t be wasteful. She dragged the carcass back to the camp, knowing they would be supplementing their diet with Ulfr hound for the next few meals. Her mood brightened considerably as Caroline approached and smiled at her. She was carrying two bowls of oatmeal and handed one to her. ¡°I missed you this morning,¡± Caroline said quietly, a blush flushing across her cheeks. Sylvi smiled at her girlfriend, knowing this was more forward than she usually was, even if she had said it so only she could hear. ¡°I''m sorry. I just needed to clear my head before we began today¡¯s hike,¡± Sylvi explained. Caroline nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine, but I had something I wanted to discuss with you,¡± Caroline said. ¡°Oh,¡± Sylvi said, raising a suggestive eyebrow. ¡°Not like that, I¡¯m trying to be serious,¡± she complained, eliciting an eye roll from Sylvi. When Sylvi didn¡¯t interrupt she continued. ¡°It¡¯s about those shadow tiger creatures that attacked you in the seagrass plains.¡± ¡°Seagrass plains?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t name it; that¡¯s what everyone was calling it, except Imri, who is annoyed that everyone keeps naming things inaccurately. He¡¯s calling it the Mana Storm plains. That¡¯s beside the point. Those tiger creatures, do you think you could track down another one?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Possibly, though I¡¯m not entirely confident in fighting it. Do you need another core?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t hurt, but that¡¯s not what I need it for. According to Thrisk, if I can make a sufficiently powerful elixir, I could trigger a heritage rank-up that would impart some of the monster''s abilities. The more powerful the components used in the potion, the greater the potential gains. One of the primary reagents is monster parts, and I figured some component from the tiger would be far more effective than Ulfr hounds,¡± Caroline explained. Sylvi cursed inwardly, she had lamented the wasted parts of the first tiger she had killed, and now that loss was even more wasteful than she had originally thought. ¡°I¡¯ll eventually track one down. It might not be till after we¡¯ve reached the settlement,¡± Sylvi said, though she desperately wanted to go hunt one of those tigers this instant. However, she would never abandon her primary mission for selfish gains, she would get her opportunity eventually. She just hoped she wouldn¡¯t miss another opportunity like the Progenitor achievement. ¡°There was something else I wanted to ask,¡± Caroline said softly, looking even more embarrassed than earlier. ¡°It¡¯s about me, I want to be able to help you more.¡± ¡°More than creating an elixir that will give me a powerful heritage rank-up. More than providing most of the camp with potions for every sort of resource regeneration,¡± Sylvi pointed out. She had spoken loud enough that several people were looking at them curiously when she mentioned the heritage rank-up. Sylvi blanched, knowing she had just caused her girlfriend a lot of unwanted inquiries in the near future. ¡°I know my alchemy is useful, and I¡¯m glad I can help everyone, but that won¡¯t help directly in a fight. I was thinking about trying to pick up a class, and you are one of the few people who have gotten both a class and profession,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure how it works, to be honest, Imri would be able to explain it better. From what he told me, you can gain almost any class you can imagine, it''s just a matter of having a clear passion and need. I¡¯m guessing you have the passion and need part, you probably just need to become a little more focused on how exactly you''re going to accomplish that,¡± Sylvi explained. Caroline nodded along enthusiastically, and Sylvi could already see the gear turning in her head. Caroline excused herself to go speak to Imri, who was one of the last to get breakfast, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. Sylvi caught up with Zhaire before he could resume his position as rear guard. She explained that she would be hunting another shadow tiger if they happened to spot one on the way to the settlement. She deliberately left out why she wanted it, knowing the man would squeeze her for any favors he could get. Instead, she played off his competitive drive, phrasing it more like a fun challenge than an insanely lucrative hunt. Predictably, it didn¡¯t take much to get Zhaire to agree to help. She did not want a repeat of the last encounter with the shadow tiger where it had only been her and Avery, so she also secured help from Avery and a couple of fighters who typically tagged along with Zhaire. Five-on-one odds should allow them to achieve their objective with no casualties. The remaining trek through the stone forest couldn¡¯t come to an end fast enough. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t appear to be any sign of pursuing Chixel and the Azala rarely strayed far from their hive. The Ulfr hounds also seemed content to leave them alone, though Sylvi knew there were more packs nearby, like the one she had ambushed this morning. The packs followed them in hopes that a straggler would fall too far behind, becoming easy prey. On the fourth day, they reached the seagrass plains, the shooting star-like mana droplets glimmering through the sky. They took a short break to allow everyone some time to get sightseeing out of their system. There was still a tight schedule to keep, with little time to spare due to the one-week timer for the nexus placement. The food supplies were less of an issue, having been supplemented by hunting and gathering that they hadn¡¯t counted on. It was for this reason that Zhaire had suggested he and a small group of the more physically capable make their way to the settlement site. This would provide the obvious benefit of Zhaire being the settlement founder, not Imri. The argument about who would create the settlement had been a hotly debated topic of conversation. However, Imri appeared to be the least interested, though he didn¡¯t outright concede the honor to Zhaire. The hike through the seagrass plains started well enough; the terrain was easier to traverse, and they covered distances far faster. Unfortunately, the terrain also proved to be detrimental. They no longer had the advantage of terrain blocking some of the possible attack vectors, but instead, attacks could come from any direction. When they stopped after the first half day traveling through, it quickly became apparent that several people who had been guarding the flanks of the column had disappeared. Avery shuddered at the news, visibly distraught as his worst nightmare became a reality. He had warned them that larger numbers would only be a disadvantage against the natural ambush predators. There was a brief but animated discussion about what they could do about the situation. There really wasn¡¯t much that could be done, and although Sylvi desperately wanted to hunt them down to hopefully discourage future attacks, she knew that would likely be futile. They were also stretched thin with the four people they had already lost, meaning they couldn¡¯t afford to send people away on a hunting expedition. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Everyone slept fitfully, undoubtedly having nightmares about the stealthy predators that likely lurked only meters out of view. The number of sentries was doubled and none lazed about, every one of them keenly aware that inattentiveness could prove lethal. Sylvi was on alert during the first watch, sharing it with Imri and several others she didn¡¯t know. Imri was his usual self, seemingly unaffected by the looming threat. He also was a very poor sentry, clearly lost in thought and not paying attention to his surroundings. ¡°I heard you wanted to hunt one of these creatures,¡± Imri said to her in a hushed tone, all pretense of him working on his assigned task gone. ¡°I would like to, but I¡¯m beginning to think I just got lucky the first time,¡± She said, a bit of annoyance leaking through into her tone, though she doubted the oblivious mage noticed. Unlike him, she didn¡¯t dare stop scanning the grass for signs of disturbances. ¡°I have an idea of how we might be able to ambush one of them,¡± Imri said. ¡°Is now really the best time,¡± she hissed, nothing subtle about her annoyance this time. ¡°I believe so, yes. For one thing, we are certain they are aware of us and stalking us at this very moment. For another, the camp could use a morale boost. Finally, you want monster parts and the camp could use more supplies,¡± Imri explained. ¡°What¡¯s this crazy plan of yours?¡± Sylvi asked, not entirely convinced it was a good idea, but she doubted Imri would let something go without at least having a chance to explain his idea. ¡°There¡¯s an entire aspect to my profession that I haven¡¯t used yet called glyphs. They¡¯re essential temporary enchantments inscribed into the ground instead of an item. They would be costly to set up, and they don¡¯t last long, but the trade-off is that there is essentially no limit to how much mana you can pour into them. The ground itself is basically a very big mana battery.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how that helps us catch one of these things, and how are you going to inscribe that much into the ground without being the next victim,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°If a group can guard me, I think we should be fine. They can also double as the mana source, so any mages can be held in reserve. As to the amount of time, it shouldn¡¯t take too long, I¡¯ve already worked up a blueprint, and the design isn¡¯t that tricky. I shouldn¡¯t need more than an hour.¡± ¡°Let me get this straight, you want to wake one of the watches early so you can draw some runes on the ground. On top of that, you want to deplete their mana in hopes that one of these shadow creatures will wander into it. Then what?¡± ¡°The trap should stun it for a few seconds and light it up. If we have enough people nearby it should be easy enough to take it down before it recovers,¡± Imri explained. ¡°That¡¯s a crazy plan; if it was anyone else suggesting this, I¡¯d say they had fucking lost it.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re in?¡± ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m in,¡± Sylvi said, shaking her head in disbelief, though she grinned with nerves and excitement. Imri made the rounds, speaking to each sentry in turn. Sylvi wasn¡¯t sure how he managed to convince most of them to go for it, but when he returned proclaiming they were a go she wasn¡¯t surprised. By that point, it wasn¡¯t long until the second watch took over. Sylvi quickly spread the word so the second watch didn¡¯t mistake them for one of the creatures. When she told Zhaire he didn¡¯t hesitate to wake someone else to take his place on watch, not willing to miss out on a more interesting opportunity. Caroline was also awake, having not been able to sleep, and hearing the small commotion that came from informing everyone. She quickly volunteered to help with powering the glyphs, having the second-highest mana pool and mana control, behind only Imri. She also hinted that she had some news to share with Sylvi afterward. Their group of a dozen made their way out of the clearing they had made for the camp, heading slightly down a gentle slope. They cleared the grass with machetes as they passed by, expanding the clearing so they would be able to see the ambush point. Every one of them had a headlamp strapped on, the light rapidly shifting from point to point as they anxiously scanned every patch of grass for a waiting tiger. They didn¡¯t need to go far before Imri signaled them to stop, explaining they just needed to be past the edge of the light cast from the camp. Imri quickly began his work, moving with practiced ease as he drew on the ground with his finger. Despite not using any materials that Sylvi could see, the runes glowed a faint golden hue, like he was using some sort of powder to mark a field. While he worked everyone else continued to expand the clearing, though they didn¡¯t want to overdo it. They needed the shadow creatures to think this was a safe place to approach. It took Imri a bit longer than the hour he had predicted, the entire time everyone was on edge, light beams shifting faster than was optimal. When he finally proclaimed it was done the runes scrawled onto the ground and went several meters in every direction. They appeared simple, but on closer inspection, they were made up of many more intricate runes. It was amazing that it had only taken Imri a little over an hour. There was a brief window of opportunity for the predator where everyone gawked at the creation etched into the ground. Fortunately, the creatures either weren¡¯t there or didn¡¯t capitalize on their blunder. Sylvi quickly got everyone back in order, and Imri instructed them on how to add their mana to the glyph. They did so one at a time, many of them pouring the majority of their mana into the trap. Sylvi wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much mana was added, but it was surely more than any spell the mages had cast. She just hoped that the trap was half as effective as Imri seemed to think it was. He seemed confident as he waited for all the mana to flow in. ¡°So what exactly will this trap do?¡± Someone asked as they retreated to the relative safety of the camp. ¡°Basically, it''s a powerful flashbang. Whatever mana is left after that, a Time Contraction spell targets the creature that triggered the glyph on a 5-second delay,¡± Imri explained. Some of them looked disappointed, but Sylvi wasn¡¯t one of them. She had first-hand experience on both ends of a flashbang, and they were every bit as effective as fragmentation grenades, more so with experienced soldiers taking advantage of the situation ¡°Do you think we will have to wait long?¡± Another person asked as they settled into position. As if that was a portent of what was to come, the trap went off. If anything, Imri had undersold the effectiveness of the glyph he had created. The loud boom and flash of light were strong enough that it seemed like a bolt of lightning had just struck, shaking the ground with a powerful rumble and a blinding flash of light. Such was its effect that it left the ambushers stunned for a moment. Sylvi was the first to recover, adjusting her eyes to find the tiger that had set off the trap. A faint glow illuminated the area, and she half expected the creature to have been destroyed from the effects. Unsurprisingly, the creature was still whole, though the trap had definitely stunned it. It was similar to the one that ambushed her weeks ago, though this one was even larger with the strange shadows coalescing around it like a dark fog. She pulled an arrow back and took time to sight the creature, activating her Power Shot with careful aim. The shot flew true, and Sylvi was sure it would be a killing blow. Somehow, despite not knowing where the arrow came from, still stunned and slowed by magic, the tiger managed to shift its body enough so the arrow sank into its shoulder instead of its heart. The creature snarled in pain and anger as the arrow penetrated into the bone, hampering its movements. Despite all their advantages, the creature still stood, continuing to move as more arrows rained down on it. Unfortunately, their shots were less precise, most arrows scoring only superficial wounds or bouncing off the tougher parts of its hide. The tiger recovered from its initial shock, moving to escape into the tall sea grass behind it. Sylvi wouldn¡¯t let it escape so easily, throwing her bow aside in favor of a pistol. That¡¯s when everyone noticed Zhaire, charging like a battle-crazed berserker from a movie. Sylvi would have been impressed with the rate at which he closed the distance if it wasn¡¯t utterly moronic. As he closed in everyone was forced to hold their fire, lest they accidently hit Zhaire. He didn¡¯t slow as he attacked the creature, using his momentum and size to deliver a blow intended to cleave the powerful creature. It happened almost too fast for anyone to see, let alone react. The tiger swiped with its uninjured paw, moving with both speed and power that exceeded Zhaires. Its powerful claws sunk in and through his guts in a fraction of a second, disemboweling the big man before he could do anything. Despite this, Zhaire still managed to bring his blade down into the tiger, mostly due to the momentum of his charge. It left a large bleeding gash that nearly separated the front leg the creature had just used to disembowel him. Zhaire''s body then crashed into the creature, barely even shifting the creature''s balance despite both its front legs being injured. Zhaire then fell to the ground in shock, blood and guts pooled around him. There was a brief opportunity where Zhaire lay on the ground and the tiger was open for another ranged attack. Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate, firing a burst from her pistol into the creature. Unfortunately, the monster had a hide and constitution that was greater than anything the gun was designed to be used on. The bullets did some damage, but moments later it was obscured in an expanding cloud of shadowy mist. Everyone else had been too stunned to act and was only just now recovering from the initial shock of the frenetic combat. ¡°Go get Emelia,¡± Sylvi said to one of the men who seemed least shocked. She didn¡¯t wait for a response, sprinting down the gentle slope towards the now motionless Zhaire, slightly obscured by the shadow mist. She said a silent prayer that she would make it in time and that Zhaire wasn¡¯t already dead. Chapter 29: Tier 2 Imri watched in horror as a large portion of Zhaire''s intestines lay outside his body and blood and bile continued to pour from the wound that had cut open his abdomen. By pre-integration standards, he should have died already or would have certainly died shortly afterward. Zhaire wasn¡¯t a pre-integration human, he was one of the highest leveled, and in a class that gave him a good amount of stats that made him tougher to kill. That was the only reason he had a chance. Fortunately, Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate, ignoring the intestines that hung outside him like a butcher¡¯s display of sausage links. She focused on preventing the bleeding, spending only a short time shoving his guts back into his body. Imri got a grip on his emotions and rushed in to help. It felt like forever as he continually gave her more and more bandages to help staunch the bleeding. It was too large of a wound to simply press closed with pressure, and quickly there was a small mound of bandages, many of which had become saturated. He was still alive when Emelia arrived along with Dr. Thompson. Imri let them take charge as Dr. Thompson barked out orders for them. Most of the commands were directed toward Sylvi, who kept her wits about her, acting as his assistant, an extra pair of hands. Emelia also followed his lead, allowing the mundane doctor to direct her when and where to heal. Imri quickly realized that Emelia was going to go through all her mana and still not have finished healing the serious wound. He raced back to the camp, grabbing a diamond in which he had been storing excess mana for a rainy day. It glowed blue with the telltale signs of large amounts of mana, visible to those who didn¡¯t even have mana sight. He returned and passed it off to Emelia, who immediately started absorbing the mana within. Imri sped off to collect mana in a second gemstone. They continued this way for hours, Emelia going through several cycles of absorbing mana from various gemstones. As the surgery wore on, and Dr. Thompson had done all he could, the burden fell strictly on Emelia. She continued to pour healing into Zhaire, even using some of her own HP with her second healing spell, though not enough to hinder her abilities. Sometime after the fourth gem she had absorbed, Emelia couldn¡¯t continue. She excused herself and took several steps before collapsing. Imri was at her side before she hit the ground. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she assured Imri, only slightly assuaging his concerns. ¡°It¡¯s a condition called overchannel, it''s basically from using too much mana in a short amount of time. It reduces mana efficiency and drains your stamina. I won¡¯t be able to cast any more spells for the rest of the day, but as long as I rest I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure, I can check you to make sure it''s nothing more serious, though I¡¯m out of my depth when it comes to this mana business,¡± Dr. Thompson said, his usual snark about magic nowhere to be seen. ¡°I¡¯m sure, I just need rest,¡± she reassured the doctor. Dr. Thompson nodded and Imri helped Emelia stand up. With Imri tending to Emelia, Dr. Thompson did one more check on Zhaire. He gently felt his abdomen, and checked his pulse, blood pressure, and breathing. It was all he could do with the limited amount of equipment available to him. ¡°He¡¯ll live. With healing potions and another round of healing from Emelia he might be well enough to move in a day or so,¡± Dr. Thompson said to him. ¡°He might not have made it without you, thank you,¡± Sylvi said as the doctor sat down. ¡°Maybe, but he definitely wouldn¡¯t have survived without her,¡± he said, his gaze on Emelia. ¡°Still¡­¡± Sylvi started to say before the doctor cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I might not be as important as I once was, but I¡¯m still needed. That¡¯s good enough I suppose,¡± he said. Imri helped Emelia back to their tent. She collapsed to the ground, falling immediately to sleep from exhaustion. It was nearing dawn, and Imri gave up on getting any sleep. He was running on fumes himself, making sure his first order of business was brewing a cup of coffee strong enough that it almost looked like tar. Imri sighed, feeling slightly let down that his glyphs had worked objectively as well as he could have hoped, yet far less effectively than needed. He knew it had more to do with the creature¡¯s insane abilities than any shortcomings in his craft. The first good news came before he could spend too long wallowing in self-pity. A small party had been dispatched at first light, and they had come back with the now lifeless carcass of the Umbral Tiger, the proper name of what they had been calling shadow tigers. How the creature had so quickly been tracked down was explained as Caroline smiled triumphantly. She had gained her class just hours before the fight. Imri had advised her earlier that day to specialize in one or two types of magic, a common trend he had noticed among most classes, taking inspiration from various fictions if she couldn¡¯t think of anything on her own. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t need much inspiration, deciding to take inspiration from being a female alchemist who also wanted magic, she leaned into the classic witch trope. She focused on divination magic and curses that debilitated her enemies. She also had a trait that let her know the status and location of anything she had cursed. She had combined this with a curse that increased bleed and slowed HP regeneration, making sure the Umbral Tiger hadn¡¯t recovered while giving her instinctual knowledge of where and when the creature had perished. Caroline had gained two levels for her contribution, while others who had contributed in any meaningful way had gained a level. Those gains, along with the material gains of harvesting the carcass had the camp in a far more upbeat mood. When word spread that Zhaire would make a full recovery, the atmosphere was practically jubilant. After Sylvi and Emelia had gotten some well-deserved rest, they had a quick meeting to adjust the travel plans. The topic quickly turned to the obvious question, how would they reach the settlement site before the one-week timer ended? They had just under three days remaining, and Sylvi estimated they had another two and half days of travel remaining at the pace they had been going. If they wasted the entire day recovering, it would require them to up the already arduous pace, something Imri wasn¡¯t sure he could accomplish. It also was something Zhaire certainly couldn¡¯t handle in his current condition. With no alternatives, it became clear that they would need to split the group. Sylvi and Imri would continue to the settlement site with the majority of the group. Dr. Thompson, Emelia, and a contingent of soldiers would stay behind to make sure Zhaire recovered before rejoining them at the settlement. Imri was somewhat leery of being apart from Emelia, the last time having been when the Chixel captured the majority of the camp. However, it quickly became apparent that Emelia was still exhausted from the amount of healing spells she had cast the night before. It would also be selfish of him to want her nearby when Zhaire might need more healing. Emelia, sensing his apprehension through their bond, laid a reassuring hand across his arm. It took another hour to get the camp ready to move out again. Before they could go, there was one final thing Imri needed to do. He, Emelia, and Sylvi checked on Zhaire, who was still unconscious with the bedraggled Dr. Thompson watching over him. The large tent they were using as a field hospital was a bit crowded with all of them. ¡°How is he?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Serious condition, though his injuries are healing faster than anything I¡¯ve ever witnessed before the integration. He¡¯ll pull through,¡± the doctor explained. ¡°Is it possible to wake him?¡± Imri asked. Dr. Thompson glared at him, but when Imri didn¡¯t back down he sighed. ¡°Possible, yes, though I wouldn¡¯t advise it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help him if it makes his condition worse,¡± Emelia reassured him, though she looked barely able to stand. ¡°Do it,¡± Imri commanded. The doctor didn¡¯t argue, instead going through the supplies and measuring out a dosage of stimulant. It didn¡¯t take long for the drug to take effect, Zhaire sitting bolt upright and clutching at the spot where his abdomen had been stitched shut. ¡°Mr. Reeves, you''re fine, you''re in a field hospital,¡± Dr. Thompson explained as Zhaire looked about frantically, his breathing coming too fast in panicked breaths. Fortunately, he calmed down before he seriously aggravated his injury, though his movements did pop a couple of stitches producing a small trickle of blood. ¡°Zhaire, this is important. You¡¯re too injured to get to the settlement in time, I need to get your nexus or it will be wasted,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Ah,¡± Zhaire said softly as he realized the situation. ¡°I guess I only have myself to blame for this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not all bad, we got revenge for you. I doubt we would have taken it down if you hadn¡¯t done what you had,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Not that what you did wasn¡¯t idiotic,¡± Sylvi admonished, her tone of disapproval not curtailed in the slightest. ¡°Yeah, it was. I guess I got overconfident from fighting Ulfr hounds and Azala,¡± he said in a raspy voice. ¡°The nexus?¡± Imri asked, a note of desperation in his voice as he feared Zhaire was avoiding the subject. Zhaire let out a defeated sigh. ¡°Promise me I¡¯ll get one of those fancy nobility things, the highest one you can give,¡± he conceded. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Done,¡± Imri said without hesitating. While he would have preferred the highest titles go to someone a bit less reckless, he couldn¡¯t deny that Zhaire had earned some measure of compensation for his role in getting them this far.
Quest Updated Special Progress
Form a settlement Time Remaining: 2 Days 22 Hours and 17 Minutes Place the nexus of civilization before one week elapses. Bonus: 1 Additional nexus has been claimed, settlement will start with bonus experience.
¡°If that¡¯s all, Mr. Reeves shouldn''t be awake,¡± Dr. Thompson reminded them, his firm expression broaching no argument. ¡°Recover quick, big guy, or I¡¯ll pass you by,¡± Sylvi said with a wicked grin. ¡°I doubt that. I¡¯ll be on my feet in no time,¡± Zhaire said defiantly as Dr. Thompson administered a sedative to counteract the earlier stimulant. Before Zhaire had fully drifted off they were all shooed off by an annoyed doctor who reasserted their authority. With the nexus taken care of, Imri couldn¡¯t afford to wait any longer. He said goodbye to Emelia with a passionate kiss. Imri said a silent prayer that this wouldn¡¯t be like last time, that she would be fine. Emelia just rolled her eyes, annoyance at being treated like a damsel in distress passing through the Empathic Bond. They continued their march through the seagrass plains at a slightly faster pace. With everyone who had been struggling to stay behind, Imri was now the clear weakest link. Imri did his best to keep up, not wanting to be the reason they didn¡¯t make it in time. Sylvi must have been able to judge his limits well, because he never faltered, but constantly felt like he would at any moment. Everyone was on high alert for more Umbral Tigers, but the plains were eerily silent. There was a glimmer of hope that their actions had scared the predators off. As Avery had noted, they were extremely cautious hunters, only attacking when their prey was unaware or injured. It was a good thing too, otherwise, the creature could have easily killed them all last night, before Imri even finished the glyph. Just a few probably could decimate their entire camp, even with sentries on alert. Imri doubted he was the only one who came to this conclusion, as everyone was especially vigilant. Whether it was due to vigilance or an unwillingness to attack by the Umbral Tigers, the column managed their hike without casualties. They stopped with enough time to set up camp before nightfall, no one wanting to scramble to beat the dark with potential danger lurking nearby. Imri took advantage of the downtime to use his new device to test the mana density. He infused some mana and took several readings. The average density was at 18.57, a slight increase from the day prior, and almost double that of the stone forest. This also explained how the Umbral Tigers were so powerful. The mana density had an exponential effect, with monsters and treasure being closer to four times greater in an area twice as dense. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t directly benefit from the increased mana density, human skin was only able to absorb small amounts of mana from the air. Only creatures like the Starseekers could efficiently take advantage of the greater mana, with their horns specifically designed to absorb mana. Imri sighed and put away the mana density reader. He briefly considered spending a small amount of time enchanting, he was only 1 new design away from advancing his profession to D rank. Unfortunately, he was too exhausted to think clearly, and he decided to take advantage of whatever sleep he could manage. He awoke in the morning, no one having woken him for his shift as a sentry. Sylvi pointed out that he was definitely not a good sentry, and she had decided it was better for him to get as much sleep as possible, so they could make better time. Imri gave a token protest at the treatment, but he realized she had probably made the correct call. They reached the foot of the mountains several hours after midday. They started the steep ascent, relying heavily on Sylvi¡¯s guidance to steadily hike onward. There were still several hours of daylight when they stopped for the day, making camp on a ridge that was just large enough for their entire group. The number of sentries was scaled back as they had a far easier time watching the narrow switchbacks than open plains. Everyone was put at ease when Avery confirmed that the Umbral Tiger hadn¡¯t ever ventured into the mountain trails, though he did remind everyone that there could still be even more dangerous predators. Imri, as was now his habit, took another reading of the mana density. He expected another increase but when he saw the number he did a double take. It was at 34.7, almost double again what the plains were. While they had set out to find a higher-density region, worry began to creep in. If the plains had enough mana to produce monsters like the Umbral Tiger, what potential dangers lurked in a region this dense? He took several more measurements, just to confirm that there wasn¡¯t a bug in his rune work, even going so far as to extend the sample time beyond the point where it made any noticeable difference. All the readings came back with roughly the same number. With a couple of hours to spare, he decided to finish his runic enchanter rank-up quest by creating a more permanent version of the glyph he had used. He decided to make it functionally just a flashbang, excluding the slowing component. The main challenge was finding material that was effective enough to take the enchantment while being cheap enough to be disposable. He settled for simply inscribing directly on a baseball-sized rock that contained some rough quartz crystals. While inscribing runes directly into rock wasn¡¯t ideal, the trade-off of mana inefficiency was a worthwhile tradeoff for a disposable item. Compared to the rush work of the more complex glyph, the small quartz rock was an easy task that took less than an hour.
Quest Completed Progress
Runic Enchanter Rank Up E to D Craft functioning runes 50/50, Design different enchantments 10/10, Craft different runes 15/15
Class Tier upgrades available
Glyph Warder A specialized runic enchanter focusing on glyphs.
Runic Smith An upgraded runic enchanter who focuses on producing quality enchantments.
Runic Engineer A upgraded runic enchanter, focusing on optimizing large-scale runic projects.
Imri considered his three options. He quickly discarded the Glyph Warder, while his brief foray into glyphs had proven effective, he couldn¡¯t help but feel their temporary nature was wasteful. The other two options took a bit more deliberation. The Runic Smith would be effective for creating powerful personal items, like the Time Dilation items he had distributed. On the other hand, he hadn¡¯t completed any truly large-scale projects. However, that would hopefully change soon with the founding of their settlement. The engineering variant would certainly help with the setup of a mana-gathering farm, which was high on his priority list. He eventually selected the Runic Engineer, guided by his desire to create a sanctuary for humanity, more than amassing greater personal power.
Profession Tier Upgraded from 1 to 2
Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats / Level Improvement
Strength .05% +.05%
Agility .05% +.05%
Constitution .1% +.1%
Intelligence .4% +.15%
Willpower .35% +.1%
Charisma .15% +.05%
Secondary Stats / Level
HP .1% +.1%
FP .1% +.1%
MP .5% +.25%
Crafting Efficiency .5% +.1%
MP Regen Rate .75% +.25%
Imri Padar has reached Level 11 in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Strength 116
+1 Constitution 102
+3 Intelligence 156
+2 Willpower 138
Secondary Stats Gained
+4 HP 122
+2 FP 92
+16 MP 246
+10 Mana Efficiency 253
+14 Crafting Efficiency 266
Skills Gained Tier/Rank Description
Runic Transference 1F Allow the runic enchanter to transfer a rune from one object to another at a 10% mana discount from creating them by directly inscribing.
Trait Gained
Runic Etching 2F Allows the runic engineer to inscribe runes with greater speed without sacrificing efficiency. Speed of inscribing runes increased by 1% / 10 Agility.
Imri shouted, raising a triumphant fist to the sky, ignoring the strange looks everyone gave him. This was by far the most significant single advancement he had gained. The fact that his profession had gone to F rank from E had given him a moment of anxiety before the rest of the notification flooded his mind. He knew that the tier upgrade had been responsible for the major gains, automatically upgrading his profession when it reached a certain rank. For tier 1 to 2 it was at rank D. He had also gained two skills when he triggered the upgrade, one for his runic enchanter at D rank and one for his new tier 2 profession. He was so giddy that he almost didn¡¯t care that his first tier 2 skill used his lowest attribute. He couldn¡¯t resist gloating at Sylvi, who had been the only one willing to question his strange antics. She glared at him, but her expression wasn¡¯t anger or annoyance, it was a competitive fire. Imri doubted she would let him get too far ahead. They would need everyone to get stronger if they were going to survive whatever danger inhabited the mountains. Chapter 30: The Plateau The group arrived on the plateau near the end of the next day. With little daylight left, they decided not to rush placing the nexus, having several more hours during the final day, though Imri wanted to place the nexus well before the final hour. Instead, they traveled toward the center of the plateau during the last couple of hours of daylight. The topic of the exact placement had been discussed at length as they traveled. Imri''s first thought had been to place it near the center of the plateau, with the hopes that eventually the radius would spread throughout the entire region. Imri considered the best option in the long term, but it wasn¡¯t an ideal solution for the short term. He wasn¡¯t sure what was in the exact center, but he doubted that was the ideal location of their settlement. He also was reasonably certain the radius wouldn¡¯t be large enough to cover their settlement if the nexus wasn¡¯t within the heart of their building placements. The solution he had come up with was to place the nexus close to the lake, which was a few kilometers west of the center. This wasn¡¯t ideal in the short term, as this meant they would be placing the nexus on the eastern side of the lake, while the western shore was closer to a cave system that had several edible mushrooms with magical effects. It was also almost a day''s hike away from the healing hot spring. However, Imri had no intention of this location only becoming a small settlement, having aspirations for a large city whose outskirts spanned the entire plateau. Their good fortune continued, with no signs of any predators lurking. The view of the mana storm was incredible, as the small blue motes cascaded near the base of the mountains. They awoke well before full light, with no margin for error. Fortunately, the hike was easy, and their pace slightly exceeded expectations, allowing them to arrive a couple of hours before the timer expired. Due to the time constraints, there was no second-guessing their decision, only a quick discussion on exact placement as they examined the terrain. Eventually, they settled on the crest of the gentle slope that led down to the lake several hundred meters below. A prompt appeared, asking him to confirm the location, with yet another warning that the placement was permanent. Imri confirmed and the nexus materialized in the desired location, hovering half a meter from the ground. It was a several-meter-tall octahedron that was elongated along its vertical axis, glowing with an ominous blue light that reminded Imri of the color of the mana storm. Intricate runes beyond his understanding were etched throughout the entire nexus, and even his innate understanding from his primordial heritage could only tell him that these were powerful runes, likely created by the system itself. Imri placed his hand on the nexus, a new flood of information washing over him.
Settlement Overview
Unnamed Settlement (1F) Level 3
Radius of Effect: 515 Meters
Resource Regeneration Bonus: 5.15%
Experience Bonus: 1.03%
A quick perusal of the Settlement information told Imri several things. The settlement provided benefits right away, experience, and regeneration. While both benefits were helpful, they disproportionately affected those who primarily stayed in one place, mainly the crafters and other support personnel. Those focused on gathering resources from the nearby wilderness or fighting monsters, wouldn¡¯t benefit at all from the experience portion. It also appeared that each level the settlement gained increased its benefits and radius by 1%, with his yet-to-be-named settlement having started at level 3 since he had been given Zhaire¡¯s nexus. The next option he looked into was the system store. He was quickly disappointed when he saw that it contained only 2 items, a level 5 F-grade core for 100 credits and a level 10 version for 500 credits. However, a notification appeared, explaining that the system was seeding credits to facilitate system credits becoming the official currency. To do this, it allowed everyone to sell items to the system in exchange for credits. It also explained that system credits would be a frequent reward for quests. Imri did some quick experiments to see how many credits he could get for a variety of items. He checked by initiating a sell request for various items contained within his pack, from simple trail rations, monster cores, jewelry, and his newly created flashbang rock. The first thing that stood out was the abysmal price of the jewelry, while he had always considered most to be severely overpriced before the integration, the system had an even less charitable view of their value. Some of the cheaper pieces sold for less than the 100 credits needed to buy a level 5 core, while even the most extravagant piece didn¡¯t eclipse the 500 needed for a level 10 core. The next thing he noticed was that the system still expected to turn a profit, even with its supposed event to raise sell prices dramatically. He knew this because the same level 5 core that could be bought for 100, only sold for 80. The more mundane pre-integration items sold for almost nothing, usually only 1 or 2 credits. The one pleasant surprise was his flashbang rock, which could be sold for almost 400 credits, a decent haul considering the minimal effort and components used to craft them. He wasn¡¯t the only one testing the store, when he mentioned that anyone could access the store by touching the nexus, many others had taken him up on the opportunity. Most came to similar conclusions while perusing the shop, pre-integration craftsmanship was almost universally seen as worthless by the system, with most of their value being derived from what raw materials they were made up of. Fortunately, Christoph, a larger portly man who had been a successful realtor before the integration, seemed more impressed. He had transitioned from a realtor to a more general merchant profession, and the man hadn''t been successful for no reason. He pointed out that there was tremendous value in the currency itself, system credits. It was a currency that solved many of the issues that modern-day cryptocurrencies were trying to solve, they could be transferred instantly and were seemingly impossible to fake or steal. They were also completely nontangible, existing in pseudo digital state that could be transferred from person to person. The main drawback was that they were controlled by the system, not the local government, so it was impossible to increase the amount of currency in circulation by printing more money. However, some people, including Christoph, saw this as a benefit instead of a downside. They spent the better part of an hour testing their inventory and discussing the various benefits of a magically stored system-controlled currency. Despite this, few took advantage of the store, with no one having started with any credits, and most items had greater value to themselves than being exchanged for a minuscule amount of credits. Those few who did sell an item or two noticed their actual credits were slightly diminished from what they had expected, and a cursory review revealed the culprit. The stingy system had a tax that it deducted from the sale. It was only 2.5%, far lower than the local sales tax in the pre-integration era, but it still elicited a stream of curses when people noticed. There was no escaping taxes, even in an apocalypse. The money for the tax wasn¡¯t entirely wasted. The settlement leveled up by receiving credits from the tax, though it would take far more than a few random sales to level it from 3 to 4. He also noticed a quest had appeared.
New Quest Progress
Settlement Rank Up F to E Number of permanent residents 37/250, number of permanent structures 0/25.
While it would take some time to construct 25 permanent structures, the 250 permanent residents might be harder. While the main contingent of their settlers brought their number only a few dozen short of that, Imri wasn¡¯t sure how they would manage to find more people. He suspected there were still quite a few people who subsisted in the stone forest, their small groups able to avoid the notice of the Azala and Chixel, for now. Unfortunately, it would be no easy task to shepherd them to this settlement. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. With the settlement established, they split into small groups to explore their immediate surroundings. Imri was particularly keen to do some spelunking. Unfortunately, the known entrances to the cave system were almost 7 kilometers away, making a short excursion impractical. Instead, Imri contented himself with traversing the shoreline of their small lake. The lake was nearly circular, with roughly a diameter of a kilometer. The embankment of the shore was mostly sheer cliffs for several meters before the waterline. The water itself was clear and deep, and Imri noticed several underwater entrances into the cliff, possibly a part of the very caves he wanted to explore. They eventually found a natural path that was traversed to reach the water below without cliff jumping. Everyone unanimously agreed that this was a good spot to take a much-earned soak. They took turns, leaping off of the cliff into the deep water that awaited below. As Imri hit the water, he realized it was much warmer than expected for what he assumed was a glacial lake. They spent over an hour in and around the water, relieved to be rid of the accumulated grime from a week of travel. They returned to the nexus, where most everyone had set up their tents and were making another temporary camp until structures were built. With only a couple of hours of daylight, no one felt particularly ambitious on the first day. Some of the other groups had been a bit more productive than they had. Caroline had taken a group to find as many naturally growing herbs, to great success. While there weren''t large forests, some nearby areas had an assortment of bushes and plants, many of which had potent alchemical effects. They even managed to pick some berries that Imri didn¡¯t recognize, looking like a blue strawberry. Sylvi assured them they were edible, reassuring everyone she took one of the berries and bit into it. Imri also tried one and instantly reached for more as the sweet juices of the fruit ran down his beard. Most took that night to relax, enjoying an alcoholic beverage by a campfire that gently crackled. Imri was not one of them, the possibility of powerful denizens of the mountain still pushing him to protect the tranquil plateau they now called home. Imri wanted to craft as much as possible, but he would quickly run out of cores if he didn¡¯t first buy some. He decided to sell an item he hadn¡¯t used in a while, one he regretted using at all. The dark ritual dagger he had gotten off the Chixel priest during the first days of integration. As he went to sell the item, he was shocked to notice it would sell for a staggering sum, over 1 million credits. However, the reason for its immense value wasn¡¯t the item itself, but what it contained. The small cloudy gemstone held the souls of those he had killed with the dagger, and the system was including the souls in the sale price. While Imri wasn''t sure what would happen to the souls if they were claimed by the system, that was one experiment he wasn''t willing to do. He used Spatial Expansion, defining the anchors to be the space between gem and dagger. It was painstaking work to get the anchors right, but he eventually managed to set them. While that had been difficult, the amount of space needed was quite small before the tension was gone and the gem popped out and fell to the ground. Going about destroying the gemstone proved a bit more difficult. He borrowed a hammer and tried smashing it, but it was more resistant than it looked. Instead, he used another spell, Spatial Compression. He had struggled using this spell, mainly because he still found it hard to intuitively define the area he wanted to compress. However, a small immobile gemstone was different than a chaotic fight. He had all the time he needed to define the space he wanted to affect, and he carefully defined it to be around the edge of the gemstone. With the target in mind, he slowly added mana. Like relieving tension, compressing space required only a moderate amount of mana when it was well-defined. The gemstone cracked at the weakest point then shattered, the souls freed from their prison. The dagger without the gemstone and souls sold for far less, only 20,000 but that was more than enough for his purposes. He sold the dagger, forever ridding himself of the cursed weapon as it vanished into thin air, claimed by the system. Credits also weren''t his only reward for his good deed.
Spell Rank Up Improvement
Spatial Expansion F to E Spell''s mana efficiency increased by 2.5%
Spatial Compression F to E Spell''s mana efficiency increased by 2.5%
Imri Padar has reached level 13 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reach level 13 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Constitution 103
+1 Intelligence 157
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 123
+1 FP 93
+3 MP 249
+4 Mana Efficiency 257
+4 Crafting Efficiency 274
Quest Updated Progress
Relativity Mage Rank up E to D Learn new space or time spells 2/5, Rank up space or time spell 4/5.
It was apparent that he needed to practice using his spell efficiently. While he could overcome his shortcomings with raw power, it was important for him to improve his control over his spells. If he could make defining his spells easy and intuitive, he could take advantage of some of the same principles he had used on the gemstone. With his conscience cleared, he returned his focus to crafting. The main shortage had always been cores, the few dozen they had from hunting Ulfr Hounds had never been able to keep up with the entire camp''s demands. Now, they had a way to exchange items for cores, and Imri took full advantage. He returned to making his signature item, the rings of Time Dilation. He managed to have the first one enchanted in less than an hour, not rushing to the point of sloppiness, nor meticulously crafting a masterpiece. The resulting item had a mana efficiency of 147, roughly 20% better than his first Time Dilation item that had earned him the master crafter title, even more so when he considered the design improvement he had made with each iteration. While the enchanted piece of jewelry was undoubtedly a useful item that almost any of the camp''s settlers could use, he didn¡¯t hesitate to sell the item to the system for just under 600 credits. His goal was to grind his Runic Engineer class to a higher level before distributing the items. If he excluded the cost of the jewelry, he had netted over 400 credits for less than an hour of work. He repeated the process, only this time purchasing the level 10 core instead of the cheaper level 5. He spent roughly the same amount of time inscribing the runes into an equivalent piece of jewelry, resulting in a Time Dilation item with mana efficiency 159. Unfortunately, the net profit using this method was slightly lower, with the resulting product selling for just over 900 credits. Despite this, Imri still considered his resources better spent on the higher-level cores. While the net credit gain per hour for himself was lower, the credits going to the settlement more than offset this. He also gained more experience in his profession, which was his main reason for doing this. Imri stopped after his second enchantment, not wanting to strain his mana. The next morning, during breakfast, Caroline mentioned she had conducted a similar exercise, using the readily available cores to concoct potions to sell. Unfortunately, while she had managed to make a few hundred credits, she had rapidly gone through many of the stockpiled herbs they had brought with. She held out hope that some of the more potent ingredients native to the plateau would produce even more valuable potions, but she didn¡¯t want to sell the best products to the system store. She intended to pause her for-credit work and focus on her elixir for Sylvi¡¯s heritage rank up, something many were keenly interested in. Chapter 31: Umbral Heritage Sylvi felt positively wealthy as the proceeds were distributed for parts of the Umbral Tiger. Much of the monster had been put to good use, the hide of the creature was being tanned, the claws and teeth were being used to make weapons, the meat long since eaten, and even some of the other parts were used in Caroline¡¯s potions. This included the eyes and heart for her heritage rank-up elixir, which Caroline proclaimed finished. This didn¡¯t leave much of the creature to sell, but the guts, other organs, and bones had sold for just over 5,000 credits. While not everyone who had contributed was there to agree to the arrangement, it was time-sensitive as the carcass had begun to rot, despite their best efforts to preserve it. ¡°I don¡¯t need the money, my share was the materials for my alchemy,¡± Caroline insisted when Sylvi tried to transfer her portion of the proceeds. ¡°Most of which went into the elixir you made for me,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not like I need the money for anything,¡± Caroline said, shaking her head. ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Christoph interrupted, joining their conversation. He had his tent set up right next to the nexus and a crudely constructed table as his office. ¡°And why is that?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°We¡¯re trying to establish an economy and some simple supply chains. One of those supply chains will be your alchemy. Someone will need to gather your ingredients, be they herbs or monster parts. Thus far, everyone has done so knowing they needed to contribute for the group to survive. Eventually, we won¡¯t just be surviving, and those who gathered your materials will not do so for free.¡± ¡°I suppose all that¡¯s true, but wouldn¡¯t that mean I should pay for the Umbral Tiger materials I used?¡± Caroline pointed out. ¡°You''re right, your share should go to the potions,¡± Sylvi said with a grin. ¡°Now, how much does the system say this elixir is worth?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important, we¡¯re not selling it so I never bothered to have it appraised,¡± Caroline said defensively, catching on to Sylvi¡¯s ploy. Unfortunately for Caroline, she had already handed the finished product over, and she desperately tried to stop Sylvi before she could reach the nexus with it. As it turned out, the solution was worth a boatload of credits, almost 30,000 to be more precise. Sylvi whistled, and Caroline looked bashful as her girlfriend glared at her. ¡°Here I was, thinking I had made it big with a few hundred credits to my name. Apparently, I¡¯m well short of being able to afford it,¡± Sylvi said, relishing teasing her modest girlfriend. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t reconsider selling?¡± Christoph asked, instantly receiving glares from both Sylvi and Caroline. He put his hands up in surrender, ¡°I had to ask.¡± ¡°You helped me get most of the materials for it, and I never paid you for any of that,¡± Caroline pointed out as they promptly ignored Christoph. ¡°Fair enough, that should entitle me to a discount,¡± Sylvi said, tapping her finger against her forehead as she pretended to do some calculations. ¡°How about I owe you 15,000 credits for it?¡± She asked. Caroline looked like she was about to argue, but must have known she wouldn¡¯t win this argument. ¡°Am I ever going to win an argument against you?¡± Caroline asked as Sylvi grinned at her. ¡°When I let you win,¡± Sylvi said with a mischievous grin, eliciting a sigh from Caroline. With that done Sylvi examined the contents of the vial. The liquid inside did not look pleasant to drink, as the various ingredients had turned it brackish. Motes of unnatural darkness flitted about as if moving through the liquid with a will of its own. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be pleasant to drink,¡± Caroline said, stating the obvious. ¡°There are quite a few powerful ingredients packed in. The base liquid is water from the healing spring, it used the two E-grade cores to infuse it with the heart and eyes of the Umbral Tiger and finished with several medicinal herbs. One of my skills told me this is called an E-grade Umbral Heritage elixir, and it recommends the recipient be at least level 10 with a constitution of 125. According to Thrisk, heritage rank-ups aren¡¯t trivial to undergo, even moderately impactful ones are temporarily debilitating. More powerful ones, like the one I made, are even more dangerous, potentially even lethal if your body can¡¯t handle it.¡± Sylvi held the vial with uncertainty. On the one hand, she didn¡¯t want to give up potential advantage, and if this heritage was as potent as Caroline seemed to think it was, she couldn¡¯t afford to wait. On the other hand, potentially being sidelined like Zhaire was something they equally couldn¡¯t afford. Currently, her constitution is lower than the recommended level, sitting at 114. ¡°If I¡¯m higher than the recommended level, does that lessen the constitution requirement?¡± Sylvi asked. Caroline nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯m not going to wait, I need to get stronger.¡± ¡°There is one sensible precaution we could take. You take the elixir near the hot spring, that way you can use it to recover from the worst of the negative effects. Though we won¡¯t be able to use it during the rank-up itself, doing so would interfere with the improvements to your body, potentially even crippling you,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°Let''s go then,¡± Sylvi said, setting off before Caroline could even consider changing her mind. The slight alchemist had to rush after Sylvi to catch up. The spring wasn¡¯t far from the edge of the plateau, but they had a decent hike to reach the switchback. Near midday, they passed a group headed towards the nexus. It was the main contingent of their settlement, completing the final leg of their journey. Zhaire was near the rear of the procession, looking to be almost fully healed, a large scar across his abdomen the only obvious sign of his near-death experience. The spring, which he had visited early in the day, had worked miraculously. When Sylvi explained their plan, a few interested parties asked if they could watch the process, Zhaire among them. They intended to camp near the spring, and there wasn¡¯t much space, so most were refused with the exceptions of Emelia, Zhaire, and Dr. Thompson, who might be able to help in a dire situation. Everyone else just wanted to gawk, but too much needed to be done, so they were ushered onwards to the settlement. They arrived at the spring near the end of the day, the hike taking the better part of a day. Not wanting to waste more time, Sylvi uncorked the vial and poured the liquid down her throat as quickly as physically possible. Despite the appearance, the brackish liquid didn¡¯t taste nearly as bad as it looked, almost having a medical quality. Unfortunately, that was where the pleasant surprises ended. The elixir burned as it went down her throat and into her stomach. She could feel it as it traversed her entire body, having been absorbed into her bloodstream and spreading to every extremity. Despite this, the burning sensation only intensified as it spread. It had originally felt like an IV run wide open, not pleasant by any means, but entirely bearable. It quickly intensified from there, becoming so agonizing that the pain far exceeded the worst injury she had experienced, feeling like fire was burning her from the inside out. She felt her pulse quicken and intensify, pounding in her chest. This was only the prelude, the spreading of the elixir throughout her body. The first localized effect was to her eyes, an intense sharp pain erupting from them as it felt like an invisible force was trying to gouge them out. She shut her eyes and endured it, though she was distantly aware that she had started screaming. Next, her entire muscular-skeletal system changed. Nearly every muscle in her body was pulled apart and reformed like rubber bands being pulled free and replaced with a better version. Fortunately, the change to her skeleton was more subtle, though only slightly less painful, as her bones were reinforced, made to withstand the greater stresses of an E-grade being. Sylvi wasn¡¯t sure how long the process took. It felt like days as she was unable to adjust to the pain constantly shifting throughout her body. Eventually, the pain subsided and then stopped completely. She lay on the rocks for several minutes, not finding it uncomfortable in the slightest. She would have laid there for a while if someone hadn¡¯t come over and helped her up. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Her vision was blurry, but it quickly came into focus, though something about her eyes seemed different, as if she was seeing things through a different filter. That¡¯s when she realized it was dark, yet she was able to see everything as if she had a pair of night vision goggles on. She inspected herself, noting that she was covered in all manner of bodily fluids, a vile mixture of sweat, pus, and oil having been excreted from her pores and not in small quantities. Her clothes were utterly soaked and ruined from the sheer amount of the stuff. She took a tentative step, her entire body protesting from the minute motion as if she were an elderly woman after surgery. Caroline, who had helped her up, provided an arm for her to lean on, not caring that her clothes were becoming filthy as well. ¡°Help me out of these clothes,¡± Sylvi said as she tried and failed to take her shirt off. ¡°Turn around,¡± Caroline shouted to the gawking men before doing as Sylvi asked. It took a couple of minutes to get her undressed, Emelia also helping when it became apparent that Caroline was struggling. Sylvi resisted the urge to plunge right into the healing spring, however the thought of contaminating the pristine water with bodily fluids was sacrilege. Instead, she insisted that Caroline wipe off as much of the offending fluids as she could with a towel and then a sponge. When that was done, she was helped into the spring. Despite the healing quality, the experience wasn¡¯t entirely pleasant as her body rapidly healed. As the agony and stiffness subsided, she could immediately tell she had undergone some major improvements.
Heritage Human (1F) has ranked up to Human (1E)
Human (1E)
Primary Stats / Level Improvement
Strength .15% +.1%
Agility .25% +.15%
Constitution .15% +.1%
Intelligence .1% +.05%
Willpower .1% +.05%
Charisma .1% +.05%
Secondary Stats / Level
HP .3% +.2%
FP .15% +.05%
MP .15% +.05%
HP Regen Rate .3% +.3%
FP Regen Rate .25% +.25%
MP Regen Rate .1% +.1%
Base Strength improved from 104 to 106
Base Agility improved from 127 to 130
Base Constitution improved from 110 to 112
Base Intelligence improved from 104 to 105
Base Willpower improved from 123 to 124
Base Charisma improved from 98 to 99
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+4 Strength 111
+6 Agility 140
+4 Constitution 118
+2 Intelligence 107
+2 Willpower 127
+1 Charisma 100
Secondary Stats Gained
+13 HP 139
+16 FP 176
+5 MP 137
+18 Attack Efficiency 203
+5 Mana Efficiency 161
Trait Gained Tier/Rank Description
Umbral Eyes 1F See through all forms of darkness, including umbral darkness. Improves overall visual acuity by 5%.
Umbral Affinity 1F Gain innate magic to manipulate and create the umbral element. Mana efficiency for umbral element improved by 2.5%.
Spell Gained
Umbral Shroud 1F Create a shroud of intangible darkness. Mana cost/second varies by the volume of the shroud, distance from the caster to the furthest point in the shroud, and luminosity.
Umbral Shaping 1F Manipulate the form of the umbra, allowing it to be moved or shaped. Mana cost/second varies by the volume of umbra being manipulated, speed of manipulation, and distance from caster to target.
Sylvi gaped at the improvements. She had been jealous of Imri¡¯s rapid improvement in reaching tier 2 in his profession, but this exceeded even that. Unlike class and profession improvements, the improvements from heritage were visible for all to see. Her body, already toned and fit, had been improved, her muscles slightly more efficient and lithe, while any trace of fat had been removed, accentuating her form. Not only had this improved her base attributes, it had permanently increased her cap on her base attribute. If her maximum agility, the limit she could have achieved by focusing her training and dedicating herself, had been 150, it was now closer to 160. This far exceeded the immediate base attribute she had gained, meaning there was now more room to improve as she trained her new body. Sylvi desperately wanted to try her new magic, something that caused mana efficiency to be a new line item on her character sheet. Unfortunately, her mana, along with the other two resource pools, had been nearly completely depleted. Only HP had seen a significant recovery, thanks to the hot spring she was soaking in. As she stepped out of the spring, her naked form silhouetted against the moonlight, Caroline ogled her. Even Zhaire and Dr. Thompson gaped until Emelia elbowed them in the ribs. ¡°Like what you see?¡± Sylvi whispered suggestively into Caroline¡¯s ear as she accepted a towel. ¡°You were sexy as hell before this, now it''s not even fair. The eyes will take some getting used to.¡± ¡°The eyes?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Yeah, your eyes aren¡¯t human anymore. They''re not bad, just different.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± Instead of answering her, Caroline handed Sylvi a small mirror. Her eyes were indeed different, resembling a cat¡¯s with slitted pupils, reflecting light in such a way that they almost seemed to glow. Zhaire approached the moment Sylvi was dressed. He glanced at Sylvi but then shifted his attention to Caroline. ¡°Can you make more of those and make them with other monster parts?¡± He asked bluntly. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, though I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell you if a monster would work until I can inspect them. Also, this wouldn¡¯t be something I can mass produce, not at this quality anyway. This elixir took a lot of work to prepare and no small amount of mana. While the next one likely wouldn¡¯t take as long, it''s no rush job,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°I¡¯ll see that you have whatever you need,¡± Zhaire said, nodding curtly. ¡°One more thing. In addition to the materials, I expect payment for this,¡± Caroline said, looking somewhat sheepish for demanding she be paid for her work. ¡°Payment?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Imri and the merchant named Christoph are establishing an economy. There¡¯s a system-run store that provides credits in exchange for items. I was told I shouldn¡¯t work for free, to help establish some sort of normalcy back,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡± Zhaire said, though he clearly didn¡¯t fully understand the concept. Sylvi let the details of their conversation fade into background noise as she reminded herself that her girlfriend was more than capable of handling her own negotiations. She excused herself and went to the tent they set up for the night. She practically collapsed upon reaching it, falling asleep instantly from exhaustion more profound than anything she had experienced. Chapter 32: Celestia Imri set out for the cave first thing after breakfast. Their group, which consisted of almost a dozen people interested in spelunking, was led by a now-recovered Sylvi. One day wouldn''t be sufficient time to reach and explore the cave properly, so it would be a two-day expedition. Sylvi was easily able to recall and lead them to the entrance to the cave system. They arrived near midday and proceeded to set up safety lines and conduct equipment checks. Imri used the opportunity to craft a quick light enhancement on a ring, just on the off chance that their more conventional lighting failed. The entrance was massive, more than 5 meters in height and width, quickly sloping down. As they traveled further in, the sound of running water could be heard, along with moisture in the air, allowing several fungi and mosses to grow, which were promptly harvested as samples to be studied. They moved slower as footing became precarious and the tunnel narrowed. It continued to narrow while increasing in pitch. They passed several branching passages that were either more narrow or more steep than the route they took. Still, they would have been likely to get lost and never find the way back, were it not for the guidewire they trailed behind them and chalk marks placed in dry locations for redundancy and future expeditions. As the passages became increasingly hard to traverse, Imri was beginning to question if they would keep venturing much further. However, their persistence paid off when a small passage opened into a massive cavern. The cavern was nearly 20 meters high and continued forward for more than double that distance. Unfortunately, the walkable area was far smaller, with the ground on the right side of the cave sliding down at an angle too steep to walk down. The source of the running water also became apparent, as a natural chute created from the water eroding the rock cut across the cavern and down the steep incline. As their light swept across, natural glimmers reflected, as natural crystal formations were scattered throughout. Sylvi motioned for them to stop, having already warned them that the expedition would stop the moment anything dangerous was encountered. With the ledge not entirely flat, even at some of the safer points it angled down slightly, if anyone lost their footing and started sliding they would slide off the edge before anything would arrest their momentum. Sylvi didn¡¯t follow her own advice, moving out onto the ledge and confidently striding towards one of the more accessible crystals. While it was a thin piece, something Imri had expected Sylvi to snap off with ease, the crystal was not so brittle, requiring Sylvi to hack at it with a pickaxe. When she finally managed to free it, she returned with the sample and showed it to their amateur geologist who had gained a profession focused on mineral extraction and prospecting. The geologist spent several moments carefully inspecting it under the light, but eventually shook his head. Imri wasted no time identifying the item with his skill.
Item Tier/Rank Quality Description
Espeonite 2F Unknown An uncut crystal capable of holding vast amounts of mana.
It was the first time Imri¡¯s Identify skill had failed to return an exact quality of something he had inspected. This alone told him that the Espeonite crystal was an incredibly potent mana-storing material, something exceeding pre-integration precious stones. The fact that he couldn''t identify the quality also explained the more vague description. When Imri explained that this small sample was likely worth more than a small mountain of diamonds, Sylvi had to practically restrain some of the more over-eager members of their expedition. She eventually relented to allow several more extractions of the precious stones, but only after she secured a piton into the wall. It took a while for them to pass Sylvi¡¯s rigorous instructions as she drilled them on properly using the climbing safety equipment. Imri was beginning to think it would have been easier for her to clear out the entire cavern than for them to meet her standard. Finally, she proclaimed they were proficient enough that it was less likely they would fall to their deaths. They spent over an hour prospecting the cave, producing a small backpack full of the precious crystals. There were still more to be claimed, but most of the more accessible items had been extracted. With this accomplished, they called it a successful day, backtracking to the entrance using the guide wire. It took nearly as long returning, as the wet incline up proved every bit as difficult to manage as the descent. When they returned to the nexus the following day, one of the first things that was checked was the sale price of the various materials they had collected. They were shocked to discover the Espeonite crystal sold for a staggering amount. Even the smallest of the crystals sold for several thousand credits, while the largest could sell for almost ten thousand credits. Christoph was practically salivating at the wealth contained in the small pack. He had a skill that gave him slightly more favorable prices when dealing in the system store, and they had agreed Christoph would handle all transactions. Christoph would pass on a portion of his discount to everyone who brought him items to buy or sell, while he pocketed the rest. Imri reluctantly agreed that most of the crystal should be sold. While he could see many potential uses for such large mana storage in the future, there weren¡¯t many immediate uses. The proceeds were split evenly among every member of the expedition, excluding Imri who took the smallest crystal for his own use. Imri also claimed the largest crystal for the settlement, and he intended to use it as a communal mana storage device. The idea was that everyone who didn¡¯t have a use for their mana could practice mana control by infusing their mana into the crystal. Then, if there was ever an emergency need for mana, like when Zhaire had been injured, they wouldn¡¯t need to scrounge up jewelry and ask for help. Instead, someone would simply need to bring the crystal to whomever needed it. Everyone was satisfied with the arrangements, and the first large capital injection was added to their settlement. After the excitement of spelunking had worn off, Imri found himself mired in reports on the status of the settlement. While there had been no additional casualties during the journey, the delay in arriving meant they were dangerously low on supplies, especially food. Although they had managed to find several different natural food sources, mainly berries and an apple-like fruit, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain their current population, never mind if they somehow managed to attract more people. He had a pair of people, a farmer, and a biologist, working on a more permanent agricultural solution, but that wouldn¡¯t solve their immediate need. Instead, they would need a way to go to humanity''s hunter-gatherer roots, specifically their hunter aspect. There were several options for a hunting party, though all of them involved traveling back to the SeaGrass Plains. The Starseekers were fast, tough, and traveled in herds, making them a poor choice. The Umbral Tigers were an option, but their lithe sinewy bodies had little meat on them, relative to how hard they were to track down and fight. However, neither humans nor Starseekers appeared to be the tiger''s main prey. The big cats would need something more substantial to hunt, something that had somehow eluded human notice until recently. A sentry had spotted the mysterious creature from a vantage point near the base of the mountain. It essentially looked like a giant porcupine, with numerous thin shards that could easily be mistaken for sea grass from a distance, with the body of something that more closely resembled a large hog. While this creature was likely the antithesis of a soft target, the prize would likely feed the entire camp for weeks. A less pressing issue was naming the settlement, though the fervor with which this was discussed seemed to indicate it was higher on everyone else''s metaphorical list. Imri frowned as more and more names relating to stars were suggested, despite Imri repeatedly pointing out that mana storms were not shooting stars. Ultimately, he let the settlement democratically pick the name, though he would veto the results if Starry-McStar-Face won. Fortunately, only a few people voted for that atrocious name. In an overwhelming majority, the name Celestia was selected. It was selected after hearing the story of the woman who lost her daughter, Celeste, at the beginning of the integration. Seeing the mana storm had reminded her of the Celestial and her daughter. It also fit with the motif of the mountains extending to the heavens, and it was unanimously decided that the tallest of the mountains that towered over the plateau would be named Mount Celestia, with the peak named Celeste¡¯s Rest. As Celestia became a proper settlement, Imri delegated as much as possible. His first order of business was creating a city council, consisting of three people with experience running businesses, and Emelia was overjoyed not to be involved. He left most of the responsibility for running the settlement to the council, including establishing a fiscal policy to help grow their economy. Their first official act was establishing a separate 2.5% sales tax that went back to the city instead of the system, something the system was able to implement at the point of purchase. Meaning there was now an automatic 5% markup on every transaction. It still was less than most sales taxes before the integration, so there were only moderate grumblings upon hearing of the policy. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The council also passed a law requiring written permission to extract water from the healing spring when it was discovered that a few enterprising individuals had filled their water bottles with the precious liquid, only to then sell it to the system for several thousand credits, despite its diminished effect upon leaving the spring. Caroline had also taken a few bottles of the water to make her elixir and a few more potent healing potions. While neither use had been wasteful, and it was something Imri was open to allowing in moderation, it would do none of them any good if the spring was completely emptied of its potent water. The settlers of Celestia quickly formed into four groups, each consisting of a significant portion of their population. The first group was the gatherers. They were further divided into two groups, foragers, who spent their time picking fruits and herbs, and prospectors, who searched for mineral deposits such as the Espeonite they had discovered while spelunking. The prospectors were also tasked with finding suitable sites where stones could be quarried for building materials. Both gatherer groups functioned as exploration teams, ranging throughout the plateau and mapping it out. The next group was the hunters, consisting of most of their most powerful fighters, including Sylvi and Zhaire, and experienced outdoorsmen. They spent a few days training and conditioning while the logistics for another expedition were planned out. They were also tasked as lookouts, rotating people who watched over the plains and trails that led up to the plateau. The third and largest group was the laborers, consisting of miners who would extract the more common materials and the builders who would build the city. They also had a small contingent of foresters, who were responsible for supplying wood while maintaining the few groves that dotted the plateau. The final and smallest group were the artisans, consisting of the crafters, like Imri and Caroline, and the supporters. They had a growing number of people picking up crafts that would have seemed outdated before the system, with a tanner, leatherworker, carpenter, bowyer, and blacksmith. The latter was taken up by Avery, who had since joined the ranks of those with both a class and profession. All of the craftsmen, except for Imri and Caroline, had yet to produce a finished product, but most seemed genuinely interested in their chosen craft. The support staff were the administrators, including the three city councilors, the merchant Christoph, and Russ the contract lawyer. Russ was intriguing, he was able to use his class to enforce the terms of a contract, with the help of the system. The greater the number of terms and the greater the consequences for breaking the contract, the greater the amount of mana he needed to infuse the contract with. Like almost every other semi-permanent effect, his contracts also required cores. Within the first few days of enacting the laws and organizational structure, a good deal of items had been sold to the system via Christoph. This resulted in an immediate benefit through the taxes the system had been taking out, with Celestia leveling to a level 4 settlement. Imri also focused on his personal growth, leaving the city in the council''s hands. When he heard about the miraculous effect Caroline¡¯s heritage elixir had, he inquired about having his own made. While she assured him she could make him something, he worried that it wouldn¡¯t be so simple. He trusted Caroline enough that he divulged his unusual heritage to her, not wanting that to cause an issue with the elixir. She seemed to take the revelation in stride, similar to Emelia finding his strange abilities as just another peculiarity of the system and not something that made him an other. He supposed this shouldn¡¯t be too surprising, given that Sylvi was now a self-proclaimed cat person, even though her heritage still clearly identified her as human. Caroline did admit she wasn¡¯t sure how his heritage would affect the elixir. Imri also had an intuition that his natural heritage would be stronger than what Sylvi had gotten, and if a suitable monster wasn''t found he would simply let his mysterious heritage rank up naturally. Imri resumed the routine he had grown accustomed to before the journey. Starting the day off with exercise to improve his physical fitness, training with the hunting party who had yet to depart. He had quickly seen improvement in his fitness, though Zhaire suggested this was more likely from his hiking, with the gain to his base constitution coming after he had fully recuperated.
Base Constitution has increased from 98 to 99
After physical training, he moved into meditation to recover mana, though he varied from walking meditation to a more conventional meditation within the boundary of the nexus for its MP regeneration bonus. After that, he would craft his enchantments. He continued to invest his mana monotonously into the same enchantments, day after day. His personal growth had somewhat stagnated, completing the same enchantment in the same manner every night providing little in the way of experience. Still, he did eventually manage to push his profession to the next level. Though he gained several hundred credits a night and managed to achieve another level in only several days, it didn¡¯t feel like enough to Imri. He felt that his rune work had stagnated because his profession had caught up to his class. If he could learn and improve his spells, that would hopefully provide a spark of inspiration for his craft. The first area of weakness that he wanted to shore up was his lack of offense. The only direct damage he ever dealt was with his spatial compression spell, and that had only been effective against stationary Ulfr Hounds. It certainly didn¡¯t hold up against Azala or Chixel, let alone something more powerful like the Umbral Tiger. He began contemplating his spatial concepts. His spatial compression and spatial expansion were aptly named, doing exactly what the name suggested they would. There were two fundamental forces, a push and a pull on space. His boundless step spell allowed him to fold space, bending it to connect two distant planes. If he could bend space, couldn¡¯t he also tear it apart? The idea gave him some trepidation, the very thought of destroying space itself seemed cosmic. For a brief moment, he feared that if he actually succeeded he would unleash a calamity upon this new world. He quickly shook his head, realizing that such a power would require an incredible amount of mana that he didn¡¯t even come close to possessing. If destroying a small amount of space would do such a thing, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to cast it, even if his conceptual thinking was correct. He dismissed his fears and focused on shaping his mana to produce the effect. His first few attempts yielded no results. He continued to try, each time making the tear smaller and pouring mana into the spell. He was close to stopping, the amount of mana he was spending far exceeding the amount he wanted to spend in a day when he succeeded. A small tear in space appeared a black void of nothingness not much larger than a fingernail and razor-thin. As the spell ended a moment later, the air rippled and there was a shimmer effect as air and light rushed back into the space that reappeared.
Spell Learned Tier/Rank Description
Spatial Tear 1F Create a tear in space relative to a frame reference. Nothing can exist where there is no space, and anything that comes into contact with the tear will cease to exist. Mana cost is determined by the size of the tear and the distance from the caster.
Quest Updated Progress
Relativity Mage Rank Up E to D Learn new space or time spells 3/5, time or space spells Ranked Up: 4/5
Imri Padar has reached Level 14 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached Level 14 in Primordial (1F)
Imri Padar has reached Level 12 in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats Gained
+1 Agility 90
+2 Intelligence 159
+1 Willpower 139
+1 Charisma 95
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 FP 94
+8 MP 257
+7 Mana Efficiency 264
+9 Crafting Efficiency 283
Imri smiled as he read his new spell, deciding to forgo his usual constraints on mana usage in favor of experimenting. It didn¡¯t take him long to burn through the better part of his mana pool. The spell was incredibly taxing, even for tiny tears. As Imri tested it by throwing objects into the spatial tear, its primary function became clear. It certainly was a form of offense that he had been missing, and if anything was too extreme to be efficient. The tear was essentially a blade that could cut through anything because matter couldn¡¯t exist within it. It also wasn¡¯t solid, it wasn¡¯t anything, so nothing could bounce off it or some such nonsense. It would simply destroy anything, no matter how much force the object had when it came into contact with the tear. He also experimented with how the spell could be moved through space. By default he had defined the frame of reference to the planet, allowing the tear to appear fixed in the air. However, he quickly discovered he could send the tear hurtling towards his target. He did this by creating an imagined frame of reference, essentially he was pretending to hurl an imagined object forward, then defining the frame of reference to be said imaginary object. He found this easier to accomplish when he went through with a throwing motion, giving it the appearance that he was actually throwing the spatial tear. He still only had a rudimentary grasp on the spell, when he reached a level of mana that gave him a headache. He rubbed his temples and gave up on spell casting for the day. He gulped down a mana potion and began another meditation. Chapter 33: New Bonds Emelia said her farewells as the hunting party departed, giving Imri three kisses in quick succession. She would be accompanying the hunting party as their healer, while Dr. Thompson remained behind to help those in Celestia. He also had the advantage of sending people to the healing spring if more mundane medicine couldn¡¯t handle whatever ailments befell them. She had been relieved when the council had been formed and didn¡¯t include her. She had never been a good leader, and having empathy to some extent made leading more difficult. She found it hard to be objective about decisions when she knew just how passionate a person was about a particular topic. With Imri and the council running the settlement, things would get done most efficiently and practically, something they needed with how little margin for error there was. Their hunting parties consisted of about a dozen hunters each, forming three parties in total, with a few people left behind to defend Celestia and serve as lookouts. The three highest-level people, herself, Zhaire, and Sylvi, were split among the groups, one in each. Imri had been opposed to having her among lower-level fighters, insisting that Sylvi or Zhaire be with her group. Emelia had shut that down right away, they would need to gain trust in everyone, not just Zhaire and Sylvi. The lead warrior in their group was a man named Brad. He was pleasant, if a bit quiet and awkward, reminding her of Imri in that way. The similarities ended there, where Imri was always deep in thought, while Brad rarely ever thought at all. He was a lead warrior simply by his physical strength, which was far from Zhaire¡¯s level but still quite impressive if his level and physique were any indication to go off of. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t inclined to push moronic ideas onto them, instead leaving the decision-making to Emelia and their lead tracker, a middle-aged man named Jenson. Jenson wasn¡¯t quite on Sylvi¡¯s level of proficiency, but he was one of the few who had spent most of his life in rural areas, having only been near the city by happenstance. He knew how to hunt and survive in the wilderness, and everyone respected his perspective. Emelia figured the group would work well enough together, at least her empathy didn¡¯t pick up on anyone harboring resentment or ill intent. Hopefully, the hunt would go smoothly, and everyone would get along. The first few days were uneventful and Emelia got to know the group a bit better. They were all normal people, having had boring mundane jobs before the integration. Most were in over their head, and like Emelia, they had looked up to their leaders for their ability to adapt to the system. Unlike her, they hadn¡¯t known them before the integration, and they almost seemed to disbelieve her when she brought up their pre-integration situations. They held the three in almost a reverent semi-religious awe that scared Emelia. She was actually relieved that she wasn¡¯t viewed in the same light, with them having a more moderate degree of awe at her abilities. However, some did reference her saving Zhaire as a sort of miraculous holy act. Emelia quickly decided not to bring up the three of them again, the entire situation making her somewhat uncomfortable. On the morning of the fourth day, they came across a pair of human travelers, looking half-starved and wretched. They were on the younger side, in their older teens, both short and slight. The two were fraternal twins, Antonio and Veronica Costa. ¡°You can stick with us for now. We¡¯re out hunting game on the plains, but we have a small settlement that we¡¯re building on a mountain plateau,¡± Jenson explained as the teenagers greedily devoured some of the rations the group had given them. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Antonio asked, getting an elbow to his bony ribs from his sister. ¡°We would love that,¡± Veronica beamed. The gathered hunters chuckled at their antics but nodded along, ignoring the brothers'' question. ¡°Were you forced to flee the Chixel or Azala?¡± Emelia asked after the two had finished eating as much as they could handle, which wasn¡¯t much. ¡°The what?¡± both asked in unison. ¡°The lizardmen or the mind-controlling parasites,¡± Jenson clarified. ¡°No, we were fleeing from dog ogres,¡± Antonio said matter of fact. ¡°Of course, there are dog ogres. What else can this sick and twisted fucked up place throw at us next?¡± one of the hunters moaned, getting a chorus of nods. ¡°So, are they werewolves or something?¡± another asked. ¡°Not really. For one, they¡¯re not shapeshifters. Second off, they aren¡¯t all sleek and graceful like the werewolves in movies, they¡¯re just big, like eight feet tall and chunky. Their faces and bodies are pudgy like they¡¯re a cross between Shaq and a bulldog,¡± Antonio explained. ¡°They might not be sleek and graceful, but they¡¯re strong and tough with keen senses. In the first week, a lot of people were gathering in what was once Kansas City. Just when things seemed to be under control the giants showed up. They utterly decimated what little resistance the city had, before going on a rampage throughout the city. We ran and have kept running since. We had hoped to find somewhere safe but¡­¡± The young girl stopped mid-sentence, tears streaming down her face. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Celestia might not be perfectly safe just yet, but we won¡¯t let anything happen to you,¡± Emelia said, infusing a bit of her ability to subtly calm and reassure the girl. ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but how have you two survived this long?¡± Jenson asked. While the question might have been callous, Emelia had been wondering the same thing. They were gaunt and likely didn¡¯t have the strength to face an Ulfr Hound, let alone something like an Umbral Tiger. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely helpless,¡± Veronica said, looking defiantly at Jenson but didn¡¯t elaborate further. Emelia could feel the confidence in the young girl''s words, but also an unease. They certainly didn¡¯t want this line of questioning. Jenson shrugged and let the matter drop. The next couple of days were uneventful, with much of the free time spent discussing the situation with the teenage siblings. They warned them about the Umbral Tigers once they felt the teenagers wouldn¡¯t panic. When they had asked why they hunted anyway, Jenson just shrugged and pointed out they still needed to eat. The hunt itself was not productive, with them having only seen several Starseeker herds. Brad, being the bright individual he was, shot at the creatures from over a hundred meters away with a rifle designed to shoot pre-integration deer. Needless to say, the ammo was wasted and the herd sped off. Fortunately, the Starseekers decided not to trample their group. Of the needle grass hogs, there was no sign, and Emelia would have believed them a myth if she hadn¡¯t trusted the scout who had seen it. They were nearly ready to start making their way back to Celestia when Jenson shouted a warning. The sight came into view over a small rise in the rolling plain. A lone Starseeker neighed, kicking its hooves wildly. It was gimpy and moved about in obvious pain, several long gouges were torn down its flank. The reason for its panic wasn¡¯t immediately visible, but it was obvious that an Umbral Tiger was stalking the injured beast. Eventually, they spotted the dark tiger crouched in the grass, staying clear of the flailing, waiting for the larger horse-like beast to tire itself out. Emelia watched the scene unfolding, terror threatening to overtake her, but not her own. The Starseeker¡¯s agony and primal terror were so intense that it threatened to overwhelm her empathic senses. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, vaguely aware that Jenson was telling them to retreat before the tiger finished off its prey. Emelia ignored him, ignored everything but the feelings radiating from the terrified creature. Something about it was more profound than the instinctual fear all living creatures had for death, it was more profound, like something she would¡¯ve felt from a person. ¡°We have to save the Starseeker,¡± Emelia stated. She didn¡¯t wait for a response, instead, she started marching down the hill, towards the Umbral Tiger. A stream of curses followed from the hunters behind her as they had to race after her. Emelia unholstered her handgun and pointed it toward the predator. She had been given the gun for her protection, but she was far from a good shot, having never fired a gun until recently. She had spent some time training with Sylvi, but their limited ammo meant most had been instructional, as opposed to actual experience firing the gun. She didn¡¯t want to shoot from this distance and potentially hit the Starseeker inadvertently. Fortunately, Jenson didn¡¯t have that issue. He sighted down his rifle and fired a shot that hit the Tiger center mass in what should have been a lethal hit. However, the Umbral creature¡¯s supernatural constitution and armor-like hide meant it was only moderate injury. The creature yelped in pain before releasing the unnaturally dark mist that completely obscured it as several meters of area in each direction were blanketed. Thanks to Sylvi¡¯s new abilities they now had a somewhat better understanding of what the Umbral Tiger was capable of. The dark mist was magical in nature and consumed mana, more so with limited shadows to pull in, meaning this mist would disperse in short order. They also knew that the Umbral creature could see through the mist, making it unwise for anyone to approach. The tiger almost snuck up on them, slinking out of the mist in a low crouch. Fortunately, the teenage girl spotted it and pointed a slender finger towards the beast. It wasn¡¯t purely to alert them, as some unseen force sent the monster careening down the slope. With a thud, the beast impacted the bottom, momentarily dazing the creature as the wind was knocked from it. Before it could recover, the Starseeker brought its full weight down on the beast, trampling it with its considerable weight. It continued stomping and mashing the creature into the ground, even after it was obvious the beast wouldn¡¯t be getting up again. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Emelia raced towards the Starseeker, ignoring everything else for the moment. The majestic beast was still badly injured, having only been able to keep going from adrenaline. Now that it was waning, the creature could barely stand, blood gushing from the massive rends the predator had inflicted upon it before Emelia had arrived. Despite this, the creature stubbornly persisted in kicking and attempting to gore Emelia as she approached it. Emelia used her empathic abilities for the first time on a non-human, sending calming waves into the Starseeker. She sent her own emotions to the creature to help it understand that she didn¡¯t want to hurt it. Eventually, the creature relented, though it was as much being physically too weak to fight as anything else. ¡°I¡¯m here to help you, we¡¯re friends,¡± Emelia said aloud to the Starseeker. The words seemed to have even more of an effect than her abilities had, as the creature visibly stopped struggling. With the creature''s trust won over, Emelia approached its wounded flank. It was even worse than it had appeared from a distance, the wound was deep, having cut into the muscle before stopping at the bone. Emelia didn¡¯t hesitate, pouring the majority of her mana into her healing spell. The Starseeker likely had a massive health pool, with a lot of damage taken from the one injury. Her healing was effective enough, the spell healed the worst of the damage to the muscles and partially mended the hide of the impressive beast. It was still bleeding and still had a noticeable limp as it took a few experimental steps. It looked at Emelia, comprehending what she had done for it as gratitude flooded her empathic senses. Almost as strong as the sense of gratitude was another more complex emotion, a sense of pride and duty radiated from it. Emelia focused, her head foggy from the sheer amount of mana she had used. She struggled to understand what the Starseeker was trying to express. Did it have a sense of obligation to her? Did it feel indebted to her? She was sure that mana loss was messing with her senses, but the more she studied the sensations, the more certain she was. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, you can rejoin your herd,¡± Emelia said, wondering where said herd was when she said that. Instead of taking off, the Starseeker nuzzled Emelia affectionately, surprisingly gentle for a creature of its size. ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯re not hunting Starseekers if you¡¯re going to heal them,¡± Jenson said as he regarded Emelia with a mix of annoyance and admiration. ¡°They¡¯re not just beasts, they¡¯re smart and kind. It would be a travesty to hunt one,¡± Emelia explained. Jenson sighed but didn¡¯t argue the point, instead, he looked over to Veronica. ¡°So, care to explain what happened in that fight? Miss, ''I¡¯m more capable than I look'',¡± Jenson said as he looked at the slender teenage girl. ¡°Promise you won¡¯t throw us out of your settlement just because of our abilities,¡± Veronica said. ¡°That depends on¡­¡± Jenson started to say before Emelia cut him off. ¡°Yes, we promise,¡± Emelia said firmly. Despite the assurances, the siblings didn¡¯t immediately answer, instead, they shared a look at each other before wordlessly agreeing. ¡°You have to understand, we didn¡¯t want to keep it a secret,¡± Antonio said, speaking for both of them. ¡°It¡¯s just people sometimes react very negatively when they find out what Veronica can do. The few times people have found out what I can do, they¡¯ve tried to kill me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m sure we¡¯re more open-minded than the other groups you might have come across,¡± Emelia explained when Antonio hesitated. She could feel his trepidation and fear still linger so she added on. ¡°A lot of people were afraid of me too. I¡¯m not just a healer, I¡¯m an empath, I can sense other people''s emotions and manipulate them.¡± ¡°You used that on me when we first met when I was upset after telling you about Kansas City,¡± Veronica said, her fear replaced with anger. ¡°I did,¡± Emelia admitted. ¡°I was only trying to help, but I shouldn¡¯t have done it without your permission.¡± ¡°Veronica, it¡¯s fine. She¡¯s telling us this when she didn¡¯t have to. We might be strong, but you saw how strong the monsters are here. We need to trust them,¡± Antonio said. ¡°She wasn¡¯t messing with your head,¡± Veronica pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s not like she did something awful, she helped you,¡± Antonio said. ¡°You would side with the big-boobed empath,¡± Veronica huffed and looked away from her brother, now more annoyed at him than Emelia. ¡°We both have abilities. Veronica and I are both psionics, she has telekinesis and I have telepathy,¡± Antonio explained. ¡°Tele what now?¡± Brad asked. ¡°Veronica can move things with her mind. I can read and control creatures'' minds,¡± Antonio clarified. ¡°So you could mind control us?¡± Jenson asked. ¡°In theory, yes. Though I don¡¯t have the mana to outright dominate any of you, let alone all of you,¡± Antonio said. Everyone stared at Antonio in horror and the teenager visibly deflated at the outright hostility, his emotion oscillating from disappointed to terrified. ¡°Come on Antonio, let''s go. We¡¯ll find another place to stay,¡± Veronica said as she turned to leave. ¡°Those abilities sound useful, I¡¯m sure we can find a use for your talents,¡± Emelia said, ignoring the comment from Veronica. ¡°You''re not kicking us out?¡± Antonio asked. ¡°While I don¡¯t know the exact limits of what you''re capable of, I doubt you could mind control any of our three craziest members, each of which has an insane amount of willpower. I¡¯m also an empath, I will know if you''re outright hostile or up to no good. Also, if you mess with my mind my boyfriend Imri will know right away, and he¡¯s one of those three crazy strong people. Oh, and I have resistance to mental attacks,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t use my abilities on anyone from your settlement,¡± Antonio said, relief flooding through him and, to a lesser extent, Veronica. With the psionic twins now somewhat mollified, Emelia turned her attention back to the Starseeker, who waited patiently nearby, making no moves to run off. ¡°I guess we¡¯re your herd now,¡± Emelia said as she patted the creature on the head. It leaned into Emelia¡¯s touch as if agreeing with the sentiment. They spent the rest of the day traveling back towards Celestia, camping near the base of the mountain. The Starseeker traveled with them, and eventually, everyone just accepted it. She wondered what she would do tomorrow, the majestic creature was far too large for some of the narrower passes they had to traverse to reach Celestia. However, the thought of simply abandoning the Starseeker seemed equally unacceptable. If she knew it was safe and that they would see each other again, then perhaps things would be alright. Something happened as she desired that outcome, with a more pressing notification demanding her attention.
Emelia Fields has gained the profession Beast Tamer (1F)
Beast Tamer (1F)
Experience Gained: You gain experience in this profession by directing your bestial companion and having it complete tasks for you.
Primary Stats / Level Secondary Stats / Level
Agility .05% HP .25%
Constitution .05% FP .25%
Intelligence .05%
Willpower .15%
Charisma .2%
Achievements Gained Rank Attributes/Rank Description
Powerful Taming 14 .1% Tame a beast with a greater level than your own, 1 rank/level difference.
High Grade Taming 1 .15% Tame a beast with a greater rank or tier than your heritage, 1 rank/grade and tier.
Emelia Fields has reached Level 3 in Beast Tamer (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+2 Strength 100
+2 Agility 114
+2 Constitution 111
+2 Intelligence 112
+2 Willpower 116
+2 Charisma 128
Secondary Stats Gained
+6 HP 114
+5 FP 128
+4 MP 134
+5 Mana Efficiency 168
Skill Gained Rank/Tier Description
Bestial Bond 1F Form a connection with a bestial entity. Through the bond, you and your bonded beast can sense the other''s location and general condition. You both gain an instinctual understanding of the other''s thoughts and feelings, allowing for improved communication. This bond can never be reciprocal, one must be the master of the other.
Trait Gained
Strengthened Through Bonds 1F Your bonded beast companion is strengthened through the Bestial Bond. Your beast companion gains .1% of your primary stats / 10 charisma you possess.
Emelia felt the second presence in her mind: the Starseeker. It felt very similar, if less intense, to her bond with Imri. It was less emotional and more informative, though she could tell that the Starseeker was still in pain from its injuries despite limping less. It helped that Emelia¡¯s bond gave the Starseeker a point in each of its primary stats. Emelia drank a mana potion and tried to sleep. Before falling asleep, she named the Starseeker Orion, sticking with the star motif. She knew Imri would hate the name, but that only made her smile more. Supplement 3: Character Sheet - Imri through Chapter 33
Imri Padar
Level 14 Relativity Mage (1E), Level 14 Primordial (1F), Level 12 Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Attributes New Value
Strength 116
Agility 90
Constitution 103
Intelligence 159
Willpower 139
Charisma 95
Secondary Attributes
HP 123
FP 94
MP 257
Mana Efficiency 264
Crafting Efficiency 283
Abilities and Achievements
Traits Rank/Tier
Spatial Manipulation 1F Gives an understanding of spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of space are learned and improved by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of space based spells and abilities by 1.5%.
Time Manipulation 1F Gives an understanding of temporal concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of time based spells and abilities by 1.5%.
Enigmatic Being 1F Increases your resistance to divination based spells and effects by 10%
Discerning Eye 1F Improves visual acuity by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 25%. Can see mana in any form.
Primordial''s Intuition 1F Intuit basic understanding of concepts without any prior knowledge. Increase the rate at which intelligence based spells and abilities are learned and improved by 5%.
Being of Eons 1F You are a being that has achieved control over time within your body. You age 3% slower both from natural and magical effects. Improves the mana efficiency of beneficial time based spells that target you by 3%.
Runic Crafting 1F Gives an understanding of how runes work and how to create them. Improves the rate at which new runes are learned by 5%. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 1.5%
Runic Infusion 1F Decreases mana inefficiency from directly infusing mana into runes by 5%.
Relativity Runic Enchantment 1F Understand how to create runes of all known relativity spells. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments based on relativity increased by 2.5%.
Runic Etching 1F Inscribe runes with greater speed without sacrificing efficiency. Speed of inscribing runes increased by 1% / 10 Agility.
Skills
Meditation 1E You can enter a state of meditation, able to shift your gaze free from your mind and body. While in a state of meditation, you gain +1.02% MP regeneration / 10 Willpower.
Breath Control 1F You can control your breathing efficiently. While using breath control you gain +1% FP regeneration / 10 constitution.
Mana Infusion 1F Transfer mana from yourself to an external source. The rate of transfer varies by mana channeling. Inefficiency varies by the medium of transference. Reduces inefficiency of transfer by 5% and improves rate of transfer by 5%.
Rune Removal 1F Enables the runic enchanter to use mana to remove runes inscribed on an item, allowing the material to be repurposed. This skill consumes mana/rune removed, cost varies by material and level of core used in finish divided by crafting efficiency.
Rune Transference 1F Transfer a rune from one object to another at a 10% mana discount from creating them by directly inscribing.
Spells
Spatial Compression 1E Compress space in local space time. Mana cost varies by density of matter within the compressed space, amount of space being compressed, and distance from the caster to the space being compressed.
Metronome 1F You can send out a pulse of a mana at a regular interval. Mana cost varies by duration and frequency of pulses.
True Distance 1F Determine the distance between two frames of reference. Mana cost varies by precision and the distance from the caster to the frames of reference.
Time Dilation 1E Slow down relative time for a target, allowing them to move and perceive faster than creatures not affected by time dilation. Time would appear to move at 1 / Amplitude for the target. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on the amplitude of the effect and distance from the target to caster.
Time Contraction 1F Speed up relative time for the target, causing time to move faster for them relative to all unaffected objects by a factor of the amplitude. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on the amplitude of the effect and distance from caster to target.
Boundless Step 1E Distort space allowing you to step to a distant location that is visible and aligned with the step. Mana cost increases linearly with the distance traveled.
Spatial Expansion 1F Expand space in local space-time as defined by local anchors. Mana cost varies depending linearly on the amount of space created, the distance from the caster to the anchors, and the ratio of existing space to newly created space.
Spatial Tear 1F Create a tear in space relative to a frame reference. Nothing can exist where there is no space, and anything that comes into contact with the tear will cease to exist. Mana cost is determined by the size of the tear and the distance from the caster.
Achievements
Solo Hunter 2 Slay a creature above your level without the aid of others. .2%
Group Hunter 7 Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less. .35%
Horde Slayer 3 Slay a group of creatures that outnumbered you, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. .3%
Master Crafter 1 Produce a crafted item of significance. .1%
Escape Artist 1 Escape dire circumstances without getting caught. Rank varies depending on the difficulty of escape and the consequences of failure. .1%
Savior 3 Achievement granted for rescuing those captured by the Chixel raiding party. .15%
Progenitor NA You have distinguished yourself, reaching level 10 within the first month of the integration. .15%
Primary Attributes Final Base Class Profession Heritage Achievements
Strength 116 113 1 1.006 1.014 1.0135
Agility 90 86 1.014 1.006 1.014 1.0135
Constitution 103 99 1.007 1.012 1.014 1.0135
Intelligence 159 138 1.042 1.048 1.042 1.0135
Willpower 139 126 1.021 1.042 1.028 1.0135
Charisma 95 91 1 1.018 1.014 1.0135
HP 123 119 1.014 1.012 1.014
FP 94 92 1 1.012 1.014
MP 257 221 1.056 1.06 1.042
Mana Efficiency 264 252 1.049 1 1
Crafting Efficiency 283 267 1 1.06 1
Mana Regen / Hour 4.02686875 1.12815
Hours to Full MP 63.82130036
Chapter 34: Cliff Drake The councilors proved to be an effective governing body for Celestia, leaving Imri mostly free of the mundane operations. Emery was the youngest of the three, though he was still in his mid-forties with a shaved head and a well-manicured beard. He was the boldest of the three, often proposing radical departures from a pre-integration city, despite having been on the city council for the pre-integration Minneapolis. This was in stark contrast to Laura, the sole woman on the council and the oldest of the three, having recently retired only to have her retirement years taken by the system. She was reasonable, but having run a successful company for most of her life made her convinced there was little reason to deviate more than was strictly necessary. Steve rounded out their group, a quiet slightly overweight man who had been in a senior position at a large corporation when the integration happened. He was ruthless in his pursuit of efficiency, focusing on the details of operations instead of the big picture. It was near midday on the second day since the hunting parties had left for the plains. Imri had been discussing several proposals that rose above the typical mundane management when a pair of panicked-looking prospectors came running up. ¡°It¡¯s Lenny, that fucker killed Lenny. Blew him to bits like he was nothing,¡± one of the prospectors rambled, tears streaming down their face. ¡°Calm down man, we can¡¯t help you like this,¡± Emery said, looking around the table at Imri and his fellow councilors, worry evident on everyone''s faces. ¡°It¡¯s like he said, one of those lizards came out of nowhere. It slammed into Lenny so hard, there wasn¡¯t much left of him. We ran as fast as we could and came straight here,¡± the second man explained, being slightly more level than the first, though still clearly shaken from the experience. ¡°We¡¯ll handle the situation. If you could refrain from spreading this news until we can properly explain it to everyone, that would be most appreciated,¡± Laura said calmly, though a faint crack in her voice showed she wasn¡¯t entirely unshaken. ¡°I thought you said we would be safe here. Looks like more of the same fucked up shit,¡± the distraught man shouted. No one had any answers, Imri had assumed the giant lizards would leave them alone, preferring larger prey. He guessed that Lenny had just gotten unlucky to run into a particularly hungry or temperamental one of their kind. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to make Celestia as safe as possible, but nowhere is truly safe at the moment. Everyone needs to remain vigilant,¡± Imri said. It was apparently the wrong thing to say because instantly the two tensed and even his fellow councilors looked at him like he was an idiot. ¡°What was he supposed to do? The thing came at him like a small plane. It probably came from almost half a mile away in a few seconds. Even you, the almighty space mage would be a puddle right now,¡± the prospector shouted. ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can to properly honor Lenny. You have the council''s word on that,¡± Steve said. Eventually, the two men left, after a protracted discussion about what was to be done. It was heated enough that Imri doubted there was any point in trying to delay news getting out, half the settlement probably knew already. Instead, Imri excused himself, setting off towards the site of the attack. He was the only person remotely equipped to handle the Cliff Drakes, especially since most of their most powerful fighters were on the hunting expedition. The location was near the cave entrances, near a sheer cliff that would be impassable for humans to climb, even with a proper setup. He scanned the cliff wall for the lizards using a pair of binoculars, nearly passing over them as their coloring blended into the rocks. They looked as sedate as they normally did, seemingly disinterested in the ground below as they soaked in light. Imri also used the binoculars to find Lenny¡¯s remains. That too took a bit of time, as there wasn¡¯t much of him remaining. Imri took a steadying deep breath, then moved towards the scene of carnage, his eyes remaining fixed on the cliff face and the intervening sky. Now that he knew where they were it was easier to make out the lizards, especially when using his mana vision. Suddenly, one of the drakes pushed off the cliff face, spreading its limbs so the wing-like membrane caught the air, allowing it to glide forward while still descending at a rapid rate. It seemed utterly indifferent to the speed at which it approached Imri, approaching him with reckless abandon toward the impending crash with the ground below. It was akin to base jumping, not true flight. Imri didn¡¯t have much time to react, in mere moments he would share Lenny¡¯s fate. He activated a necklace of Time Dilation, one of the more recent creations that had been optimized. His own spell casting would still have been more powerful, but he couldn¡¯t spare the mana or the attention to maintain the spell. Everything moved 5% slower, though this was quickly offset as the lizard creature continued its descent towards him with increasing speed. The creature was even bigger than Imri expected, almost eight meters from snout to tail. It more closely resembled a crocodile than any other reptilian creature, though it was wider and with longer limbs, with chitinous-like scales covering the majority of its body. Imri quickly identified the creature.
Creature Tier/Rank Level Description
Cliff Drake 1D 36 A reptilian creature capable of gliding at high speed. Has high constitution and strength with resistance to fire and physical attacks.
Imri faltered and nearly lost his composure as he saw its rank and level. Fortunately, he managed to regain his wits and used Boundless Step just before it would have crashed into him. He appeared several meters away from where the creature had estimated him to be. Inertia couldn¡¯t be overcome, and the Drake slammed into the ground with tremendous force, creating a small shockwave from the impact. Despite the violent collision and tremendous force exerted upon the creature, it recovered quickly, spinning around faster than a creature of its size should be able to. Imri brought his hand down in a chopping motion as the creature''s jaws opened, revealing rows of sword-sized teeth. At the same time as his hand moved, a thin meter-long dark tear appeared in front of Imri as he channeled mana as fast as he could. Imri anchored the tear to his motion and then released it, sending the void forth, traversing through the Cliff Drake like a hot knife through butter. For a brief moment, Imri panicked as the monster seemed unaffected by his spell that had taken the majority of his mana. Then, as the dark line faded, the Cliff Drake split in two, cleanly bisected vertically into almost symmetrical pieces. Imri was forced to dodge out of the way, ending up on the ground as he ungracefully dove out of the way. The momentum of the creature carried its two halves forward, unaltered by the spatial tear that didn''t exert any force, slamming into the ground where Imri had been a moment earlier. The Cliff Drake must have had an almost inexhaustible HP pool because it continued to show signs of life, even though its body had been bisected. Fortunately, whatever HP and regeneration it had could not overcome the extreme trauma it had experienced, dying moments later, though it seemed some of the injuries had started to heal. If Imri had tried a conventional fight and hadn¡¯t overwhelmed it with damage immediately, its monstrous HP would have prevented normal wounds from even slowing it. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You can come out now,¡± Imri said absently as he rose unsteadily to his feet, slightly dizzy from the migraine-like effects of low mana. He inspected the corpse as the pair of angry prospectors, who had followed him since he left the nexus, approached with trepidation. Imri had easily spotted them with his mana sight. They now regarded him with a mix of terror and respect. Imri poked the dead creature¡¯s hide with his knife, noting that its chitinous scales were solid enough his knife couldn¡¯t even nick them. ¡°We¡¯ll need to get the carcass back to Celestia, I won¡¯t be able to break it down further,¡± Imri explained to the confused and skittish prospectors. ¡°What was that thing you did?¡± one of the men asked, ignoring Imri¡¯s request for the moment. Imri did his best to explain the Spatial Tear spell, though he could tell by their confused expression it wasn¡¯t sticking. Imri just shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He sent them back to the settlement, telling them to bring enough help so they could get the carcass back to Celestia before nightfall. Imri took the opportunity to review his gains when he was certain that no more Cliff Drakes would be diving at him, though he did step back a bit.
Achievement Upgraded Rank New Stats | Improvement
Solo Hunter 22 2.2%(+2%)
New Achievement Rank Stats/Rank Description
Grade Above 2 .15% Solo kill a creature of a higher grade than your heritage, 1 rank/grade difference.
Imri Padar has reached level 17 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached level 17 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+3 Strength 119
+2 Agility 92
+3 Constitution 106
+6 Intelligence 165
+5 Willpower 144
+2 Charisma 97
Secondary Stats Gained
+8 HP 131
+5 FP 99
+24 MP 281
+24 Mana Efficiency 288
+26 Crafting Efficiency 309
Trait Ranked Up Improvement
Spatial Manipulation F to E Gives a rudimentary understanding of spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and skills related to the concept of space are learned by 5.12% (+.12%). Increases the effectiveness of space based skills and spells by 1.53% (+.03%).
Spell Ranked Up
Spatial Tear F to E +2.5% Mana Efficiency for the spell.
Quest Updated Progress
Relativity Mage Rank Up E to D Learn new space or time spells 3/5, space or time spells Ranked Up 5/5
Imri¡¯s fear of stagnation disappeared in an instant. He had gained 3 levels in a relatively easy, albeit dangerous fight. The greatest improvement came from a massive achievement boost, giving a full 2% more to all his primary stats just from the massive number of ranks gained in Solo Hunter. The Grade Above achievement was a small boost, but he supposed it was on top of what would always be a sizable increase from Solo Hunter. While he had bemoaned the fact that his Spatial Tear would be ineffective against large groups of monsters, due to its incredible mana demands, it had more than made up for it with its unmatched ability to destroy anything. Putting his spells and skill to effective use against a theoretically far stronger opponent also appeared to be a great way to rank them up, with Spatial Tear going from F to E in its first practical use. By the time a group was able to bring the carcass back to Celestia, night had fallen. News of Lenny¡¯s death had spread, but so too had Imri¡¯s response. People looked at him with awe, respect, and no small amount of fear. Imri did his best to ignore the rumors that swirled, some of which were truly outlandish, some even saying he ripped the beast in two with his bare hands. The flying crocodile, as the Cliff Drake was colloquially being described, was butchered for its meat. That proved a daunting task, as its bones and hide were too tough for even the butcher''s sturdiest cleavers. What meat they did manage to extract was prepared by the chef, and an impromptu feast was had. Imri dedicated the feast to Lenny, deflecting any attempts to make the celebration about him. A good portion of their remaining alcohol was consumed, though Imri didn¡¯t feel in the mood. Instead, he focused on business, spending his time conversing with Caroline about what she would be able to make. She was hesitantly optimistic that she could make another elixir from various parts of the Cliff Drake. Her main concern was that the beast parts were too high level for her skill to take advantage of. This also made the elixir more difficult rather than less, the D-grade materials would be more suited for a D-grade elixir. After studying the corpse for a while, she declared that a scale, a tooth, and the heart would be the best part of the monster to use for her purposes. The other craftsmen were even more skeptical of their abilities to work with the monster parts. The tanner was especially despondent, knowing the hide would likely be tough enough to stop Umbral Tiger bites with ease, but the utter inability to put a scratch in the creature''s hide made it impossible to skin. They had a bit more success with the creature''s teeth, using a pickaxe to dig them out of the creature''s gums, and even this took several miners chipping away for the better part of an hour. Similarly, they were able to pry a few loose scales for Caroline''s purposes using a crowbar. Somewhat defeated, Imri took the rest of the carcass to Christoph. The merchant put one hand on the merchandise and one hand on the nexus. He normally quickly replied, being able to calculate the percentages for both parties in a second. However, this time he took out a pen and notepad, scribbled some numbers, and stared at them for a long while. ¡°With my skill, I can give you 149,919 credits,¡± Christoph said after double and triple-checking his math. Imri understood why it had taken him so long, that was an incredible sum. He wasn¡¯t even sure what he would do with that many credits, and he would have preferred the parts be put to proper use. Still, there was no other immediate way to break it down further and no convenient way to preserve it for future use. ¡°Do it,¡± Imri said. A moment later the monster was gone and Imri was a rich man. Not only that, the huge transaction had leveled up the settlement. Chapter 35: Farseer Witch Imri spent the following day recovering his mana. It irked him that he could only hunt a Cliff Drake every other day. He could have absorbed mana from the communal Espeonite crystal near the nexus, but he didn¡¯t feel this qualified as an emergency. It also wasn¡¯t filling as fast as he would have hoped, many people had found uses for their mana. Virtually all forms of crafts used mana and cores as a base, even the builders used mana to reinforce key materials in much the same way the crafters did. It was for this reason he desperately wanted to gain a more industrial production of mana. While Zathri said it was far beyond their own skills to create such an item, Imri had surpassed him quite a while ago. He also knew the mana density could easily support a mana farm. He had commissioned the base material construction from Avery, and the man was doing his best to fulfill the order. Imri did all he could to help the man succeed, going as far as buying him several level 10 F-grade cores to personally absorb to jump-start his blacksmith profession. It had taken some convincing for him to accept the gift, but Imri had pointed out he had more money than he knew what to do with and Avery had eventually relented and accepted the items. When two days had passed Avery was still working on the item, along with numerous other smaller creations that were essential to the building efforts, something Imri had told him not to put on hold. This meant Imri was forced to work on a secondary project in the interim. If he was going to hunt another Cliff Drake, he didn¡¯t want all its parts to be sold for credits. For that to be achieved, they would need a tool powerful enough to cut through the nearly impenetrable hide of the monster without destroying it in the process. He inspected a well-made utility knife, carefully inspecting the modifications. A small piece of Espeonite, cut from a larger crystal using his spatial tear spell, had been socketed into a small recess. Thin lines of gold ran like veins from the crystal to the edge of the blade, forming leylines. Imri got to work, carefully inscribing each rune into the handle and edge of the blade. He went slowly, knowing that every amount of efficiency gained would be important with an item like this. Despite having taken a while, the enchantment wasn¡¯t overly complex. It had a standard voice activation feature, as well as some standard runes to accept mana into and out of the Espeonite mana source. Most of the work had gone into defining the primary rune for the enchantment, a rune of spatial tear. Specifically, he had defined it to materialize millimeters from the knife''s edge with the frame of reference being the knife. This meant that as the knife moved the tear moved with it, essentially acting as an extension of the blade itself, an extension that would cleanly cut through anything it came into contact with without any resistance. Imri carefully inspected the nearly finished product, double and triple checking his work. It proved unnecessary, as he could find no flaws in his concepts or implementation. Imri then poured a large amount of his remaining mana into the Espeonite, knowing the mana requirements for this tool would be no joke. ¡°Dimensional blade,¡± Imri said, feeling like an anime protagonist. The thin black line appeared, seemingly on the edge of the knife though Imri knew there was some small gap between the knife and tear. He slowly slashed through the air, watching as the tear followed the physical blade. He was about to test the knife by destroying something, but before he could manage the spatial tear disappeared and space righted itself. Despite the nearly 100 mana he had poured into it, the blade had only remained active for a few seconds. This was before the enchantment was made permanent with a core, the process usually degrading the overall mana efficiency of the finished product. Imri sighed and took out the baseball-sized level 36 D-grade core from the Cliff Drake. He had hoped to save this for his next project, but he would hopefully be hunting another before then. Imri didn¡¯t second guess himself, using the core to finish the enchantment.
Item Name Tier/Rank Mana Efficiency Description
Utility Knife of Spatial Tearing 1E 184 A utility knife enchanted with the spatial tear rune anchored to the relative motion of the blade. It is activated with a verbal command.
Achievement Upgraded Rank New Bonus to Attributes | Improvement
Master Crafter 2 (+1) .2% (+.1%)
Trait Upgraded New Rank New Description
Runic Crafting E Gives an understanding of how runes work and how to create them. Improves the rate at which new runes are learned by 5.12% (+.12%). Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 1.53% (+.03%).
Imri smiled, while it wasn¡¯t the huge gain that had come from his battle with the Cliff Drake, it was progress. The enchantments had somewhat improved by using the powerful core, though slightly less than Imri had hoped. Still, it had improved and the core still had a decent amount of essence in it, perhaps enough for his other project. He hadn¡¯t completely exhausted his mana, so the next day he was able to go Cliff Drake hunting. This time he wasn¡¯t alone, he had insisted that Caroline accompany him so they could both gain a better group hunter achievement. His preference would have been to bring as many people as possible and still gain the title. Unfortunately, everyone else had a good chance of getting killed, splattered like Lenny if the monster decided to divebomb them instead of Imri. Even if they weren¡¯t targeted, none of their weapons were powerful enough to deal any damage, so they wouldn¡¯t be considered contributing members unless they drew the monster''s attention, which would get them killed, or supported in some other way. This left only Caroline, whose curses were subtle and had a good deal of range. Imri doubted she would be able to contribute much, she had a curse that enfeebled the target, reducing their primary physical stats, but it wasn¡¯t a large amount, especially when considering the colossal number of stat points the Cliff Drake surely possessed. Still, it should be enough for Caroline to be considered a contributor to the fight. To make sure she was up for it, Imri handed her 2 level 10 cores, intending for her to level up her farseer witch class. Caroline had always needed cores for crafting, so she had yet to absorb any for levels. As with everyone he gifted cores to, it took a bit of convincing for them to accept them. While they had been considered a precious resource just a few days ago, Imri now had more than enough credits and no immediate use for them. Caroline used them, gaining a level from each, bringing her witch class up to level 5. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. They made their way to the site of the previous battle. The Cliff Drakes were still there, basking in the sunlight as they effortlessly clung to the sheer cliff wall. Imri cautiously approached, nearing the point where he had been attacked the last time, Caroline hanging about fifty meters further back. He reached the point, expecting another attack at any moment. It never came, the Cliff Drakes seemed utterly indifferent to his presence. He moved a few meters closer and nothing happened. He took another step, this time scuffing his boot along the ground to make some noise. That got one of Cliff Drake¡¯s attention and it lazily stared at him. For a moment it didn¡¯t move, and Imri was beginning to think the lizard-like creature would go back to sunbathing. Instead, after a brief hesitation, it pushed off the cliff wall, diving down towards Imri. Imri backpedaled, keeping the fast-approaching Cliff Drake in his view at all times, but getting a little distance from the rest of them. As with the last time, he activated his Time Dilation item, giving him a better chance to react at the last moment possible. It was especially important with Caroline around, if he disappeared before the Cliff Drake had fully committed to its attack, there was a small chance it could attack Caroline instead. So, Imri pushed the timing of his Boundless Step till the last possible moment, when the Cliff Drake was only a few scant meters from him. He cast the spell and vanished just in time, the powerful jaws of the crocodile-like creature snapping into the air. As with the last time, he didn¡¯t hesitate to pour the majority of his remaining mana into a meter-long spatial tear that knifed through the air in a vertical slash. He hoped Caroline had managed to land her curse, but he couldn¡¯t have afforded to wait. Instead of cleanly bisecting it in two, like he had the first one, this time it was slightly off-center and at an angle away from center mass. The tear still did incredible damage, shearing off a large portion of its snout and body, including one of its front legs. Blood gushed from the wound, but to Imri¡¯s horror, he could visibly see the Cliff Drake¡¯s wound start to heal itself. The Cliff Drake rushed towards Imri, still moving with surprising speed despite missing one of its legs. Imri had just enough time to activate his boundless step for a second time, appearing several meters behind it. This time he ran, cutting at angles so the Cliff Drake couldn¡¯t charge him in a straight line. He wasn¡¯t sure if the monster pursued him, so he kept running for several minutes. He also lost track of Caroline, though he was fairly certain she had the good sense not to stick around. He ran for the better of half an hour before his FP neared zero and he had to pause to catch his breath. That¡¯s when he noticed the notifications.
Achievement Upgraded New Rank Primary Stats
Group Hunter 20 (+13) 1% (+.65%)
Imri Padar has reached level 19 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached level 19 in Primordial (1F)
Imri Padar has reached level 13 in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Strength 120
+1 Agility 93
+1 Constitution 107
+4 Intelligence 169
+2 Willpower 146
+1 Charisma 98
Secondary Stats Gained
+3 HP 134
+3 FP 102
+16 MP 297
+15 Mana Efficiency 303
+17 Crafting Efficiency 326
Imri was a bit confused by how he managed to defeat the level 37 Cliff Drake. While his spatial tear had done enough damage to instantly kill anything that existed pre-integration, the Cliff Drake was something else entirely. Not only had it been resilient enough to survive the attack, it had been in good enough shape to attack. What''s more, Imri had seen its incredible natural regeneration already start to take effect. ¡°I was wondering how long you were going to keep running,¡± Caroline managed to say as she was breathing even harder than he was. Evidently, her FP pool was even smaller than his own. ¡°What happened?¡± Imri asked, his own FP recovering quickly as he focused on his breathing. ¡°I managed to land a second curse on it, the same one I landed on the Umbral Tiger. That slowed its natural regeneration and intensified its blood loss, either of which might have been enough to kill it eventually with a third of its body missing. It still only just died a few minutes ago, it kept chasing you until it finally dropped,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°I guess it was a good thing you were with me. I¡¯m guessing you got quite a bit of experience then?¡± ¡°3 levels and the achievement, putting my Farseer Witch class to level 8, though my class is still F-grade, my quest to rank it up involves cursing things for hours, something I haven¡¯t even come close to doing yet,¡± Caroline explained. Imri whistled, she was now the second highest level person when adding all types of levels together, with her alchemist profession at level 12. The unassuming alchemist had become a vital part of Celestia, and Imri was glad for it. They brought in several people to help retrieve the various pieces of the creature. This time they were able to harvest the corpse a bit more effectively, using the utility knife of spatial tearing, though it took the combined efforts of everyone present to keep the knife powered. By the end of the day everyone was exhausted, but they had completed the harvesting and returned to Celestia. Caroline claimed the same components she had the first time, scale, heart, tooth, and several vials of its blood. The meat was butchered, though they still had Cliff Drake meat frozen on ice from the last harvest. Its hide was skinned, to be turned into leather that could eventually become boots, armor, and bags. Its dagger-sized teeth would be turned into weapons. Several of its longer bones were extracted as well, even though their exact purpose was unknown, it never hurt to have a nearly indestructible material on hand. With most of the Cliff Drake stripped off or missing, the remains sold for a small fraction of what the nearly intact carcass had. Imri attempted to transfer the credits to Caroline, which she refused. ¡°I already claimed everything I needed and you only took the core. Besides, I might have helped kill it, but we both know you did most of the work,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You''re entitled to half of the parts, minus a small contribution to those who helped haul it. Just because I¡¯m giving away most of it, doesn¡¯t mean you have to,¡± Imri said. Those who had gotten free handouts looked sheepish, but none seemed inclined to argue they shouldn¡¯t have gotten what they did. There was still too much of the supply chain that hadn¡¯t been paid a fair wage for everything to run smoothly. This was something Imri had been discussing with the council, and he fully intended to pay everyone who contributed to Celestia a fair wage. Their complete inability to determine just what constituted fair was the only point still needing to be worked out. ¡°Let the porters take a quarter of the money. You¡¯re not the only one who needs to sacrifice for Celestia, this is all of our homes and we all succeed together,¡± Caroline explained. This was met with raucous cheering from those gathered nearby. Imri smiled as a mortified Caroline wilted from the attention. Chapter 36: Mana Absorption The mana demand in Celestia continued to grow. Imri had noticed that nearly everyone now had some use for it. Of particular note, those tasked with establishing the settlement''s agriculture could use mana when they planted crops, improving the rate at which it would grow to maturity and improving resiliency. It wouldn¡¯t be long before Celestia would have its first crop of potatoes. The first permanent structures were starting to take shape, being built faster than any pre-integration structure despite their lack of heavy machinery. Several of the builders had become dual class and profession holders with the addition of earth mages to their mundane building profession. They also used mana on key pieces of materials, strengthening them permanently like the other crafters. Most of the time this was done to reduce the amount of lumber needed, something they were in short supply of. They also were constructing the buildings primarily from bricks to further conserve the lumber. Caroline had been hard at work, and her diligence bore fruit. She had come up with a better solution to the difficulty they were having harvesting powerful monster corpses. Apparently, the Cliff Drakes had a powerful stomach acid that could dissolve almost anything that wasn¡¯t a Cliff Drake stomach. She had refined the acid, producing a powerful solvent that could be applied to break apart just about anything. She had also developed solutions that would render a material more malleable for a time. While this was essentially what a tanner did to a hide before passing the hide to a leatherworker, her new solution was geared towards the bones of the powerful monsters. This had given rise to an enterprising individual who gained the profession called a Bone Shaper. He used a variety of magical and mundane means to shape the near-indestructible material into usable armor and weapons. All the industry was all well and good for Celestia, but it meant no one had surplus mana and the communal mana crystal was in a perpetual state of emptiness. It was also obvious that an infusion of mana into the budding settlement would drastically improve productivity. Imri looked over the panel that Avery had constructed. It was far from elegant, the item had been constructed from various scraps of metal no one had found any use for. Thin grooves of geometric patterns made the entire panel resemble a giant circuit board. The copper wire had been soldered onto the end, allowing the contraption to be connected to the mana crystal. Imri accepted the finished product, thanking Avery and paying the man handsomely. Avery complained it was far too much, but Imri was having none of it. His own wealth was plummeting rapidly as he financed various projects with his own money, mostly relating to food and building production. Still, he had plenty of credits and he could only buy so many level 10 cores before their utility fell off. With the panel taken care of, Imri began his portion of the project. It was, without a doubt, the single most tedious and repetitive enchantment he had done. Unfortunately, he needed to painstakingly inscribe each mana absorption rune with care, every point of mana efficiency being important. His only break from the tedium was a few runes with auxiliary functions. The first was an automatic shut off if the crystal ever filled to capacity, something Imri felt was unlikely anytime soon. He had also added a rune that could be tapped to turn the device on and off, though again he didn¡¯t think it would be off much. Finally, he had created a few runes to calculate the rate of mana absorption, similar to his mana density reader, though this one would measure actual mana into the system. This included the amount spent to keep the mana absorption functions running and the amount sent to the crystal. After the better part of a day was spent inscribing, he looked at his finished work. It looked even more like a circuit board now as the numerous runes provided a contrast to the various metals. With the communal mana crystal plugged in, Imri infused mana into the enchantment. Ever so slowly, the numerous runes began to light up, one after another as more mana was drawn in. He inspected the makeshift screen, which again wouldn¡¯t have passed pre-integration accessibility standards. He was relieved to see that the mana absorption number was rising, though the entire system would take hours to be fully operational. Imri tapped the rune that would shut off the device, not having the patience to wait for the device to become fully operational. This was only a test run and he had seen enough to know the enchantment was working as designed. He took out his highest-level core and began the process of finalizing his work. It took almost the entire core of a Cliff Drake to finish all the various runes that had been inscribed. Fortunately, the overall mana efficiency went up by a few points from using the higher-level core, just like it had when he had created the utility knife of spatial tear. He infused a small amount of mana, having very little left available after spending so much time working. It hadn¡¯t been much mana, but slowly the panel absorbed more mana than it used, allowing the device to start functioning. It would still take hours, the final version wasn¡¯t much more efficient than the test version.
Item Mana Efficiency Description
Panel of Mana Absorption 196 A large panel designed to absorb ambient mana. It is perpetually self-powering as long as the amount of mana absorbed exceeds the amount of mana needed to operate the enchantment. Excess mana is sent to mana storage via leylines.
Imri Padar has reached level 14 in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Strength 121
+1 Willpower 147
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 135
+4 MP 301
+2 Crafting Efficiency 328
Imri put the mana absorption panel out of his mind, a watched panel wouldn¡¯t charge any faster. Instead, he investigated a crowd that had been gathering around the outskirts of the settlement. It turned out to be the first of the hunting groups returned, though Imri knew Emelia and her group were not back yet. It was Sylvi¡¯s group, having successfully hunted one of the giant porcupine-like beasts. Even with the beast disassembled in pieces that could be hauled, it was obvious the creature had been even larger than a Cliff Drake, and had far more meat. Now, their food was only limited by the dimensions of the icebox pit they had created to freeze things, which still had a sizable amount of Cliff Drake meat. Someone had also managed to create a small makeshift shed that could be used to smoke a large portion of the newly acquired meat. They had also carried as many of the gargantuan quills as they could manage, those likely needing very little alteration to make effective spears. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°The actual fight wasn¡¯t very interesting, the only hard part was tracking one of them down. They hardly ever move and easily blend in with the terrain. They¡¯re not particularly fast or hard to hit from range, and our bows easily out-range their quills. It took a lot of arrows to bring the thing down though,¡± Sylvi explained. Sylvi had been boasting about how everyone in her hunting party had gained a level, some of them two. Her jaw dropped when she learned Imri and Caroline had far outpaced them from the Cliff Drake hunt. The night was raucous, as they toasted and celebrated the first successful hunt. The next day the other two groups returned, with Zhaire¡¯s group returning first, sometime around midday. Zhaire grumbled, agitated that his group hadn¡¯t been successful. He was only further agitated when he learned how successful the time away had been for everyone else, especially Imri. He was mollified when Caroline brought out her second heritage elixir. This was one made from the Cliff Drake. She warned him that it was more potent than the one Sylvi had taken, offering a slightly more powerful rank up, however it had a much higher suggested constitution at 140. While Caroline meant well, that had been the wrong thing to say to Zhaire. All he likely heard was that it was more potent than the one Sylvi had taken. He threw caution to the wind practically yanked it from the alchemist''s hands and downed it in a couple quick gulps. While 140 was a monstrous constitution number, Zhaire had nearly that amount. He also was further past the minimum recommended level. Due to this, the transformation was painful, but Zhaire remained coherent for the entire thing. While some of it was similar to Sylvi¡¯s, his bones broke and his muscles were remade, one part was far worse. All of his skin was replaced, sloughed off in large chunks as new skin grew in. Zhaire screamed in agony as his skin was shed, most of the few remaining onlookers to the gruesome transformation looking away at this point. Eventually, after a couple of hours, the process ended and Zhaire collapsed to the ground. He was too drained to care about the disgusting components that his body had expunged. Despite the brutal nature of the heritage rank-up, Zhaire smiled as he stared into space, likely reviewing his improved stats. Just like Sylvi, it wasn¡¯t just the improved modified stats that weren¡¯t visible, but his entire body looked physically more impressive, though the change was more subtle for a man who had already had the physique of a professional athlete. For Zhaire, the supernatural change had been to his skin. It wasn¡¯t obvious when first glancing at him, it looked the same at a cursory glance, but on closer inspection, Imri could see his skin had a different, harder texture, almost like his entire body had become calloused. Despite Zhaire¡¯s discomfort, he was obviously pleased with the results. His new heritage emphasized how tough the lizards were to damage, gaining most in survivability-related areas. He gained two traits, Impervious Skin which reduced all damage by an amount equal to 10% of his constitution. This was especially effective from lighter attacks that required a weak spot in armor, with his entire skin now effectively being armor with no gaps and no extra weight or other movement restrictions. However, It didn¡¯t make him invulnerable, the Umbral Tiger had likely done almost 200 damage from its swipe that disemboweled him. His new skill would have lessened the damage slightly, but Zhaire still would have been seriously injured. His second trait was Drake''s Regeneration. It provided a 5% increase to his HP regeneration rate while also allowing him to regrow lost limbs. After Zhaire had finished gloating, he left to retire to his tent early. Teresa followed behind, reminding Zhaire he would need to bathe before anything else. It wasn¡¯t long after that when Emelia¡¯s group returned, making Imri immediately forget about Zhaire. Emelia was covered in dirt, her hair messy, and generally looked worn down. She brightened when her eyes landed on Imri¡¯s. Imri closed the distance between them, embracing her, and kissed her passionately as the two of them were reunited. The discussion of what each had been doing was put on hold as they not so discreetly sauntered back to their tent. They both knew what they wanted through their Empathic Bond. The reciprocal nature of the bond also made sex even more intimate, not that Imri had much to compare it against. He delighted in knowing when he pleased her, and whether it was from experience or improved physical stats, he didn¡¯t know or care. They briefly caught up with each other while Imri recovered for a second go. Emelia was practically giddy as she explained Orion, her Starseeker beast companion. Her first question had been asking Imri if he could teleport the massive creature to the plateau. When he had laughed she gave him a mock pout, though he knew she was genuinely disappointed, no matter how ridiculous the request had been. She knew that Orion was safely absorbing mana storm, so she wasn¡¯t too worried, though she did mention exterminating every Umbral Tiger so the Starseeker would be completely safe. When Imri listed all that he had accomplished, she just nodded, as if Imri was describing a mundane day at the office. ¡°Did you develop a mind-reading skill too?¡± Imri asked. ¡°No, though there is a teenager named Antonio who we found wandering the plains who can read and control minds. His twin sister Veronica can move shit with her mind,¡± Emelia said as if that bit of information had slipped her mind. ¡°So how come you aren¡¯t surprised about my new spell or the Cliff Drakes?¡± Imri asked. ¡°If I got surprised every time you come up with some new enchantment or powerful spell, I¡¯d be living in a state of being perpetually surprised, and only an idiot is always surprised,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°And these psionic kids? What¡¯s their deal?¡± Imri asked, still feeling slightly miffed that she didn¡¯t seem impressed with his accomplishment but letting the matter go. Emelia explained how they had come from Kansas City, chased out of the city by giant dog ogres. She also added her suspicion that they had been ostracized by at least one group when their powers were revealed. ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t everyone want powerful people in their group?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That''s true for everyone who is like you, but most people aren¡¯t always so rational, especially around someone who can mess with their mind,¡± Emelia said with a wide grin that suggested she had predicted he would react this way. ¡°I have a mental resistance thanks to your skill, so why would I be paranoid? I should meet with them, secure their allegiance, and convince them to stay long-term,¡± Imri said. "I think they would really appreciate that, those kids have been through a lot." "Everyone has been through hell," Imri said sadly. ¡°Ready for round two?¡± Emelia asked, abruptly changing the topic with a mischievous grin. Imri was about to reply that it hadn¡¯t been more than fifteen minutes since the last time, but her hand slid into his boxers and they both knew he was ready to go. Chapter 37: System Meddling Imri was in a very good mood the following morning. He was singularly focused on becoming a powerful mage and enchanter, but having sex did wonders for reinvigorating his enthusiasm. He had received a system notification the night before and only now checked it as he prepared his morning coffee.
New Quest Progress
Runic Engineer Rank Up F to E Generate net mana using enchantments. 43/1,000,000
His Runic Engineer profession now gave him another incentive for setting up mana infrastructure. It had been on the top of his list to check in on the mana-generating panel, though he was certain that was how he had generated 43 net mana. After making his coffee he made his way over to the panel and checked the display. It was operating at 100% output and had generated an amount equal to the number in his quest. The readout also showed that it generated 5.05 mana per hour. While the rate exceeded his own mana regeneration when he wasn¡¯t resting or meditating, it certainly wasn¡¯t going to solve the settlement''s mana shortage. It would also take over twenty years to complete his rank-up quest if he never created another panel. The problem was that he couldn¡¯t mass-produce the panels, yet. The amount of ley lines on the panel meant that it required quite a bit of precious metals. Imri likely only had enough silver for one more, and that would require him to deplete the jewelry they had brought to Celestia. He made sure the prospecting team knew that precious metals were high on the list of desired finds, but so far they hadn¡¯t found anything like that. Imri was just finishing his breakfast and was debating what to do for the day when a young man came sprinting up to him. ¡°Lord Padar, I have an urgent report for you,¡± the young man said with an awkward bow. Imri was about to scold the man, he had repeatedly told everyone to just call him Imri, but something in his countenance told him urgent was underselling the severity. Before the man delivered his report, Imri had someone go fetch the three councilors. It took only a couple of minutes before the three of them had arrived and the gawkers were shooed back to work. ¡°I¡¯m one of the spotters from lookout post Charlie,¡± the man explained when he had been given the go-ahead to deliver his report. The lookout post wasn¡¯t a permanent base, yet, but rather a ledge at the edge of the plateau that had an unobstructed view of the plains below. They had decided to keep someone posted there at all times, keeping watch on the wider plains the most powerful pair of binoculars they had. ¡°Go on,¡± Steve said when the lookout hesitated. ¡°We spotted a large group on the plains. It¡¯s the Chixel, they''re coming this way,¡± the lookout reported. All the men swore while Laura kept her composure. ¡°How many are there?¡± she asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have an exact number, but the numbers are somewhere in the low thousands,¡± he said. This time everyone swore. ¡°How far away are they?¡± Emery asked. ¡°We spotted them not long after they left the forest. They¡¯re still sixty klicks or so from the base of the mountains.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure they¡¯re heading towards us?¡± Steve asked. ¡°You don¡¯t send an army on a scouting expedition, they¡¯re here for a reason,¡± Imri answered. While they might have been marching across the plains towards some distant target, Imri found that unlikely. It was quickly decided that this couldn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t be kept a secret. They quickly filled in several more people on the scant details, then tasked them with spreading the word to everyone. Next, a larger group made their way to the lookout post, including everyone who had any military experience. Unfortunately, most of them weren¡¯t remotely qualified to comment on a large-scale invasion, even Sylvi. They would be making the playbook up as they went. They each took a turn staring through the binoculars. Imri¡¯s count of them made their numbers closer to two thousand, accounting for the fact that they would never be able to see all of them; part of the army would typically be obscured by the slopes of the gently rolling terrain. Though they were too far away to pick up on most details, it was clearly an army. Most of them were armed with spears and light armor, marching with the discipline of a professional army. Large wagons of supplies rolled behind the main body of the army, providing provisions so the soldier only had to carry lighter packs. Once everyone had viewed the army, they returned to Celestia, leaving behind several people so someone was always keeping an eye on them. The mood was somber as they hiked back, no one spoke as they digested their situation. The faint hope that the army would ignore them was quickly quashed by a system notification.
New Quest Objective Reward
Defend Celestia Defend your home from invaders seeking to claim the nexus. Defeat or disperse the invading army. Settlement Experience, Personal Experience, New Achievement, and Credits depending on contributions.
Well, at least the system would reward them if they managed to survive the ordeal. Anyone who hadn¡¯t gotten the news now knew, as it appeared that everyone registered as a citizen of Celestia had received the quest. Priorities quickly shifted as everyone began making preparations for the approaching invaders, though many continued what they had been doing with newfound urgency. Imri¡¯s first order of business was speaking with Thrisk and Zathri. He somewhat felt for the pair of Chixel, they had been relegated to grunt work as no one had completely trusted them after the majority of the original camp had been abducted. They had slowly been regaining that lost trust, they had nothing to do with the abduction and had been treated almost as poorly, but now that was all gone. People regarded them with undisguised hostility and hatred. Even Imri had a hard time trusting them now, he had Emelia and Antonio listening in their own way, just in case the Chixel were lying or hiding something. ¡°How did they find us so quickly?¡± Imri asked as he began his interrogation. ¡°This one does not know for certain, but suspects this is the system''s doing,¡± Zathri explained. ¡°The system told them?¡± Imri asked doubtfully. Both of them nodded. ¡°Unless one has a special nexus designed to be obscured, it does not consider the nexus¡¯s location to be a secret. The last thing the system wants is a bunch of settlements coexisting peacefully, it wants conflict. The system likely gave the invaders quests to encourage those ones to capture the nexus. Otherwise, those ones would have little reason to hunt down such a small settlement, especially with the Azala so close to Trosano,¡± Thrisk explains. ¡°Why would the Azala be such a concern? I thought you said they didn¡¯t typically venture far from their hive,¡± Imri asked. ¡°Those ones do not, but Azala infestations are nearly impossible to eradicate and are slowly expanding. Having an infestation that close to a holy city is certainly going to be very distressing,¡± Thrisk said. ¡°Imri is fortunate. Were it not for the Azala, there would be many more Chixel. Those invaders are likely those deemed least fit for battling the Azala, who is viewed as a great enemy. Humans are more of an unknown opportunity,¡± Zathri added. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the best soldiers will be dealing with Azala, not us?¡± Imri clarified. ¡°Probably, and several high-ranking members who exerted influence to escape the more brutal conflict with the Azala,¡± Zathri stressed. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Anything else I should know?¡± Imri asked. The two Chixel looked at one another, their tail flitting about anxiously. Imri didn¡¯t need Emelia to know there was something they were reluctant to say. He repeated his question, more sternly this time. ¡°These ones are sorry, but it cannot be said. Imri will know soon,¡± Zathri said, face bowed to the ground in shame. ¡°You know we can¡¯t trust you if you¡¯re hiding things from us,¡± Imri said. He briefly considered having Emelia or Antonio force it out of the reluctant Chixel. Zathri hesitated but eventually spoke, ¡°The Chixel do not have the humans'' talent for magic. There is likely only one or two mages with the army, but their magic will be powered, powered with souls of the slain. Therefore, it is likely there are human captives with the army.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand, why was that such a secret? I thought your group defected because you hated soul magic?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Imri is most likely to defend Celestia if he does not engage the Chixel on the plains. This one thinks you will attempt to rescue the prisoners now,¡± Thrisk pointed out. ¡°You know I think rationally. If I can save those people I will, but if I can¡¯t I won¡¯t throw away our lives in a vain rescue attempt.¡± ¡°Just like you didn¡¯t when rescuing your mate from such a situation,¡± Thrisk pointed out. Imri flushed, uncomfortable with Emelia being referred to as his mate. ¡°That was different,¡± Imri said simply, not elaborating. While he had wanted to save the entire camp, he had to admit he likely wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths if Emelia hadn¡¯t been among those captured. ¡°The second reason is that Imri will try to assassinate the mage, as this one is fairly confident there is only one,¡± Thrisk said. ¡°Again, I don¡¯t see why that is such an issue. Shouldn¡¯t you want the mages who use soul magic stopped?¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Typically, yes. However, this one likely knows the mage who is with this army,¡± Zathri said, having somewhat recovered from the ordeal. ¡°So, who is it?¡± Imri said though he was starting to get an inkling. ¡°Rhesk,¡± the two Chixel said in unison. ¡°I thought Rhesk was one of you, defectors who refused to use souls?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Rhesk is a very talented mage, that gave them their position as an Exalted One, but certain things are also expected of them. Rhesk¡¯s refusal to use souls was generally tolerated since they were powerful enough without them. However, this is not the first time Rhesk has attempted to defect. The previous time they were forced to slaughter those they tried to protect, on the threat of their mate''s soul,¡± Thrisk explained. ¡°Let me guess, Ettes is their mate,¡± Imri said. ¡°Rhesk is a pacifist and wouldn¡¯t kill any being if it weren¡¯t for cruel threats. These ones beg Imri, spare them,¡± Zathri said. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises. If they are the greatest threat to my people, I can¡¯t say for certain that I won¡¯t resort to assassination.¡± Imri was in a foul mood, and he decided the best way to spend some of his pent-up aggression was by killing a Cliff Drake. While he had originally planned not to have Zhaire or Sylvi help, the situation was dire enough that some risks had to be taken. They also would have Emelia with them, just in case someone got injured. Hopefully, she would get the achievement as well simply for being able to heal one of them. Everyone agreed with Imri¡¯s assessment, and they set out to hunt immediately. It was later in the day than his other hunts, but fortunately, the lizard creatures were still clinging to the cliff face, soaking in the last of the sun''s rays. As they neared the point where the attacks had occurred, the nearest Cliff Drake didn¡¯t hesitate to dive down at them, further away than any of the other attacks. Imri cursed as he realized the creatures were far more eager hunters when they weren¡¯t giving up the best hours for sunbathing. Sylvi and Zhaire were following somewhat closely behind him, only several meters away, while Emelia was far behind them. Sylvi was ready as dark mist coalesced around her, obscuring everything within a few meters, which included Zhaire. They were taking a risk, assuming the Cliff Drake wouldn¡¯t have some sense that could bypass the Umbral Darkness. Sylvi had reassured him that very few things besides those with umbral affinity could see through the supernatural darkness. Imri was also fairly certain the rock-eating lizards weren¡¯t the smartest creatures either. Imri repeated his same preparations, though this time used his own time dilation rather than an item, not wanting to further tax the settlement¡¯s strained mana supply. He ran Time Dilation at the same 5% he had when he first used it. Back then it had been a significant strain on his mana, now it was minor, something he could have had up for an extended period if it was his sole mana use. He used a boundless step and teleported away as the creature snapped at him, slamming into the ground with a resounding shockwave. As they had hoped, the Cliff Drake had ignored the conspicuous cloud of dark mist. Sylvi had no issues seeing through her own spell, and shortly after the creature ran aground she shouted to let Zhaire know that he could begin his attack. Her arrow fired as she spoke, loosed from an enchanted bow made from the trees found in the plateau. The arrow, which was made from the same wood with a point made from a smaller Tiger fang that had been slightly altered to be shaped into an arrowhead, flew with the force of a high caliber round, an impossible feat for the simple mechanical force exerted upon it. Despite the incredible force, the arrow only sank a few centimeters into the Cliff Drake, stopping far short of doing any serious damage. Zhaire charged out of the rapidly dispersing Umbral mist. He too had an improved weapon, a spear made entirely of Cliff Drake bone. The shaft was made from a portion of its tailbone, several sections having been fused into one smooth meter and half piece. The blade was a larger Cliff Drake tooth that had been shaped onto the shaft. Zhaire struck out, slamming the point into the side of the creature with a combination of strength and speed. Like Sylvi¡¯s arrow, the spear sank into the creature, but not deep enough to inflict serious damage. The Cliff Drake responded, snapping at Zhaire with speed and agility that belied its massive frame. Fortunately, Zhaire had been cautious, not fully committing to his attack, and he was able to step back in time to narrowly avoid the snapping maw of the Cliff Drake. If the creature had another moment, its superior straight-line speed and strength would have overwhelmed Zhaire. However, Imri wasn¡¯t going to give it that opportunity. He had closed in while the creature had turned to face its attackers. The spatial tear materialized and shot forward, rocketing forward in a vertical line. It cleanly sliced through the Cliff Drake along a transverse plane of dissection, separating it into two halves, one with its tail hind legs and a portion of its torso, while the other half contained its head and snout, front legs, and the remaining portion of the torso. Imri breathed out a sigh of relief, then quickly realized it had been somewhat premature. The Cliff Drake, despite being in two roughly equal pieces, was still alive, its jaws still snapping down as it tried to attack Zhaire. However, without its back half, the creature couldn¡¯t move, instead it just continually snapped while not being an actual threat. Zhaire used the reach of the spear to stab down on the now vulnerable head of the determined monster, but his spear hit the skull and was lodged in place. Zhaire cursed as his upper body strength was insufficient to wrench free his weapon, and he didn¡¯t dare plant his legs onto the still-snapping creature. He retreated and it was Sylvi''s turn, she took her time sighting down an arrow, then released it with the same powerful force that had barely damaged the creature. However, this time the arrow punched through the orbital socket of the monster, the shaft sinking all the way to the feathers as it penetrated the brain. The Cliff Drake finally stopped thrashing about.
Imri Padar has reached level 20 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached level 20 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+1 Agility 94
+1 Intelligence 170
Secondary Stats Gained
+1 HP 136
+1 FP 103
+4 MP 305
+6 Mana Efficiency 309
+6 Crafting Efficiency 334
Imri¡¯s level-up had given him more than just increased stats, it had come with an intuitive understanding of the threshold he would soon be reaching. Now that he was level 20 his heritage could rank up. Typically, it was considered a bad idea to do this, with the preference being to use rank-up elixirs like Sylvi and Zhaire had done. This generally led to improved stats and more powerful skills, depending on the monster parts used to create the elixir. It also meant gaining those bonuses sooner rather than waiting to level 20. However, Imri¡¯s situation was unique, he wasn¡¯t a human but a primordial. For him, the stats and skills gained from monster elixirs would be inferior to his natural primordial growth. Imri was also certain there was probably a standard elixir to force a natural rank up, but it was something that would take time to develop and produce, time they didn¡¯t have. He would need to find another way to force his heritage to rank up. Unfortunately, his intuition was silent when it came to how to accomplish this. Emelia rejoined the group, having been far enough away to not have been in any real danger once the Cliff Drake had landed. Fortunately, all three of them had gained the improved rank for their group hunter achievement, bumping it up to rank 19, only 1 level lower than Imri¡¯s. While none of the others had gained in levels, the stat gains from the massive rank up to the achievement far exceeded a single level. It was a great improvement to their overall power, but it still was far from enough with an approaching army. They all needed to keep getting stronger, and quickly. Chapter 38: Contracts The scout''s report was the first bit of good news Imri had received all day. The Chixel army was making far slower time than they had. This had been expected, but it was still good to know they had more than the three days it would take one of Celestia¡¯s citizens to make the journey. They also had the same Umbral Tiger problem they had when making the journey, the lookout had spotted at least one of the Chixel scouts being mauled by the shadowy tigers. The scouts had also confirmed half of the news they had to force out of Zathri and Thrisk, the Chixel had human captives. They hadn¡¯t spotted Rhesk or any other individual who was a mage, though Imri doubted most people could tell individual Chixel apart. Mages also couldn¡¯t be easily distinguished from any others, they didn¡¯t wear fancy hats and wield staves, and they could be dressed like any other soldier. Imri spent as much time as possible in meditation. If it wasn¡¯t for his extensive practice, he doubted he would have been able to achieve it with all the turmoil about him, but he managed at least a few hours to regain some of his mana. He only managed to get a few hours of sleep that night, and likely wouldn¡¯t have gotten even that much if Emelia hadn¡¯t insisted he needed actual sleep and not just meditation. The next day started with a trip to Christoph. With all the crafters already working at capacity, much of the Cliff Drake they had slain had been sold to the system via Christoph. While Sylvi, Zhaire, and Emelia had accepted a small amount of the overall bounty, they had insisted he receive the majority. Imri¡¯s funds, which had just dipped below the six-digit mark before the sale, now we''re at an all-time high. With the impending battle, Imri felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate to hoard wealth, even if there wasn¡¯t much it could be used on, yet. So, he had spread the word, that anyone who hadn¡¯t absorbed cores for experience could come and receive two cores. While he had already done that exact thing for several key members of Celestia, the vast majority of the settlers had yet to receive one. That is how he found a long line of citizens waiting near the nexus. Imri smiled at this. Spending a thousand credits per person was a hefty investment, but it came with a commitment. Beside Christoph stood a shorter bald man with a long well-groomed beard. Russ, the injury lawyer turned magical contract lawyer had approached Imri with an idea when he had heard about the offered cores. Until now, the only work Russ had managed to secure was on writing the contracts between the crafters who wanted to own their workshop and the builder looking to secure funds for their services. Christoph had provided the funds, acting as a bank for the crafters, with his investment secured by the magically empowered contracts Rusell had created. The terms were fair, with only a slightly higher interest rate than was standard before the integration, something no one begrudged the merchant given the high risk of a multi-year investment in such a tumultuous environment. Russ had been the first to receive the promised cores, having received a pair the night before to facilitate his current work. Russ had suggested that each person receiving cores sign a simple contract. It stipulated that the signer would receive a pair of level 10 cores. In return, they were required to comply with the orders of appointed city officials for the duration of the quest. The signer was also attesting that they hadn¡¯t absorbed more than one core for experience before signing the contract. If either of the two conditions weren¡¯t met, then the recipient was required to reimburse the settlement for the cost of the cores plus a 100 credit recovery and processing fee. If the fee wasn¡¯t paid within a year, Celestia reserved the right to garnish wages, strip the owner of the property, or exile the individual from Celestia. Imri highly doubted it would come to that, but he had to admit, he could only attest to the character of a small percentage of citizens. Imri transferred 100,000 credits to Russ, a sum that only slightly exceeded the amount he had received from the partially harvested Cliff Drake. It was for the express purpose of buying and distributing cores. The man nodded, keeping his professional personal persona, despite having just been given an enormous fortune. Russ handed Imri a contract to sign, it was a document stating the settlement would repay Imri for the amount given over five years with a 3% interest rate. Imri had insisted this part wasn¡¯t necessary, he was not concerned about the credits. However, the council, Russ, and Christoph had all been in agreement that the settlement should not be bankrolled by Imri. Celestia needed to stand on its own, and making deals like these would encourage other citizens to come to similar arrangements amongst themselves or with Celestia officials. Imri left the nexus after the document was signed, leaving the distribution and contract signing to the council, Russ and Christoph. His next order of business was checking in with the lookout post. Sylvi was also present when he arrived, looking through another pair of binoculars. Imri didn¡¯t even need the binoculars to see the army marching across the plains, though they were only distant specks without them. ¡°We probably have two more days until they reach the base of the mountain,¡± Sylvi explained as she handed her pair of binoculars to Imri. ¡°How much ammo do we have?¡± Imri asked, knowing modern firearms would be the best weapon for most soldiers to use. ¡°A few thousand rounds, we¡¯re still lacking a proper quartermaster so we don¡¯t have an exact number,¡± Sylvi said with a shrug. ¡°Is that enough?¡± Imri asked. ¡°My first thought was yes. That was until I learned that deserters are captured and sacrificed to their god, soul included. I doubt they¡¯ll break, even when we massacre a few hundred of them in these shooting galleries,¡± she said, pointing to an exposed switchback trail. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°And if we can¡¯t hold the pass?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re fucked. There are a few natural trails that lead further into the mountains, but we haven¡¯t fully explored them yet. That¡¯s our best bet if they make it up here in numbers.¡± ¡°What about rescuing the captured people?¡± ¡°The wagons where they are being held captive are guarded tighter than clenched cheeks. They obviously won¡¯t be able to bring the wagons up those narrow trails, so at some point, they¡¯ll have to take them out. The problem is, we have no idea when and where they will be sacrificed. It¡¯s also going to be near impossible to get anyone up or down the pass once it starts being cluttered with Chixel, especially so for large groups,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°Got any recommendations?¡± Imri asked when his high intelligence didn¡¯t give him a cogent insight. ¡°You''re not going to like it,¡± Sylvi said, but Imri just motioned for her to continue. ¡°Our best bet would be to destroy their supply line. They¡¯re likely hundreds of klicks from anywhere that can bring them additional supplies, and there isn¡¯t a lot to forage on the plains. No matter how fanatical they are, they can¡¯t keep fighting if they¡¯re starving to death.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that just encourage them to make a desperate gamble to reach the plateau?¡± ¡°Probably, that''s why my next plan would be to demo some of the narrower trails, making it impossible to reach us without rebuilding the trail.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we be stuck up here?¡± ¡°So what if we are? It would only be for a few months until the Chixel scattered, then we could rebuild the trail. It would be relatively easy actually, some of those construction mages can do some impressive landscaping. That brings me to the next problem, magic.¡± ¡°We need to eliminate their magic capabilities. Either assassinate Rhesk or free the captives.¡± ¡°Exactly, which brings us full circle back to the rescue. Like I said, that¡¯s not going to be easy. Honestly, the best option is to eliminate them. They are packed tight in those wagons, a single fireball or a mundane explosive could end this.¡± ¡°No,¡± Imri said simply. ¡°I said you wouldn¡¯t like it,¡± Sylvi reminded him. ¡°We¡¯re trying to grow Celestia. If we keep thinking of new people as acceptable losses we¡¯ll never even rank up the settlement,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t know that killing them won¡¯t have the same effect as sacrificing them,¡± Imri added, though he was fairly certain killing them would disperse their souls before they could be used as mana. ¡°We can¡¯t grow Celestia if we¡¯re all dead,¡± She countered. ¡°Either way, I think we should have a team down on the plains before most of the Chixel get here. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and they¡¯ll be sloppy with their rear guard once they think we¡¯re all stuck up here. They might also be able to intercept any resupply attempts.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they be stuck down on the plains if we blow the trails?¡± Imri asked. Sylvi nodded and didn¡¯t argue the point. They were likely considered additional acceptable casualties. ¡°I don¡¯t like any of it,¡± Imri said when it was clear that Sylvi was done explaining her plan. ¡°This is going to suck, but I don¡¯t see a way around that. If you come up with something better I¡¯m all ears, but until then we¡¯re going to proceed with this plan,¡± She told him, and she wasn¡¯t asking. Everyone, including Imri, had agreed she had the final decision for military engagements like this. ¡°I¡¯ll come up with something better,¡± Imri vowed. Sylvi nodded, but it was clear in her hard-set expression that she didn¡¯t believe him. For the second day in a row, Imri left the lookout post feeling defeated. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected, it wasn¡¯t fair of him to think Sylvi would miraculously have a plan. A plan that would keep everyone as safe as possible. Imri had been too optimistic when he thought they could win without making sacrifices. Maybe he had been too optimistic when he had suggested they form a new settlement while they were surrounded by monsters. It had been working, the settlement was self-sufficient and would have had a magical infrastructure. Imri shook his head, attempting to clear his dark thoughts. He used his meditation to help ground him. He continued to meditate as he walked back to Celestia, which had leveled due to all the cores Christoph was buying.
Celestia has become a level 6 Settlement (1F)
Radius of Effect: 530 Meters
Bonuses Resource Regeneration +5.30% Experience Bonus +1.06%
Imri reached the edge of the settlement radius and immediately sat down and continued his meditation. He popped the cork on a mana potion and drank it, opening up his mana channels. While he had refrained from using potions unless it was an emergency, this was an emergency. As he meditated he used mindfulness, carefully considering what could be done. Despite the dire nature of the situation, he was able to remain calm and analytical. He didn¡¯t panic as hours passed and no epiphany came, only a realization that he wasn¡¯t strong enough. It had been a day since he and his friends had killed the Cliff Drake, and he had spent the better part of that time maximizing his mana recovery, but his mana still wasn¡¯t completely recovered. However, he didn¡¯t have more time, he couldn¡¯t afford to wait for his mana to fully recover. He had to get stronger, and he had to be as efficient as possible, even if that meant taking risks. Chapter 39: The Forward Operating Team The volunteers for the advance group were gathered together, going through their final checks. Emelia could feel their swirls of emotions, all of them were a combination of terrified and proud, even Zhaire who normally had those particular emotions locked away. Emelia had been one of the first to volunteer for the group. She had prepared a long list of reasons why she should go, expecting an argument with Imri. She was the only magic healer while the settlement would have access to the healing spring, Dr. Thompson and the other mundane healers, and Caroline¡¯s potions. She was needed in the forward operating group far more than she was needed in Celestia. Perhaps her emotions had revealed how set she was on going because he didn¡¯t argue the fact. She had hoped they would spend the night together, a final passionate night before she undertook the mission that she expected to be her last. Instead, he had said he couldn¡¯t afford to lose any mana regeneration, saying if it wasn¡¯t sleep or meditation he didn¡¯t have time. That stung a bit, but she supposed he was doing all he could to save them. She could feel his determination through their bond, he was doing everything he could to get stronger. She also couldn''t feel any despair within him, he was confident he could find a way to save them, it just required he forsake everything in the pursuit of efficiency. Apart from Emelia and Zhaire, there were the two slight psionic twins, Antonio and Veronica. The two didn¡¯t look formidable, but they had survived while traveling hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers across monster-infested plains. Next was Jenson, the rugged outdoorsman who had led her hunting group. He was included for much the same reason he had been chosen for the hunt, his survival skills that were second to only Sylvi. He also was a good shot with both a bow and various firearms. The final member of the group was Teresa, the former secretary who had thrown herself at Zhaire at the first opportunity. Zhaire had often brought the lithe woman with him, and everyone had assumed it was so they could have sex. Apparently, the woman wasn¡¯t just his booty call, she had been an aspiring ballerina before getting injured and becoming a secretary. She and Zhaire had more in common than everyone had realized. She was also a surprisingly competent fighter, relying on her absurdly high agility. To give the group the best possible chance, they had all absorbed as many cores as possible. The lowest level among them was now 9 for both Jenson and Teresa, Antonio and Emelia were 10, Veronica was 11, and Zhaire was 13. They also had stocked up on as many potions and items as they could. They also had the first two pieces of armor made from the leathers of Umbral Tiger and Cliff Drake. Both were made into protective vests, with the Tiger leather being a lighter black material, while the Cliff Drake leather still retained the scaly texture of the creature. The lighter Tiger armor was given to Teresa and the heavier Cliff Drake armor was given to Zhaire. Zhaire argued he didn¡¯t need the armor, pointing to his newfound natural armor. However, everyone else knew the armor would get the most use from him, as he tended to find himself in the thick of melee. In addition to the armor, several new weapons had been made. Teresa had a pair of shortswords, shaped into blades from Cliff Drake''s teeth. Zhaire had his new glaive which he had used against the Cliff Drake. Jenson had Sylvi¡¯s bow, having been given it while the bowyer was working on a second bow that wouldn¡¯t be ready for a couple of days. The rest of them each had a dagger made from shaped Tiger fangs. In addition, most of them had at least a handgun and Jenson had a rifle, though all of them had a very limited amount of ammo. They left Celestia early in the morning, two days after the Chixel army had been spotted. A large number of people were there to see them off, cheering them as they paraded through the camp. Emelia didn¡¯t need to be an empath to know everyone was scared. Some cheered more enthusiastically, hiding their fear behind a mask of bravado. Others were more overt, openly crying or despairing. Still, others handled it by burying themselves in their work, not daring to waste a moment. Imri, Sylvi, and Caroline all fell into that category, all busy with their tasks and were not among the crowd. They set a brutal pace, needing to get away from the trails before the Chixel arrived at the base of Mount Celestia. As they passed a particularly narrow switchback halfway down, Zhaire pulled out a bundle of jerry-rigged explosives made by Caroline, who had been a chemical engineer before the integration. While the small stick of explosives had once housed fireworks, Caroline had repurposed it, packing a far more powerful explosive yield. She had lengthened the fuse but told them they would need to run after lighting it. She had cackled when Zhaire had questioned whether this was enough to blow up the switchback. Zhaire waited until everyone was well clear. He lit the fuse and ran with a combination of speed and agility that would have put any professional athlete to shame. Despite this, he still dove for cover as the explosion reverberated across the mountain. The switchback was utterly obliterated, meaning there was no turning back from this point. Zhaire rose to his feet and then started laughing uncontrollably. It wasn¡¯t long before everyone else joined him. No one knew why they were laughing, but no one cared. It continued for a couple of minutes before dying down. Emelia wiped away a tear as the laughing fits finally subsided. As if a spell had ended, everyone became serious again, with no time to waste. As they hiked, Emelia wondered what the Chixel thought they were doing, having surely heard the explosion. They reached the base as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting the plains in an orange glow. Near the base, there were several paths, and they had chosen one that had the largest amount of cover, opening up into a small wooded area. Hopefully, this would allow them to escape into the tall sea grass without being spotted. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t the only ones who had thought it was a good idea to use the wooded area for cover, and both groups practically ran into each other. There were a dozen Chixel, most armed with spears, staring agape at them. Neither side had expected to encounter the other. Zhaire reacted first, rushing towards the scouts before they could flee. Everyone exploded into motion. Several of the scouts took a step forward and then hurled javelins at the oncoming Zhaire. He barely slowed, swatting away the javelin headed towards his head with his glaive. A second javelin impacted his chest but bounced off his leather armor, not dealing any damage. Then Zhaire was upon them, swinging his glaives in a wide arc, beheading a Chixel and injuring another. An arrow sprouted from another Chixel¡¯s chest as they attempted to flank the reckless warrior that plowed through their ranks, expertly fired by Jenson who was methodically nocking another arrow. He didn¡¯t fire with Sylvi¡¯s speed, but each shot was well-aimed and flew true. Teresa engaged another group, moving with a lithe grace that wasn¡¯t matched, even by the usually nimble Chixel. Her blades whirled in front of her, slicing in a blur of motion that surprised her Chixel opponent. Despite her alacrity, she didn¡¯t have the brutal destructive power of Zhaire or Jenson. Instead, she slowly wore her opponent down by inflicting shallow cuts. Unfortunately, this wouldn¡¯t work against multiple opponents, and soon she was the one taking shallow cuts while dodging an onslaught. Just as Teresa¡¯s opponent was about to overwhelm her, an unseen force lifted one of her opponents off their feet and slammed the surprised Chixel into the cliff face with an audible crunching sound. Veronica stood with her hand extended in an unnecessary follow-through. Teresa nodded in thanks and continued her assault unhindered. The fight had quickly turned in their favor, and the Chixel knew they were outmatched. The final two Chixel ran, dropping their weapons as they went. Jenson managed to down one of them, an arrow sticking from the Chixel¡¯s back. However, the last one quickly got out of range, seemingly safe. Unfortunately for the final Chixel, the seventh member of the team had arrived. Orion, Emelia¡¯s bonded Starseeker, galloped towards the group, trampling the fleeing scout. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. With the fight over, Emelia rushed over to check on the injured Teresa, though it clearly wasn¡¯t serious. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, there are just a few scratches,¡± She said, waving Emelia away. ¡°Good, then it won¡¯t take much mana,¡± Emelia said as she agreed with the woman¡¯s assessment but used a small amount of mana on her compassionate healing spell. She had barely used any mana when the injury was fully healed, the effect was more efficient than she expected. Apparently, she had a lot of compassion for those who were comrades in arms, sacrificing themselves to hopefully give Celestia a better chance. Zhaire and Teresa were wary as the Starseeker approached at a canter. Emelia quickly interposed herself, making sure the two melee fighters didn¡¯t attempt to harm her bonded beast. With everyone on the same page, they quickly went through the corpses, though they had little of value. Those who had inflicted killing blows had also received the credits their victim had owned, but that only amounted to a few hundred credits among the entire unit. With no signs of reinforcements coming, they also took the time to harvest the cores, though they did so in a rush. All of the Chixel had been lower level than any of their human opponents, with the majority between levels 5-7 with a couple 8¡¯s on the high end. Something about harvesting the corpses of sentient beings felt despicable, even ones who were willing to sacrifice the souls of captives. Despite the lower-leveled opponents, both Zhaire and Jenson had leveled. With the grim task completed efficiently, they quickly moved out, following the edge of the mountain rather than heading further into the plains. Zhaire had a military-grade walkie-talkie and was communicating with Sylvi and the lookout team. The army had camped for the night, not far from their current position. The captives and supplies were as well guarded as ever, and they likely wouldn¡¯t get an opportunity until more of the army was preoccupied with ascending the mountain. After they had traveled a few kilometers away, they found a ledge with good obscurement located a couple hundred meters up. Traveling on an unknown trail at night made the final leg of the hike a challenge, but they managed to reach the location without any sprained ankles. They had worked out an order of watches, with one person easily able to watch for signs of another patrol while remaining obscured. They awoke several hours past midnight, the sounds of fighting echoing up to their campsite. Everyone looked around in confusion, half dazed at being awoken unexpectedly. The confusion increased when everyone noticed there were only five of them. Orion had ranged further afield, and Emelia knew the Starseeker wasn¡¯t the source of the fighting. The person missing was Zhaire, though his pack remained in camp. As they peered down the trail to the plains, they spotted the source of the noise. Zhaire was taking on an entire patrol by himself. While Emelia immediately thought he had gone mad, it quickly became apparent that he was winning. The skirmishing tactics that the agile creatures favored were easily countered by Zhaire¡¯s impervious skin. This was further exacerbated by the fact that most of his vitals were covered by the even more resilient Cliff Drake leather armor. The Chixel were forced to commit to full attacks just to do any damage, and while some managed to penetrate his tough skin, the wound appeared superficial, and offending Chixel often paid for the gambit with their life as Zhaire¡¯s glaive swung through the air with deadly precision and force. The patrol, not wanting to retreat for an individual adversary, fought to the end. Zhaire was smiling like a maniac when the rest of them arrived, the last Chixel having just been decapitated when they had turned to flee. Zhaire was covered in gore, most of it his opponents, though he had quite a few cuts and gashes. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Jenson said to the seemingly deranged man. ¡°I won¡¯t become irrelevant, I will kill that entire army myself if that''s what¡¯s needed,¡± Zhaire explained, his grin never fading. He shared what he had gained from the two fights.
Class Tier Upgraded from 1 to 2
New Class Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Primary Stats / Level Gain
Strength .35% +.1%
Agility .25% +.1%
Constitution .25% +.1%
Intelligence .05% +.05%
Willpower .15% +.1%
Charisma .05% +.05%
Secondary Stats Gained
HP .6% +.35%
FP .4% +.2%
MP .1% +.1%
HP Regen Rate .25% +.1%
FP Regen Rate .15% +.05%
Achievement Upgraded Rank Primary Stat Increase
Horde Slayer 9 (+6) .9% (+.6%)
Trait Gained Tier/Rank Description
Feel No Pain 1F You do not feel pain, reducing the penalty from non-critical injuries by 25%.
Frenzy 2F Enter a state of frenzy, reducing damage taken by 5% and increases attack efficiency by 10%. Reduces intellect for the purposes of processing information and thinking rationally by 10%. Consumes FP while active, cost per second increases linearly for the duration. If Frenzy is activated within 2 hours of previous use, FP/second cost resumes at the previous rate.
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 16 in Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 16 in Human (1E)
Primary Stats Gained New Value
+6 Strength 161
+4 Agility 136
+4 Constitution 145
+2 Intelligence 92
+4 Willpower 122
+1 Charisma 101
Secondary Stats Gained
+35 HP 271
+21 FP 216
+8 MP 115
+29 Attack Efficiency 283
Emelia realized he was a bit crazy, he really would throw himself at the army if he thought he could catch up to Imri that way. She was also glad he was on their side, she almost felt sorry for the Chixel. Chapter 40: Inquisitor Sylvi cursed as she watched the invaders through a pair of binoculars. Her vain hope that the demolition done by the forward operating team would halt the invaders had almost instantly been dashed. The Chixel weren¡¯t complete primitives, they had a rudimentary understanding of engineering, and they were employing it on their current problem. A group of siege engineers were overseeing the construction of several different methods for overcoming their current obstacles. They were in the process of constructing a bridge across the chasm that had been created by the explosion. Sylvi fully intended to take advantage of the situation, ambushing them as they crossed while hopefully destroying the bridge and forcing them to rebuild. This would only stall the inevitable overwhelming force. If they stalled long enough they might begin starving, but she doubted they would be in such dire straits soon. The advance group continued to be a thorn in the Chixels'' side, constantly attacking patrols to great effect. So far, the Chixel seemed content to endure the harassment, though they increased the size while reducing the number of patrols. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t much they could do to take advantage of this, there were no other assets in the field. Imri had continued his methodical hunting of the Cliff Drakes, dropping a new carcass off almost every day. Sylvi wasn¡¯t sure what level he was now, but he was easily the highest-level person around. Unfortunately, his constant forays meant he was always low on mana when he returned. Sylvi wasn¡¯t sure what he was trying to accomplish, any time she spoke with him he would simply say he wasn¡¯t strong enough yet. On the morning of the third day since they arrived at the mountain, the engineers had completed their makeshift bridge. Sylvi¡¯s team lay in ambush, waiting just out of view from the Chixel who would be crossing. The team consisted of about a dozen hunters, armed with bows and rifles, including Sylvi herself. They also had two earth mages, who could send chunks of rock tumbling down or remove sections that supported the bridge. The final member was Avery, who would start the fight when the lead Chixel had just about crossed, hopefully destroying the bridge and taking a large number of the invaders with it. The battle commenced as Sylvi had planned. Avery¡¯s fireball slammed into the center, exploding and sending chunks of bridge hurtling down. Several Chixel were set on fire, they screamed and thrashed about, and the lucky ones threw themselves off the bridge, falling to their deaths. The unlucky ones attempted to put out the flames, but it was too much, they screamed in agony as the fire consumed them. The bridge was better constructed than it appeared, still standing despite the damage. The earth mages followed up, sending two large chunks of rock careening off the cliff face and down onto those desperately trying to return to the relative safety before the bridge. One of the rocks was sent too far, it glanced off the bridge before tumbling down. The second boulder struck true, slamming down on several more victims and preventing a retreat. The archers had the least success, aiming for the Chixel who had successfully crossed to the other side. Many of the archers had only fired on ranges and their skill was lacking. Still, several arrows found their marks, and Sylvi felt confident they would be able to slowly pick off those trapped on the far side of the bridge. The skirmish changed as Sylvi noticed a lone Chixel sprinting towards them at an alarming speed. The charging Chixel was not a normal Chixel warrior, armed with heavier armor that had likely deflected some of the stray arrows that had been aimed towards them. They also had a vambrace on their off-hand and a wicked-looking sword made from a strange dark metal. They also wore a gauntlet on their sword arm, and a strange gemstone with swirling colors was socketed below their knuckles. Sylvi cursed and drew her handgun, firing a burst into the lone warrior as he neared their position. The creature ducked and weaved, causing many of the projectiles to miss him. Still, a bullet caught it in the shoulder, sending a spray of blood. It didn¡¯t even faze the creature, and as he closed Sylvi noticed a faint shimmering light around them that matched the strange swirls in the gemstone. ¡°Fire at will, take it down,¡± Sylvi ordered, but it was too late. It closed on the nearest archer as he was attempting to switch weapons, a maneuver they hadn¡¯t practiced nearly enough. The black sword impaled the man straight through the gut, not killing him instantly but was likely a fatal wound. ¡°Retreat,¡± Sylvi shouted. She used her mana to create an umbral cloud between them and the monstrous Chixel, hoping to delay any pursuit. No one hesitated in following her order, retreating up the mountain. Unfortunately, her cloud did not dissuade the Chixel as he stepped into it after having killed the first man and a second who had been too slow. Sylvi fired another burst, yelling for everyone to keep running. This time the monstrous creature hadn¡¯t expected it, and the entire burst hit it in the chest. The armor it wore was effective, the bullets ricocheting off. Like the Cliff Drake leather, it was likely some high-level material that could prevent nonenchanted weapons from doing a thing. She must have done some damage, because the creature was more hesitant, darting from cover to cover. Despite not rushing her, the creature was too fast, and if she turned around she would quickly be overtaken. She was going to die, she knew it as she fired the last burst of the magazine. More shots rang out, several of the archers had partially ignored her orders, taking out their firearms and laying down suppressing fire. The sheer volume of fire pinned the creature behind cover, giving Sylvi the chance she needed to retreat. They continued the retreat in this manner, several of them running while others laid down suppression fire. The tactic expended an alarming amount of their limited ammo, and a grim part of Sylvi wondered if this was worse than just accepting a few more casualties and saving the ammo. They slowly put more distance between themselves and the elite warrior. At some point Avery threw a fireball at it, surprising it and managing to singe it somewhat. The surprise spell and mounting injuries finally dissuaded further pursuit, the Chixel elite falling back in the direction they had come from. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Sylvi¡¯s squad continued at a jog until they were at the next choke point, several hundred meters after their pursuer had given up. A smaller squad had been tasked to hold this point, and they instantly noticed the beleaguered expressions of their retreating comrades. ¡°Blow the pass,¡± Sylvi said once everyone was safely on the other side. ¡°What the hell was that thing?¡± Avery asked. ¡°I managed to get an identify to work, it was a level 17 inquisitor,¡± one of the earth mages said. ¡°No fucking way that thing was only level 17. I know that¡¯s stronger than any of us, but not by that much,¡± another soldier said, shaking their head and spitting on the ground. ¡°Anyone get a good look at that gauntlet it was wearing?¡± Sylvi asked. Everyone shook their heads. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that had something to do with it. It was probably some sort of enchantment that made it stronger.¡± ¡°Yeah, but even Imri¡¯s most efficient items couldn¡¯t do something that powerful for that long,¡± Avery pointed out, having become well acquainted with Imri¡¯s work from their joint projects. ¡°Not running on mana it couldn¡¯t,¡± Sylvi said, a sinking feeling threatening to overtake her as she figured out what the Chixel had done. ¡°That sword looked like it was made from the same material as that soul dagger Imri had taken from one of their priests. I think they were souls trapped in the gauntlet''s gemstone, souls that powered that powerful enchantment. They also likely gained more charge from killing Lucas and Payton.¡± A long silence hung over them as they walked back. No one wanted Sylvi¡¯s theory to be correct, especially Sylvi, but no one could come up with a more plausible explanation. Her theory was confirmed when they got back to Celestia, Imri having gotten the information from Thrisk and Zathri. This also meant that Lucas and Payton had suffered a fate worse than death, their souls had been shattered and used to fuel the insidious enchantment. The inquisitors were fanatics even by Chixel standards, but no one dared cross them. They weren¡¯t all decked out in as much gear as this one was, and they also weren¡¯t a large unit, the entire army likely only had several of these monsters among them. While the inquisitors were physically imposing, the Chixel defectors had a couple of suggestions. Zathri had been familiar with the enchantment they used, it was essentially the opposite of the enfeebling curse Caroline had used, it raised all their primary physical stats by a fixed amount. Zathri also pointed out that it was likely less mana-efficient than something Imri could produce, meaning it was going through an incredible amount of mana for such a significant boost. The enchantment, even powered by souls, could only run for several minutes. The only reason the inquisitor had been able to keep the enchantment running that long was the recharge it had gotten from killing Lucas and Payton. It had likely ended its pursuit because its enchantment was about to wear off. When the enchantment did wear off, the wounds that hadn¡¯t seemed to slow it down would catch up with it as their constitution lowered. The only other weakness they could see was in its defenses that weren¡¯t based on physical damage. If they could attack its mind somehow it was a normal, albeit high-leveled Chixel. Morale plummeted as people learned what had happened. From a numerical perspective, they had won the day, likely killing 30 to 40 Chixel to the 2 soldiers they had lost. Avery and the earth mage who had landed their boulder had leveled multiple times. Despite all this, they were losing. They were low on ammo, and they were running out of ground to give. Imri remained silent throughout these revelations as Sylvi delivered her report to the council. He nodded but said nothing, not even showing a sign of worry. The rest of the council was less reserved, though they remained professional. None of them were military, and the best they could do was handle logistics and morale. ¡°You got anything up your sleeves?¡± Sylvi asked when she and Imri were alone. Imri stared up at the stars, not saying anything for a time. ¡°I need more time,¡± he said eventually. ¡°More time for what?¡± Sylvi prodded, a hint of anger leaking into her tone. Imri didn¡¯t seem to notice, he just kept staring off into space. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, yet,¡± he said simply. ¡°Then what the hell are you doing?¡± she demanded, this time more than a little anger leaking through. ¡°Do you think stat points change who you are?¡± Imri asked. The question took Sylvi by surprise and she had to suppress herself from snapping at him. She wasn¡¯t Zhaire, she could keep her anger in check, but Imri certainly wasn¡¯t making it easy on her right now. ¡°Not really, I¡¯m stronger and faster than before, but I¡¯m still the same person,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought at first. Each point of intelligence made my magic stronger, my mind able to remember things better. Each point of willpower helped me focus and helped me from despairing. It¡¯s subtle, you can barely notice the difference from one point to the next, but now I¡¯m completely changed from level 1. I¡¯ve gained more than 30 intelligence, going from someone who was kind of smart, to someone who is trying to unravel some truths about space and time that would utterly overwhelm my original self. With each point, I¡¯m closer to grasping that truth.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Sylvi said as she got up. ¡°Alright?¡± he asked in confusion. ¡°I just needed to make sure you weren¡¯t wallowing about in self-pity. Power leveling and meditating until some secret of the universe reveals itself isn¡¯t a great plan, it¡¯s a shit plan really. The important thing is that you have a plan, you haven¡¯t given up,¡± She said, punching him gently on the shoulder. ¡°Should I tell everyone what I¡¯m doing then?¡± ¡°Hell no. Have you seen the state everyone is in? You tell them that¡¯s your plan and people will break. Keep acting mysterious and unconcerned, that will make everyone think you have something up your sleeve, something more than that plan,¡± Sylvi said, meaning every word. She knew things were going to get a lot worse before they got better. Chapter 41: Going All Out Zhaire smiled as they left their temporary base of operations. They continued to stay close to the base of the mountain, though they hadn¡¯t been able to contact Celestia via radio as they had gotten further away. Each day they moved, not wanting the Chixel patrols to gain an exact location for them. They had been skirmishing with various patrols for several days now. After completely dispatching several of them, the patrol size had doubled. They were easy to avoid in these large groups, they were slower and made more noise as they moved, they also had more area to cover due to the reduced number of patrols. They had engaged the larger patrols twice, once each day. The fights had been more difficult, and the team was forced to use more of their limited supplies. The psionic twins had gone all out, with Veronica destroying any groups that stayed clumped up, sending them flying with a burst of force that was essentially an invisible explosive. Antonio was much more subtle but no less insidious, subverting the mind of a member and then dominating them, like a puppeteer pulling the strings. By the time the patrol realized one of their own had turned, several Chixel had already fallen, stabbed in the back by one of their own. Emelia contributed to the fight as well, using her handgun to protect the psionic twins from anyone who had slipped past the front-line fighters. They wouldn¡¯t have managed a victory if it weren¡¯t for their seventh member. Orion, the bonded Starseeker, would hold down one of their flanks. The massive horse-like creature trampled and gored several Chixel each fight while escaping unscathed due to their barding-like natural plates while still moving with the speed and agility that no horse could have ever matched. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t manage to come out of the battle unscathed. Teresa, whom everyone had underestimated, including Zhaire, was still the weakest link in the party. It wasn¡¯t her fault, her style was ill-suited for being outnumbered so badly. She had sustained significant injuries in both the fights, forcing Zhaire to come to her rescue. She wasn¡¯t the only one injured, virtually no one managed to come out unscathed, taxing Emelia''s healing capabilities. She could no longer afford to treat superficial injuries, instead healing only wounds that reduced their capability to fight. The larger patrols didn¡¯t fight to the last like the previous patrols had. When they had sustained enough casualties that they were outnumbered they would disperse and retreat towards the main army. They might have been able to chase all of them down, the risk of running into another patrol while in an exhausted state was too high. On this particular morning, the fifth day after having left Celestia, they hadn¡¯t gone far before they had run into a patrol. They stood near a choke point in the trail, waiting for Zhaire and his team to approach, as if they had known they would come this way. Zhaire smiled as the group was smaller than the larger groups they had faced. He counted only ten of them, yet they approached with more confidence than any group had before. He used identify on each, noting that their average level was significantly higher than any patrol they had faced, with the majority around levels 8-10. They also had a different class than was typical, most were a class called blackguard, and they wore heavier armor and wielded heavier weapons than was typical among the Chixel rank-and-file soldiers. They were led by a strange Chixel wearing less armor, having various pieces of metal armor that protected his vitals, though much of his torso was unarmored, reminding Zhaire of the sorts of armor gladiators were depicted wearing in movies. In a gauntleted hand, they held a short sword that looked like it was made from a sturdy obsidian-like material that Zhaire could swear he had seen, but he couldn¡¯t remember where. Zhaire¡¯s Identify skill told him the leader was a level 16 Inquisitor. Zhaire smiled, at last one of those lizards would give him a decent challenge. ¡°The one with the black sword is mine,¡± Zhaire told his team as he hefted his glaive and charged. The blackguard seemed content to allow the duel, instead, they focused on keeping the other members of the advanced team occupied. The two leaders clashed, with Zhaire opening with a wide sweep from his glaive. The inquisitor moved with lightning reflexes, easily dodging the blow as their entire body seemed to glow faintly. Zhaire quickly realized he had underestimated his opponent, his heavy blow allowing the inquisitor an opening to close and negate his reach. It closed faster than Zhaire thought possible, likely not needing such a wide and obvious opening. Zhaire barely managed to turn into the blow, allowing it to land on the Cliff Drake armor that protected his torso. The blow had a surprising amount of power, and the inquisitor managed to rend its blade through his armor and impervious skin. While the blow likely would have disemboweled him without the armor and his trait, because of his protection the cut only barely cut him, leaving a superficial wound. Despite only being superficial, Zhaire felt pain for the first time since gaining his tier 2 class. Thanks to his Feel No Pain trait, it wasn¡¯t debilitating but it warned Zhaire that whatever he had just been cut with was no ordinary blade. Zhaire recalled where he had seen a blade like that, the knife Imri had gotten from the soul priest. That insidious weapon was trying to suck in his soul. Fortunately, the inquisitor was taken aback that their powerful strike had only managed a small cut. They had also likely thought Zhaire would recoil from the agony that accompanied even a minor soul wound. Zhaire did not recoil, instead, he stepped in, using his momentum to spin around. He brought the haft of his weapon towards the inquisitor¡¯s head, producing a loud clang as the bone weapon impacted the helmet. The reverberation stunned the inquisitor and Zhaire spun his weapon, bringing the deadly end of his glaive down. However, the inquisitor recovered faster than Zhaire expected, leaping back before the blow could land. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Go all out!¡± Zhaire shouted. He then followed his own advice, activating the Time Dilation necklace and his Frenzy skill. Zhaire felt the surge of speed and power from the combination of powerful buffs. Despite this, he still wasn¡¯t sure if he would have enough speed to hit his elusive target, so he tossed his glaive aside and drew a short sword similar to the ones Teresa wielded. Despite the improvements Imri had made to his time dilation items, they still were quite limited in duration. Because of this, Zhaire couldn¡¯t afford to be cautious, so he charged the inquisitor with reckless abandon, trusting his myriad defenses to stave off any counterattack that might come his way. Again the inquisitor was caught off guard, as Zhaire moved with incredible speed and aggression. The creature took several deep gashes as it moved to defend itself from Zhaire¡¯s unrelenting assault. Zhaire knew those wounds should have incapacitated the Chixel, or at the very least inhibited its mobility. It did neither, and as the surprise wore off, the Chixel turned the tide, landing several blows of his own. Zhaire couldn¡¯t think clearly as the effect of the frenzy continued, preventing him from thinking of anything but pressing the attack. It had been his last and only gambit, if he couldn¡¯t overtake the powerful warrior with all his buffs, then there was nothing he could do. The effects of the Time Dilation ended, and Zhaire¡¯s timing was thrown off, causing him to stumble slightly. To the enhanced Chixel, this was a massive opening that it easily took advantage of. Its blade stabbed into Zhaire, and even though he had the feel no pain skill the agony was almost unbearable. Zhaire collapsed to the ground, clutching at the wound. It still looked far from the worst wound he had taken, but the agony was worse than anything he could remember, he certainly would¡¯ve been unconscious if it hadn¡¯t been for his traits. The inquisitor stood over him, sword raised with the intent to stab him again while he was down. As the sword descended something changed and the Chixel stopped mid-stab. It stared off into space, eyes blank as if no one was home. It absently discarded its weapon and just stood there vacantly. Zhaire didn¡¯t hesitate, he grabbed his short sword as he got to his feet. He impaled his sword into the chest of the creature, facing no resistance. Being stabbed seemed to break it out of whatever weird trance it had been in, it screamed and attempted to attack Zhaire with its clawed hands. Fortunately, this injury finally seemed to impair it, though by all rights it should have been dead. Zhaire easily dodged the clumsy blow and kicked it to wrench his sword free. Blood gushed from the massive wound, and slowly the creature stumbled back, blood loss quickly inhibiting it. Zhaire moved to finish it, but his own body was becoming sluggish from his injuries. The world spun as he began to feel faint, his hand covered in his blood as he felt his wound. He collapsed to the ground and then everything was black. He awoke with a start, looking around rapidly in panic. He was on a cot, blood-soaked bandages, and gauze covered his wounded chest. The sky was dark, meaning he had been out for the better part of a day, at least. Teresa was at his side, a relieved expression on her face. The three mages slept while Jenson had his back to him, keeping watch. ¡°What happened?¡± Zhaire asked dumbly. ¡°You were stabbed by a soul-stealing blade. Emelia said it would take a lot longer to heal from something like that. You''re only alive because she poured all her mana into healing you,¡± Teresa said before emphatically saying, ¡°Again.¡± ¡°And the inquisitor?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Dead. Jenson went and found a spot where we could get a signal from Celestia. Apparently, there are more of those fuckers, and they have their hands full with one of them. They''re using souls to power that enchantment, that¡¯s how they are so strong.¡± ¡°How did we beat it? It had me and then just stopped?¡± ¡°You have him to thank,¡± Teresa said, motioning to the diminutive Antonio. ¡°He managed to get into the creature¡¯s head and fucked with its mind. He gained two full levels from that fight.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve also stopped sending patrols. Killing the inquisitor has them terrified of us, so we¡¯re safe for now,¡± Jenson added, though he continued keeping watch. ¡°We have to press our advantage, keep hitting them while they''re scared,¡± Zhaire said, trying to sit up. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± Teresa said, preventing him from sitting up, though the restraint was hardly necessary. ¡°We¡¯re in bad shape, none of us are fully capable right now. Everyone used their enchantments during the fight and the mages are completely spent. I¡¯ve got a pretty bad cut making my left hand weak and Jenson has a cut on his thigh. Neither of which Emelia can heal because she needed to save you, again.¡± ¡°How bad is Celestia?¡± ¡°Not good,¡± Jenson said after hesitating as if considering lying or not telling Zhaire anything. ¡°They keep blowing passes up, but their engineers have been able to build a makeshift bridge in a couple of days. It slows them down, but it''s not as effective as Sylvi had hoped. Those inquisitors show up, preventing them from harassing the engineers or destroying the bridges. They just blew the third and final choke point. After this, they¡¯ll be on the plateau. Sylvi thinks they have two more days.¡± ¡°We rest for one day, then we attack. Even if we¡¯re not fully effective,¡± Zhaire declared. They all nodded in agreement, no one wanted to be sitting on their hands while the invaders poured into their home. Chapter 42: Transcendent Imri sent out the Spatial Tear with practiced ease, easily managing to connect with the now familiar Cliff Drakes. It was cleaved in half and Imri didn¡¯t even wait before checking his notification, reviewing his progress from the last week of grinding.
Base Agility has increased to 87 (+1)
Base Constitution has increased to 100 (+1)
Imri Padar has reached level 23 in Relativity Mage (1E)
Imri Padar has reached level 23 in Primordial (1F)
Primary Stats
Agility 95 (+1)
Constitution 109 (+2)
Intelligence 173 (+3)
Willpower 149 (+2)
Charisma 99 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 139 (+3)
FP 106 (+3)
MP 321 (+16)
Mana Efficiency 323 (+14)
Crafting Efficiency 349 (+15)
Spatial Tear has Ranked up to D
Spatial Tear has improved into Dimensional Tear (2F)
Dimensional Tear (2F): Create a tear in dimensional space relative to a frame reference. If the dimensional tear occurs along a dimensional boundary, then a stable connection is created between the two dimensions. Nothing can exist where there is no space, and anything that comes into contact with a tear into nothingness will cease to exist. Anything that comes into contact with the edge of a stable tear will be forced apart. Mana cost determined by the size of the tear and the distance from the caster.
Imri reviewed the improvements to his Spatial Tear spell, which had become Dimensional Tear. On the surface, the change wasn¡¯t that impactful, with only a minor change to what the spell did. He could now create a stable tear in space, in addition to the weaponized unstable version he had been using. That would only work if he could find a dimensional boundary or create one, which he currently couldn¡¯t do. This assumed he had the mana to open a tear large enough to use, he had only been using it for thin blades, opening an entire space someone could fit through was another thing entirely. Either way, it didn¡¯t help with his immediate problem with the Chixel. In addition to the tangible benefits, he now had over a million credits to his name. His monster-hunting prowess far exceeded the combined capacity of those who could work with the nearly indestructible portions of the monster. He felt it wasteful to simply throw the entire unharvested carcass into the system store, gaining marginally less functional value from each transaction. Unfortunately, he had yet to come up with a better alternative. He felt through his bond that Emelia was safe as he returned to the settlement. The constant reassurance through the skill was the only reason he could focus on anything else. As it was, he found meditation extremely challenging. He closed his eyes and got comfortable as he entered Celestia¡¯s boundary. The more he needed to meditate, the harder it became. As his sense of urgency ramped up, so did his anxiety. He needed as much mana regeneration as he possibly could get. After an hour of failed attempts, he stood and walked around, hoping to clear his head. As he walked, he returned to basics, focusing on his breathing. He paid attention to his breath, noticing it was coming in unsteady gasps. As he adjusted his breathing to deep breaths, his mind naturally followed, slowing from his panicked worrying to a more considerate and contemplative state. He had fallen into the same issue again, considering his meditation skill just for its text, its mana regeneration. He had to remember that meditation had value, even before mana and the system. He redoubled his effort in meditation, not for the mana regeneration, but for the reasons he had always turned to it, to become mindful. This wasn¡¯t difficult now that he had identified the issue. As he achieved this state, he continued deeper, transcending his body. He extended his senses, feeling the wind, gently blowing with a biting cold from the glaciers far above him. He felt the warmth of their new star, its light countering the cold wind. He took off his boot and felt the ground beneath his feet, a mixture of loose dirt that kicked up while individual pebbles prodded his feet. He listened to the lapping waves crashing against the jagged embankment. He heard the sounds of wildlife, both familiar and alien. This was contrasted by the distant sounds of the industry from Celestia. He smelled the earthy scents carried by the wind, picking up small pieces of the various foliage it had passed through on its journey. Suddenly, his perspective shifted. He wasn¡¯t Imri, experiencing the wind as it traversed Mount Celestia. He was the wind, descending from an impossibly high peak, down through the snow-capped peak that was near the heavens. It was impossibly cold, colder than anything from pre-integration earth. Yet, he was wind, and wind did not have a body that feared freezing. He traveled downward, past sheer cliffs that were covered in ice that radiated an unnatural cold. He gained substance as he descended, going from thin and insubstantial, to a powerful gust. Slowly the sheer ice gave way to unyielding rocks, bearing the weight of the entirety of the mountain above while slowly being shorn by wind and dripping water. Only near the end of the journey was there a change. Life sprung up and found a way to persist, despite the harsh conditions it faced. He felt himself displace a leaf as he went through a tree, dispersing himself as he passed through the branches, only to be reformed and continue onward. As the wind reached his body, his perspective shifted. He was a ray of light, originating from the star. He was near the star, its size and heat unfathomable to his human sense. He sped across the vast expanse of open space, moving at the speed of light. He could see distant celestial bodies, the stars, the planets, and the moons. In mere moments he was approaching the as-of-yet-named planet that contained portions of Earth. In many ways, it looked like photos he had seen of Earth, and yet, in many ways, it was entirely alien to him. The landmasses were all wrong, and it now had far more land than ocean. There was also a greater variety of locales, higher highs, like Mount Celestia, and lower lows. He saw the mountain as he entered the atmosphere and crashed down onto Imri, that entire portion of the journey taking a fraction of a second. Stolen story; please report. His perspective shifted a third time. He was the ground, slowly formed as all living things lived and died, only to be reclaimed into the ground. He was slowly churned by natural forces, wind, and water carrying traces of things that would eventually become him. He in turn would return the nutrient to life, passing along pieces of himself to plants. In turn, the plants would be eaten by animals. Eventually, everything returned to the ground when the animal died. Though he was but a part of the ground, he was an entire ecosystem, all intermixed. Next, he was the water. He started at the edge of the glacial peaks, dripping down onto the rocks. He slowly shaped the rock, eroding his way within the mountain. He formed natural chasms and caves, slowly pushing downward. What started as but a drop soon became a powerful current, implacable and unyielding. He continued eroding and pushing until he was forced up, returning to the surface and forming a lake. Imri felt as if eons had passed as he experienced each of these things. And yet when he opened his eyes, he knew only a moment had passed, a single breath. He closed his eyes, contemplating all he had seen. It had given him perspective. The conflict with the Chixel was but a fleeting thing, insignificant compared to the forces that acted on them every day. Something still gnawed at him, some inexorable truth that he had yet to fathom. Instead of extending his sense out, he turned it inward. He scanned his body, trying to comprehend what he was. He felt his clothing touching his body and weighing him down ever so slightly. He felt the hairs on his arm, standing up straight against the cold breeze. He felt his chest rise and fall with each breath. He felt his muscles, tensed and then relaxed as he shifted slightly. He felt his heart, beating in a steady rhythm. He altered his heartbeat, ever so slightly speeding it up and then slowing it down, feeling how the subtle change affected his entire body. He felt his blood circulating throughout his entire body, nourishing his vital organs. He felt his brain, what he considered to be the center of himself, the part that made him who he was. Yet, as he contemplated it, he knew that was wrong. Despite all these revelations, something still felt off about his perception of self. He still hadn¡¯t gone deep enough. He continued to scan his body, and yet no matter how much he searched, he still couldn¡¯t find anything amiss. Then he realized it wasn¡¯t something within him that was wrong, it was that which wasn¡¯t within him. He did not have a core within his body, despite everything telling him that all living things had a core near their heart. He scanned his entire body several more times, hoping to have been mistaken. Somehow, he knew he wouldn¡¯t find it, and the more he scanned the more certain he was. He was now certain, whatever he was, that the physical body he considered Imri, was but a part of him. However, what the rest of him was, he wasn¡¯t sure. What Ettes had told him echoed in his mind. Primordials are shaped by mana, no two are identical. It wouldn¡¯t be possible for one to exist on Earth when there was virtually no mana. He also found it strange that he had gotten sick right before the integration. He had originally dismissed it as a coincidence, a logical fallacy to assume causation from a sample size of one. However, something told him this wasn¡¯t the case. Imri smiled, as he felt something click. He still had a long way to go before he truly understood his heritage, and exactly what he was. However, he had discovered enough about himself that he was able to break through his bottleneck. He felt the transformation begin and he smiled.
Skill Meditation has ranked-up to D
Skill Meditation and Skill Breathe Control has improved into Transcendent Meditation (2F)
Transcendent Meditation (2F): You are able to enter a state of meditation, able to shift your gaze free from your mind and body. While in a state of meditation you gain +1.05% resource regeneration / 10 Willpower. You also gain the benefits of resting while in meditation.
Primordial 1E
Primary Stats / Level
Strength .2% (+.1%)
Agility .2% (+.1%)
Constitution .2% (+.1%)
Intelligence .5% (+.2%)
Willpower .35% (+.15%)
Charisma .2% (+.1%)
New Traits Gained
Locus of Mana (1F): Mana is drawn to you and within you. Increases mana regeneration rate by 5% while within a sufficiently dense mana region. Increases resistance to all forms of magic by 5%.
Shaped by Mana (1F): Your physical body is a construct of mana. Increases mana by 3%. Allows your mana to be converted to HP or FP at a rate equal to mana regeneration rate.
Base Strength increased to 115 (+2)
Base Agility increased to 89 (+2)
Base Constitution increased to 102 (+2)
Base Intelligence increased to 142 (+4)
Base Willpower increased to 129 (+3)
Base Charisma increased to 93 (+2)
His transformation was entirely different than what Zhaire or Sylvi had gone through. There was no violent breaking and reshaping, no bodily fluids excreted, and no pain. Instead, he found himself at the epicenter of a confluence of mana, as if the nearby mana was drawn to him. It wasn¡¯t just drawn near him, it was drawn into him. His body greedily absorbed it, gaining an amount of mana that he could never have wielded at this level. It circulated throughout his entire body, shaping him to something closer to perfection. The mana destroyed imperfections and empowered bone and muscle. It had a similar final result to what Zhaire and Sylvi had gained, albeit in a far more elegant and efficient manner. He wasn¡¯t sure how long it took, but when it finished and the swirls of mana subsided, he collapsed to the ground. A crowd of onlookers had gathered around him, apparently having noticed the immense mana storm that had swirled around him. It had become dense enough that it had been visible to everyone, much like the falling contrails of mana storms. ¡°Just in the nick of time,¡± Sylvi said with a wide grin. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started,¡± Imri said with an even wider grin. Chapter 43: Reflecting on Progress Imri smiled as Sylvi looked at him with an uncomprehending expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to get even stronger,¡± Imri replied simply. ¡°While I appreciate the enthusiasm, we need your help ASAP. We don¡¯t have time for you to grind even more drakes,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°No, not like that,¡± Imri said with a chuckle. ¡°I just need a few minutes. I have an inspiration right now and don¡¯t want to lose it.¡± ¡°You heard the man, stop gawking and get back to work,¡± Sylvi said, shooing everyone back towards Celestia to give Imri some space. His meditation had given him an inspiration about time, having watched the effects of natural forces. Even the smallest forces, the drip of water or the gentle breeze, could erode mountains and form ecosystems.
Spells Learned
True Age (1F): Discern the age of something by seeing the effects of time. Mana cost varies by distance from caster to target and precision.
Aging (1F): Exert the force of time, accelerating the age of something based on its current conditions. Mana cost / second varies by distance from caster to target, amount of volume being affected, and exponentially based on the amount of time elapsed / second.
Imri smiled, though it wasn¡¯t just because of the new spells he had learned. Another prompt tingled in the back of his mind, and he excitedly examined it.
Quest Completed
Relativity Mage E to D: Learn new space or time spells 5/5, rank up space or time spells 5/5
New Tier 2 Class Options Available
Chronomancer: Gain mastery over time, bending the laws of physics and rewriting reality. Gains limited abilities to reverse or stop time.
Dimensional Traveler: Travel all throughout the multi-verse, bending space to allow unfettered access to any location. Gains abilities that greatly improve personal mobility.
Celestial Mage: Take inspiration over the vast expanse of space and massive celestial objects shaped by time. Gains gravity and time-based abilities inspired by the cosmos.
Imri considered his options. There weren¡¯t any options that were vastly superior to the others, it was mainly a question of if he wanted to specialize in one of the two aspects he had. He immediately dismissed the Chronomancer. While trying to break reality and gain further mastery over time was tempting, he had been using more spatial spells recently. Space seemed to be the more versatile of the two, and he was far from done exploring what he could do with that concept. That left Dimensional Traveler or Celestial Mage. This decision was a bit more challenging. He wasn¡¯t sure how much more he would be able to accomplish with temporal concepts. However, his Time Dilation and Time Contraction spells had been mainstays in his arsenal. It also seemed that the Celestial Mage slightly emphasized spatial concepts over temporal ones while still retaining a bit of both. Besides, something was appealing about being a Celestial Mage and founder of Celestia. Unfortunately, this probably cemented the misconception of mana storms as shooting stars. He made up his mind and selected Celestial Mage.
Celestial Mage (2F)
Primary Stats / Level
Strength .05% (+.05%)
Agility .1%
Constitution .1% (+.05%)
Intelligence .45% (+.15%)
Willpower .25% (+.1%)
Charisma .05% (+.05%)
Secondary Stats / Level
HP .25% (+.15%)
FP .1% (+.1%)
MP .5% (+.1%)
Mana Efficiency .5% (+.15%)
MP Regen Rate .5% (+.25%)
Primary Stats
Strength 127 (+6)
Agility 100 (+6)
Constitution 115 (+8)
Intelligence 192 (+22)
Willpower 161 (+14)
Charisma 104 (+6)
Secondary Stats
HP 161 (+25)
FP 119 (+20)
MP 423 (+118)
Mana Efficiency 410 (+101)
Crafting Efficiency 445 (+111)
New Skill
Spatial Beacon (1F): Create a nontangible semi-permanent beacon relative to a frame of reference. You always know the exact distance and direction of any beacon. The beacon is always considered visible for the purposes of targeting restrictions. The caster is considered to be 50% closer to the beacon for determining mana cost when the spell targets an area within a meter of the beacon. Beacons may be dismissed at any time, but will otherwise exist indefinitely on ambient mana. Mana cost varies by the number of beacons in the network and exponentially based on the distance from the caster to the target location when creating the beacon.
New Trait
Weight of the Stars (2F): Improves the mana efficiency of all spells that bend space by 7.5%.
New Quest
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to E: Learn new space or time spells 1/10, rank up space or time spells 0/10, learn new gravity spells 0/5, rank up gravity spells 0/5, visit celestial bodies 1/2.
Imri grinned as he reviewed his massive increase in stats. It was easily his largest improvement to date. He reflected on how far he had come in two months. His overall effective magical output had increased dramatically, mainly as a function of his increased mana and mana efficiency. From the first time he had cast Spatial Compression on the Ulfr Hound until now, he had more than five times effective output. This wasn¡¯t even taking into account how much better he was at quickly defining the spell. Even compared to his first time using Spatial Tear to kill the Drake until now, he had more than doubled his output. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He also took the time to contemplate all the new abilities he had gained in the past few minutes. The first was his Transcendant Meditation, which now doubled as a divination effect. While the visions had helped him learn a great deal about his surroundings and this new world, it was far from a simple scry. It had been vague impressions of natural forces, visions of eons passing in the blink of an eye. He wouldn¡¯t be able to get useful information about the Chixel army or other such mundane affairs. He could also use the skill to better understand and control his body, helping him identify illnesses or toxins within his own body. It even allowed him to control previously autonomic functions of the body, manipulating his blood flow via heart rate or triggering or suppressing certain reflexes. Another benefit was that meditation could now completely replace sleep, allowing him to gain those benefits while doing something more productive. The bonus to regenerations also applied to all three resource pools, not just his mana. Next were his heritage abilities. Locus of Mana was the more straightforward of the two, allowing him to regenerate his mana faster while making him slightly more resistant to other spell casters. The only hidden nuance to this trait was that the improved mana regeneration was a factor for over-channeling. This allowed him to absorb more mana per day without getting the debuff Emelia had gotten when she needed to absorb mana from crystals to keep Zhaire alive. The Shaped By Mana trait likewise was straightforward. His increase in mana helped up his overall output, though he would have slightly preferred efficiency due to external mana sources and his limit on how fast he could channel, which was directly tied to his willpower. The more profound impact was his ability to convert mana to health, even if it wasn¡¯t instant. If he combined with his Transcendant Meditation and the bonuses while within Celestia¡¯s borders, he could go from completely spent and near death, to completely recovered in all three pools within two days. He also couldn¡¯t forget about the two new spells he had learned. While True Age had very marginal utility, analogous to his True Distance or Metronome spells, it could become useful in attempting to understand what had happened with the integration, or even unraveling some of the mysteries of the multi-verse. Likewise, he didn¡¯t think his Ageing spell was a straightforward attack spell. Sure, he could age someone until they were old and enfeebled, but he intuitively knew that the amount of magical work to produce that kind of effect would be astronomical. At that point, it would have been far easier to crush them with Spatial Compression or bisect them with a Dimensional Tear. No, the far more likely use case was more utility-based. Small objects with a subtle effect over time. For example, he could help grow crops faster, age spirits faster, or help Caroline reduce the amount of time it took to brew a potion. Nothing system-shattering, but useful utility he was glad to have. Finally, his two new class abilities rounded out his current capabilities. The Weight of Stars trait was straightforward, it increased his mana efficiency of spatial spells that relied on bending space. This currently affected his Spatial Compression and Boundless Step spells, giving them a decent buff. His Spatial Beacon skill was the one that intrigued him the most. His first thought was to use it before combat, giving him a location where he could always use Boundless Step to escape, regardless of line of sight. The greater implication was that he could eventually use waypoints for long-distance travel, making it easier to establish a portal between two fixed points. At least it would be when he learned some way to create a portal. Finally, there was the utility aspect of knowing exactly how far away the beacon was. He fully intended to place one in the heart of Celestia, meaning he would always be able to find his way back. There was also some utility in tethering a beacon to a physical object that could be carried with someone. He could even define the frame of reference to the person, easily allowing him to follow and track their movements. Imri returned to Celestia in high spirits. He made good on his idea and created a Spatial Beacon, tethering it to a space near the nexus. As he had hoped, the mana cost was insignificant, though he expected this wouldn¡¯t always be the case when he had extensive networks of the spell-like effect. Sylvi was absorbed in maps and reports, bouncing her ideas off Caroline, who had become their defacto intelligence officer based on her divination capabilities. They both stopped and looked at him expectantly as he approached. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± He said a bit sheepishly, not knowing what else to say. He felt guilty for being absent for so much of the war, but he had done the right thing, he just hoped everyone else would see it the same way. Now was his time to prove they hadn¡¯t misplaced trust in him. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to harass them, using guerrilla tactics to stall for as long as possible. Unfortunately, they always seem to anticipate our every attack, and we likely have Rhesk to thank for that. The forward team has had similar issues, constantly harassed by patrols that know their every move. We have one final location to make our last stand. It¡¯s a narrow switchback just before the healing spring,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°The inquisitors have gotten more cautious since the forward team managed to eliminate one. However, they will join the battle when they spot an opening, and we¡¯re screwed if they manage to start killing people. I can slow them down and weaken them, but not enough to outright stop them,¡± Caroline added. ¡°We need to get Rhesk, either kill him or capture him. Without his divination magic, we can more effectively harass them. If we can get all the inquisitors and their weapons, then we win, the rest is just mop-up duty,¡± Imri said confidently. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call over a thousand Chixel ¡®Mop-up duty¡¯, but you¡¯re right. If we can eliminate their leaders we can turn this into a more conventional war where we have the terrain advantage, we¡¯ll eventually disperse them,¡± Sylvi agreed. ¡°We¡¯re fairly certain Rhesk is in the middle of their made camp, which is still down at the base of the mountain. There are hundreds of Chixel there, and only the forward team is capable of getting there with all the demo we¡¯ve done to the passes,¡± Caroline pointed out. ¡°Suppose we could move a team from the edge of the plateau down to the plains below. If the Chixel were already fighting a war on two fronts, we could slip into the camp and assassinate Rhesk,¡± Imri said. ¡°But how would we get down?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Fucking space mage,¡± Sylvi cursed, though she had a broad grin. Chapter 44: Battle of Mount Celestia Zhaire stared at the black blade and gauntlet. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was developing a new sense, but the items seemed to radiate evil. Perhaps it was just because he knew how insidious of a weapon it truly was. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t use it, because we are better than that. It doesn¡¯t matter what the Chixel do,¡± Emelia argued, rehashing the same argument they had already had several times. ¡°So, we just let them use it on us? Because if we don¡¯t stop them, everyone in Celestia is going to be slaughtered by those blades,¡± Veronica countered. ¡°It¡¯s not like your boyfriend had any issues using one of those weapons,¡± Teresa said. ¡°He regrets having ever used it,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°So why don¡¯t we ask him what we should do now?¡± Teresa asked. They both knew he would be for using any weapon they could get their hands on. He had sold the dagger because he thought it was no longer needed. ¡°Enough,¡± Zhaire said, having grown irritated. He could see both sides of the argument, but going in circles wasn¡¯t going to solve anything. They needed to make a decision now or they wouldn¡¯t get deployed in time. When there was silence he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like using this weapon either, it''s despicable and the world would be a better place if all of these were destroyed. However, we can¡¯t allow ourselves to be seen as weak, or we¡¯ll never survive. We can debate morality after we establish ourselves as something not to be fucked with.¡± Zhaire could tell Emelia wasn¡¯t convinced, but she didn¡¯t argue further. Zhaire grasped the blade and gauntlet, shuddering slightly as he picked it up. He presented it to Teresa, who was the best candidate to use the weapon, given that he and Jenson couldn¡¯t physically get their hands in the gauntlet. She seemed to have no compunction about taking the weapon, which concerned Zhaire, but he didn¡¯t say anything. She gave the sword a few practice swings, feeling out the weight and balance of the unfamiliar sword. Despite her being some distance away, everyone flinched away from the insidious weapon. With the decision made they quickly packed up camp, likely for the last time. No one said anything as they made their way into position. Zhaire held the walkie-talkie, waiting for the command to go in. The wait dragged on, feeling like an entire day despite only being a couple of hours. When the crackly voice came onto the walkie-talkie, Zhaire gave the signal. They had positioned themselves only a few hundred meters from the rear of the main camp of the army, which was situated at the base of the mountain trails leading up to Celestia. Despite the current assault kilometers away near the plateau, there were still several hundred Chixel throughout the camp. This included the support staff and the wounded, but that still left well over a hundred soldiers nearby. Despite this, Zhaire charged. He rode atop Orion, the mighty Starseeker galloping directly towards the center of the enemy''s camp, trampling any Chixel who didn¡¯t get out of its way in time. Some Chixel managed to jump out of the path of the powerful beast only to be cut down by Zhaire''s glaive. However, despite the shocking nature of the attack, Zhaire didn¡¯t manage many killing blows, his range of motion was limited by not having a saddle, and he used his core to stay atop Orion more than striking. It did draw the attention of the camp, causing many soldiers to rush to the battlefield, forming a line as opposed to the normal skirmishing formations the Chixel favored. Zhaire broke the attack off, gently nudging the Starseeker aside before the mass of the defenders could arrest their momentum. They wheeled about and continued attacking those who had yet to properly join the formation. He continued his harassment, despite many of the skirmishers hurling javelins with Olympian-level accuracy. Fortunately, his armor, both natural and crafted, along with fast movement, prevented him from sustaining serious injuries. Despite this, both he and Orion accumulated several cuts from the sheer volume of projectiles sent their way. However, Zhaire and Orion were far from the only threat the camp had to deal with as several of the skirmishers fell to the ground, an arrow protruding from their chest as Jenson picked them off with sniper-like precision and power. With a large group of soldiers gathered, and the majority of the skirmishers either dead or retreated, the battle had reached a stalemate. Zhaire could continue harassing them with a low risk of serious injury, but his team would run out of resources long before they made a significant dent in the enemy''s force. Realizing this, Zhaire whistled and pointed at the large block of assembled soldiers that held the camp''s perimeter. The soldiers, which had been packed tight to prevent a Starseeker charge, were suddenly thrown about like bowling pins. Most fell to the ground, only a few confused soldiers near the edge of the blast still standing, with most having suffered non-fatal injuries. Veronica had used her telekinetic ability, sending a pulse of force into their ranks. While she could have made the force sharper to inflict more damage, her abilities were most mana-efficient when she didn¡¯t shape it, just sending a wide blast of force. However, it still had the desired effect of dispersing their formation. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Zhaire charged toward the open gap, making toward the center of the camp. He wasn¡¯t alone, Teresa blurred forward, moving only slightly slower than Orion. She had managed to kill a few of the skirmishers and the cloudy gemstone glowed with the souls of her victims. She moved fluidly, cutting through her Chixel opponents like a farmer reaping a field. Many didn¡¯t even put up a fight, too terrified of the black blade she wielded. Behind them, Jenson sprinted to join the melee, having already fired the last of his limited arrows. The normally implacable Chixel wavered, as an unnatural sense of dread enveloped them. It wasn¡¯t enough to completely break their spirits, but it did give them pause and lessened their effectiveness. Zhaire continued to push through the line of defenders, and he began to think they would actually manage to make their way to the captives that were held at the center of the camp. Unfortunately, the sheer number of opponents began to halt their momentum, and the trio of fighters were forced to defend themselves as their opponents attempted to flank and surround them. He noticed Teresa taking wounds that normally would have seriously hampered her, only to keep fighting. Shots rang out as the mages used the last of their bullets to keep from being overwhelmed as their mana was taxed to their limits. Zhaire lost track of everything as he was thrown from Orion, as the Starseeker frantically kicked and stomped at Chixel who threatened to overwhelm them. Zhaire hit the ground hard, losing his breath but not breaking anything thanks to his improved body. Swarms of opponents rushed in on him now that he was in a compromised position. Zhaire eventually managed to regain his footing, though he took several deeper wounds in the process. The horde pressed in on him, not giving him room to wield his longer weapon, forcing him to switch to his short sword. He activated his Frenzy skill, giving him the surge in power he needed to regain some chance at counter-attacking. That¡¯s when he saw a black sword slashing towards him. He narrowly managed to avoid the blow, blocking it with his short sword. They continued exchanging blows, the press of common soldier forgotten as Zhaire diverted all his attention to the enemy in front of him. Despite the creature landing shallow cuts on him as they clashed, Zhaire smiled down at the Inquisitor. He didn''t need to win he just needed to hold out long enough.
Sylvi shouted orders as the Chixel began their assault on the final choke point. After the first assault, the Chixel had started using enhanced wood that was stronger and fire resistant, preventing them from destroying the bridge with a fireball, a shaped boulder from an earth mage, or a conventional explosive created by Caroline. However, those attacks were still effective on the soldiers attempting to cross, killing scores of them, with the last few dying from well-shot arrows. However, despite the immense casualties sustained, the Chixel kept coming. On the other side of the bridge, Sylvi could see the Inquisitor, decked out in heavy armor and wielding their signature black blade. Their retinue of Blackguards stood around them protectively, making the Inquisitor an impossible target for all but the most accurate sharpshooters, of which none of them qualified. Despite being able to single-handedly break through Celestia¡¯s defenders, the Inquisitor stood back, watching dispassionately. They seemed content to let their brethren be slaughtered. While the inquisitor¡¯s inaction gave them a slim chance, it was still looking grim. Their supply of ammo, both bullets and arrows, was stretched thin. At this rate, they wouldn¡¯t last long against the onslaught of Chixel recklessly throwing themselves at the defenders. Sylvi did her best with the limited ammo, sending powerful arrows into any Chixel that managed to cross. Eventually, the defenders ran out of resources, both ammo and mana for spells, and the Chixel continued their advance. The battle changed from a one-sided slaughter to a brutal conflict over a few square meters at the end of the bridge. With the tide of battle turning, the Inquisitor finally decided to act, moving lazily, as if this fight were a chore that it could barely be bothered with. The defenders had done all they could. With the inquisitor entering the fray, the barely trained conscripts would be slaughtered in droves. They didn¡¯t have the Chixel¡¯s callous disregard for their own lives, they would break and run. Fortunately, Sylvi didn¡¯t expect them to stand up to the soul-devouring Inquisitor. She pushed her way to the front of the line, standing on the edge of the bridge. She created an umbral mist around herself, obscuring the area where she was and momentarily halting the advancing army on the bridge. She grabbed the utility knife and flipped it open. Cringing, she shouted, ¡°Dimensional blade,¡± and a thin black edge extended just past the physical blade. She ran the knife through the near impervious wood of the bridge, slicing through with no resistance. It took several passes for the small blade to completely collapse the bridge, but it eventually fell. The bridge collapsed completely, tumbling down nearly fifty meters before crashing into a small shelf below. Over a dozen Chixel screamed as they plummeted to their deaths Despite her high agility, Sylvi almost fell forward as the majority of her weight was leaning forward as she completed the cuts with no resistance. Fortunately, the Umbral Shroud had started to disperse, and Caroline was able to grab her and pull her back to secure footing. They collapsed to the ground, Sylvi on top of the more slight Caroline. Sylvi couldn''t help it, she laughed at the absurdity of them still being alive. Caroline gave her a perplexed look, then started laughing too. The Inquisitor stared balefully at them, and for a moment Sylvi wondered if they would jump the gap themselves. It was slightly further than the Olympic long jump record, and this inquisitor seemed disinclined to put themselves in harm''s way. The powerful Chixel seemed to come to the same conclusion, hissing and walking away from the chasm. Sylvi couldn¡¯t help it, she taunted the creature, despite them not knowing their language. She stuck her middle finger out and jeered as they retreated. She only hoped she had done enough to keep this force occupied. Chapter 45: Dimensional Portal Imri left the meeting with no small amount of trepidation. The plan hinged on a spell he didn¡¯t even possess yet. He was confident in his theoretical understanding, but what if he didn¡¯t have the mana? Or if the spell just didn¡¯t work for some reason he wasn¡¯t thinking of? If he failed the entire forward team would be wiped out, including Emelia. His plan had to work, he didn¡¯t have any other options. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t even have time to experiment and get the spell exactly right; The Chixel could attack at any moment and he needed to act. A small team had gathered for this mission, none of whom Imri knew all that well. There were no mages with flashy powers, or elite fighters who could hold their own while being vastly outnumbered. Sylvi had selected them for being competent, but all of Celestia¡¯s elites were already committed to defending the pass or in the forward team. The group of six looked at him expectantly. ¡°Everyone is counting on us. If everything goes according to plan we¡¯ll be in and out of the enemy camp with little resistance. We can do this,¡± Imri said, fumbling over his words as he spoke. Despite it being far from an eloquent speech or some profound words of wisdom, the team of six nodded, and Imri could see he had improved their confidence somewhat. ¡°What is the plan?¡± Someone asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to create a portal and drop all of you off on a trail that leads straight to the enemy camp. It¡¯s unguarded since there isn¡¯t any way to reach it by conventional means. The forward team will be engaging the enemy from the opposite direction, so we should face minimal resistance.¡± ¡°You''re not coming with us Lord Padar?¡± One of them asked. Imri blanched at the name but ignored it for now, there would be better opportunities to insist on less formality. ¡°Not all the way, I have something else I have to do,¡± Imri said with a wicked grin. ¡°Once you reach the camp, fire this arrow as far into the camp as you can get it. Radio me when that¡¯s done,¡± he said, passing an arrow to the soldier Sylvi had identified as the best shot among the six. ¡°I¡¯m assuming this isn¡¯t an ordinary arrow?¡± The man asked. ¡°There is a Spatial Beacon tethered to that arrow. I will know exactly where it is at all times,¡± Imri explained. He was about to explain more when the message went out on the walky-talky. The battle had started, and soon the forward team would begin their assault on the camp. Everything was happening too fast, he needed more time. ¡°Sir, what do we do now?¡± One of them asked. ¡°Get ready to move out. I won¡¯t be able to keep the portal open long, so go through it as quickly as possible. It will open in the ground, so just jump through, it will be disorienting when you come up, but just move out of the way,¡± Imri explained. The six soldiers looked uncertain but nodded anyway. Imri quickly marked out the spot where he would open the portal using some rocks. The six soldiers gathered around, quickly discussing the order they would go through. Imri ignored them and focused on his spell. He was confident this would work, based on the description of the Dimensional Tear spell. If he combined that with an effect that warped two distant points together, that should create a dimensional boundary that led between the two spaces. Fortunately, he had already been doing exactly that with his Boundless Step spell. He just needed to put those two spells together to create a new spell. That¡¯s exactly what he did, warping the space between the rock boundary and a spot three meters off the ground, far below their current location. After space was bent he tore an opening, creating the portal.
New Spell Learned
Dimensional Portal (2E): Create a stable connection between two planes that you can see, connecting them as if they were no distance apart. Mana cost for creating the portal varies based on the dimensions of the portal and distance between the planes, and the distance from the caster to the two planes. Mana cost per second to maintain the portal depends on the dimensions of the portal.
Imri Padar has reached level 24 in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 24 in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 128 (+1)
Intelligence 194 (+2)
Willpower 162 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 163 (+2)
MP 433 (+10)
Mana Efficiency 421 (+11)
Crafting Efficiency 456 (+11)
¡°Go, go, go,¡± Imri shouted, his mana dropping precipitously as he held open the manhole-cover-sized portal. The edge of the portal curled into the ground, hopefully preventing anyone from clipping the boundary and getting shorn to pieces. Fortunately, the soldiers didn¡¯t need to be told, as soon as the portal opened they were jumping through. Within a few seconds they had all gone through and Imri followed after them as his mana pool neared empty. Everyone staggered as they got to their feet, somewhat dizzy after the abrupt change in perspective. A few people had crashed into each other as they landed, resulting in a pile-up of humanity just past the landing point. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt and it didn¡¯t take long to get everyone back on their feet. They took a moment to regain their composure, but every second was precious. Imri spent that moment chugging down the best mana potion Caroline had been able to produce, nearly doubling his mana regeneration for the next few hours. He also took out a charged Espeonite crystal and absorbed a small portion of it to get his mana back to a respectable level. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Imri reiterated the plan one last time. Everyone nodded, and Imri was confident it had stuck. Imri also created another Spatial Beacon, tethered to the leader of the group. They went their separate ways, the main contingent heading to the enemy camp while Imri went off on his own. As he walked he entered a walking meditation, though he kept his perception focused on where he was going. He took a moment to reflect on how his spell had worked. It was a unique spell in that it had two separate costs. The first was the bending of space to create the dimensional boundary. This was the most mana-intensive portion of the spell, which obviously varied based on the distance between himself and the two points of space he was bending. However, this was more of a one-time cost, once he created the portal the space temporarily stabilized as long as the portal was open. The second part of the cost was the plane of the portal itself, varying on the area it encompassed. While he kept the portal open his mana was constantly drained based on its size, and while that was a significant cost it was smaller when compared to the space-bending portion. His musings abruptly stopped as he spotted what he had been looking for. A Cliff Drake basked in the midday light, greedily soaking in the sunlight. It shouldn¡¯t take the rest of the team much longer to reach the camp, it was a fairly easy several-kilometer hike to the base of the mountain from where Imri had deposited everyone. He continued his meditation for several minutes, making sure he stayed out of view from the lazy Drake. Finally, he got the go-ahead as his team radioed him that the arrow was in the Chixel camp. Imri stepped out from his cover, approaching the area below the basking Cliff Drake. He had fought them dozens of times now, and he knew exactly when the predictable creatures would attack. Imri smiled as his prediction proved true, the long powerful creature diving from its perch to attack its seemingly vulnerable prey. Imri had only one chance to get this right, his mana already having been used heavily. There was only so much mana in the Espeonite crystal, and even if he had more it wouldn¡¯t be long before he started to suffer from the overchannel debuff. Fortunately, he had enough mana to accomplish what he had set out to do. As the Drake neared him he smiled, activating the Time Dilation effect from one of the rings. He had tuned this one to be a slightly stronger effect, giving him 10% more of a window to accomplish the next part of his plan. While Cliff Drakes were large creatures, they were analogous to flying crocodiles, far longer than they were wide. At the last moment, when the Drake was only meters away, Imri activated his Dimensional Portal for a second time. He interposed the portal between himself and the diving Drake. He anchored the portal to a second point, a point he couldn¡¯t see. He knew exactly where all of his Spatial Beacons were at all times, and it was even easier to bend space this time thanks to the beacons effect. While establishing the portal was easier, the dimensions were far larger this time, one of the reasons he needed to time things precisely. He also made it slightly wider than was strictly necessary, as he wasn¡¯t entirely confident he could get the dimensions exactly right with the Drake diving at such high speeds. Even with this precaution, his fear proved true. He had slightly misjudged the Drake''s trajectory, and both its limbs on one side were severed as it went through the portal, landing on the ground beside Imri. He didn¡¯t care, it had worked. Imri could see through the portal to the Chixel camp, and he watched as a group of perplexed Chixel suddenly had a diving Drake appear out of nowhere, crashing into their ranks and grinding them into a paste, like a bug on a windshield. The Drake, being dumb instinctual creatures, didn¡¯t question why it suddenly found itself among a horde of prey that it hadn¡¯t seen a moment ago. It chomped down, eating a bewildered Chixel that had been too stunned to react. While the Drake was injured, Imri knew from experience that a losing a pair of limbs was a minor nuisance for the Drake, and he could already see it starting to regrow them at a visible pace. Imri let the portal collapse down to a much smaller size, though he still left it open where he could see within the camp. Simultaneously, he was drawing in more mana from his dwindling supply within the Espeonite crystal. He waited a few seconds for the Drake to thoroughly busy itself hunting Chixel before he teleported into the camp using Boundless Step. Despite the portal being no larger than an airplane window, it was still large enough for him to teleport through, and this eliminated his risk of losing limbs as the Drake had. He appeared in front of a Chixel who was still recovering from the shock of having a Drake dropped in the middle of camp. The poor Chixel was too stunned to even react, so Imri didn¡¯t even need to waste mana, easily dispatching the creature with a chop of his Machete-like bone sword. With all the pandemonium now enveloping the camp, Imri was easily able to make his way back towards the perimeter, largely ignored as he remained somewhat inconspicuous, at least relative to the Cliff Drake. It didn¡¯t take Imri long to regroup with the rest of his team, who were waiting just on the outskirts of the camp. He had known exactly where they were thanks to the second Spatial Beacon. He easily dispatched the few Chixel that remained between him and his team. Imri wasn¡¯t sure if they had remained out of duty or had been too confused to act. ¡°What the hell is going on in there?¡± One of the men asked as Imri jogged up towards them. ¡°I dropped a Cliff Drake off in the middle of their camp. Between that and Zhaire they should have their hands full for a while,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Those poor bastards, I almost feel sorry for them,¡± one of the soldiers said with a grin that suggested he thought they were getting exactly what they deserved. ¡°Let¡¯s go save our people and get their leader,¡± Imri said with a grin as the group nodded their agreement. Chapter 46: Sacrifices Imri and his team made their way through the camp. They could still hear the sounds of fighting nearby, accented by the occasional screech from the nearly unkillable Drake. There were signs of destruction everywhere, tents shorn to rubble, bloody churned ground with the occasional remains of a half-eaten Chixel. Imri began to worry that his ploy had been too effective, that he had unwittingly killed the captives by unleashing an unstable killing machine. Fortunately, the Drake appeared to be in no hurry, and as they moved further in there were fewer signs of havoc. Imri suspected the lazy beast had probably satiated itself on dozens of Chixel, and probably would have contented itself going back to sunbathing if the Chixel would simply leave it alone. Fortunately, panicked Chixel did not stop to question whether it was a good idea to poke the giant-flying-crocodile, and it continued to be a great distraction. Imri and his team didn¡¯t move through the camp entirely unnoticed, encountering the occasional patrol by happenstance. On such occasions, Imri wouldn¡¯t hesitate to unleash a Spatial Compression, targeting the center mass of the first Chixel. Space compressed inward, and the Chixel was hit with the force of two oncoming cars in a head-on collision, with them in between. Needless to say, the force was excessive, completely crushing most of their internal organs as their body imploded. Was it a bit excessive and not the most efficient use of his mana? Perhaps, however, using wanton displays of power emboldened his team while completely demoralizing his opponents. Neither group needed to know that he was almost completely spent as the over-channel debuff started to affect him. It started at low severity, giving him a small penalty to mana efficiency and slowing draining his stamina. However, with a few more spells within a short amount of time, he would be completely spent. The camp changed from tents to a large supply depot, with the rings of wagons nearby. Imri spotted the larger wagons with slits for air, the wagons where people were being held like cattle. A dozen Chixel guarded the supplies and prisoners with fervorous attention. A pair of the guards were better armed than the rest. Fortunately, they carried normal weapons, not the black of soul-stealing weapons, making it likely they were Blackguards and not full Inquisitors. Near the center of the formation, flanked by the two Blackguards, stood a figure Imri immediately recognized, Rhesk with their slightly darkened scales. They looked haggard, their eyes glazed and unfocused, seemingly unconcerned with the invaders in front of them. These soldiers were the elites of the Chixel army, or at least the most disciplined. Where they had been able to overwhelm every other opponent with quick and brutal efficiency, this group did not flinch as Imri tore apart one of the two Blackguards with a Spatial Compression. To make matters worse, Imri¡¯s air of infallibility cracked as he stumbled slightly from the effects of the over-channel debuff as it intensified. While his team might prevail without him against two-to-one odds, those weren¡¯t odds Imri could gamble on. Using the last of his available mana, Imri pushed himself to the limit. He cast Time Dilation on himself at 15%, meaning for 1.15 seconds that passed for him, only 1 second passed for everyone else. Chixel who had been sprinting just a moment before now seemed to be moving at a steady jog. Imri pulled out his handgun which only contained a single magazine of ammo. He needed to make every shot matter. Fortunately, between the Time Dilation effect and the Chixel having not adapted to modern weaponry, it was an easy shooting gallery. Imri took his time sighting down each shot in quick succession. He aimed center mass with each shot, trusting that it would at least incapacitate his opponents. With deadly precision, each bullet found its target, and the battle was over before it even began. Imri collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as the effects of the over-channel now started to feel like he was constantly sprinting. His team finished the fight quickly, dispatching the last of the opponents that had survived the deadly salvo, leaving only Rhesk standing. The Chixel mage made no move, seemingly entirely indifferent to the slaughter of their retinue. A pair of soldiers, a man and a woman, rushed to Imri¡¯s side, helping him to his feet. Imri briefly entered into meditation, feeling the increased regeneration combat the steady amount of fatigue he was accumulating. The increased mana regeneration also helped slowly bring down the intensity of the debuff, until it was at a sustainable level. Even if Imri had any more mana, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be casting another spell for at least a couple of hours. His team wasn¡¯t idle while he was meditating. Once they realized he just needed a minute to catch his breath, they went about completing the mission. They secured Rhesk, though they currently didn¡¯t have a way to effectively restrain the mage from casting. Fortunately, the Chixel Seer seemed disinterested in putting up a fight. They complied with the rough treatment they were given as they were slammed to the ground, like an overzealous arrest. No one would have any sympathy for the mage, even if they hadn¡¯t meant to cause them harm they were indirectly responsible for several deaths and an even greater amount of suffering. They were quickly disarmed, a soldier taking one of the black daggers similar to what Imri had acquired from the Soul Priest. From there the team had a pair of individuals responsible for sabotaging the supply depot. They quickly looted a few packs of useful-looking mundane items, though much of it was exotic items and foodstuffs that no one felt comfortable eating. After the quick rundown, explosives were fastened throughout the perimeter of the depot. Caroline had warned them the resulting explosion would be substantial and had instructed them to get at least a hundred meters away before detonating the device. To that end, she had worked with Sylvi, who had seen her fair share of IEDs in her deployments, and with a woman who had been an electrical engineer before the integration. Together, the three women had created a remote detonation device linked to a previously useless smartphone. Imri had even helped with the coding of the detonation program. The result was something far safer than the crude converted fireworks they had originally been using. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Simultaneously, another pair worked on freeing the prisoners, who were in the wagons nearby. Based on the size of the cattle-like wagons, they had originally estimated a few dozen captives had been dragged to the battlefield. They quickly had to revise that estimate, as it was clear they had vastly overestimated the room each human being would have been given. They had been stuffed into a small cube-like cell that made PETA ads look humane. Each of the people they rescued was filthy and emaciated. Many of them could barely walk, let alone anything resembling fighting. There were also far more people than they originally estimated, almost fifty of them. A few of the cages were also empty, the silent implication hanging heavy in the air. Many of them shot hateful glares at the lone surviving Chixel. Once the team had finished rigging the explosives, they shifted to helping with humanitarian efforts, passing out food and blankets from the raided supply depot. Most of the victims were still in shock, a few numbly ate and drank as items were passed out. Only a resolute few said anything, and even that was little more than a meek and raspy ¡®Thank you¡¯. ¡°This one is sorry, Imri Padar,¡± Rhesk said, unable to meet Imri¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say for yourself, you¡¯re sorry!¡± Imri shouted in outrage after he had been helped to his feet. ¡°This one does not know what else to say,¡± The defeated mage said. ¡°Look at how you treated my people. Can you honestly tell me this is alright,¡± Imri said, motioning to some of the victims who couldn¡¯t even walk. ¡°This is the very thing I fought against. This abhorrent treatment of other species is why this one protested, it is why this one is considered radical. However, this one could not let Ettes be sacrificed, forever prevented from re-entering the great cycle.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s alright to sacrifice others to save your mate?¡± Imri asked. ¡°This one did not know what else to do. Would you not do the same to save Emelia¡¯s soul?¡± Rhesk asked. Imri was about to say he would never do anything like this but stopped himself. Was that true? What wouldn¡¯t he be willing to do? ¡°I would have found another way,¡± Imri said lamely. ¡°If there was no other way?¡± Rhesk pressed. ¡°I still can¡¯t forgive what you did,¡± Imri said, deflecting the question. ¡°That is understandable, this one does not seek forgiveness. This one does not excuse these actions and fully expects to pay the ultimate price for such transgressions. However, this one has a request,¡± Rhesk explained. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to be making any request,¡± Imri said sharply. Rhesk ignored Imri¡¯s dismissal and continued. ¡°This one urges Imri not to let hatred towards the Chixel blind them. Though few Chixel are willing to admit this, it is known that the Azala are stronger. Especially after this defeat, it is clear that we will not prevail in a two-pronged war. For all this world''s sake, do not let the Azala gain a foothold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what¡¯s best for humanity,¡± Imri said resolutely, not willing to commit to a course of action at this moment. Even if he agreed with Rhesk, and he did to a degree, he wouldn¡¯t have given the Seer the satisfaction of knowing. With nothing left to be said, the defeated Chixel lowered their head exposing their neck. Imri didn¡¯t hesitate, ending their life with a clean decapitation from his machete. Killing his once ally brought him no satisfaction. It did bring some measure of closure to the prisoners who had witnessed the ultimate evil act of soul sacrifice. Whatever their reasons, Imri could never forgive that.
Zhaire stood, breathing heavily as all his resources were nearly empty. He was surrounded by a field of bodies, almost all of them Chixel. Many of the dead had their souls destroyed, ripped from existence by their own dark blades. They had anticipated the arrival of the Inquisitor and had effectively countered them. Antonio had been able to subvert their mind, making them mad and think that allies were enemies. The Inquisitor had gone on a rampage, killing well over a dozen Chixel before being killed by their allies. The advanced team hadn¡¯t escaped without a loss of their own. Jenson had been overwhelmed by the onslaught of opponents, not being the monstrous melee fighters that Zhaire or an enchanted Teresa were. The twins stood further back, breathing heavily with numerous cuts and bruises etched across their bodies, but none overly serious. They held their heads and stumbled walking, clearly suffering from the effects of over-using their mana. Teresa had numerous wounds that appeared severe but was still standing thanks to the enchanted gauntlet powered by the souls of the Chixels she had slaughtered. Emelia, who had desperately been trying to heal Jenson, gave up. She was visibly distraught and barely holding it together as tears streamed down her face. Without warning, Teresa collapsed to the ground, completely limp as the effects of the enchantment wore off. Zhaire stared in disbelief as Emelia rushed towards her, using the last of her mana to attempt to revitalize the overexerted woman. Zhaire knew it hadn¡¯t worked when the visibly distraught Emelia, who had barely been holding herself together, started wailing in anguish. Zhaire was numb, completely shocked at what he had just witnessed. He wasn¡¯t sure when he had grown close to Teresa, or when he started considering her more than a booty call. They hadn¡¯t started as anything more, but it had slowly grown over time without either of them realizing it. How could she just be gone like that? One moment she had been fine, the next she had died instantly. He directed his wrath towards the Chixel who still swarmed nearby, though they had retreated somewhat. He wanted to charge back in, to slaughter every one of the lizards. Unfortunately, his body couldn¡¯t follow his heart, he had no more to give. ¡°Come here, you fucking cowards. Come fight me,¡± Zhaire shouted at them as he took an unsteady step forward. He needed to keep going, to keep fighting. Somehow, he found himself collapsing to his knees on the ground that had become muddy with blood. Tears streamed down his face unbidden. Chapter 47: Declaration of War It took them a painfully long time to get the prisoners out of the Chixel camp. Fortunately, the Chixel leadership had completely dissolved with the death of Rhesk, and what few remained were scattered and ineffective. Even if they had the strength to overwhelm Imri¡¯s group of exhausted and beleaguered prisoners, which they probably did, the Chixel were too concerned for their own lives. Once out of the camp, they made their way up the same trail his team had used to infiltrate the camp. All Imri needed was time, once his mana recharged and his over-channel debuff subsided, he could open a portal to Celestia, where he had placed his first Spatial Beacon. With a momentary reprieve, Imri reviewed all that he had gained from his assault on the camp.
Quest Completed
Defend Celestia: The invading army has been defeated and is dispersing. Reward: XP, 5,000 Credits, Settlement XP, Defender of Celestia 4
New Achievement Earned
Defender of Celestia 4: Awarded for contributing to the defense of Celestia against the Chixel army. .05% Primary Stats / Rank
Imri Padar has reached level 25 in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 25 in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Constitution 116 (+1)
Intelligence 196 (+2)
Willpower 163 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 165 (+2)
FP 125 (+2)
MP 445 (+12)
Mana Efficiency 432 (+11)
Crafting Efficiency 468 (+12)
Celestia has become a level 8 Settlement (1F)
Radius of Effect: 540 Meters
Bonuses: Resource Regeneration Rate 5.4% Experience: 1.08%
Spell Rank Up
Boundless Step E to D Boundless Step tier increased from 1 to 2 Boundless Step (1D) has become Blink (2F)
Spatial Compression E to D Spatial Compression tier increased from 1 to 2 Spatial Compression (1D) has become Spatial Collapse (2F)
Time Dilation E to D Time Dilation tier increased from 1 to 2 Time Dilation (1D) has become Temporal Expansion (2F)
Traits Rank Up
Time Manipulation F to E: Gives an understanding of temporal concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5.12% (+.12%). Increases the effectiveness of time-based spells and abilities by 1.53% (+.03%).
Being of Eons F to E: You are a being that has achieved control over time within your body. You age 3.07% (+.07%) slower both from natural and magical effects. Improves the mana efficiency of beneficial time-based spells that target you by 3.07% (+.07%).
New Spells
Blink (2F): Distort space allowing you to teleport to a distant location that is visible. Mana cost increases linearly with the distance traveled.
Spatial Collapse (2F): Collapse space down, compressing all matter into a smaller space. Mana cost varies by the volume of space being collapsed, density of the space, and distance from the caster to the space being collapsed.
Temporal Expansion (2F): Expand a moment in time, increasing the amount of time the target experiences/unit of time elapsed. Mana cost/second varies based on the amplitude of the effect and distance from the caster to the target.
Quest Updated
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to E: Learn new space or time spells 4/10, rank up space or time spells 3/10, learn new gravity spells 2/5, rank up gravity spells 2/5, visit celestial bodies 1/2.
Imri smiled as he reviewed the flood of improvements. He had effectively learned three new versions of his existing spells, each with a subtle improvement beyond the raw power increase. Blink improved his Boundless Step spell by removing the requirement that he be facing the direction he teleported in and removing the requirement to take a step. Spatial Collapse was an improved version of his Spatial Compression, removing the increase to cast based on matter density and replacing it with the density of the space. Finally, his Temporal Expansion reduced the increasing cost from exponential to linear, giving him more flexibility on which amplitude to select. His internal musings turned to the external when he felt Emelia approaching through their bond. Imri smiled as she came into view and rushed down the trail to embrace her. Tears flowed as they held each other, neither willing to let go. ¡°Teresa and Jenson?¡± Imri asked after several minutes of holding her tightly. ¡°They didn¡¯t make it,¡± Emelia said in a low voice. It was what Imri had expected, but it still hurt. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Imri knew he should¡¯ve been meditating, now that he no longer physically needed sleep. However, it had been spending far too much time apart from Emelia. He wrapped his arms tight around her as they cuddled together on their patch of ground as if he had to physically restrain her from leaving. He felt a slight pang of guilt for his moment of happiness when the people around him had endured so much suffering. Imri let out a deep breath, relief washing over him. They had done it, they had saved Celestia. He knew it was far from the last adversity they would face; They still had the Azala to contend with, the rest of the Chixel, of which this had only been a small army, and the refugees coming from Kansas City and whatever the dog-ogres were called. The next morning, Imri returned to Celestia alone using his Dimensional Portal spell. It went through less mana than it had on any of his previous uses, having only kept it open for a second this time while targeting the Spatial Beacon in Celestia. Still, the vast majority of the spell cost was in opening the portal, not keeping it open. Even if he had been a few levels stronger, it would have taken minutes, not seconds, to get the liberated prisoners ushered through in their wretched condition. Instead, Imri focused on providing logistical support, intending to open up another portal the next day and send through all the supplies they would need to wait out while the Chixel armies retreated. He had to restrain himself from bringing Emelia with him; The ten fighting capable individuals, including Emelia, had unanimously agreed that they weren¡¯t going back unless they could get the liberated prisoners back safely as well. The only reason Imri wasn¡¯t with them is that he could provide more support by being in Celestia than there with them. He quickly found Sylvi, who was still commanding the militia. She looked haggard, having likely not slept in several days. She waved off his concern and apprised him of the situation. The Chixel army had finally broken, but they weren¡¯t making an orderly retreat. Most were panicked, retreating in seemingly random directions in small groups. A somewhat larger contingent remained with the last inquisitor, the one who had been assaulting Celestia during the most recent battle. Fortunately, they seemed more concerned with finding a suitable location to survive than assaulting Celestia again. ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have the strength to root them out of the nearby wilderness, so they¡¯ll probably be a thorn in our side for a while,¡± Sylvi admitted. ¡°Though most won¡¯t be able to survive in the nearby trails, they will have to retreat to the forest.¡± ¡°When do you think we can bring all our people back?¡± ¡°A week if we¡¯re lucky, more likely two,¡± She said after some thought. Imri nodded, though he had been hoping for a much shorter number. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I doubt the Chixel will bother them. They¡¯re even more broken and beat up than we are.¡± ¡°And the contingent with the Inquisitor?¡± Imri asked. ¡°With them being the largest group they¡¯ll need a more fertile area to forage. My guess is they¡¯ll start moving out soon. It''s the smaller groups that will linger longer,¡± Sylvi said dismissively. While Imri trusted her reasoning, something made him hesitant. ¡°I doubt we¡¯ve seen the last of them,¡± Imri said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case we¡¯ll manage. We¡¯re getting stronger by the day, while they¡¯re going to starve.¡± Despite still having people in danger, the settlement was in a jubilant mood. Everyone who had thought they were going to perish, now had a plethora of pent-up anxiety to release. It took the form of a raucous celebration that lasted all day. They managed to go through most of their remaining alcohol, something Imri had thought they had already depleted. He shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that a few people hid some away for a rainy day. It was unanimously decided they would save a few bottles for when the rest of the settlers returned. Already several people had picked up professions relating to brewing and distilling, and the farmers were planting the necessary crops in sufficient quantities. However, it would be a while before they had produced their own alcohol, even with magic. The next morning Imri followed through on his promise to provide logistical support. He opened a smaller portal and quickly had several packs tossed through. They mostly contained essentials, foodstuffs, water, and medicine. However, it also included the last bottles of alcohol, a few random books that people had already read, cigars, and some sweets. It wasn¡¯t much to alleviate the suffering these people had been through, but Imri hoped it gave them a small measure of comfort. On the third day after the battle, Imri decided to have the difficult conversation that he had been dreading. He didn¡¯t need Emelia¡¯s empathic abilities to know that everyone harbored a strong resentment towards the Chixel. More than a few people had looked at Thrisk and Zathri with undisguised hatred, though no one had acted upon it, yet. ¡°It''s time for both of you to leave,¡± Imri told the pair of Chixel. He had expected them to argue or at the very least complain that it wasn¡¯t fair, but instead, the duo just bobbed their tails in assent. ¡°This one has enjoyed teaching Imri the basics of enchanting. One day this one will tell stories to offspring about how the greatest enchanter was a pupil,¡± Zathri said. ¡°This one would also like to convey a similar message to Caroline. It is clear, that one will be a master alchemist,¡± Thrisk said. ¡°I will, but in return, I¡¯d like you to convey a message to your leadership,¡± Imri said, pausing briefly to get a confirmation. ¡°Tell them that the Chixel¡¯s treatment of our people has been considered a declaration of war. Tell them I¡¯ll personally be coming for them, and I¡¯ll tear Trosano to shreds and kill every Exalted if that''s what it takes. I will not stop until every human being has been set free and sufficient reparations have been made.¡± ¡°It is understandable, to be so angry. However, this will not be well received¡­¡± Zathri started to say before Imri cut them off. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to be well received. I want them to know that this all could have been avoided, that they didn¡¯t need to make me an enemy but they did; And when they are losing a war on two fronts they¡¯ll know exactly how bad they fucked up,¡± Imri said. The two Chixel stared at Imri for a moment, and after a brief hesitation, they bobbed their tails in assent a second time. It didn''t take them long to gather what few belongings they possessed, along with a few days worth of travel rations and water. With the decision made, Imri opened a portal to get them down the mountain. He dropped them off far from the liberated humans, not wanting there to be any misunderstandings. Imri had meant what he said, it wasn¡¯t simply him posturing or blustering. He would need to get stronger, but eventually, Celestia would become the third faction in this war, a war he intended to win. He would save as many people as he could, and he would make Celestia a safe bastion for all of humanity. He needed to get stronger, strong enough that no one would even think about going after humanity. It wasn¡¯t just him, everyone needed to get stronger; Both in terms of effective fighting strength, but also in terms of economic output. He didn¡¯t want it to only be the elites who had armor made from Cliff Drakes or Umbral Tigers. He wanted every person to be armed and armored as well as they possibly could, with materials from monsters that made the most advanced composites of the pre-integration world look ineffective. He wanted every person to also be equipped with a myriad of accessories with powerful enchantments, all fully charged with Espeonite crystals. He wanted everyone to have powerful heritages, forming effective combat units that combined both the strengths of humanity and the strengths of the monsters they hunted. Celestia was going to war, and the Chixel would rue the day they had incurred his wrath. Supplement 4: Imri End of Book 1
Imri Padar at the end of Book 1 Level 25 Celestial Mage (2F) Level 25 Primordial (1E) Level 14 Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Attributes
Strength 128
Agility 100
Constitution 116
Intelligence 196
Willpower 163
Charisma 105
Secondary Attributes
HP 165
FP 125
MP 445
Mana Efficiency 432
Crafting Efficiency 468
Traits Rank/Tier
Spatial Manipulation 1E Gives an understanding of spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of space are learned and improved by 5.12%. Increases the effectiveness of space based spells and abilities by 1.53%.
Time Manipulation 1E Gives an understanding of temporal concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5.12%. Increases the effectiveness of time based spells and abilities by 1.53%.
Enigmatic Being 1F Increases your resistance to divination based spells and effects by 10%
Discerning Eye 1F Improves visual acuity by 5%. Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 25%. Can see mana in any form.
Primordial''s Intuition 1F Intuit basic understanding of concepts without any prior knowledge. Increase the rate at which intelligence based spells and abilities are learned and improved by 5%.
Being of Eons 1E You are a being that has achieved control over time within your body. You age 3.07% slower both from natural and magical effects. Improves the mana efficiency of beneficial time based spells that target you by 3.07%.
Runic Crafting 1F Gives an understanding of how runes work and how to create them. Improves the rate at which new runes are learned by 5%. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 1.5%
Runic Infusion 1F Decreases mana inefficiency from directly infusing mana into runes by 5%.
Relativity Runic Enchantment 1F Understand how to create runes of all known relativity spells. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments based on relativity increased by 2.5%.
Runic Etching 1F Inscribe runes with greater speed without sacrificing efficiency. Speed of inscribing runes increased by 1% / 10 Agility.
Locus of Mana 1F Mana is drawn to you and within you. Increases mana regeneration rate by 5% while within a sufficiently dense mana region. Increases resistance to all forms of magic by 5%.
Shaped by Mana 1F Your physical body is a construct of mana. Increases mana by 3%. Allows your mana to be converted to HP or FP at a rate equal to mana regeneration rate.
Weight of the Stars 2F Improves the mana efficiency of all spells that bend space by 7.5%.
Skills
Transcendent Meditation 2F You are able to enter a state of meditation, able to shift your gaze free from your mind and body. While in a state of meditation you gain +1.05% resource regeneration / 10 Willpower. You also gain the benefits of resting while in meditation.
Mana Infusion 1F Transfer mana from yourself to an external source. The rate of transfer varies by mana channeling. Inefficiency varies by the medium of transference. Reduces inefficiency of transfer by 5% and improves rate of transfer by 5%.
Rune Removal 1F Enables the runic enchanter to use mana to remove runes inscribed on an item, allowing the material to be repurposed. This skill consumes mana/rune removed, cost varies by material and level of core used in finish divided by crafting efficiency.
Rune Transference 1F Transfer a rune from one object to another at a 10% mana discount from creating them by directly inscribing
Spatial Beacon 1F Create a nontangible semi-permanent beacon relative to a frame of reference. You always know the exact distance and direction of any beacon. The beacon is always considered visible for the purposes of targeting restrictions. The caster is considered to be 50% closer to the beacon for determining mana cost when the spell targets an area within a meter of the beacon. Beacons may be dismissed at any time, but will otherwise exist indefinitely on ambient mana. Mana cost varies by the number of beacons in the network and exponentially based on the distance from the caster to the target location when creating the beacon.
Spells
Spatial Collapse 2F Collapse space down, compressing all matter into a smaller space. Mana cost varies by the volume of space being collapsed, density of the space, and distance from the caster to the space being collapsed.
Metronome 1F You can send out a pulse of a mana at a regular interval. Mana cost varies by duration and frequency of pulses.
True Distance 1F Determine the distance between two frames of reference. Mana cost varies by precision and the distance from the caster to the frames of reference.
Temporal Expansion 2F Expand a moment in time, increasing the amount of time the target experiences/unit of time elapsed. Mana cost/second varies based on the amplitude of the effect and distance from the caster to the target.
Time Contraction 1F Speed up relative time for the target, causing time to move faster for them relative to all unaffected objects by a factor of the amplitude. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on the amplitude of the effect and distance from caster to target.
Blink 2F Distort space allowing you to teleport to a distant location that is visible. Mana cost increases linearly with the distance traveled.
Spatial Expansion 1E Expand space in local space-time as defined by local anchors. Mana cost varies depending linearly on the amount of space created, the distance from the caster to the anchors, and the ratio of existing space to newly created space.
Dimensional Tear 2F Create a tear in dimensional space relative to a frame reference. If the dimensional tear occurs along a dimensional boundary, then a stable connection is created between the two dimensions. Nothing can exist where there is no space, and anything that comes into contact with an tear into nothingness will cease to exist. Anything that comes into contact with the edge of a stable tear will be forced apart. Mana cost determined by the size of the tear and the distance from the caster.
True Age 1F Discern the age of something by seeing the effects of time. Mana cost varies by distance from caster to target and precision.
Aging 1F Exert the force of time, accelerating the age of something based on its current conditions. Mana cost / second varies by distance from caster to target, amount of volume being affected, and exponentially based on the amount of time elapsed / second.
Dimensional Portal 2F Create a stable connection between two planes that you can see, connecting them as if they were no distance apart. Mana cost for creating the portal varies based on the dimensions of the portal and distance between the planes, and the distance from the caster to the two planes. Mana cost per second to maintain the portal depends on the dimensions of the portal.
Achievements
Solo Hunter 22 Slay a creature above your level without the aid of others. 2.2%
Group Hunter 20 Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less. 1%
Horde Slayer 3 Slay a group of creatures that outnumbered you, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. .3%
Master Crafter 2 Produce a crafted item of significance. .2%
Escape Artist 1 Escape dire circumstances without getting caught. Rank varies depending on the difficulty of escape and the consequences of failure. .1%
Savior 3 Achievement granted for rescuing those captured by the Chixel raiding party. .15%
Progenitor NA You have distinguished yourself, reaching level 10 within the first month of the integration. .15%
Grade Above 2 Solo kill a creature of a higher grade than your heritage, 1 rank / grade difference. .3%
Defender of Celestia 4 Awarded for contributing to the defense of Celestia against the Chixel army. .2%
Primary Attributes Final Score Base Class Bonus Profession Bonus Heritage Bonus
Strength 128 115 1.0125 1.007 1.05 1.046
Agility 100 89 1.025 1.007 1.05 1.046
Constitution 116 102 1.025 1.014 1.05 1.046
Intelligence 196 142 1.1125 1.056 1.125 1.046
Willpower 163 129 1.0625 1.049 1.0875 1.046
Charisma 105 93 1.0125 1.021 1.05 1.046
Secondary Attributes Final Score Base Class Bonus Profession Bonus Heritage Bonus
HP 165 146 1.0625 1.014 1.0375
FP 125 115 1.025 1.014 1.0375
MP 445 309 1.125 1.07 1.125
Mana Efficiency 432 357 1.125 1 1
Crafting Efficiency 468 393 1 1.07 1
Mana Regen / Hour 6.489583333 1.125 1.105 1.05
Hours to Full MP
Active Quests
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to E: Learn new space or time spells 4/10, rank up space or time spells 3/10, learn new gravity spells 2/5, rank up gravity spells 2/5, visit celestial bodies 1/2.
Runic Engineer Rank Up F to E: Generate net mana using enchantments. 1,255/1,000,000
Chapter 48: Confluence of Conflict Sawyer made his way deeper into the caves with the rest of the prospectors. He idly wondered how deep they had gone; Even if he rushed straight to the entrance it would take hours to traverse the labyrinth-like cave system. His team was exploring and mapping out the caves, and he wondered if they would ever have a full map. He doubted it, even the pre-integration cave systems had often been too dangerous to uncover completely. Their efforts hadn¡¯t been completely in vain, with them having discovered numerous Espeonite deposits for future extraction. His musings were cut short when he heard something. A faint high-pitched chitter, almost like a mouse. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± He asked as he strained his hearing, trying to pick the sound up again. ¡°You¡¯re hearing¡­¡± Someone started to say, but Sawyer cut them off. ¡°Shut up,¡± He hissed, hearing the faint sound again. This time he hadn¡¯t been the only one to hear it, and whatever was causing the sound was getting closer. They all stopped and could hear the high-pitched sound getting louder. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, let¡¯s get the hell out of here,¡± Someone suggested and no one voiced any dissent. They turned and started to head back towards the surface. They hadn¡¯t taken more than a few steps when it happened. The creature appeared as if from nowhere, moving at a speed that was impossible to track. The creature appeared vaguely human, if a little bit on the smaller side with a pale complexion from having never seen the light of day. The majority of its face was covered by a too-large maw that revealed rows of needle-sharp teeth. It had no eyes and only a slit for a nose. Its body was covered in thin wiry hairs that appeared to be sensitive whiskers. Sawyer didn¡¯t stop to find out what had happened to the person it had attacked. He knew it was too high level for any of them based on its speed alone. Screams of the dying echoed as he continued running. Sawyer didn''t look back until it had grown quiet for several minutes. He looked around and couldn¡¯t see any of the other 3 prospectors. He didn¡¯t dare take more than a brief look. He prayed they were just a little bit further behind him, but he doubted it. Sawyer continued back to the surface, not once stopping to rest. He didn¡¯t feel safe until the warm sunlight of the surface greeted him, and even that gave him only a modicum of reassurance.
Russ finished the real estate contract. That¡¯s all he did lately, real estate contracts for Christoph. He had known the realtor turned merchant before the integration, the two of them having been rivals of a sort, competing to see who could have their face plastered on the most billboards throughout the city. Now, it irked him that he was dependent on the man for steady business. It wasn¡¯t too dissimilar to his work before the integration, and he had thought some return to normalcy would be reassuring. It was anything but reassuring. His family was still out there somewhere, he had to believe that. He couldn¡¯t accept that they had just vanished or been killed, he wouldn¡¯t accept that without proof. For all he knew, they were prisoners in that floating city, Trosano. Writing simple contracts wouldn¡¯t help bring his family back. He needed to do more, to make an impact. He had yet to receive his class, and he had been almost completely useless in the war effort. He was one of the few people who only got the Defender of Celestia 1 achievement, with the vast majority of people getting it at rank 2. He didn¡¯t need to be weak, he had another option. He had felt it the moment they had set foot on this mountain. They stood atop something ancient and powerful, a force of unimaginable power. It had reached out to him, offering him a power that might be able to make a difference. All he needed to do was set it free by descending to the very depths of the abyss and releasing it from its prison. Russ had of course refused it outright. However, its offer lingered in the back of his mind tempting him. He rationalized his consideration, knowing that it was so ancient and powerful as to give little heed to a human sense of morality. People were ants before the might of this ancient primal being, and why would the god-like being bother to smite an ant that had helped it? Russ got to work. He wrote the best contract of his life, spending hours after hours writing out every contingency he could think of. He spent the better part of several days writing it, and even after it was done he spent another several reviewing it with fresh eyes. The contract essentially spelled out that the being would give him as much power as it was able to, and in return, he would make a good-faith effort to free it. Most of the hefty contract was spent defining just exactly what each of those terms meant in painstaking detail. Satisfied that he had done as much as he could to protect himself, Russ signed the contract. He wondered how the imprisoned entity would sign, but his question was quickly answered as a flood of power entered the contract. Nothing else seemed to happen and Russ didn''t feel any different. He perused the contract and quickly noticed that it had been radically altered. He spent several hours reading and re-reading the changes. The entity, whatever it was, had clearly not been happy with his definition of good-faith effort, eliminating any clauses that allowed Russ to back out due to ''reasonable expectations of bodily or grievous injuries''. It had also removed the part where it would grant him as much power as possible and replaced it with ''compensation commensurate with effort given''. However, much of the remaining clauses remained within. He would be able to keep powers granted in perpetuity upon completing the contract, and the entity would not inflict undue damage upon humanity when it was free. Russ hesitated, unsure if he should accept the proposed changes. He spent another several hours reviewing every word choice carefully. His main concern was that the entity could define what it considered appropriate powers. However, their interests aligned, the entity wanted to be free, and the only punishment for Russ walking away was losing said powers. If the entity gave him nothing he would have no incentive to stay. Russ took out his pen and signed the amended document. After that, the contract vanished into nothingness. He wondered if it had been successful, but a system notification informing him that he had gained the class Warlock of the Ancients left little doubt.
The Hive Queen extended her senses throughout her domain. She was growing steadily stronger each day. By now her psychic influence extended throughout the area known as Minneapolis. She could sense everything that happened within that radius, her mind adapted to taking all the inputs of billions of drones. Their efforts on this newly integrated world were going better than she could have possibly hoped. Her initial disappointment at being spawned within such an abysmally low mana density region had quickly been assuaged by the resources she found within, humans. They were such a fascinating species, having adapted to a world with effectively no mana. They had essentially gone down a different development path than other species in the multi-verse, having gained incredible knowledge on how various forces reacted with one another, a discipline they called science. Now she too understood this ¡®science¡¯ as she integrated and absorbed the knowledge of almost a million hosts. It wasn¡¯t only humanity''s knowledge that she had coveted; the humans made excellent hosts. Some of the few drones that had successfully fully integrated with the human anatomy were among the most powerful psionics she had ever witnessed. This was again due to the humans having adapted to a dead world. Even in this low mana region, it was a positive flood for humans, and as a result, they were quite competent mages. Though their lack of system knowledge was prohibitive, that wasn¡¯t a problem when they were integrated into the hive. They also had the benefit of being untethered to their expectations of what the system would offer, allowing them a wider range of classes. With these new hosts, the Hive Queen felt confident that she would prevail in the coming conflicts. Already they won several decisive battles against the incompetent lizards, which only further bolstered her ranks. Soon, she would begin the process of drilling down to the planetary core, where the true planetary transformation could begin. Yes, the Hive Queen''s success was almost guaranteed, she could foresee no outcome in which she didn¡¯t prevail.
Olivia sighed in relief as she noticed signs of normal human beings, not those who had been infected with the slug-like Azala. She had been on the run for what felt like an eternity, though it was probably closer to a couple of months. Her group had fought both the Azala and Chixel, along with numerous other monsters. What had once been a group of several dozen was now only three. They were tired, filthy, and worn down. However, they hadn¡¯t made it this far only to die by being careless. ¡°It looks like Chicago,¡± Miles said after he had scouted the area. ¡°Everything appears normal.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°What do you mean normal?¡± Olivia asked, the very notion of normal no longer existing in her vocabulary. ¡°I mean it seems like it did before the integration. I saw cars on the road, people walking around, businesses selling pre-integration goods. You know, normal,¡± Miles explained. ¡°How the fuck is any of that possible?¡± Rachel asked, her tone betraying her poorly concealed anger. Olivia could understand the sentiment; They had been through hell, and it didn¡¯t seem fair that some people were able to go about their everyday lives as if nothing had happened. ¡°You¡¯re sure there aren¡¯t any monsters? They¡¯re not Azala?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°I¡¯m positive they''re not Azala. Unless this is some powerful illusion that can fool my senses, it¡¯s just Chicago, more or less like it was,¡± Miles said with a shrug. ¡°Alright, we check it out, but everyone stays on alert," Olivia ordered. "Who knows what kind of fucked up shit could be going on?¡±. They slowly made their way towards the pre-integration metropolis. They were almost at the outskirts of the city when they noticed a vehicle headed straight towards them. As it got closer she realized it was a military humvee with a higher caliber gun trained right on their group. She held her hands up and the rest of her group followed her lead. Soldiers poured out of the back of the vehicle, standard issue M4s at the ready and pointed at them. Olivia used Identify on each of them and was shocked that they were so low level, between levels 3-5. They must have done the same thing because they relaxed when their Identify undoubtedly confirmed they were human. ¡°Sorry for the harsh welcome, most stragglers have already made it into the safety of New Chicago,¡± the lead officer said. ¡°No worries, you can never be too careful these days,¡± Olivia replied civilly. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how did you get to be so high-leveled?¡± The man asked. Olivia frowned, she was level 14, a decent accomplishment, but not worth celebrating. She hadn¡¯t even been level 10 at the one-month mark, narrowly missing out on being able to create a settlement. ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting ever since the integration, is that not the case here?¡± Olivia asked in confusion. ¡°There were a few fights with some overly aggressive wildlife, but nothing overly concerning,¡± The officer said with a frown. ¡°No existential threats from multiple alien species trying to enslave humanity?¡± Rachel asked, a touch of bitterness leaking into her tone. The soldiers paled at that and shook their heads. ¡°Tell me, how many people are in New Chicago?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°I mean we haven¡¯t exactly done a census since the integration, but we probably were able to save most people in the Chicago metro area. I reckon there are about eight million people. ¡°And are they all around levels 3 to 5?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Roughly, though 5 is on the higher end, most are closer to 3,¡± The soldier said, still perplexed by the line of questioning. ¡°Do you have a small elite force, one consisting of people much higher leveled?¡± Miles asked. ¡°No, we have a few people who are over level 10, and we were lucky to have a few extraordinary individuals who were level 10 at the one-month mark, though they haven¡¯t progressed much recently and are around the 12 or 13 range now. Those were mostly talented people who got a profession similar to what they had before the system. I think the highest leveled soldier is around 7 or 8,¡± he explained. Olivia¡¯s shock and disappointment must have shown on her face because the soldier blanched. ¡°Why is that bad?¡± He asked. ¡°It¡¯s not good,¡± Rachel said flatly. ¡°Take us to whoever is in charge, shit¡¯s about to hit the fan,¡± Olivia ordered.
Vallo stretched his legs as he was let out of the small enclosure where he spent most of his time. It was a blessed few minutes of relief from the constant torment, even if it was sheer agony to stretch his atrophied muscles. He took several unsteady steps before he regained some semblance of balance. All around were people who had given up, their blank expressions absent some quintessential spark. Vallo hadn¡¯t given up, he would continue fighting until the end. He did his best to steel his face, not showing any emotion and mimicking the blank expressions on so many. All too often those with hope were chosen as the next sacrifice. Unfortunately, it was something he was incapable of mimicking perfectly, and today was not his lucky day as he quickly realized he wasn¡¯t being led to the small exercise yard. He briefly considered trying to fight or run. He knew it would be futile and had seen that exact scenario play out on more than one occasion. His panic quickly shifted to confusion as he wasn¡¯t led in the direction of the altar, but somewhere different. The guards led him to a small antechamber with another set of guards dutifully on guard. He was then led into an office of sorts with a lone Chixel dressed in the well-tailored robes of the priests. ¡°This one greets Vallo Padar of the humans,¡± the priest said in a strange dialect of English. ¡°How are you speaking our language?¡± Vallo asked in surprise. ¡°The enchanters can extract your language using remnants of your text. From there they can construct an enchantment that converts our language into the human tongue or vice versa. It is a rather ingenious invention,¡± The strange Chixel rambled on, tapping a ring that contained many intricate runes inscribed on it. The magical equivalent of machine learning translation software; That was a neat trick. ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± He asked skeptically. ¡°This one thinks these ones can help each other. Padar, that is not a common human surname, no?¡± ¡°I suppose not,¡± Vallo said, a bit perplexed where the odd Chixel was going with this. ¡°Does one know the human named Imri Padar?¡± The Chixel asked. Vallo was taken entirely off guard by this line of questioning. He did his best to put on a face of indifference but it was too late. ¡°That is good, are Vallo and Imri from the same clutch? This one is no expert in human appearance, but Vallo and Imri have obviously different appearances.¡± Vallo hesitated, debating how much to tell. In the end, his curiosity got the best of him and he decided to see where this line of questioning led. ¡°We¡¯re adopted, but he is my brother.¡± ¡°Adopted, this word does not translate,¡± The Chixel said. ¡°It means to be raised by someone other than your biological parents,¡± Vallo explained. ¡°That explains it. Chixel hatchlings are expected to survive without the being that hatched them, only the strong survive. So Imri and Vallo were raised by ones who did not hatch them?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Vallo said. ¡°Then Vallo and Imri came from the same clutch but were raised by another?¡± The strange Chixel. ¡°No, we¡¯re not from the same clutch, we have different biological parents but were raised by the same parents,¡± Vallo said. ¡°That is unfortunate. Still, Vallo and Imri are close, being raised by the same parents?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about my relationship with Imri?¡± ¡°This one met Imri. My mate said there was something strange about Imri, that he wasn¡¯t as he seemed. Unfortunately, for as talented as my mate was, they were not able to uncover that mystery, as Imri seems nearly impervious to divination magic and the Identify skill.¡± ¡°So Imri is alive, you¡¯ve seen him?¡± ¡°It has been a while but yes. It is likely Imri is still alive,¡± The Chixel said. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why you''re talking with me. I clearly don¡¯t know anything about Imri¡¯s class,¡± Vallo said. ¡°My mate was a Seer. They were talented and able to divine glimpses of the future. While much is unclear, they knew that they would not prevail against Imri. It was their dying wish that humans and Chixel one day become allies.¡± ¡°Yeah, people tend not to want to ally when you ritual sacrifice them and treat them like cattle,¡± Vallo pointed out. ¡°This one is well aware. This one is but one, and cannot speak for all Chixel. However, this one will do what this one can. Vallo now belongs to this one, and is no longer in danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good enough,¡± Vallo said. ¡°This one is aware. This one will help however this one can,¡± the Chixel replied. ¡°That¡¯s better than nothing, I guess. Just don¡¯t expect Imri to forgive you just because you saved his brother. He doesn¡¯t anger easily, but when he did he would hold a grudge, and that was over 20 bucks, not ritual sacrifice.¡± ¡°This one is doing what this one can,¡± The Chixel said, sounding almost defeated. ¡°Fair enough. What should I call you?¡± ¡°This one is Ettes.¡± Chapter 49: Financier Imri shifted uncomfortably on the makeshift wooden bench. Almost the entire population of the settlement was present, excluding the refugees and soldiers who were still behind enemy lines. ¡°Our first order of business is reviewing recent casualties and discussing if new procedures need to be put in place,¡± Steve said, having been designated meeting facilitator for his ability to keep everyone on task. ¡°There were 17 casualties during the war. Most were soldiers who valiantly gave their lives to keep us safe. I¡¯ve reviewed the circumstances that led to each of their deaths, and while better equipment and more training might have saved them, I don¡¯t think anything could have been done differently,¡± Laura explained. No one argued her point, everyone had known how difficult the battle had been, it was miraculous only 17 people died. ¡°The next item on the agenda is the population influx we will be receiving, though I think it would be good to have general immigration policies in place,¡± Steve said. ¡°What is there to discuss? We need more people,¡± Emery pointed out. ¡°No one is arguing that point. The question is, how much help do we provide? Our economy is just starting to get on its feet. If we give too many handouts to the refugees the system will collapse,¡± Laura argued. ¡°We were in their position just a few weeks ago. It would be callous of us to expect them to pay for food and shelter when they have nothing,¡± Steve countered. ¡°For now let''s take things on a case-by-case basis. The settlement has enough money saved that we can foot the bill for essentials so the entire system doesn¡¯t revert. However, after a few weeks, they¡¯ll be expected to contribute, there¡¯s too much work to be done to have idle hands,¡± Emry suggested. They all agreed, they would have an open immigration policy, though no specific aid was guaranteed. ¡°Next, we have the issue of the soul-stealing weapons, a pair of which are in Zhaire¡¯s possession,¡± Steve read. No one immediately jumped in on this issue. They were only alive because those weapons had been used, but no one was comfortable with them. ¡°We use them for self-defense only, and only in dire circumstances,¡± Laura said. This time there was no argument as no one could come up with another proposal. ¡°Last, we need to come up with an official stance for the Chixel Azala conflict,¡± Steve read. This had been Imri¡¯s contribution to the agenda. ¡°I propose we formally declare war against the Chixel,¡± Imri spoke up, though his confidence wavered as the entire packed room looked at him. "What would be the point of that? We''re obviously not on friendly terms with them, and I don''t think they will care that a couple hundred humans have publicly declared war," Laura pointed out. "It''s not about what they think, it''s about our mindset; We''re not just trying to survive and hope they leave us alone, we''re working to free our people and make them regret having ever thought we were an easy target," Imri declared. ¡°While I¡¯m in favor of condemning the Chixel for their actions, I don¡¯t believe we have the resources to launch an offensive campaign. We only survived this conflict because of the terrain advantage limiting the effectiveness of their superior numbers,¡± Steve said. ¡°Celestia¡¯s official stance should be neutrality. Let the Chixel and Azala kill each other, then deal with whatever force is still left,¡± Emery said. The other two councilors bobbed their heads in agreement, none even remotely interested in Imri¡¯s stance. ¡°Every day we sit back here, those monsters sacrifice another person. What if someone in your family died because we didn¡¯t act?¡± Russ asked. ¡°What should we do, go charging back through the stone forest. Then what? We don¡¯t know exact numbers, but there are way more than a few hundred of them,¡± Laura pointed out. ¡°We need intel,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°I purpose a recon mission. Gather information about enemy numbers, disposition, and any other pertinent information to the war.¡± ¡°Who would undertake such a mission? You?¡± Laura asked. ¡°Yeah, unless you know someone better for the job,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°You know you¡¯re the only one remotely qualified for such a mission. My concern is with your extended absence. Who would be in charge of the soldiers if another attack came before you return?¡± Emry asked. ¡°One of the former prisoners was a high-ranking officer before the integration. I suggest they take over the role, they¡¯re more qualified than I am anyway. I¡¯m just a soldier.¡± ¡°I suppose reconnaissance isn¡¯t a bad idea,¡± Laura admitted, settling the issue. With the major issues out of the way, the meeting devolved into a status report with mostly good news. Almost across the board, their resources were exceeding expectations. There was no shortage of food, with a fair amount of Drake meat still frozen or salted, and some of the faster-growing crops would be ready for harvest long before they ran out. The building effort was also going well, with several buildings having been completed, mostly workshops for the various crafters with a couple of exceptions. A warehouse had been completed, mostly storing the extra stone and lumber they had extracted. The other was the building they were currently in. With the arrival of the refugees, they would satisfy the first objective for the settlement rank-up quest, so there was talk about making smaller buildings to complete the quest. However, they quickly decided against it, with the incredible speed at which their builders were working it wouldn¡¯t be too long either way, so there was no point in building a shanty town that would need to be rebuilt. With the council meeting done, he moved to leave, but Christoph, who had been lingering nearby stopped him. ¡°Imri, my friend, it¡¯s good to see you,¡± Christoph said with a broad grin. ¡°Hello, Christoph. Have something for me?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Always straight to business. Maybe I just wanted to buy you a drink,¡± The portly merchant said. Imri just glared at the man. ¡°Alright, fine. I was wondering if I could buy up the rights to the loans you made." The loans in question were for two of the workshops, Avery''s and Caroline''s. He also owned the loan that the city would be paying to him for the investment in cores that he had given to everyone for the war effort. The terms were very generous for the borrowers, with the average interest rate being below 3% and the amortization over 15 or 20 years. ¡°Why would you want to buy those?¡± Imri said. ¡°I figured you would be too busy to service their loans. I was hoping to buy them up at 95% of the principal cost to offset the generous terms for the borrowers. In exchange for this favor I would have one small request for you,¡± Christoph said brazenly. ¡°A favor huh?¡± ¡°Just a small one. You see I recently got a new skill when I evolved my profession to tier 2. I¡¯m now a financier instead of a simple merchant, and I can now open a system-run bank,¡± Christoph beamed. ¡°You want to be Celestia¡¯s bank?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Christoph said. It did make a lot of sense, if Christoph could loan out their excess credits to those looking to have a house built they would finally have a full-fledged economy. ¡°Does anyone need to bank their credits though? It seems unnecessary when credits aren¡¯t a physical object, they are essentially a perfect digital currency.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Maybe, but who wouldn¡¯t want more credits? It also gives a way for people to transact without being physically proximate. I also gain a small amount of interest on any money banked with me, courtesy of my new deity. A portion of which will obviously be given back to my customers. It''s a win-win,¡± He said with a sly grin. ¡°So basically, you''re going to give me money and then want me to give it right back to you. Then you¡¯ll lend it back out again. All while I lose 5% on loans that haven¡¯t even had a single payment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯ve been practically giving money away. Honestly, 95% is generous given what a fair market deal should be. I also wouldn¡¯t lend out all the money banked with me, I¡¯ll keep 20% in reserves,¡± Christoph explained. Imri had to admit that the concept of banking would be a good addition to the stability of Celestia. He also agreed that his terms had been generous, more of a stimulus package than an investment. Even with him making those loans he still had almost a million credits from slaughtering Drakes nonstop for over a week. Christoph was also right that he didn¡¯t have time to keep track of various debts, that was something he was far more suited for. ¡°If I agree to this, you¡¯ll need to abide by any financial regulations the settlement might impose,¡± Imri said hesitantly. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not some back alley loan shark. I¡¯m running a legitimate enterprise,¡± Christoph said with mock indignation, though the wide grin made the affectation especially obvious. They eventually settled on terms. Imri would deposit the majority of his credits, with a large portion locked away in the equivalent of a six-month certificate of deposit. Even that only yielded him a 2.0% interest rate, though that was mostly fair given his mandate to keep interest rates on loans as low as possible. Imri spent the next couple of days focused on his enchanting. The moment the conflict had ended, Imri requested a second mana absorption panel frame be built by Avery. Unfortunately, It wasn¡¯t quite ready, so Imri worked on a separate project. His second project was something he had come up with on a whim. He wasn¡¯t entirely certain the idea was practical, but it would be really cool, at least in his opinion. This project also required Avery¡¯s help, but it was far simpler for him to build. When Imri explained his idea Avery was immediately on board, insisting that Imri build him one. The base material was a small canister of sturdy metal, about the size and shape of a flashlight, 30 centimeters long with grooves making it easier to grip. A panel could be removed, allowing Irmi access to the inner portion of the canister, where a piece of Espeonite crystal would be affixed after the runes were inscribed. The actual enchantment wasn¡¯t that difficult either, making the entire item surprisingly easy to craft. The most difficult part was integrating the buttons into the enchantment and getting the leylines from the outside portion of the canister connected. Knowing that the enormous amounts of mana consumed would be the main limitation, Imri poured a considerable amount of his mana reserves into the crystal. He raised the canister over his head, gripping it with both hands. He swung it down towards a board that was protruding from a workbench. At the last second Imri activated the item, and a 90-centimeter blade made from the Dimensional Tear spell appeared, extending from the end of the hilt. It sheared through the enchanted wood, meeting no resistance as it separated matter. Imri smiled and tapped the button a second time, the blade disappearing moments after it had appeared. He finished his enchantment with one of the higher-level cores and used Identify on the finished project.
Item
Dimensional Saber (2F): A hollow cylindrical hilt with an affixed Espeonite crystal inside. Enchanted to produce a Dimensional Tear with the end of the hilt as the frame of reference. The size and shape of the Dimensional tear can be adjusted. Mana Efficiency 299.
It wasn¡¯t practical to use the blade at sword length like he had, the brief moment it had been on consumed almost 100 mana. However, at a much more modest length, it could be used for utility purposes, like cutting through materials that couldn¡¯t be damaged by their more conventional tools. He knew the utility knife he had enchanted was used extensively, passed among various crafters when working on almost any part of the Drake. The utility knife was half as efficient as the new item he had created and far less flexible. It would take a bit more efficiency before they were practical as a weapon, even at a more modest blade length. Imri decided to sell the dimensional saber to Avery for far less than he was willing to pay when he picked up the panel. The man reverently held the saber, and Imri knew he wanted to go test it out. He warned him about the immense mana the item would go through if he treated it like a toy. The meager mana that the one active panel provided was far from enough to supply the settlement as it was. Adding more of these mana-hungry devices was going to exacerbate the existing problem. Avery understood this and vowed to scrounge up enough materials for a third panel, even though they both knew precious metals were in short supply. The runes for the panels were tedious but easy. It took him almost half a day to complete the enchantment. The result turned out slightly better than he had hoped, the panel had reached 301 efficiency, just over 53% higher than the first one he had enchanted. When it was up and running he was pleasantly surprised at how much mana it produced, almost 3 times the original at just under 15 mana an hour. This was because the 53% improvement was to the total mana production, not the net mana production. While the total mana produced increased by roughly 53% the mana cost of running the panel remained had decreased by a minuscule amount with the improvement to all of the runes. This resulted in a net mana output of 14.94 mana per hour, almost 3 times the original 5.05 output of the first panel. This made the panels a far more effective enchantment, and the system rewarded him for his accomplishment.
Achievement Upgraded
Master Crafter 3 (+1): .3% Primary Stats (+.1%)
New Achievement
Mass Production 1: Produced a considerable number of items. When an item is crafted, the amount of progress towards the next rank varies by item type, the quality of the item doesn''t matter. The amount of contribution needed to rank is slightly exponential. .05% increase to all primary stats/rank.
Imri Padar has reached Level 16 (+2) in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 129 (+1)
Agility 101 (+1)
Intelligence 198 (+2)
Willpower 164 (+1)
Charisma 106 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 166 (+1)
FP 126 (+1)
MP 456 (+11)
Mana Efficiency 441 (+9)
Crafting Efficiency 482 (+14)
The Master Crafter achievement increase was a surprise, but he had been expecting the Mass Production achievement. This was a common achievement that every crafter eventually gained. Zathri had mentioned that it was usually the first crafting-related achievement most individuals got. The fact that Imri had Master Crafter 2 before he got Mass Production 1 was an anomaly. Caroline, being Celestia¡¯s highest-level crafter had already got the Mass Production 1 achievement during the war effort, though she too had the Master Crafter 3 achievement. Emboldened by his success, Imri decided to press on. He used a skill he hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to use yet. He used his Rune Removal skill, removing all the runes from the first panel. Unfortunately, due to the large number of runes, most of his remaining mana was depleted. He was forced to wait until tomorrow to reapply the runes. While it somewhat irked him to have the panel not running for a night, it was far from disastrous. Imri managed to complete the second panel the next morning. Despite having more crafting efficiency, the re-enchanted first panel actually turned out to have slightly less mana efficiency than the second panel. While this could have been due to variations in how well he applied the runes, Imri was certain that wasn¡¯t the root cause. Avery had improved by several levels between his first and second attempts, making the base material''s quality higher for the second panel. Imri''s improvements in crafting efficiency had diminishing returns when using low-quality base material. Likewise, for a lower-level crafter, using increasingly higher-quality materials would also start to have diminishing gains. At no point was it ever worse to have more crafting efficiency or higher quality material, but the larger gains to final output occurred when the lower was pushed up towards the higher. This is why any gain in quality from Avery would have a large effect on Imri¡¯s final enchantment. It wasn¡¯t just Imri who had this dilemma. Virtually every part of the supply chain had a similar function. It started with the base quality of the item in the world, and then that quality would be potentially diminished if it wasn¡¯t extracted properly. Then many materials needed to be refined, which could also diminish quality. By the time it got to the crafter, it could already be low quality, making the final crafted item subpar. This is why it was important to have a group of people dedicated to extracting or refining particular resources. Every part of a supply chain was important, and no matter how strong Imri became he would always need others to specialize in other areas. He needed Celestia as much as it needed him. Chapter 50: A Growing Settlement Imri read the progress reports with anticipation. It had been over a week since Rhesk had been killed and the Chixel army broke. The builders with earth magic had been tasked with reshaping the demolished landscape, leaving the day-to-day construction to the mundane builders. Despite the damage, the task wasn¡¯t too challenging, just mana intensive. Imri had reserved his now respectable mana production capacity for their use, speeding up the process immensely. There were a few skirmishes with small groups of Chixel, but they never amounted to anything more than a nuisance. Imri had wanted to encourage the Chixel¡¯s retreat and had suggested he lead an assault on one of the larger groups that was loitering about. Sylvi had given him a look that suggested he was being an idiot and Imri let the matter go. To distract himself, Imri began the tedious task of converting his Time Dilation enchantments into Temporal Expansion versions. The upgraded spell was easily a major improvement, and the redone enchantments also had a far greater mana efficiency from his improved crafting ability. However, it was mindless work, and his thoughts kept drifting, resulting in less-than-optimal results. They were still a major improvement from any of his previous works. As the final demolished pass was repaired, Imri could feel Emelia drawing ever closer, and presumably the rest of the survivors as well. Imri dropped the pretense of doing anything productive, waiting with the patience of five-year-old on a sugar high. He knew exactly where she was at all times, and could feel her pass into territory firmly controlled by Celestia. As she neared the outskirts of the settlement Imri was there waiting for her. They embraced and then shared a passionate kiss, not caring about the throng of people gathered around them. Despite Celestia still being mostly a large campsite, with only a handful of buildings completed, the former captives stared wide-eyed. Many of them had been in captivity since shortly after the integration, and most of them hadn¡¯t seen signs of human civilization in weeks. The former captives'' arrival also caused some logistical challenges. The main shortage was in shelter, with only a minimal number of tents having been brought in the exodus from Minneapolis. However, this was a very temporary issue as private residences were being built as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality. They were also in the process of building a moderately sized inn, which would be the second largest building after city hall, though the two dozen rooms wouldn¡¯t even be able to house the current influx of population. The problem was somewhat mitigated as a few more people had begun coupling up, finding romance among fellow settlers. Several people also used the tavern floor, preferring that over sleeping outdoors. One of the workshops that had been finished was for carpentry and was shared among several different woodworkers. The first, and highest level was a woman who had made the enchanted bows that Sylvi and Jenson had been wielding. She was meticulous in her craft, taking almost a week on each project, but the results spoke for themselves. The second woodworker was more of a generalist, usually cutting the wood down for use in various construction projects. The third woodworker was a full-fledged carpenter, having had the profession both pre and post-integration. She had her own furniture business before the integration and she easily picked it back up, working faster than ever with the benefits of her profession. While the woodworkers were making great progress, they were starting to run into a bottleneck in the supply chain. The amount of lumber was starting to become an issue. The council had seen this problem coming and had told the builders to substitute stone for wood, wherever possible. There were also a pair of prospectors who worked as foresters, responsible for maintaining the small woodland groves that dotted the plateau. Unfortunately, even though they had both gained druidic classes, they weren¡¯t high-level enough to grow the trees fast enough to keep up with demand. The plateau also didn¡¯t have enough land for them to expand the groves, especially considering the farmers were also limited in what they could grow due to space. The plateau, which had initially seemed expansive, was already starting to feel small. Imri had known that Celestia wouldn¡¯t be able to grow to a massive city without trade. They had established it where they had because it had been defensible and near the healing hot springs. Unfortunately, its location also made it difficult for them to trade with any future settlements. Imri was working on a solution for this, but it wasn¡¯t something he could solve soon. For now, they would be constrained by what they could extract from the plateau. However, he hadn¡¯t been the only one to notice the problem. Others were beginning to question if Celestia would ever grow to be the impressive capital Imri had sold them on. Some had suggested building down on the Seagrass plains, which would provide plenty of farmland. While this idea had been floated, it had largely gone out of favor with the arrival of the Chixel army. They simply didn¡¯t have enough strength to guard anyone if they decided to settle in the open. There was also the Umbral Tigers, which seemed like a small concern to Imri personally, but he knew most people wouldn¡¯t be able to survive an attack from the creature. Another alternative was the topic of discussion during today¡¯s open forum. A prospector who had been ranging further afield, attempting to traverse some further into the mountain range, had returned. ¡°There¡¯s a verdant river valley about fifty kilometers further into the mountains. It¡¯s almost entirely wooded, with the glacial river running through the center. The only problem is traversing down to it. The mountain pass is far narrower than most of the terrain leading up to Celestia. Descending into the valley might be impossible without technical climbing, and I wasn¡¯t able to reach it.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°How do we know this isn¡¯t claimed by some monsters? We shouldn¡¯t push our luck,¡± Someone pointed out. ¡°Why does any of this matter if we can¡¯t even reach it?¡± Another asked. ¡°While expansion is something we eventually want to consider, we don¡¯t have the resources to support two settlements,¡± Laura pointed out. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to continue exploration of nearby lands. If it is infested with monsters we¡¯ll eventually want to know that. If it¡¯s a tranquil option for future expansion, great,¡± Emery pointed out. The next order of business was introducing some of the key additions to the settlement. The first was the officer Sylvi had referred to. His name was Major Owen Harper, and he was a middle-aged man with a crew cut, somehow looking well put together despite wearing some of the extra clothing that had been scrounged up for the new arrivals. ¡°It¡¯s remarkable what this group has achieved, and I humbly accept this post on a temporary basis,¡± the major said. ¡°Temporary?¡± Steve asked. ¡°My primary objective is to establish communications with the United States government. I believe working together is the best way to accomplish this objective. Once that is achieved, I will speak with my superior officers and may receive orders that conflict with my position here.¡± ¡°You really believe the United States government is still around?¡± Emery asked. ¡°Ma''am, with all due respect, we have no idea what the situation is around the world. It could be that everywhere is as bad as here, or it could be that we got hit the hardest. Until we know, I think it is imperative we gain as much intelligence as possible, and the best way to do that is by establishing communications. We know a lot more about the nearby area thanks to the Costa twins, who were in Kansas City when it was attacked. While the situation there is bleak, it is far more tenable to deal with one alien race that only seems moderately interested in hunting people than the two near us who are both trying to enslave us. I think it''s highly likely there are larger groups of people there than near us,¡± Major Harper explained. Imri mostly agreed with his reasoning, and he could see that he had won over the majority of the gathered crowd. The only objection raised to Major Harper''s appointment as commander of their forces was by Zhaire, who wanted to keep his autonomy. Imri expected the major to argue the request, Zhaire was the highest-level soldier and was strong enough to be a strategic asset. However, the major simply nodded and acquiesced to the demands. The next person was more unassuming than the Major. She was tall, even taller than Imri and only slightly shorter than Zhaire. She was also younger, likely only a year or two removed from college. Her name was Imogen, and she had been an electrical engineer who had worked for a national power company. ¡°You believe you can set up a power grid for our settlement?¡± Laura asked skeptically when the taller woman had proposed it. ¡°It won¡¯t be functioning any time soon, but yes I can do it,¡± The younger woman said confidently. ¡°I agree, establishing power is a necessity,¡± Major Harper said, having no qualms about jumping in now that he was in charge of military matters. ¡°Everyone here would like power, but I¡¯m curious what type of power you propose we use. I¡¯m no expert, but most of the methods of power I can think of wouldn¡¯t work up here or require infrastructure we don¡¯t have,¡± Steve said. ¡°That is an issue, but one I believe can be solved. At a small scale, we can take advantage of some of the running rivers to create hydroelectric power. It''s also possible that we could find a natural wind tunnel that would be sufficient for wind turbines. Either way, I¡¯ll need a detailed survey of the nearby terrain,¡± Imogen said. ¡°I also have a third method that might be helpful in the future. If we ever have a surplus of mana, I suspect it would be simple to devise a method that could convert mana into energy,¡± Imri added. He suspected it would be simple to create an enchantment that produced heat or force, either of which would be easy enough to convert into electricity with Imogen¡¯s help. The final agenda item was more of an announcement, and the council had saved the best news for last. A new metal had been discovered, a material that had been identified as Zopralt, which was a new metal with properties similar to copper, only better for mana conductivity. Imri was practically salivating. While Zopralt wasn¡¯t a natural treasure like the springs and Espeonite crystals, it was nevertheless a great boon for Celestia. While it wasn¡¯t yet known exactly how much metal was in the vein, early estimates were that the metal was quite abundant. While Celestia would never be a large agriculture or lumber town, it was now firmly a mining town. A mining town that happened to have magical healing hot springs. While there was supposed to be a discussion about how much effort to invest in mining the material, Imri had cut that conversation by offering ten thousand credits per kilogram of the stuff. While he probably should have been more coy about how much he valued the precious metal, he had more credits than he knew what to do with. Even with a large portion of his wealth tied up in CDs, he still had hundreds of thousands of credits. His proclamation had likely set off the post-integration equivalent of a gold rush. Throughout the next few days, this proved to be true. One of the building teams was tasked with creating a mining shaft. Most of the prospectors, along with a large number of the newly integrated citizens quickly got to work, mining the easily accessible metal. It wasn¡¯t long before the market was flooded with the metal. Imri hadn¡¯t specified how much of the metal he would buy, and he didn¡¯t want to discourage the efforts, so he gladly traded his credits long past when it was strictly necessary. His easily accessible credits started to run low on the third day after the mine had been opened, and he was forced to close the contract. He was far from the only person interested. The settlement itself wanted a lot of the metal, knowing it would be used for any future wiring and certain pipes. Between the city council, the builders, and Avery, the demand continued and the price didn¡¯t drop much from his initial offer. It was also doing wonders for the economy, spreading the wealth beyond the crafters and hunters. Chapter 51: Gravity Imri was deep in thought as he went through another walking meditation. His new class, Celestial Mage, had not so subtly hinted at some spells that he was fairly certain he could acquire. Gravity was simply a bend in space caused by all objects, especially massive celestial objects. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t yet at a power level where he could mess with gravity on a scale like a planet. However, he felt fairly certain he could amplify or lessen the curvature of space at a very localized level. As with most of his concepts, his first step was being able to measure it.
New Spell Learned
True Gravity (1F): Measure the effective curvature of spacetime and the resulting acceleration. Mana cost varies by distance from caster to target and precision of measurement.
Imri smiled, now effectively able to measure the direct impact of gravity. Just to sate his curiosity, he used the spell, getting the expected 9.8 m/s2 acceleration. It did bring up an interesting question: How was the gravity the same on this new planet? He had suspected the planet was larger when everyone had been spread out and then confirmed that with his out-of-body experiences while meditating. Something in this new world was breaking or changing the laws of physics or had altered some universal constants. He let the existential question fall into the background, instead focusing on learning his new spells. Instead of trying to alter the gravity of the entire planet, he instead focused on the small portion of it that was affecting him personally, which was basically the space his body occupied. If he could flatten out the space relative to his frame of reference, then gravity should affect him less. At this point, bending a small relative area of space wasn¡¯t particularly challenging for him. As he had hoped, he instantly felt lighter, and he leaped high into the air with relative ease. He whooped out loud as he slowly descended back to the ground. With his first success, it was almost trivial to produce the opposite effect, further bending space to increase the effects of gravity. However, that was a far less pleasant experience to test on himself, even at modest amplitudes.
New Spells Learned
High Gravity (1F): Increases the force of gravity upon a given object, effectively increasing its weight and falling acceleration by a factor of the amplitude. Cost / second increases by the distance from the caster to the object, the mass of the object, and the amplitude of the effect.
Low Gravity (1F): Decreases the force of gravity upon a given object by a factor of the amplitude, effectively decreasing its weight and falling acceleration. Cost / second increases by the distance from the caster to the object, the mass of the object, and the amplitude of the effect.
In some ways, his two new gravity spells reminded him of his time spells. They were incredibly variable spells that required constant mana to keep them active. They were essentially new buffs and debuffs for him to use, though they were more versatile than the time spells. He could see applications of both spells both offensive and in support. Low Gravity was useful as a buff, making it easier to jump or fall slowly to avoid taking damage. Conversely, it could be used effectively on an unsuspecting enemy that was trying to hold their ground, making it harder to stay in place with less friction. However, the most obvious use was making an enemy heavier, effectively making it harder for them to move. For his first few experiments, he practiced using the spells on himself, starting with the Low Gravity spell. While it was impossible to reach zero gravity with the spell, with 100% amplitude meaning half gravity and 200% being one-third. At a high enough amplitude, there would effectively be less force from gravity than the buoyancy of air, allowing him to float like he was swimming in an invisible ocean. He could further increase the amplitude so he slowly floated upwards, conversely, he could decrease the effect and slowly start sinking back down. He only did this once, and only briefly since it consumed a great deal of mana. He also needed to be careful, if he floated too high and ran out of mana he would be in trouble, as normal rules of physics would return. Testing the High Gravity spell was far less enjoyable, but he needed to understand how it felt to get a good idea of what amplitudes to use in combat. He found that 10-30% had a minor effect, it made it harder to move and would certainly sap his endurance, but it wasn¡¯t crippling. At 50% it started to become hard to move, even though he knew the effect was coming. He didn¡¯t dare raise it much further than that. Since this spell didn¡¯t have an exponential cost, he determined that a higher percentage for a shorter duration would be more effective. Once he got a good idea of how the spells affected him, he moved on to experimenting on objects. The first application was to make a heavy object light, allowing him to more easily lift it. He then hurled the once heavy object through the air, releasing the spell''s effect at the zenith of its trajectory. This effectively allowed him to toss heavy projectiles that weighed considerably more than he normally could lift. Unfortunately, he still couldn''t throw a truly massive object because its mass was unchanged, and required incredible force to move any significant distance. He found it incredibly difficult to aim his throws, as he needed to intuitively know how far the artillery-like projectile would travel depending on its new effective gravity. It also wasn¡¯t intuitive to have something not follow the typical parabolic arc that all objects had followed his entire life. It would take a great deal of practice for this tactic to be effective in combat. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. However, this wasn¡¯t the only application for projectiles. He threw a small stone in at a high angle, then as it reached the apex of its arc he cast High Gravity on it. The rock slammed into the ground like a small meteor from space, its gravity easier to amplify to a greater degree due to the low mass. This was a bit easier to aim, as he mainly just needed to activate High Gravity at a high amplitude just before the object was over the target. He then combined the two methods on a moderately sized boulder, starting with Low Gravity for the ascent and High Gravity for the descent. Imri was able to do a large amount of testing in part thanks to his increased mana and mana regeneration, but he also supplemented from the mana his panels provided to the large Espeonite crystal. He had decided to restrict the mana his enchantments produced, requiring a request to be submitted before he would allow anyone access. He had found that without this, people were frivolous with mana, taking from his mana repository without much critical thought. This had so far prevented the settlement from ever gaining a surplus. Avery was currently working on the frames of a third and fourth panel, thanks to the newly acquired Zopralt vein, but it would be several days before those were up and running. Having learned three new spells and extensively testing them, Imri was a bit disappointed he hadn¡¯t gained the expected level. However, he could tell he had gained a good amount of experience and was close to another level up. It had become clear the experience required to level was also increasing exponentially, and at a faster rate than he gained in power. Despite not having an imminent threat looming on the horizon, Imri knew he couldn¡¯t relax. War was coming and he couldn¡¯t let himself get complacent. While he no longer considered the Cliff Drakes to be a powerful enemy, relative to his capabilities, they were still the easiest monsters to farm xp from. His liquid credits had also dipped below the 100,000 number, and that simply wasn¡¯t acceptable. However, he didn¡¯t want to simply slay them with the same tried and true methods he had used when grinding for levels during the invasion. He wanted it to double as a practical exercise to use some of his new or less utilized spells. That was how he found himself on a hike through the area where he had slaughtered so many of the Cliff Drakes. As a Cliff Drake dove towards him, he didn¡¯t use Blink to teleport away like he always had. Instead, he used High Gravity on the airborne monster that was just beginning its dive, meaning it was both far away and had considerable mass. To compensate, Imri kept the amplitude low, only increasing the effect of gravity upon it by 15%. That turned out to be more effective than he had even intended, the massive creature having evolved to have just enough lift to keep it in a controlled dive. The Drake went from smoothly gliding to plummeting towards the ground like a rock. It slammed onto a rocky surface some thirty or forty meters in front of Imri, its bones crunching from the impact. Despite this, the resilient reptilian creature was still alive, and its rapid regeneration started to take effect. Imri closed the distance with a Blink and followed up with a small Dimensional Tear that went through the creature''s skull. For his next fight, he pushed the Amplitude of High Gravity spell to its limit for a brief duration. This time the poor Cliff Drake didn¡¯t even have a chance, dying immediately from the hundred-meter freefall with a rapid acceleration downward. The dense creature had hit the ground hard enough that there wasn¡¯t much left of it. This had the unfortunate downside of less monster parts that could be salvaged, but it still offered a decent haul. He left the salvage to a team of porters to return to Celestia, not worried in the slightest that they would steal from him. The next Drake was slain with a different combination of spells. He repeated the same process to take the creature out of the air, though he used the lowest amplitude to effectively bring it down. Once grounded he continued the debuffs by using Time Contraction on it while it was also under the effects of High Gravity. He then added a third spell, casting Temporal Expansion on himself, gaining an extra few percentage points for his Being of Eons trait. The combination of buffs and debuffs made the Drake seem incredibly slow and weak. Unfortunately, this was far from the most efficient method, and he had burned through almost his entire mana pool in the brief fight that ended with decapitating the Drake with a Spatial Collapse.
Spells Ranked Up
Time Contraction F to E: +2.5% Mana Efficiency of spell
High Gravity F to E: +2.5% Mana Efficiency of spell
Imri Padar has reached level 26 (+1) in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 26 (+1) in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Constitution 117 (+1)
Intelligence 199 (+1)
Willpower 165 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 168 (+2)
FP 127 (+1)
MP 466 (+10)
Mana Efficiency 447 (+6)
Crafting Efficiency 489 (+7)
Quest Updated
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to E: Learn new space or time spells 7/10, rank up space or time spells 5/10, learn new gravity spells 5/5, rank up gravity spells 3/5, visit celestial bodies 1/2.
Imri smiled, it had definitely been a good idea to experiment with various methods of slaying the Cliff Drakes. While those hadn¡¯t been his most efficient fights, pushing his Time Contraction Spell and High Gravity spells to E rank had been worth a little mana inefficiency in the short run. He was definitely improving his arsenal, and hopefully, that would be enough for the challenges they would undoubtedly face in the coming months. He smiled as he walked, thinking about all the new enchantments he could create. Chapter 52: Knights of Earth Reclamation Zhaire hated having his time wasted. The daily routines for training were now led by Major Harper, and he instituted a more standard military physical training routine. It was far too easy, and Zhaire told him as much. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing soldier, now get back in line,¡± He shouted. ¡°Make me,¡± Zhaire growled. They stared intensely at each other, neither willing to back down, despite Zhaire physically towering over the older man. ¡°Major Harper, Zhaire may have a point. Many of his team have conducted training that is far more rigorous. Higher-level individuals also need to push themselves to keep improving their base physique. We need to be more adaptable,¡± Imri said, trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°I didn¡¯t fucking ask for your help. Stay out of it,¡± Zhaire snapped at Imri. ¡°I¡¯ll take your suggestion under advisement,¡± The major said to Imri, showing him far more respect than he had for Zhaire, whom he ignored. ¡°For now we will continue with the standard physical training.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not fucking wasting my time with someone who is too stuck in their ways. It''s not even fucking Earth anymore,¡± Zhaire shouted, walking away. He was heated, easily shoving aside the man who tried to stop him from leaving. From the crowd he noticed Imri staring at him, and Zhaire stared back until the mage looked away. That was another thing he was sick of, always being in that man''s shadow. No one would tell him what to do, he had earned that right. He would get stronger and surpass him. Part of Zhaire¡¯s frustration was at his stagnation, having not gained a single level in the last two weeks since the end of the Defend Celestia quest. He had managed to get to level 20 but that was it. He knew he wasn¡¯t the only one thinking this way, the Costa twins were just as impatient. They wanted to rescue groups of people from what remained of Kansas City, hopefully saving enough people to make a difference. The only problem was that it had taken over a month of constant travel for them to reach Celestia, and Zhaire didn¡¯t have a month to waste hiking across sparsely populated plains each way. Fortunately, he had a plan for that. Throughout the next week, he recruited a unit of twelve, led by himself. People who weren¡¯t content playing pre-integration soldiers, people who wanted to do more. There were three mages, the Costa twins and a newcomer by the name of Una. Una had been one of the notable people who had been liberated from the Chixel, and unlike most of the captives, she had a respectable level given her circumstances at level 7. This was because she had a Shaman class that gave her the ability to heal her fellow captives. The rest were some higher-level soldiers who had fought during the Chixel invasion, with several of them reaching the double digits. The one thing all twelve of them shared was a lack of profession, and Zhaire¡¯s plan would remedy that. The unit assembled at the edge of Celestia, large packs of supplies for a week-long hunting excursion on each of their backs. Zhaire smiled, pleased that none of them had backed out. In addition, there were almost as many support staff. They had several people designated as porters to return to Celestia with any monster parts they could harvest in the field. On top of that, an enterprising woman named Mariam was intrigued by Zhaire¡¯s plan and had requested to accompany them while not officially joining his unit. As a group, they descended the mountain and onto the plains. This hunting trip went far better than it had last time. In the weeks since then, they had learned a great deal about the roaming Starseekers and prowling Umbral Tigers, thanks to Emelia''s bond with her Starseeker, Orion. Through the duo, they learned the migration patterns of the Starseekers as they went from manastorm to manastorm, eating the seagrass that had just received an influx of mana. The Umbral Tigers were usually following the Starseekers, so if they found a herd at least one Umbral Tiger was likely nearby. They coordinated with the lookouts on the edge of the plateau, moving towards a storm the moment it was spotted. They arrived and waited, hoping their trap would be successful. It took several tries, but eventually, they managed to intercept a herd of Starseekers. According to Emelia, Orion wasn¡¯t an aberration, and many Starseekers had a docile temperament. They approached openly, palms outstretched with weapons sheathed. They held out clumps of the seagrass, infused with their own mana to bribe the Starseekers. The hybrid rhino-horse creatures regarded them warily but didn¡¯t bolt. Several people within the squad were successfully able to bond, gaining the Beast Tamer profession. Things were going well until Brad attempted to approach a particularly ornery Starseeker that tried to impale him. He managed to dodge out of the worst of it, but the horn still inflicted a massive gash on his shoulder. Luckily he avoided being trampled, which probably would have crushed every bone in his body. However, the beast¡¯s rampage ended there. It pulled up, confused as its mind was assaulted. Antonio didn¡¯t have the power to fully dominate a high-level creature that undoubtedly had powerful magic defenses, but he could stun it effectively. Zhaire was upon it a moment later, moving with near supernatural speed with his combination of strength and agility. He brought the glaive down in a powerful blow, cleaving through the space between bone plates on its neck. The glaive bit in and tore through arteries, spraying bluish-tinged blood everywhere. Unfortunately, the blow hadn¡¯t been powerful enough to completely decapitate it, though it was inevitable that the blow was fatal. The beast snapped out of its stupor and flailed around, kicking its hooves and swinging its head in an attempt to impale one of them before all its life force was drained. After a few close calls, the beast started to fade, the blood loss too substantial for a prolonged struggle. With the fight over, Zhaire checked on Brad. The wound was bad, but not fatal. Una did her best to heal the injury, though she didn¡¯t have as much effective healing capability as Emelia. Still, she did a good enough job and gained a level for the effort. The rest of the injury would heal on its own thanks to one of Caroline''s healing potions, though they gave him one of the longer-lasting but weaker potions since he was in no immediate peril. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Of the three people who had managed to form bonds, two remained. The third bond had broken when they had slain the Starseeker. Fortunately, the one who had formed the bond still kept his skills and levels, though he said he felt fatigue and a sense of loss from losing his bonded companion. Zhaire was certain that the negative side effects of losing a bonded companion would be far worse if a longtime companion was killed. Still, he would worry about that when it came up. Zhaire had the two who bonded with Starseekers send them out of sight. He wasn¡¯t sure how they would react to their kin being tamed or butchered, but he imagined it wouldn¡¯t be positive. While it was regrettable to slay such a majestic creature, this was an important secondary objective. Caroline had speculated that she could make another powerful elixir from a piece of the horn, along with various other parts of the horse-like creature. The bone shaper also wanted an intact horn to create a spear. Zhaire was more interested in the elixirs, wanting to secure three of them, one for each of his mages. Antonio and Veronica could easily handle the heritage rank up now, being level 15 and 16 respectively. The rest of the unit would take elixirs from either the Umbral Tiger or the Drake, depending on their preference, though none had done so, yet. They repeated this process several more times, taking more than the week he had allotted, though they still had plenty of supplies thanks to the killed Starseeker. They managed to bond with between one and three Seekers at each encounter. Mariam, who had accompanied them, was also interested in taming Starseekers, albeit at a much larger scale. She was effectively looking to open a stable and begin breeding and training the majestic beasts for widespread use. She had gained the Hostler profession, which was similar to the Beast Tamer, albeit geared to be more subtle but able to affect a much larger population. In exchange for Zhaire helping her get established, she had promised to provide him with another tamed Starseeker at a later date. On the third encounter, Zhaire finally bonded with one of the most massive Starseekers he had seen. He also slew one other Starseeker who had attacked his team member. Unfortunately, this soldier hadn¡¯t been as lucky as Brad, getting impaled through the gut and trampled. The man, Corey was his name, was dead the moment the creature stepped on him, crushing his body to a pulp in an instant. Zhaire had felt no sense of remorse when he killed that particular Starseeker.
Zhaire Reeves has gained the profession Beast Tamer (1F)
New Achievement Earned
Powerful Taming 3: Tame a beast with a greater level than your own, 1 rank/level difference. .1% to all primary stats/rank.
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 21 in Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 21 in Human (1E)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 2 in Beast Tamer (1F)
Primary Stats
Strength 166 (+1)
Agility 139 (+1)
Constitution 150 (+2)
Intelligence 93 (+1)
Willpower 124 (+1)
Charisma 103 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 305 (+10)
FP 236 (+7)
MP 119 (+2)
Attack Efficiency 309 (+5)
While there was some discussion about taming extra Starseekers as beasts of burden, they all had an instinctive understanding of what their new abilities could do. While it was possible to bond with more than one, it became exponentially more difficult with each bonded companion. Many of them had struggled to bond with their first, so a second was out of the question at this point. Unfortunately, Corey wasn¡¯t the only casualty. Another man, Ethan, was killed when an Umbral Tiger ambushed him, having stalked them since they had disturbed its intended prey. Veronica had gotten revenge, caving the umbral beast''s head in with an excessive amount of force, popping the entire head of it like a pimple. She had drained her entire mana in the spell, and despite the beast obviously being dead she started stabbing at the creature with her knife, screaming all the while. Zhaire eventually had to drag her away, kicking and screaming as tears streamed down her face. Fortunately, that was their last mishap, and they managed to get all ten members of the squad bonded to Starseekers. As they were bonded, each Starseeker was given a name, and they continued with the naming convention Emelia had started, naming each of them after a star or constellation. Zhaire had gone for the biggest of the Starseekers he could tame and had the largest among their unit, so he named his Betelgeuse after one of the largest known stars. Brad''s unfortunate companion was named Big Dipper, and Zhaire wondered which of the pair was actually more intelligent. In addition to naming their Starseeker mounts, there was also a discussion about what to call their unit. While there was a theme of space names, none seemed fitting. Something about being called the Cosmic Knights, or the Galactic Knights seemed cheesy. ¡°What are we really fighting for?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°For money and women,¡± Brad said, instantly getting hateful glares from the unit''s three women. ¡°To get stronger,¡± Eric, the unit''s scout, said. ¡°To help people,¡± Una said. ¡°To reclaim a home for humanity,¡± Antonio said. ¡°To reclaim Earth,¡± Veronica added. ¡°Knights of Earth Reclamation,¡± Zhaire said with a nod. ¡°All in favor?¡± Everyone nodded in assent and the name became official. Chapter 53: Quartermaster Zhaire returned to Celestia, with the knights having left their recently bonded companions together in a newly formed herd. They would be in the settlement for a few days, and most of the knights would be taking a well-deserved break before their extended deployment. Zhaire was pleased to see that everyone was getting along, and forming a cohesive unit. They made their way to the tavern to try some of the magically produced alcohol that had just become available. Zhaire didn¡¯t join them, having some very specific items to purchase before they left, some of which had already been commissioned. He had decided to take on the role of quartermaster for their unit, in addition to being the commander. He also didn¡¯t want to ruin their fun with his darker mood. The two largest, and likely longest wait time items were saddles and saddlebags from a leatherworker. If they were going to become a cavalry unit, they needed to have their mounts properly equipped. While it wasn¡¯t impossible to ride on the back of the Starseekers without a saddle, Zhaire having done just that in the most recent battle against the Chixel, using a bony plate as an improvised seat was far from ideal. The saddlebags were also essential, as they would need extra supplies for the mission to Kansas City. Other equestrian equipment, such as a bridle or reins, were not needed, as the Starseekers would obey their mental commands. While he was in the leather worker¡¯s shop, he also purchased as much armor as was available, with a mix of Drake and Umbral Tiger armor. He would¡¯ve preferred Drake armor for everyone; While it was heavier, that was mitigated by them riding on the war-horse like Starseekers, and it was much more durable. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only one who thought this way, and a piece of Drake armor was selling for 50,000 credits, a sum very few could afford. It was still less than what the leatherworker could get simply by selling it to the system, so Zhaire didn¡¯t do more than grumble as he transferred what he had originally considered vast amounts of wealth. Zhaire had earned a good amount of credits, most of which came from a rather lucrative bribe from the city to turn over the soul weapons. He had no qualms about turning the cursed weapons in, not after what he had seen it do to Teresa. Still, the 200,000 they had given him for each weapon gauntlet pair would be mostly spent in just the first shop he visited. The next stop was Caroline''s lab. Zhaire had sent much of the remains back via a porter constantly running to and from Celestia as they hunted through the seagrass plains. Caroline was still working on the Starseeker elixirs, though she assured him that she could produce several of them before he departed. She had already produced several different variants on Drake and Umbral Tiger elixirs, selling them for steep prices, only somewhat offset by the materials Zhaire had provided her. He also wanted to restock his normal potions that restored the three resources, wanting a variety of quick-acting or extended effects. Caroline also had several potions that temporarily raised an attribute, one for each of the primary stats. He was somewhat wary of them, not wanting the same thing that had happened to Teresa to occur. Caroline reassured him that was unlikely, though still possible. Her potions lasted longer, just over 2 hours each, and they had a less extreme effect. Someone who died because they lost stats would have already been on death¡¯s door. Zhaire still wasn¡¯t thrilled with the idea, only purchasing a couple of each. Despite the credits they had earned from selling some of the monster parts, Zhaire began to suspect he wouldn¡¯t have enough to purchase everything they needed. That¡¯s why he found himself meeting with the settlements council, negotiating for his knight¡¯s wages to be paid upfront before they left. All the knights had agreed their first wages would be spent on equipment, they wouldn¡¯t be staying in the settlement to use it on anything else. Unfortunately, the settlement didn¡¯t have enough credits to pay a fair wage, offering him only 100,000 credits for his entire unit''s wages for the next 3 months. They admitted it wasn¡¯t what they were worth, but it was all they could afford at the moment. With the settlement not providing as much as he had hoped, he moved on to his last resort. Christoph the merchant was also operating out of the partially completed city hall building, using an office as his place of business. ¡°You admit there is a chance you might not return, why would I give you such a fortune under such circumstances?¡± ¡°Civic duty,¡± Zhaire growled. The merchant laughed at that. ¡°Imri already has me giving interest rates in line with what they were before the integration. While that might seem fair, it is anything but. There is far more risk, and that is for people who are staying in the settlement, not riding out on errantry,¡± The merchant said. ¡°You didn¡¯t say no, so just tell me what you want?¡± Zhaire hissed, not sure how anyone put up with the greedy man. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the loan, but not a traditional loan. I give you the credits now, you repay it the moment you return with any inventory, with an extra 10%. In addition, I get first right of refusal on anything you return with.¡± ¡°This feels like a payday loan,¡± Zhaire pointed out. ¡°Most people don¡¯t get a small fortune from an unsecured payday loan, and those people didn¡¯t have to worry about their clients getting murdered by whatever aliens you''re off to fight. I feel these terms are more than fair. Now do you accept it or not?¡± Christoph said. Zhaire sighed but shook the merchant''s hand, agreeing to the deal. He took no small amount of pleasure from squeezing a little harder than was strictly necessary with his enhanced strength, causing the portly merchant to wince. It was finalized when Russ, who had an office across from Christoph, drew up a contract with both parties signing. The penalty for Zhaire not returning and providing the items was essentially a magic wage garnishment with an even steeper rate. With renewed funds, 200,000 of it from the payday loan, he went shopping for weapons. The main supplier was Elliot, the bone shaper. His unique profession allowed him to make the nearly indestructible bones of the high-level creature somewhat malleable. This allowed him to shape teeth into bladed spear tips or short swords. He also made the hafts of the weapons out of leg bones or tail bones. He had also started constructing armor out of the Drake''s rib cage. This was both heavier and offered more protection than the leather alone. Zhaire purchased one suit of armor for himself and enough weapons so everyone would have a primary weapon and a side arm. His next stop was to the bowyer, Brock, having seen the effects of the weapons he had created. Unfortunately, his prices were steep, even relative to the exorbitant prices of the other items he had recently purchased. These prices weren¡¯t surprising considering Roland¡¯s bows took almost a week to make. On top of that, lumber was one of the hardest, and therefore most expensive basic materials to acquire. This meant that buying a bow was more than any two weapons from the bone shaper. Zhaire still had the bow Jenson had used, given to one of his archers. Zhaire cringed as he purchased one more, his large stores of wealth already nearly drained a second time. His last stop of note was Imri¡¯s shop, and he quickly regretted his earlier spending. The enchanter had a wide variety of items for sale, far more than the usual Time Dilation pieces of jewelry. He had several phone-sized items that could be used to measure various things, from mana density to distance, or time. He had small flashlight-sized canisters that were essentially a popular sci-fi blade. His newest item was a compass-like item that could be used to adjust the local effect of gravity, either up or down to varying degrees. Unfortunately, all of the items weren¡¯t within Zhaire¡¯s price range with him still needing mundane supplies like rations and bandages. ¡°Unfortunately, the council doesn¡¯t want me giving out items far below market value,¡± Imri said sympathetically. ¡°I didn¡¯t fucking ask for charity,¡± Zhaire growled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened with Teresa, if I had been stronger maybe she would still be here,¡± Imri said. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Zhaire said sharply. ¡°Sorry, do what?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That, stop fucking apologizing for everything. We don¡¯t all need Imri the high and mighty mage to save us,¡± Zhaire snapped. ¡°I¡­¡± Imri stuttered at a loss for words. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who could have saved her. If I had been stronger she wouldn¡¯t have needed to use that fucked up sword,¡± Zhaire said, straining not to shed a tear in front of this man of all people. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Imri said, eliciting a glare from Zhaire. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said again. Zhaire just sighed. ¡°Whatever,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°Just know that I¡¯ll be working hard to catch up to you. When I come back, I¡¯ll be higher level than you.¡± ¡°Wait there is one more thing,¡± Imri said. Zhaire glared at him and he quickly added, ¡°Not charity, I have a job for you, one that won¡¯t interfere with your mission,¡± Imri explained as he dug through some items until he found what he was looking for. It was a rectangular piece of metal with strange circuit-like grooves, nearly indistinguishable from the panels that charged the large crystal that stood near the nexus, albeit much smaller, around the size of a large phone or tablet. ¡°This is an improved version of the mana density reader, and I want you to borrow it. It also can double as a mana charger, though it won¡¯t work if the density is too low. It also has a Spatial Beacon, so I can keep track of your movements. I would like you to take readings as you travel and report back to me with any notable findings. In exchange, you can have any one of my items.¡± Zhaire immediately had to resist the urge to take one of his sabers. He had seen them in action, and he didn¡¯t care how impractical they were, he wanted one. Unfortunately, what he wanted wasn¡¯t what the knights needed. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one,¡± he said with a wide grin, taking one of the gravity-altering devices. The next day, Zhaire took a child-like glee from distributing the items throughout the unit. Each of the members reverently accepted their assigned items with enthusiasm. Zhaire fervently hoped it would make a difference, that it would save their lives in the coming battles. He doubted they would all be returning to Celestia. For some, this would be the last joyous moments of their lives. Zhaire vowed he would do all he could, he would get stronger and keep as many of them alive as he could. Chapter 54: Collaborations Now that Imri had a handle on his new abilities, his focus shifted to using them in enchantments. The first and most obvious application was a simple enchantment that allowed the wearer to have the effect of Low Gravity for themselves. It was essentially the same as his Time Dilation enchantment, with just the main rune swapped out. However, unlike the Time Dilation enchantment, it had more applications. The main reason was that it could affect objects, not just creatures. He could apply it to any item, and when activated, the item would weigh less and fall slower. This gave Imri an idea for something he had considered for a while. He commissioned a new backpack made from Umbral Tiger leather. While such material was undoubtedly overkill for a simple backpack, he trusted that far more than pre-integration materials. He also had more than enough credits to be a little extravagant with his projects. Naomi, the leatherworker, was also able to produce much higher-level products than what pre-integration items would be, meaning Imri¡¯s finished enchantment would also have a higher level of efficiency. While waiting for the Umbral Leather backpack, Imri set himself up for success. One of his main bottlenecks was the production of leylines, and while Avery was good at making them, he already had far more requests than he could handle. Imri had decided to hire someone exclusively focused on making them to remedy this. He hired Toby, a young man who had been an electrician before the integration. Powerlines and leylines were fundamentally similar, and he had no issues picking it up. He even gained a profession related to exclusively crafting leylines. While his first few attempts hadn¡¯t been quite as neat as Avery¡¯s, they functioned well enough, and the gap in their skill closed rapidly as Toby had a few attempts to become acclimated to the work. His second hire was less critical but was nevertheless important. So far, Imri had been hacking off chunks of the larger Espeonite crystals to use as a mana source haphazardly. Most of the time, they were crudely cut and were excessively large. This method also reduced the quality of the Espeonite crystal, which wasn¡¯t too much of an issue due to its insanely high base mana capacity. He hired someone to be a gem cutter to make his finished products more aesthetically pleasing and conserve the precious crystals. Unfortunately, none of the nearly 300 citizens had been a jeweler. However, he found someone willing to try the profession, a woman named Zuri, who had been an artist before the integration. She also gained a profession directly related to the work she was doing. His new hires were an immediate boost in productivity, now he only needed to work on the part he specialized in, creating runes. He had them work on projects he had examples for, such as the dimensional sabers or the Temporal Expansion rings, having them make copies of their base components. Their work was an obvious improvement over his own, looking more like a professionally made item than a jerry-rigged contraption. Imri had them switch to work on the project he had envisioned. He had wanted to create this since he had gotten his Spatial Expansion spell, but two things had always constrained him. The first was that the mana to keep even a small Spatial Expansion spell running constantly was a significant drain, and it wouldn¡¯t be useful as an enchantment unless it ran constantly. The second problem was that even if the backpack could fit more items, the backpack would still have the cumulative weight of everything in the pack. He could have already solved the first problem, though it wasn¡¯t practical until recently. He simply needed to offset the mana cost of the enchantments with higher mana production from an attached panel. Obviously, it wouldn¡¯t have been practical to attach a full panel to a pack, so he had made another panel about 5% as large as the ones he used in his industrial panels. He did some math and concluded that the amount of mana produced by the panel could support a little over a 5% enchantment of both Low Gravity and Spatial Expansion indefinitely. All this assumed the backpack was used in a mana-density region similar to the one they were in now. He also used a slightly larger piece of Espeonite to give the enchantments a decent mana reserve. In addition, he made it so the amplitude of the enchantments could be turned off or adjusted by touching certain runes. This allowed the backpack to charge up while not in use or be used at higher amplitudes for a fixed duration. This also made the backpack more versatile, allowing the user to switch between making it lighter or more expansive. For example, someone could raise the Low Gravity component when carrying dense materials that didn¡¯t need Spatial Expansion. It took him the better part of the day to complete the bag, which had multiple different types of runes. When it was tested and finished, he finally allowed himself to inspect the finished product.
Item
Umbral Tiger Leather Backpack of Storing: A backpack made from Umbral Tiger leather, enchanted to allow the pack to have expanded storage and low gravity. Mana Efficiency: 309.
The backpack was a success, though Imri wasn¡¯t entirely satisfied. He had hoped for something with a bit more efficiency. This was nice to have, but it wouldn¡¯t entirely change anyone''s logistics, especially if it involved traveling to lower mana density regions. He looked at this as more of a prototype and enjoyed the process far more than pumping out simple but effective enchantments. The next day, he dreaded returning to work on his more repetitive items when he received a visitor. Elliot, their de facto weapons manufacturer and bone shaper, had conducted an experiment of his own. He had taken the bones that didn¡¯t have a clear purpose and condensed them down to form an especially dense hammerhead attached to a moderate-length handle, making a war hammer. Unfortunately, the giant hammer was too heavy for anyone but Zhaire to wield effectively. Elliot had almost thrown it out as a failure, but he decided to see if an enchantment could salvage it. Imri had brought up the idea of collaborating on an enchanted weapon with all the crafters. His first idea was to enchant the hammer with low gravity enchantments, but this was only somewhat viable; if he overdid the amplitude of Low Gravity, it would entirely defeat the hammer''s purpose. Ideally, the hammer would retain all its weight when swung downward or even preferably gain weight when it descended. The challenge was defining the two primary states of the hammer, ascending into position and descending as a blow. Imri essentially needed to incorporate a gyroscopic enchantment to define the motion of the hammer. Fortunately, this was pretty trivial using his True Distance enchantments to measure distances, in this case, from the celestial object''s gravitational center. So, when the distance increased, the hammer was ascending, and the Low Gravity enchantment would activate. Conversely, when the distance decreased, it would be descending, and the High Gravity rune would activate. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He worked with Toby, sketching his design for the enchanted weapon in a notebook. While they were working on that, Zuri began cutting a crystal into smaller gemstones and polished them. Once the design was done, Imri transitioned to working on a third mana panel while Toby created the leyline grooves and Zuri slotted in the gemstone along the shaft of the hammer. They completed their portion of the project before Imri could finish the more monotonous panel. Not wanting to bounce between work more than he already was, Imri elected to finish the panel before shifting back to the hammer, considering that a reward for completing the less interesting work. When he finally got to the hammer, he felt reinvigorated. The challenge in this enchantment was tuning the sensitivity; He couldn¡¯t make it too sensitive, or a stray movement could cause the hammer''s weight to fluctuate wildly. He eventually settled on a level of sensitivity after several trials and errors. He also made it adjustable, allowing the weapons wielder to adjust both modes to an amplitude that suited their purposes. The result was that the hammer fluidly shifted between light and heavy as he gave it a few experimental swings. Satisfied, he finished the enchantment.
Item
Warhammer of Gravity: A warhammer crafted from fused and condensed Drake Bones. Enchanted with both High and Low gravity that are activated based on gyroscopic motion. Quality 21, Mana Efficiency 313.
Imri Padar has reached level 18 (+2) in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats
Intelligence 201 (+2)
Willpower 167 (+2)
Secondary Stats
FP 128 (+1)
MP 480 (+14)
Mana Efficiency 456 (+9)
Crafting Efficiency 503 (+14)
New Achievement
Supernatural Being 1: One or more of your primary stats has exceeded the limits of what is naturally possible for your species. .15% increase to all stats primary stats/rank
Imri smiled, having gained a significant milestone. The 200-stat mark that gave him an achievement was a pleasant surprise. While the shorthand of using IQ and the system''s measurements had been somewhat synonymous to this point, it clearly departed from that convention going forward. It also further emphasized the idea that his intelligence, as defined by the system, was somewhat different than how it had been defined before the system. He wasn''t some all-knowing genius just because his stat had surpassed human limits. It was closer to how a computer worked; he could easily recall and process things at inhuman speeds, meaning he could think faster. He also suspected that reaction speed was a combination of intelligence and agility, meaning his improved intelligence also helped him in a physical fight. Imri called it a day with his work done, returning to his recently completed house, which was attached to the workshop. The house''s interior was still completely bare, the demand for furniture far exceeding the supply, giving the house a feeling that it wasn¡¯t lived in. The house was two stories and almost 200 square meters of space, almost double his smaller starter home from before the integration. They had enough space that Imri didn¡¯t know what to do with most of the space, and the builder had insisted on building an even bigger house. It had taken Imri a lot of effort to talk them into keeping their house the standard size. Currently, they only used 3 of the rooms, one bedroom which they used for its intended purpose, another bedroom which was for meditation, and the kitchen which currently didn¡¯t have any appliances, besides the small gas camping stove. Imri had felt wrong monopolizing so much space when most people were still living out of tents. As a result, he had invited several other people to occupy the two spare bedrooms until more housing was available. It was the middle of the night, and Emelia was fast asleep on a sleeping pad that had been moved into the bedroom. Imri felt somewhat bad about the amount of time he had spent on his enchantments, so he decided to sleep by her, even though it was more efficient for him to meditate. She stirred slightly as he lay beside her. He gently draped an arm over her. She grabbed his arm, encouraging him to hold onto her like she was wrapping herself tightly. Imri obliged, continuing to hold her as he drifted off to sleep. The next morning, he was very glad he had gone to bed, as they had used the bedroom for its other intended purpose. They had breakfast together before returning to their respective work. As was his routine, he started his day with the soldiers going through physical training. On this particular morning, he felt good, like his body was starting to improve upon what it had once been before his illness. He easily kept up with the group, even finishing in the upper half of most activities. ¡°Might I have a word, Mr. Padar?¡± The major asked after he had finished his workout. ¡°Of course, but please call me Imri.¡± ¡°I was hoping to build a radio tower at the mountain''s peak,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°That sounds like a great idea in theory, but there is a reason most of the tallest mountains before the integration didn¡¯t have infrastructure built on them. It would be difficult for small teams to reach the peak with only the needed gear, let alone building materials. It was impossible to get heavy machinery up. This mountain range has those same problems, and then some; it''s taller and more rugged than anything we had on earth.¡± ¡°I would say that makes it impossible, but we also have advantages we didn¡¯t have back then, including your enchantments,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I can help. I¡¯ve been working on backpacks allowing people to carry more supplies, but the constant mana drain means it has to have a fairly low amplitude effect. That will help but not solve all the issues,¡± Imri explained. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to come up with a solution on the spot. I just wanted you to think about it,¡± The major explained. ¡°I will,¡± Imri promised, his mind already racing. Chapter 55: Warlock of the Ancients Over the next week, Imri worked through the radio tower problem but hadn¡¯t come any closer to solving it. It didn¡¯t help that no one had been able to even make it to the summit, as the temperature grew frigid and the air thinned. There were also sightings of monsters that were initially thought to be Drakes. However, the creatures were able to sustain flight, making it unlikely they were the same creatures. In the interim, Imri continued to focus on improving his enchantments. He made several more of the enchanted backpacks, though they were only marginally better than his first attempt. They had a lot more utility than Imri had first realized. He had been fixated on the sustainable rate at which the enchantment could run. However, they efficiently allowed porters to carry far more items per trip, since they were only going on day trips they didn¡¯t need to sustain the mana levels over an extended period. They could run the enchantment at a level that could be sustained for twelve hours, then recharge it for the next day. However, they usually didn¡¯t run them at a level that couldn¡¯t be recharged, as there was still a major dearth of mana for the entire settlement. Imri added two new panels during the week, but the increased capacity was quickly utilized. As the end of the week neared, Imri worried it would be the first week since the integration where he wouldn¡¯t have gained a single level. Fortunately, his hard work was rewarded as he completed another enchantment.
Base Strength increased to 116 (+1)
Base Constitution increased to 103 (+1)
Imri Padar has reached Level 19 (+1) in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 130 (+1)
Constitution 118 (+1)
Intelligence 202 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 172 (+4)
FP 129 (+1)
MP 485 (+5)
Mana Efficiency 461 (+5)
Crafting Efficiency 512 (+9)
His base stats had improved from his consistent physical training. He had hoped for agility, which was still his lowest stat by a wide margin. Unfortunately, his agility potential was probably abysmal, he was always going to be relatively klutzy. During the week, the twenty-fifth building was completed, completing the rank-up quest for the settlement.
Celestia has ranked from Settlement F to E
Base Radius of Effects: 700 Meters (+200)
Base Bonuses: Resource Regeneration 6% (+1%) Experience 1%
System Store has new items
New Quest
Settlement Rank Up E to D: 263/500 permanent residents, 25/50 permanent structures
Celestia, Settlement (1E) Level 9
Radius of Effects: 763 Meters
Bonuses: Resource Regeneration 6.54% Experience Gained 1.09%
While the improvements to the settlement were welcome, Imri felt the largest improvement was to the system store. There were now level 15 E grade cores available for 2,000 credits. In addition, there was a slew of basic materials, such as stone, lumber, iron, and the unique materials they had found such as Zobralt and Espeonite. While the system store seemed to have infinite supplies of these as well, the prices were not static like the cores. Instead, each time some was purchased the price would spike drastically. Over time the prices seemed to revert, with the most significant portions of the reversion taking place quickly, while the last few percentage points took far longer. It certainly wasn''t a replacement for their local economy, but it was good to have another alternative. The next day, Imri was partway through enchanting another hammer when a man burst into his shop. ¡°Lord Padar, there is an emergency council meeting. They asked that I come bring you to the town hall at once,¡± The man explained. Imri left the unfinished hammer on his workbench and made his way to the town hall at a jogging pace. There was already a decent crowd gathered when Imri arrived, including the council, Major Harper, and at least one representative from each of the four divisions of labor. Emelia was also present, though she looked physically ill because of the emotional turmoil that she was experiencing from those around her. Imri moved beside her and put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him, smiling and squeezing his hand tightly. ¡°One at a time,¡± Steve yelled, the discourse so concordant that no one could follow what was being said. It took a moment for the murmuring to die down. ¡°I¡¯d like everyone to be briefed on the situation so we''re all working from the same set of facts. Mr. Sawyer, could you please restate what you told me to those gathered here?¡± Major Harper asked. Imri didn¡¯t know Sawyer well, but he knew that the man had been one of the prospectors exploring the cave system nearby. Sawyer was visibly shaking, struggling to find the nerves to speak. ¡°We were exploring the cave system, mapping it out slowly. We were being careful, not wanting a repeat of what happened to the last group. We assumed some natural disaster had trapped them in the cave, killing them. We hadn¡¯t even gone as far in as they had when something attacked us. Whatever it was, it was fast, I¡¯m the only one who made it out of there. I could hear their screaming but I just kept running,¡± Sawyer said, telling his story between sobs and long breaks to compose himself. ¡°What did the creature look like?¡± ¡°Did you get a chance to use your Identify skill on it?¡± ¡°Was there only one creature or were there many of them?¡± ¡°One question at a time,¡± Major Harper reprimanded the group. ¡°I don¡¯t know much more than what I already said. I ran before I got a good look at it. I don¡¯t know if it was just one creature or many. I don¡¯t even really know what it looks like, other than it was vaguely human-shaped and fast,¡± Sawyer said with a defeated tone. ¡°Thank you, Sawyer. Now that everyone knows the situation I would like to make the first proposal. We have lost too many people to these caves. So, I believe they should be sealed off, collapsed in as much as we can manage,¡± Laura proposed. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°We can¡¯t do that,¡± Imri said immediately. ¡°If we do, we''ll lose the only known supply of Espeonite, arguably our greatest material resource.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m not keen on putting my people in danger, Imri is right. We can¡¯t just abandon the cave because there is a creature residing within. That being said, I¡¯m not sending another exploration team until the monsters have been eliminated,¡± James, the representative of the prospectors, said. ¡°While I¡¯m loath to admit this, we don¡¯t have a force capable of tangling with monsters on that level,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°We have sufficient soldiers to hold key strategic choke points, but they are not yet well enough trained and leveled to clear out an entrenched enemy, especially with the Earth Reclamation Knights not in Celestia. We also don¡¯t have Captain Vesik, who is scouting the enemy.¡± This had been the Major¡¯s concern when the knights were founded. They were essentially the majority of the elite soldiers and mages that Celestia had, making them vulnerable to attacks from powerful enemies. They had assumed the attack would come from without, not within. They did have a few soldiers in the low double digits, but nothing on Zhaire or Sylvi¡¯s level. ¡°Could we wait for the knights to return?¡± Someone asked. ¡°It¡¯s a possibility. However, they left only a few days ago, and they aren¡¯t expected back for at least a month, probably closer to two,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is comfortable with monsters of unknown capabilities potentially lurking near the settlement for months,¡± Laura said, eliciting nods from everyone. ¡°I can take care of the monsters,¡± Imri volunteered. ¡°While I appreciate your enthusiasm Imri, you are critically important to Celestia. If anything were to happen to you it wouldn¡¯t be worth it,¡± Steve pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve already told him, he isn¡¯t allowed to ever die, and I am going to make sure of that,¡± Emelia said. This somewhat mollified the concerned councilor, though Imri could tell he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. The next most powerful people in the settlement were probably Caroline and Avery, but both were ill-suited for the cramped cave environment. Some might consider explosive power an asset in cramped spaces, but that was discounting the destruction to the environment. Caroline''s magic was more suited towards long-range, with more subtle but long-lasting effects. ¡°What about me? It¡¯s not like the settlement couldn¡¯t lose its lawyer,¡± Russ suggested. ¡°No offense Russ, but how are you going to help? I don¡¯t think the creature would sign a contract,¡± Laura pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m more than just a lawyer now, I gained my class. It might only be level 2, but I think I¡¯ll manage not to be a liability,¡± Russ said with a sly grin. Imri used his identify skill. It met some unexpected resistance but eventually returned a response, likely thanks to his Discerning Eye trait.
Trait Rank Up
Discerning Eye F to E: Improves visual acuity by 5.12% (+.12%). Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 25.62% (+.62%). Can see mana in any form.
Russ Nicholson
Human (1F) Level 9: Humans are an adaptable race, having originated from a near mana-less planet. They are highly intelligent and willful.
System Lawyer (1E) Level 9: Able to write a contract enforced by the system. The amount of mana needed for the contract depends on the severity of the penalty and the number of terms specified in the contract.
Warlock of the Ancients (1F) Level 2: A mage who has made a pact with an ancient being of immense power. Warlock''s abilities and spells are derived from their patron, as stipulated by the terms of their contract. Mana efficiency is derived from charisma.
Russ was a level 9 Lawyer and a level 2 Warlock of the Ancients. Imri had to immediately refrain from outing the man. The only reason he hadn¡¯t was that whatever this ancient being was it wasn¡¯t some sort of fantasy devil. He needed more information, as his intuition was silent on the matter. ¡°And that class would be?¡± Steve asked with a puzzled expression, unaware of what Imri knew. Imri noticed some others frowning as they used the identity skill on the lawyer. ¡°I¡¯m a Crystal Mage, which does what it sounds like. I can convert pure mana into crystals,¡± Russ lied. No one else seemed to notice the lie, he must have had a trait similar to Imri¡¯s own Enigmatic Being trait. Russ also had a great poker face, and if Imri hadn¡¯t been curious and used Identify he would have been completely unaware. ¡°I think Imri should have the final say in the team, he will be the leader of the team after all,¡± Emery suggested, all eyes turning to Imri. ¡°If Russ thinks he can help, then that¡¯s good enough for me,¡± Imri said with a shrug, doing his best to put on an affectation of indifference. Emelia knew something was up, as she could sense both his and Russ¡¯ emotional state. ¡°I¡¯d also like to go. I know the caves better than anyone else, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if I didn¡¯t ever go back,¡± Sawyer said. Imri looked over to Emelia, who was studying the cave explorer. Eventually, she nodded and that was good enough for Imri. The fifth and final member of the team was a warrior named Rayden, who at level 11 was one of the higher-level soldiers who hadn¡¯t joined the Earth Reclamation Knights. He was short, only slightly taller than Emelia, but was wide and stout, almost like a tall dwarf. ¡°I also want a contingency plan. There should be several guards watching all known entrances at all times. If the mission fails and there¡¯s any signs of these creatures we collapse the entrances,¡± Laura said. Imri had no objections, if the contingency was ever used it meant that he was dead. With the plan set into motion, everyone began trickling out. Imri returned to his workshop, wanting to complete a couple of last-minute enchantments before they left for their mission. The first was the half-finished hammer, which he quickly finished. While it had been a commission from Elliot the Bone Shaper, Imri had asked for permission to keep the weapon, intending for it to be a good weapon for Rayden that could also be a necessary tool in the event of a collapse. After that, he raided his shop, taking anything he thought would be necessary. There were plenty of Temporal Expansion and Gravity Manipulation rings so he made sure there were enough for everyone on the team. Unfortunately, the spatial storage backpacks always sold the moment they were finished, so he had to quickly make another. Finally, he had a pair of dimensional sabers, which he planned to give to Emelia and Sawyer, who likely had the least amount of offensive capability. ¡°Did you notice Russ giving off any unusual emotions when he decided to join the mission?¡± Imri asked Emelia as they settled in to get some sleep in their house for likely the last time in several days. ¡°He did give off some strange emotions. He was utterly terrified to be going with us. Most people wouldn¡¯t have been able to function with that strong of an emotion, yet he was able to hide it incredibly well. He also was excited about going, which doesn¡¯t make any sense. How did you know something was off?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°My Identify skill worked on him, his new class is a Warlock of the Ancients, not a Crystal Mage¡± Imri explained. ¡°Like sell your soul to a devil warlock?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°Not necessarily, it''s a general class for someone who derives their power from another being. In a lot of ways, their powers are similar to priests, who also derive their power through another being. The main difference is that warlocks have to sign some form of a contract, which details what they must do and in exchange what powers they gain from their patron. A patron could be anything, from something benevolent, like an angel, to something benign, like an elemental, to something malevolent, like the aforementioned devils.¡± ¡°If his patron was benevolent or benign I don¡¯t think he would be hiding it,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he knows what it is,¡± Imri surmised. ¡°Then why is he coming with us?¡± Emelia asked, no small amount of annoyance coming through their bond. ¡°Because I think his patron wants him to go down into the cave. I think there is something down there that a demi-god-like being wants, and I intend to find out what it is,¡± Imri reasoned. He also was just curious about what the lawyer-turned-warlock was capable of, though he didn''t verbalize that reason. ¡°Just be careful, we have enough problems as it is. I don¡¯t want to add power-hungry warlock to that list,¡± Emelia pleaded. ¡°When am I not careful?¡± Imri asked with a sly grin. ¡°When are you ever careful?¡± Emelia countered. Chapter 56: Troglodytes Despite the monsters lurking in the caves, Imri thought it prudent to take a day before going into them. He wanted to get both Emelia and Rayden up to their rank E heritage. For Emelia, who was level 15 and had a decent constitution, this was simply a matter of choosing which elixir to take. Unfortunately, none of the elixirs was a perfect fit; she had been hoping for something more charisma-focused, but that seemed to be a rarity among monsters. Caroline had also been experimenting with elixirs, having them give different traits and attribute points from the same monsters by using different parts, but had yet to find a combination with more than .05% charisma. Imri could feel through his bond that Emelia wasn¡¯t thrilled with her options. She looked at the 3 vials, but each sent a signal of revulsion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t think I can do this,¡± Emelia said when she moved her hand back. It was shaking uncontrollably and she gripped it trying to regain control. ¡°It¡¯s fine, no one is going to force you to do anything,¡± Imri said, though he couldn¡¯t hide the slight disappointment that leaked through the bond. Emelia understood Imri had meant what he said, but he had hoped she would gain some power before their mission. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on an elixir that would enhance a person''s natural heritage rather than using monsters. I had been focused on the D rank one for Imri, though you''re not the first person to express concern about losing their humanity. With the research I¡¯ve done it shouldn¡¯t take long to come up with an elixir that will help achieve an E-rank natural heritage earlier,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°It could be like what happened to me, I instinctively knew that taking one of these elixirs would be less effective than my natural rank up,¡± Imri said, though the comparison had the glaring issue that he didn¡¯t have the generic human heritage. ¡°I did have my strange empathic abilities before the system, maybe my natural rank up would give me something related to that,¡± Emelia mused. It wasn¡¯t a crazy thought, and Imri hoped she was right. Rayden had no such compunction about his heritage rank up. Unfortunately, despite his constitution being his highest stat, it wasn¡¯t quite enough to safely take the Drake elixir. Caroline had been working on reducing the required constitution, but it still required amounts in the 130¡¯s range, something only people like Zhaire naturally had at low levels. The simplest remedy was a quick level-up, which would put Rayden safely within acceptable tolerance for the rank-up. Imri decided to lead a hunt for a Drake, hopefully providing enough experience for him to level up. He was no longer as concerned with a Drake killing lower-level individuals, even melee combatants like Rayden. In addition to the stout warrior, Russ agreed to come along, mostly for the achievement. By this point, killing the flying lizard creatures was practically routine. Imri focused on controlling the battlefield, using debilitating debuffs like High Gravity and Time Contraction at relatively high amplitudes. This ensured Rayden and Russ would have ample opportunity to deal damage and kill the creature, hopefully giving them a greater share of the experience. Russ attacked immediately after the creature slammed into the ground. Whatever he did, it was almost impossible to see, like a bullet fired from a gun, a projectile slammed into the near impervious hide of the creature. Unlike a normal firearm, the projectile was at least powerful enough to penetrate and inflict some damage, causing a spray of blood and a hiss from the crocodile-like creature. Unfortunately, his shot hadn¡¯t hit the brain, and the wound quickly started to regenerate. It was Rayden who did the vast majority of the damage. With the debuffs on the creature and a Temporal Expansion enchantment, he was easily able to dodge a bite. He took advantage of the opening and got in close, bringing his massive bone hammer down, amplified by the High Gravity enchantment. There was a crunch as the blow connected with such force that a small shockwave of concussive force rippled out. The skull of the Drake cracked, and if it had been any other creature their head would have burst like an overripe melon. The blow inflicted serious damage and stunned the creature, making it susceptible to repeated blows from the warrior until its head was completely caved in. Bits of brain matter were all over the warrior who grinned triumphantly. Both Rayden and Russ had gained a level and the rank 10 Group Hunter achievement. While Imri was certain he had gotten a larger portion of the experience, it had been a good way to ensure everyone in the group received a good portion. Imri claimed the core and left the remainder of the carcass to his other two group members. As the creature was harvested, Imri noticed the attack Russ had used. It was a crystalline bullet-shaped projectile, and judging by the wisps of mana coming off of it, it was made from pure mana, like the mana storms on the plains. However, unlike the mana storm, the projectile was dense enough to be solid. Imri watched as Russ reabsorbed the pure mana, regaining a portion of the mana he had expended. They waited until the next day to go into the cave, giving Rayden a chance to undergo his rank-up and heal using the hot spring. A group of soldiers, all under level 10, stood near the entrance. Whatever was in the cave, Imri suspected they would be around the same level as the Drakes, so he doubted these soldiers would be able to survive an attack from one of them. Hopefully, that would never be an issue. The soldiers nodded and let them pass into the cave system. While this was the second time Imri had entered the caves, the first time being when they found the Espeonite crystals, it was far more ominous now that they knew monsters lurked somewhere inside. Imri used a Spatial Beacon on a rock and made a small cairn. He emphasized to the soldiers not to stand within a meter of it. Finally, they checked their gear, both mundane and magical, before descending inside. ¡°It will take several hours to reach the point where we were attacked,¡± Sawyer said as they began their trek. Everyone nodded, but no one let their guard down. It had been days since the attack, the monster could be anywhere by now. The cave showed some signs of frequent exploration, narrow passages had been widened, and numerous chalk marks covered the walls. They hadn¡¯t gone far, having only traversed a pair of caverns and were currently making their way through the third when a high-pitched sound could be faintly heard. He didn¡¯t hesitate, activating his Temporal Expansion ring. He had preconfigured it to activate with an amplitude that would last 2 minutes, which meant he experienced 20% more time per second. As he activated the enchantment, he shouted a warning, hoping everyone would follow his lead and activate their enchantments. Even with the Temporal Expansion effect, Imri almost didn¡¯t see the creatures. They moved incredibly fast, far faster than Imri could manage to keep track of, though he could distinguish multiple distinct shapes. He quickly adjusted the amplitude of his ring, changing it to double its mana consumption. Time finally slowed enough that he could distinguish his opponents, though they still appeared to move at the speed of a normal sprint. There were only two of them, and at first glance, they appeared roughly human, though they were barely over a meter tall and completely naked. However, as Imri saw their faces, they obviously weren¡¯t human. The majority of its face was covered by a too-large jaw that revealed a row of sharp teeth. It had no eyes and only a slit for a nose. Its body was covered in thin wiry hairs that appeared to be sensitive whiskers. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Creature
Troglodyte (1D) 36: A semi-intelligent subterranean creature. Navigate primarily on touch and sound. They have high agility with an extremely venomous bite.
As the lead Troglodyte charged, Imri moved to intercept, hopefully giving everyone else time to react. He hit the creature with a high amplitude of High Gravity, slowing it further. It was extremely effective against the small agile creature that didn¡¯t possess a high strength. The Troglodyte stumbled under the unexpected added strain and Imri was able to decapitate it easily with his machete-like bone sword. He had grown accustomed to the Drakes, so he was surprised when the sword easily sliced through. In the brief moment he had spent dispatching the first Troglodyte, the second had charged the others. Rayden had reacted quickly enough to interpose himself, however, he wasn¡¯t as easily able to adjust the Temporal Expansion effect. He futilely attempted to smash the creature with his hammer, bringing it down in a powerful blow that the Troglodyte easily evaded. The heavy blow also left the stout warrior open for a counter-attack, with the creature biting down on Rayden¡¯s exposed arm. While Rayden had the same Impervious Skin trait as Zhaire, the Troglodyte was a powerful D-grade creature, its needle-sharp teeth penetrating the exposed flesh. Rayden cursed and attempted to pry the creature off of him. He was a match for the small creature in strength and he eventually managed to dislodge it. There was a loud pop like a gunshot and the second Troglodyte fell, a hole through its brain where Russ¡¯ condensed mana bullet had shot through. ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Rayden said as he stumbled, despite only having superficial bite wounds. ¡°Their bites are poisonous. Emelia, he¡¯s going to need healing,¡± Imri shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to heal poison. I can treat the damage but not the root cause,¡± She explained. ¡°Sawyer, help me get the corpses, we need to bring them to Caroline. Hopefully, she can make an antidote,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Rayden kept repeating to himself, though he was clearly panicking and didn¡¯t believe the words he was saying. ¡°We have healing potions and Emelia¡¯s magic to keep it from getting too bad. Caroline is an amazing alchemist and she will have an antidote in no time,¡± Imri reassured him as he quickly stuffed the whole corpse into the enchanted pack. At first, the poison didn¡¯t seem to be doing much damage, just inhibiting the warrior''s coordination, like he was drunk. Unfortunately, the effects soon got much worse, almost completely paralyzing him. That¡¯s when he started to take damage, slowly at first but it quickly escalated. Emelia started casting healing spells as soon as his health dropped below 75%. It quickly became clear that the poison would kill him several times over before it lost its potency. Even with healing, Rayden wouldn¡¯t survive. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Celestia, I¡¯ll open a portal,¡± Imri ordered, as he quickly marked off the intended opening on the ground with chalk. Even with a Spatial Beacon in Celestia and an Espeonite crystal to draw mana from, it would be hard to keep the portal open for long. He also needed to make the portal threshold large enough so that someone could go through carrying Rayden. When everyone confirmed they were ready Imri poured mana into the spell. As it opened natural sunlight poured into the subterranean cave system for the first time. They could see confused onlookers in Celestia staring at the strange space that had appeared. They each went through as quickly as they could, Sawyer carrying the now incapacitated warrior. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have far to go before they reached Caroline¡¯s lab. They quickly briefed her on the situation as the Troglodyte corpses were deposited unceremoniously on a table. ¡°It¡¯s going to take several hours to create an antidote, and that¡¯s a best-case scenario. If there¡¯s no one else who can heal him, he¡¯s better off if you can get him to the healing spring,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have hours, he won¡¯t make it more than a few minutes without help. I can keep healing him for a while, but I don¡¯t think I can last hours,¡± Emelia said. Everyone knew he wouldn¡¯t make it to the healing spring, not at the rate Emelia was going through her mana. They also couldn¡¯t count on another healer. Freya, the druid who watched over the various groves throughout the plateau, was the only other potential healer, but she was rarely in the settlement. Imri cursed inwardly, he hadn¡¯t considered placing a beacon at the spring. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll make sure he gets there alive. We¡¯ll need a few fresh people to carry him,¡± Imri said. No one questioned him, and it took only moments to get a few relatively fresh volunteers. Emelia continued to heal Rayden whenever his health dipped, but it quickly became apparent she was going through mana at a rapid rate. They were still only halfway to the spring when she started to suffer from overchanneling. Imri took over, topping off his mana before attempting his idea. If it worked it would require everything he had. It was essentially a Time Contraction spell, but instead of altering Rayden¡¯s perception of time, he altered the flow of time within his body.
New Spell Learned
Stasis (2F): Stop the flow of time within a system. Any resistance will prevent the effect, so the target must be incapacitated, inanimate, or willing. Mana cost / second depends on the mass of the target and distance from the target to the caster.
The flow of time had completely stopped within Rayden¡¯s body, halting the poison in its track. His entire body was frozen in time, so he wouldn¡¯t naturally heal or regenerate HP either. This would hopefully give them enough time to get to the spring, though Imri didn¡¯t have the mana to maintain the spell for hours, even with external mana. The main difference was that Imri had fairly good mana regeneration, meaning he could go through his entire mana pool several times before he began to suffer the ill effects of over-channeling. They raced across the plateau, all nonessential supplies having been discarded. Imri could feel his mana depleting rapidly, and he hoped it would be enough. He began to suffer from the over-channel debuff as he refilled his mana for the third time. He kept pushing his mana into the spell, needing more and more mana as his mana efficiency started to drop. Unfortunately, his FP quickly became an issue, having already been taxed as they hiked. He wasn¡¯t able to keep the spell going for long before he was forced to slow down. The man who was currently carrying the dying warrior matched his pace, every step they got while the spell was still active was a step closer to the spring without time elapsing for Rayden. They only got another hundred meters before the over-channel debuff became too taxing. The spell ended and the hikers resumed their rapid descent towards the spring. Imri hoped it had been enough as he entered meditation to combat the effects of his plummeting stamina. Chapter 57: Recovery It took Imri over an hour to make the last kilometer of the journey, moving at a slow shambling pace. He hoped that his effort had been enough. When he finally reached the natural wonder, he knew instantly. Relief and exhilaration were plastered across the faces of everyone who had helped carry the warrior. Rayden was conscious, sitting in the miraculous spring like he was taking a relaxing bath. Imri exhaled and allowed himself to collapse to the ground, still breathing heavily as his stamina regeneration struggled to offset the over-channel penalty. With Rayden no longer in imminent danger, he allowed himself to check his notifications.
Quest Updated
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to E: Learn new space or time spells 8/10, rank up space or time spells 5/10, learn new gravity spells 5/5, rank up gravity spells 3/5, visit celestial bodies 1/2.
Imri Padar has reached level 27 in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 27 in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 131 (+1)
Agility 102 (+1)
Constitution 119 (+1)
Intelligence 204 (+2)
Willpower 168 (+1)
Charisma 107 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 175 (+3)
FP 131 (+2)
MP 497 (+12)
Mana Efficiency 472 (+11)
Crafting Efficiency 524 (+12)
The journey back to Celestia was far more subdued, moving at a sedate pace due to Imri¡¯s over-channel strain. Rayden didn¡¯t say a single thing, just constantly looking down at his arm where the troglodyte had bitten him. Despite the leisurely pace, Imri was forced to enter a walking meditation to keep up with the constant fatigue. The over-channel debuff began to fade; it was still active but was far less debilitating. Imri would still have to restrain himself from using his mana for several hours. Despite his status saying his FP was high, Imri felt exhausted. He waved off the person who told him the council wanted to speak with him, they could wait. He returned to his home, where Emelia was already fast asleep. Imri laid down and instantly drifted off. When he awoke several hours later, he knew he could no longer put off the council. They were all assembled in the town hall before Imri even arrived, likely arguing the entire time he had been sleeping. It wasn¡¯t a full settlement meeting, only the three councilors and Major Harper were in attendance. ¡°What the hell were you thinking? We should have gotten a report immediately,¡± Laura berated him the moment he entered. ¡°Why? It¡¯s not like there is anything you can do,¡± Imri pointed out, much to the annoyance of everyone. Imri ignored it and briefly described what he had learned about the troglodytes, including their strengths and weaknesses. He made sure to emphasize that no one else stood a chance without a fairly high amplitude Temporal Expansion enchantment. ¡°And yet your group defeated two of them?¡± The major asked skeptically. ¡°We¡¯re higher level and better equipped. Not everything is about the number of soldiers, especially in this new reality,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Do we even know there are more of them?¡± Steve asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure, but I highly doubt there were only two,¡± Imri said with another shrug. ¡°This only strengthens my argument for closing the caves,¡± Laura pointed out. ¡°Nothing has changed. The creatures are strong, but I told everyone they would likely be of similar strength to the Drakes. While we almost lost Rayden, we didn¡¯t, and next time we¡¯ll have an antidote to their venom.¡± ¡°What if they come out in mass? What is our chance of fending off a large group of them?¡± Major Harper asked. ¡°They won''t, they''re subterranean creatures,¡± Imri reminded him. ¡°But if they do?¡± the major asked insistently. ¡°We¡¯re screwed,¡± Imri said with another shrug. ¡°We should put it to a vote. All those in favor of collapsing the caves,¡± Laura said, raising her hand. Imri wasn¡¯t sure what he was going to do if they all agreed to abandon the caves, he refused to give up such a powerful resource. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to take any drastic action, both Steve and Emry sided with him, not raising their hands. They went in circles for a while, both sides arguing at each other with no progress. Not wanting to waste his valuable time, Imri stood and left without comment. Imri had a few hours and nothing imminent that he could work on. He didn¡¯t want to do any enchanting, even a minor mana expenditure would bring back the over-channel debuff. He decided to spend his day with Emelia. She had just woken up when he returned, and she enthusiastically agreed with his idea. Celestia had quite a few more establishments than it had only a week ago, but there still wasn¡¯t much in the way of leisure. The tavern had both drinks and food and was the only locale that loosely fit the criteria for a date. Despite this, Imri was enjoying just being around Emelia. ¡°Do you think it''s wrong that I¡¯ve barely thought of my family? I miss them, but I think of them in the past tense, like they are already gone even though I have no idea,¡± Emelia asked. ¡°If everyone stopped and considered everything that was lost, we wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything done,¡± Imri said as he thought of his own family. He hadn¡¯t considered them much, but he hoped they had survived somehow. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll ever get to a point where we can go back to the way things were, where we don¡¯t think about survival and rebuilding?¡± she asked. ¡°I hope so,¡± Imri said. Though he hoped to build a place where this would be true for the average person, he doubted his work would ever be done. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After their meal, they went to the lake. Emelia loved the water, and Imri enjoyed the view. Imri was beginning to suspect she had some secret merfolk heritage with how much time she wanted to spend in the water. She eventually convinced him to join her in the water with a mischievous grin. They swam for a while until eventually, Emelia led him to a secluded cove. They were hidden from view of anyone on the cliffs above and most of the lake, but they wouldn¡¯t be hidden if someone happened to be near the cove on the lake. Despite this, Emelia reached into his trunks and began teasing him. ¡°What if someone sees us?¡± Imri asked, even though logically there was almost no chance of that. ¡°Let them watch,¡± she whispered in his ear. Imri hadn¡¯t thought he would be into public sex, but the slight chance of discovery was somehow a huge turn-on. ¡°This is my new favorite spot on the plateau,¡± Imri said with a stupid grin afterward. ¡°Oh really,¡± she said with a wide grin before adding, ¡°Mine too.¡± The next day the overchannel debuff had ended, but Caroline had only been able to make a couple of doses of the antidote. Not wanting to rush back into the caves, everyone agreed to wait another day. While Imri spent some of the day with Emelia, he couldn¡¯t afford a second day of not making any progress. He worked on his least favorite enchantment, the mana absorption panels. It took him the better part of the day, but he was able to finish the sixth and seventh panels. This brought the mana/hour input well over 100, meaning it would be less than a year for his Runic Engineer to rank up. He still would have preferred the unit of time being in the days range rather than months, but at least it wouldn¡¯t take 22 years. The tedious work was also rewarded when he checked his notifications.
Trait Rank
Runic Etching F to E: Allows the runic engineer to inscribe runes with greater speed without sacrificing efficiency. Speed of inscribing runes increased by 1.02% (+.02%) / 10 Agility.
The following morning they were in Caroline''s workshop. As promised, she had several more vials containing an antidote to the poison. She also had an elixir, which she handed to Emelia. It was the standard elixir that prompted a natural rank-up earlier. ¡°I was trying to get it down to level 15 but 17 was easy enough,¡± Caroline explained, referring to Emelia¡¯s level, which had risen by 2 for her efforts saving Rayden. ¡°It also has a special property that will reveal hidden heritages that can be unlocked. However, some can be very tricky to discover, this will only reveal something obvious. It also won¡¯t reveal much about it, just that it exists.¡± Emelia nodded and Imri could feel her nervousness through their bond. She drank the elixir in one quick gulp. It took effect immediately, her muscles cramping as her body was physically remade. However, like Imri¡¯s rank-up, the natural evolution was far less strenuous than the monster-infused rank-ups. It was still painful and exhausting, but entirely feasible to withstand. When the effect wore off and the rank-up was completed, Emelia stared off into space, transfixed on her notifications. She continued staring, and it quickly became apparent that she was disappointed. Eventually, she shared the details of her rank-up.
Human 1E
Primary Stats/Level
Strength .1% (+.05%)
Agility .1% (+.05%)
Constitution .1% (+.05%)
Intelligence .1% (+.05%)
Willpower .1% (+.05%)
Charisma .2% (+.1%)
Secondary Stats/Level
HP .25% (+.15%)
FP .25% (+.15%)
MP .25% (+.15%)
HP Regen .2% (+.2%)
FP Regen .2% (+.2%)
MP Regen .2% (+.2%)
Base Strength increased to 99 (+1)
Base Agility increased to 113 (+1)
Base Constitution increased to 109 (+1)
Base Intelligence increased to 110 (+1)
Base Willpower increased to 114 (+1)
Base Charisma increased to 123 (+2)
Traits Gained
Channeling Conduit (1F): Your body has adapted to channeling large amounts of mana. Increases thresholds for over-channel by 1.5% / 10 Constitution.
Martyr¡¯s Empowerment (1F): Increases your mana efficiency by 1% / 10% of max HP that has been depleted.
Latent Trait Gained
Greater Latent Heritage: You possess a heritage that has remained dormant since your birth. Heritage will activate upon reaching heritage tier 2 if prerequisites are met.
While the raw stats gained were less than any of the monster elixirs, it wasn¡¯t entirely without merit. She had gained her greatest increase in Charisma, her most important stat. She had also gained two traits that were tailored to her repertoire. The ability to push back the over-channel threshold was great, given she tended to need mana in large bursts. Her Martyr¡¯s Empowerment was a combo with her Shared Burden skill, though Imri hoped she was careful not to overdo that tactic. If anything, her two new traits complemented her class well, and Imri didn¡¯t think that was a coincidence. Finally, there was the Greater Latent Heritage, which as Caroline had predicted was vague in what it would give or how to achieve it. Imri¡¯s Primordial Intuition told him it wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to have latent heritages, but a greater one would be rare. However, it would likely be difficult to achieve. Beyond that basic information, his trait wasn¡¯t any more helpful than the provided system information. ¡°It¡¯s bad isn¡¯t it?¡± Emelia said as she shifted nervously. ¡°In the short term, it''s probably slightly weaker than something you could have gained from a monster elixir. Key word being slightly,¡± Imri emphasized. ¡°However, I think in the long term you made the right call. I have an intuition that the Greater Latent Heritage you can unlock will be far stronger than anything you get from a monster, and I doubt you can have both. Your new traits are also better for you than anything you would have gotten from the other elixirs.¡± Emelia nodded, though she still wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, her anxiety was alleviated. ¡°Is there anything you can do to help identify more information about her latent heritage?¡± Imri asked Caroline. ¡°Not at the moment. I¡¯ll try making something stronger based on what I added to the elixir, but no guarantees it will work. Your best bet would be talking to someone who specializes in divination magic,¡± Caroline said. The only person Imri had met who qualified had been Rhesk, whom he had killed. There was also the divination-like effect from Transcendant Meditation, which was how Imri had ranked up his heritage. However, given Emelia had yet to gain even the basic Meditation skill, that seemed like an unlikely solution. They thanked Caroline and moved to rejoin the group. They had caves to clear. Chapter 58: A Second Foray Imri wasn¡¯t surprised when everyone in their 5 person group reaffirmed their commitment to going. Russ had been practically indignant when Imri suggested that he didn¡¯t need to come. Rayden had been more subdued but no less firm. Only Sawyer seemed to waver, but he eventually agreed. As with the last time, a group of soldiers stood on watch over the entrance. They had each been given Temporal Expansion rings to give them a fighting chance, but Imri still thought it was a fool''s errand to guard the location. Despite the disastrous first attempt Imri was optimistic. Emelia had gained 2 levels and the stats from her heritage rank-up. Russ had gained 3 levels from killing the second troglodyte, though all 3 of his level types were in the F rank. Even Rayden had gained a level by occupying the Troglodyte''s attention and dealing some damage. They were only in the second cavern when the ambush occurred. There were four troglodytes this time, all attempting to use the stalagmites as cover. They attacked in a coordinated fashion, each leaping out from cover to attack. Fortunately, Imri was prepared, having been deliberately trying to draw their attention, stomping with heavy steps. As the lead troglodyte attacked, Imri disappeared, teleporting a short distance away with a Blink spell. If the troglodytes used vision they would have known Imri hadn¡¯t gone far, but with no sound being made they continued their charge into where he had been. Russ took advantage of their confusion, lobbing a baseball-sized chunk of condensed mana into the location where the troglodytes swarmed. It landed in the group''s center, exploding into dozens of smaller shards with concussive force that shook the cave. The nearest troglodyte died instantly, shredded to pieces by the majority of the shards. The rest didn¡¯t escape unharmed, several fragments embedding themselves in their limbs, debilitating them. The blast also had the secondary effect of confusing the troglodytes, who heavily relied on their tremor sense to navigate the cavern. Rayden took advantage of this, closing in and attacking before they could recover. He had eschewed the hammer in favor of his short sword, the lighter weapon more than adequate to take down the relatively fragile creatures. His sword bit into one, decapitating it in one clean slice. The two remaining troglodytes recovered quickly, charging in on Rayden. Imri unleashed his Spatial Collapse spell, targeting the area around the lead Troglodyte. His immense increases in intelligence and willpower made it so that defining the parameters of his spell was almost second nature. The spell connected with the creature and it imploded from being squeezed like a tube of toothpaste. The final Troglodyte closed in on Rayden, attempting to grapple and bite the stout warrior. Fortunately, Rayden hadn¡¯t overextended this time and was easily able to keep the fast creature from biting anything. While the Troglodyte was preoccupied with Rayden, Sawyer went behind the creature and impaled it with a short sword. ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Rayden shouted as he finished off the dying troglodyte. Both he and Russ had gained 3 full levels. Even Sawyer, who had picked up a level 1 Ranger class, had gained 2 levels from his brief contribution. Emelia hadn¡¯t needed to contribute, as no one had sustained any injuries. The only resource they had consumed was mana, both personal and from the Temporal Expansion rings, which had been recalibrated for a more significant expenditure to compensate for the incredible speed of their opponents. Imri had expected this, and his pack included two fully charged Espeonite crystals. He almost fully depleted one to recharge the expended mana and hooked it into a portable charger, like the ones he had built into the Dimensional Storage backpacks. They didn¡¯t get far before they encountered another ambush. Fortunately, the creatures were only semi-sentient, and they didn¡¯t seem to have more advanced tactics. The fight played out similarly, though Imri could already see the level-ups and practice making a difference. This time the troglodytes didn¡¯t even manage to attempt an attack, and there was another slew of level-ups for the lower-level combatants. The third fight, which took place only a few hours into the expansive cave system, did not go as well. It started in much the same fashion, with Imri drawing them out and using Blink to escape. He counted six of them charging towards him, more than they had ever faced, but not an insurmountable number given how well the previous two fights had gone. Unfortunately, things quickly went to hell. Russ¡¯s Crystal Grenade spell was far less effective as he had started to suffer from the over-channel debuff but hadn¡¯t spoken up. The grenade exploded with far less force, and small shards, while still painful, were not the lethal force they had been in the previous two fights. The lesser force also wasn¡¯t nearly as effective at blinding their tremor sense, and Rayden wasn¡¯t able to take them by surprise. The fight quickly devolved into a frantic melee, with the sounds of shrieking troglodytes drowning out any other noise. Rayden quickly realized he wasn¡¯t going to escape this fight unscathed, so he shifted his focus to inflicting maximum damage, quickly killing two of them while receiving superficial bites. Imri also didn¡¯t hold back, using Spatial Collapse to quickly implode another one of their opponents. Sawyer engaged, his Dimensional Saber activated allowing him to quickly bisect an unsuspecting troglodyte who was unable to sense the space-destroying blade. Emelia supported from the rear, using her Emotion Projection spell to keep everyone clear-headed and focused while conversely amplifying the terror that their opponents felt. Just as the tide of battle had swung in their favor, Imri heard more shrieks echoing from the connecting cavern. The battle was about to be joined by several more troglodytes who had heard the shrieks of their fellows. Things were going from bad to worse, as the mana in their Temporal Expansion Rings would only last a few more seconds. When that effect ended they would be outmatched, unable to keep up with the ridiculous speed that the troglodytes naturally possessed. Rayden and Sawyer were beginning to fade, the fast-acting poison already starting to take effect. Russ watched on in horror, utterly incapable of helping as the over-channel debuff sapped his stamina. Imri rushed to intercept the oncoming troglodytes, leaving the lone remaining combatant to the others. The next cavern over was large, but the connection involved squeezing through a narrow passage that connected them. It took people a couple of minutes to traverse the short but tight passage. The troglodytes had no such issues, they were smaller and naturally adapted to squeeze and contort their bodies through tight spaces. Because of this, he had only seconds to act. He reached the confined space and studied it, quickly coming up with a plan. The first troglodyte came into view just a couple of seconds later. It shrieked and charged towards Imri, three more following close behind. Imri retreated, but as he did he cast Dimensional Tear. However, unlike his usual method where he threw it in a line, this time he left it fixed in place. It was only forty centimeters across, but it completely covered a narrow passage about half a meter off the ground. To anyone who could see, the trap was obvious, the ominous black nothingness readily visible with any light. However, to creatures who relied on sound and touch, the trap was nearly undetectable as sound waves wouldn¡¯t bounce back the way they did when they normally encountered a physical object. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The four Troglodytes raced after Imri, oblivious to the trap. They passed through the tear in space, not even realizing anything was there until it was too late and their bodies were bisected. There were still more troglodytes pouring through the small passage, and while they couldn¡¯t detect the dimensional tear, they could detect that their comrades lay unmoving. They had enough intelligence to pause and reconsider. Unfortunately, Imri couldn¡¯t keep the Dimensional Tear active for long, his mana was already taxed from the fight. However, their terror of the unknown was amplified as Emelia arrived, sending the terrified Troglodytes scurrying away.
Imri Padar has reached Level 29 in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached Level 29 in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Intelligence 207 (+3)
Willpower 170 (+2)
Secondary Stats
HP 176 (+1)
FP 132 (+1)
MP 519 (+22)
Mana Efficiency 490 (+18)
Crafting Efficiency 544 (+20)
Achievement Upgraded
Horde Slayer 4 (+1): .4% to all primary stats (+.1%)
Spell Rank Up
Dimensional Tear F to E: +3% to spells mana efficiency
Despite the momentary respite, they were in dire straits. The antidote Caroline had concocted was effective but it wasn¡¯t instantaneous. This left Emelia doing her best to hold off the damage while the antidote worked its way through their bloodstream. Rayden and Sawyer were in no danger of dying, but everyone was drained. They quickly harvested the corpses, taking a calculated risk. They only took the most valuable components, cores, teeth, and venom sacs. It took them several hours to backtrack out of the caves, and only when they had reached the entrance did they allow themselves to relax. Despite the harrowing ending, they had made great improvements. Rayden had gotten all the way to level 19, making him perhaps the fifth highest level citizen of Celestia, depending on how the Reclaimers or Sylvi were doing, only eclipsed by Imri, Caroline, Emelia, and Zhaire. Russ, despite his disastrous contribution in the third fight, had gotten to level 12 in his Warlock of the Ancients class. Even Sawyer, who had been a level 1 ranger, was now level 7, only 1 level behind his explorer profession. Emelia had the most modest gains but had still gained two levels to 19. ¡°What the hell was that? You almost got us all killed,¡± Rayden demanded of Russ the moment they were safe, not caring that they were arguing in front of the nearby guards. ¡°I thought I could manage, we still have so far to go,¡± Russ said. ¡°So far till what?¡± Imri asked. ¡°You know, the caves, we still have so much to clear out,¡± Russ said. ¡°We did have a way to go to reach the site where the explorers were killed. If we have to fight in each cavern I doubt we¡¯ll ever reach there,¡± Sawyer said. ¡°Perhaps it''s a lost cause, maybe the council was right,¡± Imri said with theatrical despair. It was a lie, Imri thought they had made great progress. Despite the dangers, it was far more efficient than fighting Drakes, which required a more significant mana expenditure to kill. He had said this entirely to gauge Russ¡¯ reaction. ¡°No, we can¡¯t give up. We have to clear out the caves,¡± Russ said with fervor. His vehemence surprised the others, but Imri had expected it. ¡°Why is that Russ?¡± Imri asked. ¡°You know, because of the crystals. We¡¯re also leveling at an unbelievable rate; If the Chixel or Azala come we¡¯ll have a few unstoppable elites,¡± Russ explained. The reasoning was sound and Imri agreed with all of it, though he strongly suspected those were not the real reasons Russ wanted to keep clearing out the caves. The team of five made their way back to Celestia, spending a day recovering and regaining their resources. The council did not panic when they returned so soon after setting out, the results in levels spoke for themselves. The nexus had a feature that kept track of everyone within the settlement and displayed the top ten for all to see.
Celestia Leaderboard
1: Imri Padar, 29 Celestial Mage (2F), 19 Runic Engineer (2F)
2: Caroline Calderon, 20 Afval Alchemist (2F), 9 Farseer Witch (1E)
3: Emelia Fields, 19 Empathic Healer (1E), 7 Beast Tamer (1E)
4: Zhaire Reeves, 21 Frenzied Berserker (2F), 2 Beast Tamer (1F)
5: Rayden Watts, 19 Guardian (1E), 2 Sergeant (1F)
6: Sylvi Vesik, 16 Sharpshooter Ranger (1E), 7 Trailblazer (1E)
7: Avery Winters, 13 Blacksmith (1E), 12 Pyromancer (1E)
8: Veronica Costa, 16 Telekinetic (1E), 2 Beast Tamer (1F)
9: Elliot Anderson, 16 Boneshaper (1E), 1 Necromancer (1F)
10: Antonio Costa, 15 Telepath (1E), 2 Beast Tamer (1F)
If Imri expanded the list to the top twenty there was a log jam of people near the same level. Just missing out on the top ten were Russ the warlock lawyer, Christoph the merchant cleric, Naomi the leatherworker, Brock the Bowyer, and Freya the Druid, all were at least 26 combined levels when counting their heritage. While it looked like several of them could break into the top ten, the list only updated your level while you were within the radius of the nexus. This meant that four of the people on the top ten hadn¡¯t been updated in over a week, the three knights and Sylvi. ¡°There¡¯s one of these names that isn¡¯t like the others,¡± Rayden said, interrupting Imri¡¯s musings. ¡°Everyone on that list belongs there,¡± Imri said resolutely. ¡°You and I both know I don¡¯t deserve to be that high. Maybe on a good day, I could sneak into the tenth spot, but top five, certainly not. You know I only have three stats that are above average and none are over 115 base?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know your exact stat distribution, but I know you were effective. We wouldn¡¯t have made it out of that last fight without you,¡± Imri said. ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m replaceable. I was chosen to go on this mission because I was one level higher than several other soldiers. Any of them would be just as high level now, and they would have been just as effective, if not more so,¡± Rayden explained. ¡°You want someone else to go in next time,¡± Imri concluded. ¡°Yeah, I know it''s not ideal for clearing out the caves, but this is too good of an opportunity to hoard for myself. I¡¯ll lead the guards watching the entrance, that way they would at least have a fighting chance if a small group of those monsters decided to come out. Imri nodded in understanding. He just hoped that having a new fighter wouldn¡¯t slow them down too much. Chapter 59: The Real Monster Despite the success of their last foray, Imri wasn¡¯t satisfied. He had barely gained anything until the last fight. While he didn¡¯t mind acting as a decoy and support, it wasn¡¯t great for his personal growth. That was why he decided to go back to the cave, alone. He had the advantage of relatively rapid mana regeneration, not needing much more than 24 hours to fill up his mana while meditating within Celestia. He cheated a little bit and finished recharging by absorbing some mana from the large Espeonite crystal. The rest of the team would need a bit more time to recover, making this a perfect opportunity for some solo leveling. He had considered not telling anyone, but his bond with Emelia made it impossible for him to hide his intentions from her. She had insisted on coming with him, but Imri had adamantly held his ground. He would be more effective if he didn¡¯t have to worry about keeping her safe, and if things got too hectic he could open a portal back to the guard station. Apart from Emelia, he didn¡¯t tell anyone else. The council might be pissed, but he wouldn¡¯t have gotten anywhere near as strong as he had without pushing himself. He still cringed every time they called him a strategic asset, key person, or any other such term that insinuated he shouldn¡¯t take any risks. Imri made sure he was well stocked on potions and antidotes, though the only resource regeneration potion he needed now was mana thanks to his Shaped by Mana trait. His Drake armor protected most of his body, including a pair of vambraces that covered his arms to his elbow. He also had his mundane weapons, including his trusty machete and a pair of daggers. Finally, he had his enchantments, including the Temporal Expansion, Gravity Manipulation, and Dimensional Saber varieties, each fully charged with mana. His final item wasn''t an enchantment but was similar in function. A couple of small coin-sized discs were stowed in a pocket, each having a Spatial Beacon tethered to them. As he approached the guard outpost, he briefly considered sneaking past the guards stationed at the cave¡¯s entrance. He could easily use Blink a couple of times in rapid succession to evade detection, but that seemed like a waste of mana. Let the council scold him for his reckless actions, it¡¯s not like they could do anything to him. He sauntered past the guards, who did a double take when they belatedly realized Imri was alone. No one made any motion to stop him and Imri made his way into the cave. Imri took one of the coin-sized discs with the Spatial Beacons. Before entering each cavern he would leave the disc in the previous one, allowing him to have an easy method of escaping using his Blink spell. After scouting out the cavern using his mana sight, he would return to retrieve the disk. He easily retrieved them, despite their diminutive size, thanks to the feature of the beacons that let him know exactly where it was. He repeated this several times until he reached the cavern where their last fight had taken place. He was somewhat reassured when that cavern also didn¡¯t contain any Troglodytes, meaning their group''s efforts had discouraged them from pushing closer to the exit. He continued to the passageway where he had killed the troglodytes previously. He approached cautiously and as he placed the disc he could hear the high-pitched chittering of numerous Troglodytes. However, the sound was slightly different in frequency and didn¡¯t grow louder as he waited. Imri began to suspect that these bursts of sounds were more likely groups of Troglodytes communicating rather than the sounds they used to traverse the cavernous terrain. After several minutes of no change, Imri crept further in. He knew with his low agility and the Troglodytes¡¯ amazing hearing that stealth was futile, but he still gave it a try. As he cleared the small passageway he almost froze in shock. The massive cavern, which was the size of a modest concert hall, had become a Troglodyte den. It was almost entirely packed with the smaller creatures that stood out, glowing blue thanks to his mana vision. There were easily dozens, if not hundreds of the creatures gathered in this one location. Some of the creatures were far smaller versions of the Troglodytes Imri had fought so far, likely Troglodyte young. Others had crude stone tools that would have looked at home in a Neanderthal exhibit. They had beds made from various mosses and simple stone vessels shaped for holding food or water. Near the center of the cavern, a piece of Espeonite was held upon a crude pillar, almost like a sacred artifact. Imri took all this information in a fraction of a second thanks to his improved mental stats. As he had predicted, stealth was futile, especially with this many Troglodytes sending out echolocation bursts. However, he hadn¡¯t counted on the sheer number of them and the fervor at which numerous troglodytes raced towards him. They moved at a sprint akin to an Olympic-level sprinter, despite the fairly significant 40% Temporal Expansion effect. Their hissing shrieks echoed throughout the chamber as they closed in on him. Other shrieks joined the call, though some were different, almost sounding like fear or panic. Imri hadn¡¯t gotten more than a few steps into the cavern, but immediately used a short-range Blink to return to the passageway entrance. His ability temporarily confused the creatures with its unconventional movement and lack of sound. However, they quickly spotted him again with another echolocating burst of sound. He briefly considered using another Blink to return to the Spatial Beacon, which would be the prudent course of action under the sheer weight of numbers he faced. However, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. He faced the swarm of enemies that were rapidly pursuing him, closing with unnatural speed but slightly hindered by their own numbers. He created a longer Dimensional Tear, sending it in the general direction of the throng of enemies. The meter-long blade-like tear extended horizontally, cleaving through the large group without slowing, killing a large number of them within a couple of seconds. Imri continued his retreat, placing another Dimensional Tear at the passage entrance as he retreated, this one fixed in place. The enraged Troglodytes continued their charge toward him until their bodies separated at the waist from the strategically placed void in space. Despite Imri¡¯s absurd ability to keep track of the chaos, he lost track of how many Troglodytes met their end in this particular trap. It was only after the number of corpses started to physically block the entrance that they started to notice what was happening. Satisfied with the destruction he had wrought, Imri used Blink to return to the previous cavern, despite that not being entirely necessary with the entrance physically blocked by the dismembered corpses of his opponents. The entire fight, if it could be called that, had taken only several seconds of normal time. Imri was entirely unscathed, the nearest Troglodyte having been meters from him at the closest. His only loss was to his mana, which he had used a good portion of, though not anywhere near enough to get a headache or risk the over-channel debuff. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He quickly reabsorbed some mana from an Espeonite crystal, returning his mana to full. He then began to open a portal to the guard station, repeating the trick of only opening it to the dimensions of a keyhole, and then used Blink to teleport through the small space. To the bewildered guards, who hadn¡¯t been attentive enough to notice the small distortion in space, it had seemed that Imri appeared out of nowhere. A few were even startled to the point where they reached for their weapons before noticing who he was. Imri ignored the guards once they stopped reaching for weapons, and began pondering what he had done. Within several seconds he had slaughtered numerous Troglodytes who had only been zealously guarding their homes and young. Were they truly mindless monsters he could indiscriminately slaughter for experience? Did that make him any better than the monsters he was purportedly trying to protect his people from? Did the Troglodytes now view him in a similar light to how he viewed the Chixel? Either way, he would never forget the mountain of corpses he had wrought. Still somewhat despondent, he reviewed his ill-gotten gains.
Achievement Upgraded
Horde Slayer 16 (+12): 1.6% increase to primary stats (+1.2%)
New Achievement
Butcher 1: Slay a considerable number of creatures, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. The amount of creatures killed to rank up is slightly exponential. .05% Primary Stats/Rank
Imri Padar has reached level 32 (+3) in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 32 (+3) in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 134 (+3)
Agility 104 (+2)
Constitution 122 (+3)
Intelligence 215 (+8)
Willpower 175 (+5)
Charisma 109 (+2)
Secondary Stats
HP 187 (+11)
FP 138 (+6)
MP 570 (+51)
Mana Efficiency 535 (+45)
Crafting Efficiency 594 (+50)
Trait Upgraded
Spatial Manipulation E to D Spatial Manipulation (1D): Gives an understanding of spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of space are learned and improved by 5.25%. Increases the effectiveness of spatial spells and abilities by 1.57%. Spatial Manipulation has become Spatial Control Spatial Control (2F): Gives an instinctive control over spatial concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of space are learned and improved by 5.5%. Increases the effectiveness of spatial spells and abilities by 2.5%.
Spell Upgraded
Blink F to E: +3% spell mana efficiency
Despite not feeling great about how he had gained those benefits, Imri was still pleased to have gained them. It was his greatest improvement since his class and heritage rank up. While he hadn''t gotten any game-changing new spell, the steady improvements were starting to add up. The idea that he could hold a meter-long tear open for several seconds and not even consider that a significant strain would have been unfathomable when he first got the spell. He began his journey back to Celestia, going through a walking meditation to stabilize his dark thoughts, the added resource regeneration only an afterthought. He was vaguely aware of Emelia¡¯s concern as she moved to meet him on the trail before he reached Celestia. She must have been more concerned than he thought because she reached him well before Imri was halfway back. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked, a new spike in concern evident when she saw him. ¡°I slaughtered them, 16 Troglodytes killed like it was nothing. The system even gave me the Butcher achievement for all the creatures I''ve killed,¡± he said with a shake of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, isn¡¯t that what you set out to do? Why is this bothering you so much now?¡± She asked. ¡°They had fucking kids. That¡¯s why I could kill so many of them, it was their fucking home,¡± Imri said. ¡°Did you kill the kids?¡± She asked with concern. ¡°No, but I might as well have. It was their parents, they rushed me with such fervor that they kept falling for the same trap until the passageway was physically blocked with corpses. They had tools and beds, and for the most part, they were minding their own business. It made them seem more human if that makes sense.¡± ¡°It does,¡± Emelia agreed. ¡°Do you want me to help you? I could get rid of the emotion?¡± ¡°No, I need to feel this,¡± Imri said without hesitation. ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad you said that,¡± Emelia said with a smile. She grabbed his hand and held it as they walked back. ¡°I¡¯ll keep everyone safe no matter what I have to do, but I don¡¯t want to become a soulless monster, not if I can help it. I will be better than that. They might have killed several prospectors, but I¡¯ve already avenged them several times over,¡± Imri rationalized after a brief silence as he considered his actions further. He had been there for a reason, if they hadn¡¯t killed those men there wouldn¡¯t have been a retaliatory expedition, but when would the bloodshed stop? He hoped the next species he met wouldn¡¯t introduce themselves by killing or enslaving people. ¡°No one thinks you''re a monster. At least, no one who knows you as I do,¡± she said. ¡°There is one more thing I need to wear the monster mask for,¡± Imri said with determination. ¡°I think it¡¯s time our Warlock friend told us everything he knows.¡± Chapter 60: No More Secrets Imri made his way toward Russ¡¯s office, Emelia following close behind. It was getting late, and most of the town hall was empty at this hour. ¡°Imri, I was just about to leave, can it wait until tomorrow?¡± Russ asked as Imri entered his office. ¡°No,¡± Imri said simply. A bit of his anger must have leaked into his tone because the bald lawyer stopped packing his briefcase. ¡°I see, please have a seat,¡± the Warlock said. ¡°I¡¯m fine standing, thanks,¡± Imri said. ¡°Listen if this is about how the last fight ended, I learned my lesson. I won¡¯t hide anything from the group anymore,¡± Russ said. Imri couldn¡¯t hold back, he started laughing. ¡°Really Russ, you¡¯re not hiding anything?¡± Imri asked rhetorically. ¡°I¡­You know?¡± Russ stammered, looking over to Emelia for help. ¡°I¡¯m not a big fan of keeping secrets, so I think this conversation is overdue,¡± Emelia said with a shrug. ¡°Tell me everything you know, and don¡¯t lie to me, Emelia will know,¡± Imri said. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start,¡± Russ said. ¡°Is there anything in your contract prohibiting you from explaining?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Not directly,¡± Russ admitted. ¡°What do you mean by directly?¡± Emelia clarified. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to work in any way that could be construed as deliberately sabotaging my quest,¡± Russ explained. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t tell us everything, I will ensure you never go near the caves again. I can¡¯t speak for the council, but I think they would probably go further than that,¡± Imri said. ¡°Fair enough,¡± the man said with a nervous laugh. ¡°Start at the beginning. How did this Ancient One contact you?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not entirely sure. For some reason, I could feel its presence when we settled here. It¡¯s almost directly below us, though quite a ways down. At first, it just sent me vague impressions of what it wanted,¡± Russ explained. ¡°Which is?¡± Imri prodded. ¡°To be free,¡± Russ admitted after a moment''s hesitation. ¡°Oh, hell no,¡± Emelia said. ¡°It¡¯s not evil, I swear,¡± Russ said defensively. ¡°And how do you know that?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but I can sense it. It¡¯s no more good or bad than the weather; our concerns and sense of morality are so far beneath it. We are less significant than ants to it,¡± Russ explained. ¡°Being described as less than an ant is not reassuring, Russ,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°I know, but that¡¯s why I made sure to spend pages upon pages of the contract to spell out exactly how it wouldn¡¯t harm us when it was free. When it revised the contract it didn¡¯t alter any of that language. The only things that changed were the clauses where I could walk away after a good-faith effort.¡± ¡°What happens if it breaks its end of the contract?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I would be able to permanently keep all the power it gave me and would no longer be obligated to free it,¡± Russ explained. Imri and Emelia stared at him, spotting the problem immediately. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°Why would that not be sufficient?¡± Russ asked. ¡°Russ, how much does a demi-god-like being need you after you free it?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Russ said, taking a moment to realize what that meant. ¡°We¡¯ve been talking for two minutes and we already found the first problem,¡± Imri said with a shake of his head. ¡°Why did you make this deal in the first place?¡± Emelia asked before sarcastically adding, ¡°It¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t thousands of other classes you could have chosen from.¡± ¡°It seemed like the fastest way for me to catch up. I need to get stronger,¡± Russ said, sounding almost desperate. ¡°Why?¡± Imri pressed. ¡°I take it neither of you are parents?¡± Russ asked. That¡¯s when Imri remembered the first time he had met the man, back in the ruins of Minneapolis. Russ had been willing to throw away his own life for just a small chance at saving his family. Becoming a Warlock was done for the same reason, and he was risking other people''s lives, again. ¡°Not yet,¡± Emelia replied. That response immediately scrambled Imri¡¯s brain. Judging by the spike of emotion through their bond, Emelia hadn¡¯t meant to say that. ¡°Not yet?¡± Imri repeated. ¡°Can we focus on the Warlock?¡± Emelia redirected, though she too was clearly flustered. Imri nodded, though he found it difficult to focus on the current conversation. ¡°I can see you two have other things to discuss,¡± Russ said, standing and trying to weasel his way out of the confrontation. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Sit back down,¡± Imri ordered, the man immediately complying. ¡°Can we see the contract? It might help to have more objective people looking it over.¡± ¡°It sort of disappeared when I signed it,¡± Russ said. ¡°I can remember most of it at a high level.¡± ¡°We both know that¡¯s not good enough,¡± Imri said. ¡°Can you renegotiate with it?¡± Emelia suggested. ¡°Maybe, it still needs me as much as I need it,¡± Russ said with a shrug. ¡°Though I doubt it would make concessions for nothing,¡± he added. ¡°What happens if you walk away?¡± Imri asked. ¡°The only explicit penalty is that I would lose all my levels in Warlock. However I don¡¯t think the being would be happy, and I would prefer not to have a demigod as an enemy.¡± ¡°Did you know about the Troglodytes before signing the contract?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Russ said. ¡°Out with it, what aren¡¯t you telling us?¡± Emelia demanded. ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything about the Troglodytes, I swear. However, I did get some information on the prison it''s being held in. More specifically, the defenses of said prison,¡± Russ explained. ¡°Which are?¡± Imri asked. ¡°The prison was mostly automated with magic. The main defense was a small army of automated Sentinels powered by mana. The only reason the Ancient One could contact me was because the integration weakened the prison. It needs to be freed before the prison can be completely remade, a process that is taking a good portion of the facility¡¯s mana,¡± Russ explained. ¡°The more I hear, the more certain I am that you should walk away from this deal. I¡¯m sorry, Russ, but you got yourself into this mess and now you''re going to have to deal with the consequences,¡± Emelia said. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. The Sentinels became active when the integration happened, and they won¡¯t deactivate until they deem the area completely secured from potential invaders,¡± Russ said. ¡°So we leave them alone and they shut down, I don¡¯t see the problem with that,¡± Emelia said. ¡°It¡¯s the Troglodytes, they wandered too close to the prison,¡± Imri guessed. He had wondered why they had steadily been pushing closer to the surface, but if they were fleeing an even stronger opponent that would explain it. ¡°Exactly, they¡¯re trying to get away from the Sentinels,¡± Russ said with a smug grin. Imri glared at the man who was taking satisfaction in the mortal peril of their settlement. While he didn¡¯t think any of that was Russ¡¯s fault, he certainly was trying to take advantage of the situation and wasn¡¯t contrite about it. ¡°So, what do you know about the sentinels?¡± Imri asked, still annoyed with the shady man. ¡°And don¡¯t think this means we¡¯re onboard with releasing some Ancient Demi-God,¡± Emelia added. ¡°I don¡¯t know much, my patron only gave me a vague impression of them. They¡¯re some sort of automated defense system, a magical equivalent of robots, or something like that. Way higher level than anything we¡¯ve faced so far, but limited by the amount of mana available. That¡¯s why we need to deal with them as quickly as possible,¡± Russ said desperately, bordering on pleading. ¡°What about the creators of the Sentinels?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Not sure,¡± Russ said with a shrug. ¡°They¡¯re either long gone or have a relatively small presence.¡± ¡°So, we have a small civilization of cave-dwelling Troglodytes being forced to the surface by an ancient defense mechanism in the form of automated Sentinels. Which in turn was built by a powerful race of artificers to guard an ancient demigod which they imprisoned. To top it off, you made a deal with that demigod for a slightly more powerful class,¡± Imri summarized. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have put it quite like that, but more or less,¡± Russ said guiltily. ¡°Listen, none of that is my fault, the Troglodytes and Sentinels would still be a problem regardless of my deal. If anything I¡¯m helping with the defense of Celestia,¡± He pointed out when it was clear they were not amused with his antics. ¡°Forgive us if we don¡¯t consider you a hero,¡± Emelia said dryly. They left when it became clear Russ didn¡¯t know anything else. While Imri personally wanted to strangle the man, that wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything. He was also dreading telling the council about this turn of events, but he knew this shouldn¡¯t be kept a secret. He was glad he hadn¡¯t decided to keep things a secret when he got a system notification.
New Quest
Defend Celestia 2: Find a way to defeat or divert the Sentinel and Troglodyte threats. Reward: Personal XP, Credits, Upgrade to the Defender of Celestia Achievement based on contribution. Settlement XP.
The emergency meeting was held, with Russ summoned to answer the same questions he had just answered. While nearly everyone wanted to kill the man, Imri was surprised to find himself defending the Warlock Lawyer. If the Sentinels were as powerful as Russ seemed to think, they would need every able-body defender, especially with the knights and Sylvi gone for an extended period. Despite Russ answering every variation of the questions, and even some verbatim repeats after a while, nothing new was learned. The impressions his patron had given him were similar to Imri¡¯s meditation and weren¡¯t easy to understand. ¡°Can we talk about what you said? The ¡®not yet¡¯ comment when Russ mentioned kids,¡± Imri said when they had returned to their house. Imri immediately noticed Emelia''s nervousness about the topic, but she just nodded. ¡°How do you feel about having kids?¡± She asked after a brief pause. ¡°I want them one day, preferably when Celestia isn¡¯t being invaded by Chixel, Azala, Sentinels, Troglodytes, or anything else,¡± Imri said. ¡°And if that day was sooner than that?¡± She asked so quietly it was almost a whisper. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± Imri started to ask but trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant,¡± she said. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Imri said as he began pacing around the room. His thoughts raced so fast he couldn¡¯t think coherently. ¡°Imri, say something,¡± she said after Imri had continued pacing for several minutes without saying something. ¡°How?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Really? That¡¯s the best question you could come up with? I would think that one is rather easy to figure out,¡± Emelia said, grinning at the obviously panicking Imri. ¡°But we were safe,¡± he said as if the universe would hear that and realize it had made an error. ¡°Nothing is a hundred percent, and that is for condoms that didn¡¯t go through an integration,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You were fighting monsters. What if you had gotten hurt?¡± Imri said as the realization struck him, inducing a moment of panic. ¡°I am not going to sit around doing nothing for nine months. I am perfectly capable and not leveling for that long would be idiotic,¡± she said. ¡°But if you get hurt¡­¡± Imri started to say but then stopped. He was being protective, he didn¡¯t want anything to happen to their child. He was going to be a father. ¡°I¡¯ll be as safe as I can, but everyone is risking their lives. We don¡¯t have enough people that I can¡¯t take risks,¡± she said softly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure nothing gets anywhere near you,¡± Imri vowed. Emelia sighed and nodded, probably realizing this was already a compromise on Imri¡¯s part. Asking him not to be protective would have been futile. "Just don''t be too overprotective. I can still tie my shoes and walk without help," she clarified. ¡°I know, I just hate that this child won¡¯t be born into a perfectly safe and normal world. They will only know what it¡¯s like living in a post-system world,¡± Imri said sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sure things will be a lot safer by then,¡± Emelia said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it is,¡± Imri vowed. He hadn¡¯t needed more motivation, but he had it now. Chapter 61: Twilight Huntress Sylvi stalked through the Seagrass Plains under the cover of darkness. She stood atop one of the higher rises, a several-hour hike from the foothills. The location allowed her a vantage that overlooked some of the nearby terrain. With her Umbral Eyes trait, she saw everything as if it was the middle of the day. In addition, her vision was superior to what it had been allowing her to notice subtle motions easily. She had easily spotted Starseekers and Razorgrass Hogs, and she wondered how blind she must have been to think the plains were empty and uninhabited. However, neither of those creatures was her quarry. She waited patiently, easily able to keep her enhanced body completely motionless for hours without any effort. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have to wait that long as she spotted an Umbral Tiger on the prowl. Sylvi smiled and began her hunt. While she didn¡¯t have an advantage over them at night, she was now intimately aware of the tiger''s capabilities; the tigers were creatures of the night, using their affinity to their advantage. They brazenly hunted their prey assuming they ruled the plains when the sun went down, unaccustomed to being prey at this hour. As the tiger entered her effective range of a hundred meters, she used her Mark of the Hunt skill, which was subtle enough not to be perceived by her prey. She carefully sighted down a nocked arrow, taking full advantage of the time her ambush afforded her. She released the arrow, sending it rocketing forth with supernatural speed imparted by her enhanced bow. The arrow flew true, striking the tiger in the side with tremendous force, sinking deep within the creature. Her Power Shot attack, Sharpshooter trait, and Mark of the Hunt skill combined for a significant boost to the damage dealt. The creature should have died, but the high-level beast didn¡¯t seem to follow pre-system logic. It let out a yowl of pain, then started shaking to spread an Umbral Shroud around itself. Sylvi smiled and nocked another arrow with supernatural speed as if the bow was an extension of herself. The tiger slowly slunk away, relying on the obscuring effect of the shroud, an effect that did nothing against Sylvi. She fired a second shot with the same force and precision as the first, hitting the creature in its chest again, only a handspan from the original wound. While this wound was undoubtedly fatal, the creature persisted. A third arrow struck a second later, ending the mortally wounded tiger. Due to the frequent hunting expeditions to the plains, there was currently a small camp of porters who remained at the base of the foothills. They were building a more permanent lodge that would house the porters while also serving as a waystation for those traveling to Celestia. With the tiger killed, she radioed the nearby porters. While Sylvi found the fighting and killing unavoidable, she would not slaughter only for experience points and ability growth. She field-dressed the creature, efficiently harvesting the tiger¡¯s body. Within a couple of hours, the porter arrived and assisted as they utilized as much of the creature as possible. Sylvi was also pleased to see that leading the porters to resources gave her experience in her Trailblazer profession, albeit only a smaller amount. She thanked the man with a nod as he slung his now encumbered pack and began trudging back towards Celestia. Sylvi continued her hunt for several more days, hunting one or two tigers each night. While the level gap wasn¡¯t as monstrous as what Imri had accomplished by slaying the Drakes at a similar level, it was still an impressive gap and an easy way to gain levels. After the fourth night, she smiled as she got the notification she had been waiting for.
Quest Completed
Sharpshooter Ranger E to D: Solo kill a monster of higher level 5/5, land critical hits 30/30, survive alone in the wilderness 15/15 days
New Class Evolutions Available
Slayer of the Monstrous: Specializes in preparing for hunts against stronger monsters, efficiently tracking and relentlessly taking them down. Utilizes nature to prepare poison and antidotes specific to the monster you are hunting.
Sniper of the Deep: Utilize long-range weapons from a hidden position, efficiently eliminating enemies without ever being seen. Improves range and precision to deliver a devastating single attack.
Twilight Huntress: Hunt through the night, giving enemies no time to recover. Improves overall capabilities while in the dark, continuing the hunt without rest, excelling at ambush and relentless pursuits.
Sylvi smiled, her hard work being paid off. She reviewed her three options carefully. She quickly eliminated the Slayer of the Monstrous, while it would help in the long run, she didn¡¯t think it would help in dealing with the Chixel or Azala. The Sniper of the Deep was intriguing, further improving the sharpshooter aspect of her class. It also synergized with her long-range capabilities, which she had used efficiently during her previous hunt. However, the Twilight Huntress intrigued her the most, synergizing with the benefits she had gained from her heritage rank-up. She took several moments, making sure she wasn¡¯t making an impulsive or emotional decision. She selected the Twilight Huntress class when her mind and intuition remained in agreement. With that done she reviewed the flood of messages that had accumulated throughout her hunt.
Achievement Upgraded
Solo Hunter 9 (+7): .9% increase to all primary stats (+.7%)
Base Agility has increased to 132 (+1)
Base Willpower has increased to 125 (+1)
Twilight Huntress (2F)
Primary Stats/Level
Strength .2% (+.05%)
Agility .4% (+.1%)
Constitution .2% (+.05%)
Intelligence .05% (+.05%)
Willpower .1% (+.1%)
Charisma .05% (+.05%)
Secondary Stats/Level
HP .35% (+.1%)
FP .35% (+.1%)
MP .1% (+.1%)
Attack Efficiency .55% (+.2%)
HP Regen Rate .25% (+.1%)
FP Regen Rate .25% (+.1%)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 19 (+3) in Twilight Huntress (2F)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 19 (+3) in Human (1E)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 8 (+1) in Trailblazer (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 116 (+3)
Agility 153 (+7)
Constitution 125 (+3)
Intelligence 110 (+2)
Willpower 133 (+5)
Charisma 104 (+2)
Secondary Attributes
HP 166 (+15)
FP 217 (+21)
MP 153 (+12)
Attack Efficiency 258 (+34)
Mana Efficiency 176 (+13)
Trait Rank Up
Sharpshooter F to E: Increases the rate at which ranged attacks are learned or improved by 5.12% (+.12%). Increases attack efficiency of ranged weapons when firing from a distance by 2.05% (+.05%).
Skill Rank Up
Mark of the Hunt F to E: Mark a target creature within visual range to be hunted. Increase damage against this creature by 2.56% (+.06%), and ability to perceive and track the creature by 5.12% (+.12%). The mark lasts 24 hours unless the creature is killed. Only one target can be marked at a time, and the mark cannot be ended early.
Attack Upgraded
Power Shot E to D: Increases the damage of a shot by 3.15% (+.08%)
Power Shot has become Devastation Shot
Devastation Shot (2F): Increases the damage of the shot by 5%. A small amount of mana can be channeled into the shot to further increase the damage by a percentage equal to 1% of mana efficiency/mana spent.
New Traits Gained
Ambusher (1F): The ranger can take advantage of the terrain, effectively ambushing their opponents. Increases damage against enemies who cannot perceive you by 3%.
Hunt of the Night (2F): The Twilight Huntress is empowered by the dark, improving their overall capabilities during the night. While within partial or total darkness increases the effectiveness of agility by 2.5%, resource regeneration by 2.5%, and perception by 5%.
Power surged through her as the Hunt of the Night trait took effect. While none of the buffs were overpowered, the combination of three separate buffs had a noticeable effect. The improved effect of agility was potent, as even a small increase had an exponential effect on her overall combat capabilities. The perception bonus was probably a way to mitigate the downsides of being unable to see. However, for Sylvi, who had no such issue, this simply improved her already substantial perception. She could hear and see better than ever, easily distinguishing the various insects and rustling noises in the strange grass. The Ambusher trait also synergized with her new focus, allowing her to attack efficiently against unaware enemies, which would hopefully be a common occurrence given her focus on owning the night. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. She smiled as she spotted another Umbral Tiger stalking through the seagrass. It had been almost trivial for her enhanced senses to pick out what had once seemed an impossible-to-perceive predator. However, this time she did not ambush it with her long-range capabilities. Imri mentioned that the system punished repetitive actions, giving less and less experience and ability progress for slaying the same monster in the same fashion. While it was possible to keep grinding experience, as Imri had done with the Drakes and she had done with Umbral Tigers, it definitely had diminishing returns. At least, that¡¯s how Sylvi rationalized what she was about to do. In truth, part of it was just her competitive drive, not wanting to fall behind. She needed to push herself to get stronger, constantly testing her limits. Sylvi approached the tiger, a short sword tightly gripped in each hand, her Mark of the Hunt activating. It noticed her and began circling her, stalking and waiting for the opportune moment to pounce. Sylvi carefully watched it, every muscle in her body tensed to react at any moment. The tiger continued its movements, and Sylvi began to wonder if she had unnerved the creature by approaching it, or perhaps it could instinctively tell she wasn¡¯t weak. Sylvi had a split-second warning as she noticed the muscles on the creature tense before it pounced at her. She narrowly dodged the attack, the creature''s extended claws missing her by mere centimeters. If she had attempted this at a lower level, she would have at least taken some damage, and without her perception bonuses giving her advanced warning of the attack, she would have been knocked to the ground, like the first time she had fought one of these creatures. This time, Avery wasn¡¯t here to help her; she would either fail or succeed on her own merits. Sylvi took advantage of the small opening created by the tiger, which was slightly unbalanced by the unexpected absence of resistance when pouncing. Her sword, constructed from one of the tiger''s brethren, slashed into the creature¡¯s outstretched paw. It left only a shallow cut as the creature''s thick hide protected it from the light weapons, doing little more than just angering the creature. However, Sylvi remained completely focused, not letting the pitiful attack discourage her. She continued using her incredible perception and agility to avoid the tiger¡¯s telegraphed heavy swipes. If she slipped up for a moment, the fight would be over. It quickly became apparent that Sylvi was more agile than the tiger as she continued weaving in shallow cuts with each opening. Slowly, the cuts began to accumulate, causing significant damage. However, as the tiger realized it was losing the fight, it went from controlled and predictable to erratic and unknowing. While this opened the creature to several deeper cuts, it also caused Sylvi to take a few hits from the wild swipes. Fortunately, she managed to avoid most of the blow, taking on only shallow gashes thanks to her armor and high agility. Eventually, the tiger began to slow down as it had been fighting at full speed for several minutes without being particularly efficient with its movements. The opening widened, and Sylvi continued to score deep gashes until she eventually cut open an artery. Blood gushed out, sapping the last of the life from the creature. She ended the creature''s suffering when it became apparent it could no longer move, ending it with an efficient stab to the heart. Sylvi collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. The fight had taken several minutes, an eternity for such an intense state of focus and constant motion at the peak of her capabilities. Despite that, Sylvi smiled as the desired notification entered her mind.
New Traits Gained
Dodge (1F): Improves the effectiveness of agility by 2% to dodge an attack.
Light Weapon Proficiency (1F): Increases the rate at which attacks relating to light weapons are learned and improved by 5%. Improves the attack efficiency of light weapons by 1.5%
While neither of her new traits were game changers, they were welcome rewards for pushing herself to her limit. It also showed how far she had come. No longer were the Umbral Tigers an unstoppable force that would likely kill her if they got close. She wasn¡¯t at a point where she thought they were simply a nuisance; one misstep or unlucky break, and she would have been killed, but she could hold her own in close quarters now. Having accomplished what she had set out to do, Sylvi double-checked her supplies. They were still near capacity levels, having lived off the land for several days. She shouldered her pack and began her trek toward the Chixel¡¯s base of operations. While they weren¡¯t sure of the exact locations of the Chixel bases, they strongly suspected that infrastructure would be built around the dark temple that Imri and Emelia had explored in the first days of the integration. Imri also theorized that there was a method to traverse up to the floating island city, Trosano, at the temple. Sylvi also wanted to survey what had become of Minneapolis and the ongoing state of the war between the Azala and Chixel. She hoped these gains would see her through the challenges she would undoubtedly face behind enemy lines. Chapter 62: The Squalid and the Hopeful Sylvi continued her journey throughout the night, taking advantage of her Hunt of the Night bonuses. She also found the trek across the plains far easier thanks to her stat improvements. She didn¡¯t have an exact location, but she traveled in the general direction of the first temple they had discovered. Her travel through the stone forest was mostly uneventful, the occasional Ulfr hound giving her a wide berth, which lent credence to the notion that monsters instinctually knew how strong other creatures were. She left them alone as well, not seeing the gain in indiscriminate killing. On the third night in the forest, she encountered her first Chixel patrol that stumbled in the dark. She was surprised to have not encountered one sooner, as she was getting close to the temple. Sylvi retreated to a better vantage point of a stone tree that overlooked the patrol. She took her time, identifying each of them, noting they were all in the single-digit levels. They moved with trepidation, moving their lights around far too quickly, only giving cursory glances in each direction, none of which was above in the trees. Sylvi weighed the pros and cons of dealing with the patrol. On one hand, eliminating them would reduce the enemies¡¯ scouting capabilities. Unfortunately, a group of five enemies would certainly be missed, alerting other Chixel that someone lurked nearby. She also feared the battle would last long enough to attract more attention. Before she had decided, a flash of lightning struck amidst the patrol. The bolt killed one Chixel, and a brief second later, this was followed by a peal of thunder that reverberated through the air, shaking the tree that Sylvi was hiding in. The patrol panicked, scattering in every direction. A pair of people stepped out from behind the cover of a distant stone tree, rushing towards the befuddled Chixel. The first was a tall, lanky man wielding an aluminum baseball bat. Near him was a slightly shorter, slender teenage girl with a dagger. They descended on the dispersing patrol with fervor, the taller man brutally battering his opponent. The girl moved fluidly, slipping her dagger into the side of the next Chixel, who was defending against the onslaught of the bat wielder. While their surprise had been effective, the fight stalled as the remaining Chixel regained some measure of composure. They used their agility to avoid the heavy blows of the baseball bat without overcommitting and not giving the girl an easy opening to exploit. There was no sign of the mage who had caused the thunder and lightning. With the option of stealth taken away, Sylvi began to nock an arrow, waiting for an opening where the two people weren¡¯t in the way of her shot. As she was sighting down the arrow, she noticed motion in the distance, and moments later, another Chixel patrol came into view. This one was armed far better than the previous one, with metal armor and weapons. A glint of the signature black blade caught Sylvi¡¯s eye as the inquisitor moved with their retinue. Judging by how quickly the other group had arrived, the smaller patrol had been bait for this ambush. Sylvi smiled as she became the third group to spring an ambush as she used Mark of the Hunt on the Inquisitor. While taking on an Inquisitor and a unit of Blackguards was risky, she couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity. She aimed at the Inquisitor, infusing her attack with several MP as she unleashed a Devastation Shot. There was a resounding crack as the arrow left the bowstring, sounding closer to a gunshot than a typical arrow due to the immense force involved. The shot traveled at a speed that even Sylvi¡¯s enhanced perception could not track. The projectile blasted through the enhanced physique of the Inquisitor, blowing right through its chest and leaving a gaping hole. The Inquisitor stared at the wound, unable to comprehend what had happened. Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate, nocking and firing another arrow in the span of a breath. Unfortunately, the Blackguard didn¡¯t hesitate to interpose themselves between the Inquisitor and the trajectory of the original arrow. The arrow struck the Blackguard, inflicting a fatal injury. The remainder of the unit grabbed the injured Inquisitor, dragging them behind the cover of a nearby stone tree. Before they all retreated, Sylvi picked off another Blackguard with an empowered Devastation Shot. As Sylvi laid down suppression fire that was every bit as effective as a modern sniper, a dense fog began to coalesce around the other human combatants. Neither the human nor Chixel seemed keen on continuing the fight, both using the obscurement as an opportunity to disengage and retreat. Sylvi quickly gave up sniping as her vision became more obstructed. She quickly descended from her treetop vantage and followed after the retreating pair of people. They still hadn¡¯t noticed Sylvi when they regrouped with a third person, a taller middle-aged woman with overly tanned skin that had caused wrinkles. The middle-aged woman rubbed at her temples and took an unsteady step before stumbling as if she was intoxicated. Sylvi strongly suspected this had been the mage who had called the lightning and the fog, and she was probably suffering from extremely low mana. The man with the bat caught the woman before she could fall, giving her something to lean on. Sylvi approached the trio as she dug through her pack for a mana potion. ¡°Monster,¡± the teenage girl said, brandishing her dagger towards Sylvi. Sylvi stared in confusion before remembering the strange appearance of her eyes and unnatural black leather armor. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m human; I just went through a heritage rank-up that gave me these eyes,¡± Sylvi said, moving with a slow, deliberate pace to not startle the jumpy teenager. ¡°I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s suffering from low mana; I have a potion that can help,¡± she added, holding out the shot-glass-sized vial of blue liquid. ¡°You hadn¡¯t gone through all of your potions yet?¡± the lanky man asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve got plenty,¡± Sylvi said, noticing the young girl eyeing the satchel. ¡°Thanks for this,¡± the mage said with a smile as she accepted the offered vial and downed it in a quick gulp. ¡°I¡¯m Claire,¡± the woman said, extending her hand. ¡°Sylvi.¡± ¡°We would¡¯ve managed,¡± the girl said with a huff as she folded her arms tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. These are my children, Parker and Ashlyn,¡± Claire said, completing the introductions. ¡°A family back together, that¡¯s a rare thing,¡± Sylvi commented. ¡°Where did you get all this?¡± Ashlyn said, gesturing to Sylvi¡¯s armor and weapons, ignoring the part about family. ¡°Let''s not interrogate Sylvi while we are this close to the Chixel base,¡± Claire said. Ashlyn rolled her eyes but didn¡¯t argue. They slowly moved away, Parker helping his mother walk. As they walked, Sylvi intuitively knew she could use her Mark of the Hunt skill again, meaning the Inquisitor had succumbed to their injuries. With it had come the notification that entered Sylvi¡¯s mind. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 20 in Twilight Huntress (2F)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 20 in Human (1E)
Primary Stats
Agility 154 (+1)
Constitution 126 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 168 (+2)
FP 222 (+5)
Attack Efficiency 263 (+5)
After reviewing her notifications, Sylvi took the opportunity to use Identify on each of the three. Claire was a level 11 Stormcaller, while Parker was a level 10 Brawler. However, when she tried to Identify Ashlyn, she got no information back. This wasn¡¯t unheard of. Imri had a trait that made him difficult to Identify, and based on how Ashlyn had fought, this seemed more likely than her being at such a high level that she couldn¡¯t be identified. ¡°Why can¡¯t I Identify you?¡± Ashlyn asked the same question Sylvi had been thinking. ¡°She¡¯s too high level for you,¡± Claire said with a grin. ¡°How did you manage to gain so many levels? I feel like I¡¯ve done nothing but fight since the apocalypse, and the three of us are at the highest level among our group,¡± Parker said. ¡°I hit the ground running, worked hard, and got a few lucky breaks,¡± Sylvi said with a shrug. ¡°Besides, when I left Celestia, I was fourth in terms of levels.¡± ¡°There are three people with more levels than you,¡± Claire said with a whistle. ¡°I would love to meet the people who managed to outgain you.¡± Sylvi took the opportunity to gush about her girlfriend, mentioning how she had produced the potion Claire had consumed. She also gave a high-level overview of the heritage-rank-up elixirs. She also briefly mentioned Zhaire and Imri, though she purposefully didn¡¯t go into the details of their capabilities. They walked for a little over an hour at a moderate pace, discussing various things they had learned. Sylvi was especially curious about their knowledge of the Chixel, but they had very few details she hadn¡¯t already known. The one interesting tidbit she learned was that the Chixel appeared to be losing the war against the Azala. Claire surmised that was the only reason their group hadn¡¯t been discovered and eliminated yet. All discussions halted as they reached their camp. While the three fighters looked like they were not in an ideal state, the rest of the camp was squalid. She couldn¡¯t find any supplies or equipment worth mentioning. Dirty and emaciated people stared vacantly at nothing, unable to sleep through the night, many moaning or talking to themselves. They had ripped and filthy clothing that hadn¡¯t been washed in weeks. Some had gone as far as not leaving camp to relieve themselves, causing the entire camp to reek like an unattended outhouse. ¡°It''s gotten a lot worse recently. Things started fine; we were raiding the ruins of Minneapolis for supplies and eating well. A few weeks ago, it went from bad to worse, and no one could even get close to the city without disappearing. As crazy as it sounds, our best bet became attacking the Chixel,¡± Claire explained as she watched her take in the sights of the wretched camp. Sylvi felt a pang of guilt for harshly judging the people before her. If they hadn¡¯t formed Celestia when they had, they might be in a similar state. ¡°You said there was somewhere safe?¡± Parker asked. ¡°It¡¯s not some magical fairytale land where all these problems disappear, but it is safer than being caught between the Azala and Chixel,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°You can take us there?¡± Parker asked hopefully. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Sylvi said firmly. ¡°I would love to help everyone and save every group like yours, but I have a mission to complete. I can give you this,¡± She said, taking out a compass-like device. ¡°What is it?¡± Parker asked in confusion as he accepted the device. ¡°It is what it looks like, a compass. However, it has a small enchantment so that it always points toward Celestia,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Claire said, a small tear forming. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. It will take you over a week to get there, probably closer to two with the state some of your people are in. On top of that, the Seagrass Plains has higher-level monsters that make the Chixel look easy by comparison,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I¡¯d rather die fighting an unstoppable monster than slowly wasting away here,¡± Parker said with a nod. Claire and Parker began informing the others about their plan to leave. Sylvi was amazed to see what a little hope did, as those who had been vacantly staring now moved with some alacrity. It was still a far cry from where they needed to be, but it was a start. ¡°You said you had a mission?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°I did. Why does that matter?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°I want to help,¡± the teenager said. Sylvi looked at the slender girl appraisingly. ¡°What¡¯s your class and level?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Level 9 Duelist,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°I knew a couple of people in Celestia who had the Duelist class; none of them had a trait that blocked Identify,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°I may also have the Thief profession at level 2,¡± Ashlyn admitted. ¡°A Thief?¡± Sylvi asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s not like I picked the profession; I just got it,¡± the girl said indignantly. Sylvi just glared, and Ashlyn folded like a lawn chair. ¡°I may have pinched a thing or two before the apocalypse, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m stealing from anyone here.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Sylvi said, still glaring at the girl. She guiltily took out the potion vials she had swiped from Sylvi and returned them to Sylvi¡¯s waiting hand. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said in a quiet voice. Sylvi doubted she would have heard if it hadn¡¯t been for enhanced perception during the night. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sylvi said, cupping her ear dramatically. ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Can I come with you now?¡± ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°You can ask anyone in the camp; I¡¯m one of the most proficient fighters,¡± the girl said proudly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m looking for. Do you have any perception or stealth skills?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°I have Stealth at 1E,¡± Ashlyn said hopefully. Sylvi just sighed. ¡°Why do you want to go with me anyway? Don¡¯t you want to stay with your family?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°I want to be someone who can take care of themselves and isn¡¯t scared. I want to do more than survive; I want to make a difference,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°And your mom, do you think she¡¯ll be alright with this?¡± Sylvi asked skeptically. ¡°I¡¯ll convince her,¡± Ashlyn said resolutely. ¡°If your mom agrees, then you can come with me,¡± Sylvi said, eliciting a massive grin from the teenager. ¡°On a couple of conditions. First, you do what I say when I say it, and there is no arguing. Second, we are going to scout. You only fight as a last resort and only when I say. You break either of those rules, and you¡¯re on your own.¡± The girl nodded enthusiastically. Sylvi hoped she wouldn¡¯t regret this decision. Chapter 63: Not a Burden Sylvi was somewhat surprised when Ashlyn returned with a triumphant grin, her mother in tow. ¡°You¡¯ll be looking after my daughter?¡± Claire asked as they approached. ¡°To be clear, the mission comes first. That being said, I¡¯ve never left anyone behind, and I¡¯m not about to start now,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Then take good care of her. And Ashlyn, you do exactly what Sylvi says, and no taking unnecessary risks,¡± Claire said with a tear forming in her eye. ¡°I know, Mom. She already gave me the spiel,¡± the teenage girl said while rolling her eyes. Claire ignored the eye-rolling and embraced her daughter in a fierce hug. ¡°We¡¯ll be going to this Celestia place. I assume we¡¯ll meet up there once your mission is completed?¡± Claire asked. ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Good, then this isn¡¯t goodbye; just see you in a few weeks,¡± Claire said, finally releasing her daughter. ¡°Why did you say yes to this? It''s not that I want you to change your mind; I just wasn¡¯t expecting it,¡± Ashlyn asked Sylvi as her mother left to help get the camp moving. ¡°I have my reasons. One of which is that you remind me of myself before I joined the military,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I don¡¯t see it,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°You also have the third highest level in your group. This might not seem like a lot, but you have to remember that the vast majority of people have died or given up. Besides, you are almost at the right level,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Right level for what?¡± ¡°Have you absorbed any cores?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°What¡¯s a core?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°That¡¯s a no, then,¡± Sylvi confirmed as she dug around in her pack before finding what she was looking for. She held up the level 24 and 25 E-Grade cores from the Umbral Tigers she had slain a few days ago. ¡°These are cores. Every living creature has one, including monsters. While they can be used for many things, for your purposes, they can be absorbed for XP,¡± Sylvi explained, passing one of the valuable items to the excitable teenager. ¡°How does it work?¡± She asked. Before Sylvi could explain it, she figured it out and started absorbing the energy. ¡°How did it go?¡± Sylvi asked when the girl had finished absorbing the energy. ¡°I gained two full levels,¡± the girl said with a wide grin after she had reviewed her system messages. In comparison, it was rare to gain more than a single level from a core, whether from Ulfr cores or the system shop. Neither of those compared to the amount of energy from the high-level E-grade Umbral Tiger core that Ashlyn was absorbing. ¡°Good, now absorb the next one,¡± Sylvi said, handing her the level 25 one. ¡°Are you sure I should be getting all this?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°What was rule 1?¡± Sylvi reminded her. Ashlyn just rolled her eyes and accepted the core, immediately starting to absorb it. ¡°Only one level this time. Is this how you got so strong?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°No, I think you have gotten more XP from cores than anyone else. We were only absorbing Ulfr Hound cores, or level 10 cores from the system store,¡± Sylvi explained as she dug through her pack for the next item. ¡°Alright, so you¡¯re level 12 in your duelist class now. What¡¯s your new constitution score?¡± ¡°106, why?¡± ¡°Alright, this next part is important. To be clear this is up to you, I¡¯m not telling you to do anything. This is one of the heritage rank-up elixirs I talked about earlier. It should give you the same abilities I have but with a slightly lessened requirement,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°So I¡¯ll have cat eyes, like you?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Among other things, yes. Is that a problem?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Hell, no. Who doesn¡¯t want cat eyes? This is like a real-life anime,¡± she said excitedly. ¡°Why is everyone so excited for anime-like abilities?¡± Sylvi mumbled to herself. ¡°What was that?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Nothing. Just a warning, this is going to suck. It¡¯s going to be the worst pain you¡¯ve ever experienced in your life, and by a lot. It will last for a couple of hours and once it starts you can¡¯t stop or use any healing items, you just have to endure it,¡± Sylvi said. The warning did suck any light-hearted excitement for cat eyes from the girl, who now looked at the strange elixir with trepidation. ¡°You gave me those cores hoping I would take this?¡± Ashlyn asked. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I gave you those cores to help you keep up with me,¡± Sylvi said. Of course, the girl was right, but Sylvi didn¡¯t want to add any extra pressure to the teenager. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be helpless or a burden,¡± Ashlyn said as she uncorked the vial and chugged the vile liquid. She made a scrunched-up face but didn¡¯t complain. ¡°You might want to remove your clothes if you don¡¯t want them ruined. I¡¯ll be keeping a lookout to make sure no uninvited guests interrupt the party,¡± Sylvi said as she turned and left the girl to undergo the transformation. ¡°What are you talking about? This isn¡¯t so bad,¡± Ashlyn said, though Sylvi could hear her following her advice. ¡°Just give it a sec,¡± Sylvi said as she started jogging towards a good vantage point to keep a vigil. ¡°Oh fuck, oh fuck,¡± Ashlyn said as she started to panic. Unfortunately, there was nothing Sylvi could do for the young woman as she started to scream in agony. Caroline and Imri were extremely confident that as long as people met the Constitution requirements for their level, there would be no lasting damage. She reminded herself of that as the screaming continued, only accentuated by the snapping of bones and muscles remaking themselves. Sylvi did her best to ignore Ashlyn and focus on watching for any signs of a Chixel patrol. After about an hour, she was pleasantly surprised when a Chixel patrol approached, drawn by the young woman''s screams. Fortunately, they were the normal variety, and Sylvi was entirely unconcerned. She waited until they were well within her range and passing through a small clearing before taking the first one out with an uninfused Devastation Shot. It took the patrol a few moments to process what had happened, giving Sylvi enough time to take out a second and third before they wisened up and scrambled for cover. She managed to pick off two more as they made an unorganized retreat. She was down to half a dozen arrows after having been unable to retrieve several arrows from the previous fight and having lost several arrows while hunting Umbral tigers. She had only had twenty at the beginning, having to limit what she carried with her during the long hike. She retrieved four of her arrows, bringing her total back to an even ten, with one having broken and another that couldn¡¯t be found despite her improved eyesight. She also took the opportunity to harvest the low-level cores of her Chixel victims. At the very least, they would sell for a few credits while not taking up much room or weight within her pack. As she returned, she noticed that the screaming had stopped. She made her way back and checked on the young woman. As with Sylvi¡¯s transformation, Ashlyn had gotten noticeable physical improvements and the same slitted eyes, no longer looking like a gangly teenager. She had tossed her clothes to the side and was now covered in all manner of bodily fluids and reeked like a dying hospital patient who refused to be cleaned. Sylvi helped the girl wash herself before wrapping her in a blanket. She handed her a potion that improved all her resource regenerations by a little over 10% for just over 8 hours. While Ashlyn was exhausted, Sylvi forced her to move a few hundred meters, hopefully far enough that another patrol wouldn¡¯t find them, as the location was also fairly well hidden. Ashlyn collapsed as soon as it was safe, instantly asleep as she hit the ground. Sylvi was starting to get a bit tired herself, but she remained vigilant this close to an enemy position. Fortunately, there were no signs of patrols, and the young woman managed to sleep for over 10 hours before stirring. ¡°I feel like a semi-truck ran over me,¡± she complained as she stretched her body. ¡°You did good,¡± Sylvi commented. Ashlyn just shrugged and dressed herself. She then stared off into space, undoubtedly reviewing the slew of changes to her stats. ¡°I can create darkness, too. This is so cool,¡± Ashlyn said excitedly as she summoned a small mote of darkness and moved it about. ¡°Don¡¯t waste too much mana; I don¡¯t have many of those potions,¡± Sylvi pointed out. The teenager just nodded and continued playing with the now amorphous cloud of umbra. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Ashlyn asked as she dismissed the spell. ¡°How¡¯s your class progression quest going?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Alright, I need to kill 11 enemies without taking damage, dodge 43 attacks, and have 24 melee attacks that don¡¯t get stopped by armor,¡± Ashlyn read. ¡°Do you want a dagger or shortsword?¡± Sylvi asked as she noticed the pitiful condition of Ashlyn''s current weapon. Melee was Sylvi¡¯s backup plan, and she would still have two of whatever weapon she gave up. Three, if she counted the hatchet she used for firewood. ¡°You¡¯re giving me one of those?¡± Ashlyn asked, eyeing the shortsword made from shaped Umbral Tiger bone. ¡°I¡¯m lending it to you,¡± Sylvi said emphatically. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out when we get back to Celestia.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that one,¡± she said, pointing to the short sword. Sylvi handed it over, and the girl accepted it with reverence. ¡°Keep that shitty knife as a backup,¡± Sylvi said as Ashlyn was mid-motion to chuck the worn knife like a piece of trash. ¡°Do I really remind you of yourself? I keep thinking about it, and that¡¯s the only reason why someone like you would be nice to me,¡± Ashlyn said as she tested her new weapon. ¡°Someone like me?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°You know, someone who has all their shit together. I mean you¡¯re a total badass, I¡¯m just an annoying brat, even to my own family,¡± she said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t always this way. I was a bit of a troublemaker and did far worse than pinching a thing or two. As to your family, I don¡¯t know them well, but I can already tell they love you, ¡± Sylvi said. ¡°What gave you that idea?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Your mother might have let you join me, but she didn¡¯t do so easily,¡± Sylvi said. The teenager just shrugged. ¡°Have you ever killed anybody? I mean, a person, not a Chixel?¡± Ashlyn asked after a brief pause in the conversation. ¡°Do you always just say the first thing that pops into your head?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Not all the time. Why, is that not something you¡¯re supposed to ask?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°It isn¡¯t the politest topic of conversation, but that¡¯s probably the number one question I get when people find out I was a ranger,¡± she said. ¡°And?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°So, you did kill someone but don¡¯t want to talk about it. What is that Imri guy like? Does he have a girlfriend or a wife?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°He is almost ten years older than you.¡± ¡°So, is he hot?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°You do realize I¡¯m not into men, right?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°So, you can still figure out if he¡¯s hot. So, is he?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even going to dignify that question with a response,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± Ashlyn pouted. ¡°How about Zhaire?¡± ¡°Get some rest. We¡¯re going to be scouting out the enemy position come nightfall,¡± Sylvi said as she moved to get comfortable. The girl made a pouting face but didn¡¯t continue her line of questioning. Sylvi was definitely starting to regret her decision. Chapter 64: Infiltrators Sylvi sighed as they avoided yet another patrol. While the Chixel had been lax in their scouting, the same could not be said about the outermost defenses near the temple. In addition to the number of Chixel guarding the area, they had constructed temporary barricades to solidify the perimeter further, making an infiltration unlikely. ¡°This is boring,¡± Ashlyn complained as they retreated from the enemy encampment when it became clear there would be no easy ingress. ¡°I never claimed this would be fun,¡± Sylvi said. She could understand the girl''s frustrations. Sylvi had been hoping there was some way they could have gotten a better view of the enemy''s position. She needed to know how many Chixel there were, how many people they had captured, and how well-fortified they were. Only the latter could be answered of those questions, and it wasn¡¯t encouraging. Eventually, the thorough investigation paid off. While they didn¡¯t find an exploitable weakness, they managed to see an armed caravan departing. It consisted of about twenty soldiers guarding a pair of large wagons, each with cages containing people treated like livestock. Sylvi had to put a hand on the teenager, who had tensed when she spotted the captives. ¡°We have to do something,¡± Ashlyn whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll follow them for a while and see if an opportunity presents itself,¡± Sylvi whispered. While she wanted to save them, even without any blackguard or inquisitors, twenty against two weren¡¯t winnable odds. This became even more apparent as it quickly became obvious that these soldiers took their duty seriously. While they weren¡¯t elites, they were clearly motivated and remained vigilant as the wagons slowly traversed through the forest along a worn path. Based on the route, Sylvi surmised the people were being transferred to one of the other temples. If nothing else, she could at least learn the location of another temple. Sylvi continued following the wagon, Ashlyn in tow. They followed for several hours, but an obvious opening never materialized. Despite the guard''s vigilance, it was easy for the pair of Umbral wielders to remain hidden among the trees with the obscurement of night. Ashlyn started to grow bored again, her interest waning as she undoubtedly realized what Sylvi had concluded from the start: there would be no daring rescue. At this point, they were simply following to map out the Chixel supply lines. Sylvi stopped short as she spotted other figures hidden among the trees. She squinted with her enhanced perception and almost couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing; the figures weren¡¯t people, but other Chixel with a posture that suggested they were hiding from their brethren, waiting to ambush the caravan. Not long after, the guards also spotted their would-be ambushers, shouting what was presumably a cry of alarm. The ambush was sprung despite being discovered, as dozens of Chixel, many of which even Sylvi hadn¡¯t spotted, poured out from behind the trees. They charged the guards, throwing javelins among the defenders who rushed to form a line against the oncoming charge. ¡°Now¡¯s our chance,¡± Ashlyn said as she moved to enter the fray. Sylvi held her back. ¡°Not yet,¡± Sylvi said simply. Sylvi watched the battle, looking to see which side would win. While the ambushers had the numbers, it quickly became apparent that the guards were better armed and higher-leveled. The guards'' vigilance had spoiled the ambush, and the attackers were beginning to falter despite their greater numbers. Then Sylvi spotted a Chixel she recognized. Among the attackers was a smaller Chixel with lighter scales mottled with darker accents. It was Ettes leading the ambush. Sylvi switched her focus, no longer content to wait patiently. Instead, she marked the Chixel who appeared to be leading the guards. Within seconds, she had her bow drawn and an arrow nocked, sighting down at her target. She fired an empowered Devastation Shot with deadly precision. Unlike her usual shots, which were usually aimed at the center mass, this one took the guard captain in the head. The arrow hit with such force that the creature''s head exploded from the impact, showering those nearby with a spray of brain matter. The powerful show of force had the desired effect as the tenor of the battle shifted. Morale for the defenders plummeted with their leader, and with that one shot, the battle had effectively been won. However, Sylvi still managed to pick off another two before the fighting had concluded. Unaware of why they had sided with the ambushers, Ashlyn looked at the remaining Chixel, seeming to appraise their odds of winning a fight against this new group. ¡°I know these Chixel, and they¡¯re friendly,¡± Sylvi explained as she stowed her weapon and motioned for Ashlyn to do the same. ¡°What do you mean, you know them? How can you possibly know them?¡± the girl complained, though she complied with Sylvi¡¯s orders. Sylvi did her best to appear unconcerned as she approached the small unit of Chixel, who were in the process of freeing the human captives. Ettes noticed Sylvi''s approach and spoke several commands in the hissing language of the Chixel. Sylvi released a breath as many of the ambushers relaxed and lowered their weapons, though a few still held them in ready positions. ¡°Peace,¡± Ettes said in strained English, startling Sylvi. ¡°That lizard can talk?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°I guess that explains how you know it.¡± ¡°This is new. They couldn¡¯t talk before,¡± Sylvi said. Whatever lingual capabilities the priestess possessed, it clearly wasn¡¯t on a conversational level as Ettes looked on with a blank expression before producing a ring inscribed with numerous runes. It looked similar to something Imri would have produced, though admittedly, Sylvi couldn¡¯t tell the difference between a mana density reader and time dilation enchantment. The device lit up as Ettes infused it with mana. They then spoke in the Chixel language, though Sylvi¡¯s name was included in whatever was said. After a brief delay, noise emanated from the ring, which had impressive acoustics for its size. ¡°It is good to see you are well, Sylvi of the Humans,¡± the device said mechanically. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°You have Google Translate magic; that is so cool,¡± Ashlyn said gleefully. The enchantment picked up her words and translated them back into the Chixel language. ¡°What is this Google? It did not translate,¡± Ettes asked. ¡°It¡¯s not important. Ettes, what is your intention with these people?¡± Sylvi asked. Sylvi must have said it more harshly than she intended as Ashlyn tensed up a bit. ¡°We have no intentions with most, and they are free to leave,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°And the others?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°There is only one human we need to rescue. That one will be helping Ettes,¡± the priestess said. ¡°Why would you risk the lives of your people for one human?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°That one has a unique class, a trait all of clan Padar possess it seems,¡± Ettes said. ¡°All of clan Padar?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°They¡¯re talking about me,¡± a young man said, having been liberated from the cage by the other Chixel. ¡°The name is Vallo,¡± he added. ¡°Do you know Imri Padar?¡± Sylvi asked in confusion. He didn¡¯t look anything like Imri. He was on the shorter side, with blonde hair and only a stubbly growth despite likely not shaving in weeks. ¡°He¡¯s my brother,¡± the young man said with a smile. ¡°I know he isn¡¯t as handsome as me, but at least he got the brains,¡± he said jokingly. ¡°Are you as powerful as your brother? I hear he¡¯s one of the strongest people alive. I¡¯m Ashlyn by the way,¡± Ashlyn said, practically throwing herself at the younger Padar brother enthusiastically. At least this Padar seemed closer to age-appropriate and was potentially single. Sylvi took the opportunity to Identify the man. He was a level 8 Shifter, a class that focused on being able to transform into a myriad of different creatures. ¡°I doubt I¡¯m as strong as him, but I¡¯ve got a few tricks up my sleeve,¡± he said. A moment later, where he had been standing was a somewhat strange Chixel, almost as if it was missing key features of itself, making it stand out, like a low-budget CG rendering. Then, as quickly as Vallo had changed, he returned to his human form. ¡°I¡¯m still working out the kinks. It¡¯s easier when I¡¯m trying to impersonate a specific Chixel I can copy rather than something imagined up on the fly. It also takes a lot of mana to get right, though less to maintain after the form has been created,¡± Vallo explained. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s impressive,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°Ettes, this doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Rhesk? I presume you know they were killed?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Is Sylvi implying this one would seek revenge for Rhesk¡¯s murder by killing the brother of the human that killed him?¡± Ettes asked. ¡°Yeah, that is what I¡¯m implying,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Who is Rhesk?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Rhesk was this one¡¯s mate, and Ettes does not hold Imri responsible for killing Rhesk. It was unavoidable, and Rhesk knew that was to be fated when marching off. Even if Imri had been merciful, Rhesk would have forced Imri to kill,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°Why is that?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°This one was being held hostage, and if Rhesk fled or defected, this one¡¯s soul would have been forfeit. That is why this one holds the Ulzites responsible,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°Ettes has also told me all of this, and for what it¡¯s worth, I think they¡¯re genuine,¡± Vallo added. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t hold a grudge, that still doesn¡¯t explain why you need Vallo,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°It was my idea, actually,¡± Vallo said. ¡°This one planned to free Imri''s brother to hopefully foster goodwill. However, that was not sufficient for Vallo,¡± Ettes said. ¡°Ok, so what is your brilliant plan, Vallo?¡± Sylvi asked skeptically. ¡°We¡¯re going to Trosano,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Yup, both brothers are crazy,¡± Sylvi said, shaking her head. ¡°What¡¯s Trosano?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°It is the capital and holy city of the Chixel,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°However, calling it a city is a bit of an understatement; it is far larger than the ruins of the humans Minneapolis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also a floating island above us,¡± Sylvi added. ¡°Above us? As in flying?¡± Ashlyn asked. Ettes nodded, a human mannerism they had picked up on. ¡°That seems suicidal. What¡¯s your plan when you get there? How are we getting there?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°This one has many connections, being the mate of an Exalted, and no questions will be asked when slaves are taken to Trosano. As to why, the Chixel are losing the war against the Azala, and badly; every day, more territory is claimed by the parasitic hive. This one was hoping to convince others of the merits of allying with the humans,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°So, you''re conducting a psyops campaign in the capital? And you''re including Vallo to what, show human potential?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Primarily, though, if Vallo can improve his abilities to impersonate a Chixel, it would be invaluable,¡± Ettes said. ¡°Well, I came here to learn as much as possible about the Chixel. I don¡¯t see any better way than infiltrating the capital,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°It will be harder to get multiple humans up to Trosano without raising suspicion,¡± Ettes said. ¡°I¡¯m coming with,¡± Ashlyn added. ¡°You did say it would be beneficial to show what humans are capable of. I think three strong humans are better than one,¡± Vallo said with a shrug. ¡°As Sylvi has pointed out, this one will not be able to exert much influence. If the plot is discovered, you will certainly perish,¡± Ettes said. When all three people confirmed their commitment, Ettes let out a very human-sounding sigh. ¡°Very well, these ones will be pretending to be slaves. This one will bring your weapons and return them when we are within this one¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Last chance to back out,¡± Sylvi said to Ashlyn. ¡°Are you kidding? And miss the flying city? I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ashlyn said. Sylvi looked over the freed prisoners. They were every bit as emaciated and atrophied as the people they had liberated on the plains. While it was unlikely they would be able to make it to Celestia, it was their best hope. Sylvi passed out the weapons and armor liberated from the slain Chixel to the highest level among them, which only consisted of people at levels 3 and 4. She had them memorize a message to give Imri, then handed them a compass identical to the one she had given Claire. ¡°These will be required for the ruse,¡± Ettes said, holding up manacles infused with runes. ¡°It saps the mana from the prisoners. However, some hidden runes will obscure your class and level.¡± Sylvi held her wrists out, and the Chixel priestess clamped them down. Instantly, Sylvi could feel them begin to work. It wasn¡¯t painful but a deeply unpleasant feeling of wrongness. She had to resist the urge to demand they be taken off. The manacles continued sapping her mana until she felt the last of it flowing into the small crystal that collected the mana, leaving her with only around 10 MP. It was low enough that she had a throbbing headache and felt slightly dizzy. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. It¡¯s actually slightly altered to leave a little bit more mana than it typically would,¡± Vallo explained. Sylvi looked over at Ashlyn and found her stoically accepting the condition, handling it far better than Sylvi had expected. She nodded to the young woman and turned to face Ettes. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Trosano.¡± Chapter 65: The Flood Plains ¡°Stay in formation,¡± Zhaire shouted as the knights conducted another field exercise. He was the point of the wedge-shaped formation, while the mages and ranged specialists were further back. They continued practicing this basic formation, Zhaire not being content until they could perfectly execute it on a moment''s notice; if they couldn¡¯t execute it flawlessly while practicing against air, how would it go during live combat? After the formation had been executed to his satisfaction, Zhaire had everyone dismount. This allowed the knights to stretch their legs and gave the Starseekers a break from carrying the extra load, even if it wasn¡¯t significant relative to their overall size. Zhaire also had the knights carrying most of the saddlebags while jogging to improve their strength and conditioning. The protests were somewhat muted whenever someone got a base improvement to either their strength or constitution, but it never stopped completely. ¡°This is not a fucking picnic. Move,¡± Zhaire shouted to Ravi, a level 11 champion, as he loafed through the jog. While Zhaire wasn¡¯t making any friends with his hard-ass attitude, he didn¡¯t care. He would gladly sacrifice being their friend to keep them alive. They had left Celestia several days ago and were making decent progress traversing the plains. While they could have reached their destination far faster, Zhaire wanted them to be somewhat cohesive before being forced into a dangerous situation. So far, the only threats had been the occasional Umbral Tiger, though even that had been rare. Gradually, the plains flattened out even further than they already were, making the terrain almost completely flat as far as Zhaire could see. An increasing number of small tributaries emptied onto the flat terrain, making the land into wet flood plains. At first, this wetter ground was nothing but an annoyance. They would end their day covered in the muck that the Starseekers had splattered everywhere. However, on the fourth day, it became too much of an issue for the Starseekers, their massive bulk sinking dangerously far into the muddy ground. Zhaire cursed as they were forced to traverse around the worst areas, which slowed their progress significantly. He also had the knights on foot longer each day just to reduce the weight of the dense creatures. It didn¡¯t help much, as the riders and their gear only amounted to a small percentage of their overall mass. The slow trudge through the muck further dampened morale. Gone was the illusion of gallantly riding to victory like a fairy tale, instead replaced with the mundane reality. Being a soldier was not glamorous; it was hard work, even for the elite units. Zhaire was almost certain Sylvi would have agreed with that sentiment. In addition to the change in scenery, they spotted some new wildlife. By far, the most common creatures were massive rodents about the size of a large dog, with stout bodies and smaller heads. Despite being rodents, they seemed well suited for the environment and were almost perpetually covered in mud. They also tended to roam in large packs with dozens of the creatures present. Fortunately, they were almost exclusively lowered leveled, most being at levels 3 or 4. They also seemed disinterested in combat, instead preferring to munch on the strange seagrass, which grew even higher and denser in the marshy area. The night was even worse. As they made camp, swarms of mosquitos buzzed around, slightly larger than the pre-integration versions but equally as fast. Zhaire was not keen on finding out what manner of exotic diseases these bugs transmitted, but there was little they could do, so they hurriedly finished setting up camp. They shivered from the wet and cold as they huddled inside the tents. That didn¡¯t help the poor sentries who were forced to watch for monsters while constantly being harassed by the insufferable insects. As they continued, Zhaire relented on the training, reading the proverbial room and knowing that morale was abysmal. Even he hadn¡¯t slept well, and he had faired better than most with his skin''s resistance, making the bugs unable to bite him effectively. They continued through the wetlands, finding natural ridges that were slightly dryer as they were ever so slightly elevated. The land was so wet here that the lower elevation was completely submerged in water, the aquatic rodents swimming with ease. The unit progressed slowly, carefully watching where they stepped lest they suddenly enter the water and sink to their knees in the insufferable muck. To make matters worse, a dense fog blanketed the lowland. While visibility had always been an issue with the persistent dense grass, the fog made it nearly impossible to see more than a few meters ahead. ¡°There is something in the water,¡± Eric, the unit''s scout, shouted in warning. Zhaire shouted for everyone to stop, trusting in Eric¡¯s abilities. Everyone tensed up, drawing their weapons and scanning the surrounding terrain. ¡°What was it?¡± Zhaire asked the scout when the threat didn¡¯t immediately materialize. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look at it. I just saw a flash of movement and a splash of color before it disappeared,¡± Eric explained. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t one of those rodents? They are everywhere,¡± Brad pointed out. A scream of surprise from one of the knights confirmed that it was not a rodent. Zhaire looked in the direction of the scream. He noticed Ravi being dragged into the water and a glimpse of the creature, or at least a portion of it. It was a long reptilian creature, or perhaps the creature''s tail. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Zhaire didn¡¯t hesitate, racing towards the escaping creature. As the last of the creature started to submerge with its victim, Zhaire dove into the water after it, reaching to grab the last of it before it completely disappeared. He managed to grab hold of the creature''s tail, which was nearly as thick as his torso and held on with all his might. Fortunately, the creature appeared to be a bit weaker, and Zhaire managed to restrain it from escaping. Zhaire stood up and started pulling the creature back towards solid ground. It was difficult as his foot sunk deep into the muddy bottom of the wetland. He shouted for help and continued pulling. Suddenly, the creature stopped trying to flee and started to twist around, turning to face Zhaire, who was obstructing its escape. That¡¯s when Zhaire realized what they were dealing with. He hadn¡¯t grabbed a tail but the last section of the creature. It was a truly massive snake, almost fifteen meters long and as thick as a moderately sized tree trunk in its midsection. It had earthy colorings, reminding Zhaire of the camouflage pattern soldiers had worn before the integration. A small section of it near the head had wrapped around Ravi, constricting tightly, suffocating the man. The head of the creature was equally as massive, large enough to swallow a person whole. A quick Identify failed to return any results, likely because the creature was at too high of a level. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Zhaire cursed as the head of the snake lunged for him with surprising alacrity, given the creature''s size. Despite the unfathomable power of the creature, Zhaire didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, he planted his glaive into the ground, interposing it between himself and the lunging snake. The snake''s speed worked against it as it impaled its mouth onto the waiting glaive. Zhaire pushed with all his might, ramming the glaive further into the creature¡¯s mouth. It hissed in pain and shook its body, attempting to dislodge the toothpick-like object from its mouth. Zhaire was forced to let go under the creature¡¯s thrashing about. ¡°Grab the back end of it,¡± Zhaire shouted to Brad as he faced the enraged snake. Arrows from the ranged knights struck into the massive creature but did little more than annoy the snake. It hissed and spat a glob of something in the general vicinity of its attackers. The spit landed and immediately produced an audible sizzling sound as it burned through flesh and ground, eliciting a scream of agony from the knight it had impacted. Despite the damage the snake inflicted, the momentary distraction likely saved Zhaire¡¯s life. He drew his short sword and activated a Temporal Expansion enchantment. This time, when the snake struck, Zhaire had enough time to react, dodging the powerful bite of the creature. It attempted to rear back for another strike but found itself restrained by an unseen force from Veronica. Zhaire capitalized on its momentary restraints, sinking his short sword into the creature, barely doing any damage. Zhaire abandoned his backup weapon and grappled the snake''s head. Despite the creature¡¯s immense size, it was still relatively weak. He held its head into the muddy ground, gripping it with all his considerable might. A moment later, Brad had its tail end held firm. With both ends of the snake restricted, it was unable to move. Within moments, two more knights held it down, one on each end. Simultaneously, a pair of knights began hacking into the snake''s midsection like they were logging a tree. The snake hissed and spat out another glob of acid, but it was futile as it couldn¡¯t move its head to aim the projectile. With a few more strikes, the snake was split into two roughly even halves, and its struggling ceased.
Zhaire Reeves has reached Level 22 in Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 22 in Human (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 167 (+1)
Willpower 125 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 311 (+6)
FP 238 (+2)
MP 121 (+2)
Attack Efficiency 314 (+5)
Una rushed to the knight who had been struck with the acidic spit, healing magic flowing into the injury. While the man was in agony, Zhaire knew he still lived, and with magic and potions, he would be fine within a couple of days. However, Ravi remained limp as the knights furiously unraveled the sections of the snake that had constricted around him. The man¡¯s body appeared to be broken in several places, the force of the constrictions having crushed his bones. Despite almost certainly having perished, Eric pushed everyone aside and began rescue breaths. He continued the process, checking the incapacitated man¡¯s breathing every thirty seconds. After several minutes with no response, another knight took over. After five minutes with no breathing, Zhaire told them to stop. In a fit of rage, Zhaire drove his just recovered glaive into the lifeless carcass of the snake. His skin sizzled as bits of acid from the bodily fluid landed on him. Even though his flesh was burning, Zhaire couldn¡¯t physically feel anything. He wondered if there was a version that would shut off his emotions that he could never keep in check. It was the part of his brain that constantly told him he wasn¡¯t good enough, that he would never amount to anything, that he was stupid and useless. The words his father constantly told him still stuck in his mind. As everyone efficiently harvested the massive creature, it became clear this creature had been quite powerful. Its core was a level 40 and was tier 2, the highest level creature any of them had fought. They also harvested as much of the creature as they could carry, especially the acid gland and every one of its fangs. Everyone had gained at least one level, including Zhaire, while others had gained 2. They were getting stronger despite losing a member. However, no one said or even insinuated that as they buried Ravi. They held a service for him despite no one having gotten to know him all that well. He had been Hindu, and no one knew their customs; all that mattered was that he was one of them. They all spoke from the heart and honored his memory in their own way. There were now only nine of them. How would nine people be able to make a difference in the war? Zhaire had expected casualties, but not this soon, not before they had even arrived in the war zone. He wondered if he was making them go through this hell for no reason. However, there was no choice but to continue onward. Chapter 66: An Unspoken Accord Zhaire and the knights continued their miserable trudge through the swampy wetlands for another two days. Everyone was on high alert for another of the acid snakes. Fortunately, they were not attacked again, though they noticed the ferocious creatures lurking within the water on more than one occasion. The snakes mostly appeared content eating their fill of the large rodent creatures that were everywhere. Running into the particularly brazen snake had simply been unlucky. The knights followed the snakes¡¯ example, conserving their supplies by eating the abundant large rodents for every meal. Unfortunately, they were gamey and chewy, and everyone was sick of eating them by the second day. They also added their cores to a growing collection, though level 3 or 4 cores wouldn¡¯t be worth much. As they traveled, Zhaire continued to use the mana reader as he had promised Imri. Unsurprisingly, the mana density was slightly higher here than on the plains and was similar to the levels found near Celestia. This partially explained why the snakes were so high leveled, with others suggesting it was their steady diet of rodents to eat. The ground slowly grew firmer as they neared the end of flood plains. There was a subdued but slightly jubilant mood within the camp for the first time since Ravi had died. Zhaire did his best to join in the joyful atmosphere, though he didn¡¯t feel he deserved to. He moved to sit near a crackling fire, enjoying the warmth as the last of damp clothing dried. The next morning was another change in routine. Instead of traveling, they had a number of the knights undergo the heritage rank up. Most of the knights had been around level 10 or 11 before the battle against the snake. Having gained a level or two, many now met the requirements for the elixirs that Zhaire had purchased before they had left Celestia. Zhaire hadn¡¯t planned it, but they had an even split between the three different heritages that Caroline had produced. The three mages, Veronica, Antonio, and Una, would have the Starseeker heritage. He, Brad, and a lancer named Clay were the three with the Drake heritage. Eric, Maddison, and Ray were all ranged and agility specialists and would take the Umbral Tiger heritage. After today, only Clay and Una would be missing their heritage rank-up, giving the knights a significant boost in power. With four people taking the elixir, Zhaire decided it was prudent to split them into two groups of two. The first group would take the elixir in the morning, while the second would take it in the afternoon. Zhaire was immediately glad he had shown caution when the loud noises of two of the knights transforming attracted unwanted attention. A trio of the doglike ogres were spotted, headed straight for their camp with long strides. They were almost eight feet tall, with dark matted fur with occasional bald spots where fur was missing in large clumps. At first, they appeared somewhat pudgy, but it was mostly just saggy excess skin that concealed powerful muscles. To top it off, they had long, wolf-like snouts with proportionally massive canines. Fortunately, the trio hadn¡¯t been particularly stealthy, and the knights had spotted them well before they arrived. All the practice and drilling paid off, as no one panicked, quickly mounting their Starseeker and getting into formation. Zhaire charged atop Betelgeuse, meeting the charging creatures head-on in an attempt to keep them away from the two knights who couldn¡¯t defend themselves. The other six knights rode in formation beside him. A quick Identify told Zhaire the creatures were called Ogrog, between levels 15 to 17. The seven combat-ready knights rode to meet the charging creatures. While the Ogrogs were more than a foot taller than Zhaire and two feet taller than an average person, they were still relatively small compared to the nearly rhino-sized Starseekers. Bettlegeuse slammed into the lead Ogrog with tremendous force, nearly jolting Zhaire from the saddle in a car-like collision between the dog-ogre and the rhino-horse. While Bettleguese was a bit dazed, the Ogrog fared far worse as it was bowled over and trampled on by several tons of Starseeker. The other two Ogrogs didn¡¯t fare much better, though they avoided headlong collisions. The dog-ogre creatures were ill-prepared to fight something that they couldn¡¯t physically overwhelm, only able to futilely reach out in a clumsy attempt to unseat the riders that harassed them. The knights expertly evaded the telegraphed attacks by approaching them two at a time from different angles, with the rider who had the creature¡¯s attention staying out of reach. Meanwhile, the other rider would slowly whittle them down with a series of strafing attacks or harass them at range with spells and arrows. The brawny creatures were tough, and it took a while before the final one collapsed from dozens of smaller wounds. Zhaire smiled as he gained two levels in Beast Tamer thanks to Betelguese¡¯s efforts, though his class hadn¡¯t gained much, if anything. The decisive victory boosted morale as the knights congratulated each other as they returned to the camp. The twins were a notable exception, sharing a concerned look amongst themselves. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhaire asked as he rode up beside them. ¡°We¡¯re just surprised to see them this far north; we¡¯re not even halfway to Kansas City. If they made it this far, what happened to everyone south of here?¡± Veronica asked. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯m sure this was just a scouting party. It''s still likely there are plenty of survivors,¡± Zhaire said, doing his best to reassure the anxious teenagers. They nodded but didn¡¯t look convinced. From everything Zhaire had learned about the Ogrog, which admittedly wasn¡¯t much, they were ferocious and warlike creatures who were individually stronger than the Chixel or the Azala. However, unlike those two alien races, the Ogrog didn¡¯t seem to view other species as resources. They would have little reason to hunt down groups of refugees. The rest of the transformations occurred without interruption. Despite still having several hours of daylight, there was little reason to push themselves when almost half their numbers were exhausted from the strenuous rank-up process. Zhaire also wanted their scouts to be on full alert for more Ogrogs. While this group had likely been ahead of any larger contingent, he thought they would likely start encountering them in greater numbers. The next day, they continued their journey southward, moving far faster without fear of the Starseekers getting stuck in the muck. Zhaire also relented on the strenuous drills and time spent walking, not wanting to tire the knights out when a potential skirmish could happen at any time. As he took mana readings, he noticed it dropped precipitously as they moved away from the flood plains and closer to the levels in the stone forest. The strange seagrass they had all grown accustomed to was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the terrain had more mundane seeming patches of grass and an almost completely flat incline. There was little chance either Ogrogs or Starseekers wouldn¡¯t be spotted from miles away. The twins'' concerns about the survivors from Kansas City were somewhat assuaged when Eric returned with a report of a large human camp. As they rode up, the scope of the camp took them all by surprise. It was a massive camp with hundreds, if not thousands, of tents pitched along dusty dirt. The packed ground also suggested the camp had been here for at least a few days. Zhaire frowned as he studied the camp. How had such a large group been ignored by the trio of Ogrog scouts? The knights were spotted well before reaching the camp, which was now bustling with activity. A small delegation of people gathered to greet them, grim expressions on their faces. None wore any weapons, not even the knife the system had given. A tall, slender Asian woman in her mid-to-late twenties, presumably the camp leader, stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m not sure who you people are, but please stay away from this camp, or you¡¯ll attract the Ogrog.¡± Zhaire frowned, not having expected this reaction. He understood they were wary of strangers, but this seemed absurd. The rest of the knights seemed equally perplexed by the reception. ¡°I know we only just met, but we rode down here to help in the war¡­¡± Zhaire started to explain before the woman cut him off. ¡°War? There is no war, only senseless slaughter of anyone who tries fighting those monsters,¡± she said derisively. ¡°We can handle ourselves, don¡¯t worry about that. We killed three of those bastards already,¡± Brad boasted. ¡°You did what?¡± She asked with a mixture of surprise and horror. The group behind her started talking amongst themselves with frenetic energy. ¡°A trio of them attacked our camp yesterday,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡°All of you need to leave right now,¡± the woman yelled at him. ¡°Can you at least tell us if there are other survivors? How many people are still alive?¡± Veronica asked. ¡°Leave,¡± she shouted at them insistently, ignoring the question. A deep howl sounded in the distance, reverberating through the camp as if to emphasize her point. More and more Ogrogs picked up the sound and added their voices to the unnatural effect, forming a deep chorus that shook the ground and terrified everyone in the camp. Even many of the knights seemed unnerved by the sound and the numbers it implied. ¡°You¡¯ve killed us all,¡± the woman said, sounding more depressed than angry ¡°Was there some sort of truce that we broke?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Truce might be a stretch, but in effect, yes. Those monsters love fighting, and as long as we didn¡¯t fight back, they eventually got bored and left us alone,¡± the woman said. ¡°You let them kill you?¡± Veronica asked in horror. ¡°Better that than all of us,¡± she replied. Silence hung over them until Brad broke it, ¡°Zhaire, are you part Ogrog?¡± ¡°Coach did always say I was a dog,¡± Zhaire said with a smile as he hefted his glaive. ¡°This should be fun.¡± ¡°Definitely part Ogrog; that¡¯s the only explanation for how he is so big,¡± Veronica added with a chuckle, getting a few knights to join in and break the tense atmosphere. ¡°Are you people all mad?¡± the woman asked, shaking her head. ¡°Maybe, but we¡¯ve faced similar odds and come out of it stronger. We¡¯ll do the same here,¡± Zhaire said with determination. It wasn¡¯t long before the Ogrogs started to come into view. Hundreds of the massive dog ogres surround the camp, encircling it. Fortunately, that gave them a glimmer of hope, as their line was thin, so they could cover the entire distance. ¡°No matter what, we keep moving. We have to break through their line,¡± Zhaire said, raising his glaive into a ready position. ¡°For humanity,¡± he shouted as he mentally spurred the massive Starseeker forward, plunging them headlong into a charge. Chapter 67: The Alpha Zhaire led the charge, not having a moment to waste. As the Ogrog closed in, the gaps in their line shrunk until they were nearly shoulder-to-shoulder. Neither side flinched as they hurtled themselves headlong at each other. Zhaire was at his customary position as the point of a wedge-shaped formation, with Betelgeuse being especially well suited to break through the enemy formation. With jarring force, the two sides collided. The first Ogrog fell, overwhelmed by the sheer force of the Starseeker¡¯s inertia. However, unlike last time, there was a press of bodies, halting any momentum the majestic rhino-like creature had accumulated. Zhaire swung his glaive in short, controlled swings, dismembering the hands that attempted to grasp himself or his mount. While the throng of massive creatures arrested Zhaire¡¯s momentum, they also stopped moving forward. This proved to be a fatal mistake as the other Starseekers plowed through their now somewhat stationary opponents. The Ogrog were trampled underfoot like roadkill on the side of the road, the Starseekers and their riders experiencing little more than a speed bump as they continued through at speed. Just like that, the knights had punched through the enemy''s line. They had killed almost a dozen of the Ogrog, most of the damage done by the Starseekers, though a couple of corpses sprouted feathered shafts that had sunk deep into their skulls. Zhaire idly wondered if they would become higher-level Beast Tamers than their classes at this rate. The knights had broken through and had a clear line of retreat. Unfortunately, this was not true for the rest of the people in the large camp, which was still mostly encircled by the doglike ogres. This was becoming less true by the second as the horde rushed toward the knights in an undisciplined, frenetic manner. However, as the knights continued further away, the war-loving creatures realized they couldn¡¯t catch the mounted humans and turned back towards the camp to vent their frustrations on innocent people. Zhaire watched this with horror. Turning and looking at each knight, he saw a mirror of his emotions on each of their faces. Wordlessly, each of them nodded as they met his gaze. He shouted a series of commands, and the mounted knights began wheeling around, moving in for another charge. Zhaire angled them to charge through a particularly thin grouping of the Ogrog line. There were many options, as their opponent''s undisciplined nature left quite a few gaps. Again, the Starseekers and their dense mass inflicted heavy casualties, trampling the Ogrog under hooves. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t breaking through this time, but moving in towards the center of the horde. Despite Zhaire¡¯s best efforts to pick a suitable point to break through and wheel around, that quickly became impractical as the creatures swarmed around them, miring them down in individual battles. Zhaire¡¯s glaive darted from side to side, still focused on keeping their clawed hands off him and Betelgeuse. He would occasionally land a killing blow when they tried to savage him with their teeth, conveniently making their neck an available target. Veronica and Antonio unleashed their magic at full capacity, something they rarely did. A wave of force radiated forward, tripping a swell of Ogrog, which had a chain reaction as they fell midcharge, causing those behind them to stumble and fall. This gave the knights some much-needed breathing room. Other Ogrog turned on their compatriots, brutally savaging throats with their wolf-like canines. Antonio could subvert several of their minds, meaning they probably hadn¡¯t required much manipulation to enter an uncontrolled frenzy. Despite being a healer and the lowest-leveled knight, Una also unleashed her magic. A spectral champion that resembled Ravi appeared, attacking an unsuspecting Ogrog. Despite being incorporeal, the blade sank into flesh, causing the area to become dead and withered in an instant. The spirit continued attacking, killing several bewildered Ogrog before disappearing, presumably from Una¡¯s lack of mana. The rest of the unit was not to be outdone. As they became ensconced, they activated their enchantments, gaining a significant boost for a short time. Swords and spears flashed out, biting into the flabby flesh of the ogre-like creatures. Ray continued using his bow at point-blank range, the dedicated archer firing his enhanced bow with deadly speed and precision. Each shot flew forth with a force greater than any pre-integration bow would have been capable of. The Starseekers were still the greatest source of damage, constantly trampling over any Ogrog that lost their footing. They would occasionally gore an enemy with their horn when the opportunity presented itself. Despite the massive damage the knights inflicted, it was never enough. More of the creatures kept throwing themselves at them with reckless abandon, almost seeming to revel in the carnage, even though it was at their own expense. Zhaire watched in horror as a mass of enemies managed to topple one of the Starseekers, rider and all. He redoubled his effort, activating his Frenzy skill. As he did, the glaive seemed to move of its own accord, seeking out the creatures'' weak points and decapitating limbs and heads without slowing. A sound started emanating from the camp, softly at first, then growing loud enough that it could clearly be heard over the snarling Ogrog. Zhaire almost faltered in his strike when he realized what it was: music. A woman sang in a hauntingly beautiful voice that projected across the battlefield louder and clearer than any concert. Despite the volume, there was no distortion or other signs that the voice had been projected in any way. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Something about the music urged him onwards, making each strike slightly faster and easier. He noticed a similar effect for all the knights, who had been on the verge of collapsing, as they redoubled their efforts beyond what they had been capable of. The melody also inspired the people of the camp, who now assembled near the outskirts of the battle. As the song reached a crescendo, a mass of people surged forward, charging into the fray. Each of them was low-leveled, with no armor and poor weapons that they had concealed or improvised weapons. They would have been slaughtered without the knights occupying most of the creature¡¯s attention. Zhaire smiled, pleased that people still had the will to fight, that hadn¡¯t simply decided to give up and accept their fate. They simply needed a fighting chance, and the knights had given them that. The wave of humanity crashed into the Ogrog line, overwhelming them with sheer numbers. Despite this, scores of people still lost their lives as the powerful creatures cleaved apart their human victims with claws and teeth. For each Ogrog they managed to whittle down, more people brutally lost their lives. Zhaire, momentarily distracted by the shifting tide of battle, almost didn¡¯t notice an assailant until it was too late. This particular Ogrog was big, even relative to others of its kind, its powerful muscles accentuated even against their excess skin. An almost instinctual Identify told him the creature was a level 32 Ogrog Alpha. With a powerful leap, the creature went airborne, hurtling itself towards Zhaire with bared teeth. Zhaire, unable to stop the momentum of the massive Ogrog, was forced to interpose his glaive to prevent the powerful jaws from clamping down on him. The mighty creature slammed into Zhaire with a powerful impact, knocking him off Betelgeuse. A second impact occurred as Zhaire hit the ground with the creature''s weight on top of him. His ribs broke, and all the air escaped his lungs, causing an instinctual panic. He struggled to breathe, his nearly caved-in chest making it so air came in raspy breaths. Despite his broken body, he continued on thanks to his Feel No Pain trait and his massive strength and constitution. Through sheer force of will and his improved physical strength, Zhaire managed to keep the snapping jaws of the large Ogrog away from his neck. To his horror, the creature bit into his bone-plate armor, easily crushing through the near-indestructible Drake bones. He screamed as the canines bit into his shoulder, and even his trait was unable to mitigate the pain fully. Zhaire managed to free his dominant hand and used it to retaliate with his short sword, burying it to the hilt in the creature¡¯s side. The creature howled in pain, releasing Zhaire''s body from its savage bite in the process. This also relieved some of the force that had been pressing down on him, as its weight was no longer directly over him. Summoning all his strength, Zhaire pushed and squirmed, allowing himself to escape the powerful Ogrog¡¯s grip. The moment he was free, Zhaire scrambled to his feet. His gaze shifted, looking out for an opportunistic strike that would undoubtedly be coming. To his utter astonishment, the nearby Ogrog seemed content to watch as if this were some unspoken duel. Again, his surprise nearly cost him his life as the higher-level Ogrog raked out with a powerful swipe of its claws. Zhaire only just managed to dodge, feeling the air pressure from the speed of the attack that missed him by the narrowest of margins. With a bestial snarl, the creature charged him, attempting to crush Zhaire with pure force. Zhaire smiled, knowing the Ogrog had just given up its reach advantage. While the Ogrog had an explosive first step, once it got moving, it was hard for it to adjust its course, allowing Zhaire to sidestep its charge. The beast slammed into one of its allies, who was watching the fight. Instead of turning back to face Zhaire, the Alpha savagely attacked its ally, brutally ripping out its throat in frustration. The other nearby Ogrog continued watching, though a few stepped further back, giving the combatants more room. For a moment, Zhaire thought the creature had been somewhat affected by Antonio, but Zhaire quickly dismissed that, as the mage would have been going all out for far too long to keep affecting his opponent. This did explain how he had affected so many of the Ogrog. Zhaire let his own Frenzy drop, as he couldn¡¯t win this fight with overwhelming force and needed a clear head. The creature turned and charged towards him again, not adjusting its tactics at all. Zhaire continued sidestepping the charge, again narrowly avoiding the attack. Unfortunately, the creature was too fast for him to retaliate and was forced to continue simply dodging. The alpha rounded on him again, this time approaching at a more modest pace before swiping out claws that were easily sharp enough to cleave through the strongest pre-integration materials. Again, Zhaire narrowly avoided the blow, the tips of the claws harmlessly scraping against his armor. He dodged wild strikes until the creature overextended, stumbling slightly as its momentum carried it forward. He lunged in, burying his shortsword into the creature¡¯s side for a second time. He stepped back as he withdrew his blade, but not fast enough. The creature retaliated, scoring a direct hit with one of its claws, carving through his armor and digging into his flesh. Zhaire screamed as not even his traits could mitigate the agony that coursed through his body. Despite the grievous injury, Zhaire smiled. The Ogrog Alpha was starting to slow as injuries and fatigue affected it. Zhaire¡¯s grin only widened as the creature started attacking even faster. It was more frenetic and less efficient. To the casual observer, it appeared that Zhaire was losing, narrowly dodging blows that would easily cleave him in two. However, both the combatants knew differently. The creature started stumbling more, leaving wider and more obvious openings. As Zhaire continued to exchange blows when an opening presented itself, they gradually grew more one-sided as the alpha¡¯s reaction slowed. On the fifth such exchange, Zhaire managed to dodge the retaliatory strike cleanly. After a few more deep wounds, the Alpha slumped to the ground, the last of its life escaping its body. Zhaire stood victorious, his body a bloody mess, his armor hanging ineffectually in tattered pieces. Despite his condition, a broad grin had remained plastered on his face the entire time. The nearby Ogrog let out a high-pitched mournful howl that was quickly picked up by the entire pack. Zhaire braced himself for their vengeful charge, though he doubted he could move much in his current condition. However, it never came. Instead, every one of the Ogrog stopped fighting and prostrated themselves before their new alpha. Chapter 68: Home Enchanting With the imminent threat of the sentinels looming, Imri was relieved to have a momentary reprieve from the constant fighting. Scouts hadn¡¯t reported any Troglodyte activity since he had culled their numbers. They had possibly retreated, being more afraid of Imri than the sentinels, but he doubted that. He was also relieved when Emelia didn¡¯t insist on joining the scouting expeditions. While she had been worried about being sequestered away, she wasn¡¯t so insistent that she would take unnecessary risks. She wouldn¡¯t venture into a dangerous situation without Imri by her side, which made Imri swell with pride and grin from ear to ear. During this downtime, Imri continued focusing on his enchantments. The main focus of his newer enchantments was more industrial and branched away from his typical space and time specialization. The first was a simple heat enchantment, converting magical energy into heat energy. At this level, such a simple rune was almost trivial, and most enchanters would have started with something along these lines long before some of the more complex works he had done. The downside of this was that the system agreed with his assessment and provided little experience for these enchantments. Despite the rune being relatively simple, it had wide-ranging practical applications. Imri started with his house, working with Avery and Toby to construct a metal box with leylines. Imri¡¯s work wasn¡¯t trivial in this case, but it also wasn¡¯t overly complex. He added a heat rune and a few supporting runes that could modulate and calculate the final output. Like many of his enchantments, the hardest part wasn¡¯t the primary rune. In this case, it was finding a way to have the heat rune respond consistently, regardless of mana efficiency. It was an oven, and control was the most important function. He also needed a way for the user to define their desired temperature. Getting the temperature measurement rune working correctly also took him some time. Finally, it compared the current temperature against the desired temperature and then returned that information to the heating rune as a boolean defining whether it should be on. Not wanting to stop there, Imri started another project. It would be even easier this time, having already completed most of the concepts needed in the oven. The house was completed with vents designed with modern central air, and the only things missing were the heating and cooling elements, which were far from being completed conventionally. So, they began to work on a furnace. Again, Imri felt Avery had more challenging work in building the appliance¡¯s frame. Imri¡¯s concern was unwarranted, as Avery had just unlocked his tier 2 profession, Metal Shaper. The man was now essentially a one-man fabricator, easily shaping hunks of metal into functional pieces. He still used heat to make the metal more malleable, but it was no longer required to the same degree it had been with traditional smithing. Avery wasn¡¯t the only one making similar strides. He informed Imri that the prospectors, miners, and refiners all had improved their respective skills. While their tools seemed somewhat crude, their output far exceeded what anyone would expect, given their primitive methods. However, they still haven¡¯t improved as much as Avery and the bottleneck would be more severe on the supply side. They also hadn¡¯t found much iron or a similar metal. To compensate for the shortage, Avery had purchased various metals from the system store several times, and their prices were now exorbitant. Once Avery had completed the furnace frame and Toby had installed the leylines, it was simple for Imri to complete the enchantment work. At a fundamental level, his portion of the work was almost identical to the oven, only scaled up. Already familiar with the concepts and the runes that would be needed, Imri had the work done in only a few hours. The only challenging portion was dispersing the heat through the vents, typically done with some sort of a fan. He considered using Spatial Expansion and Spatial Collapse to control the air pressure but quickly dismissed the idea. While it would technically work, it was far from the most efficient way to accomplish the task. Ultimately, he stuck with fans, simply using a kinetic rune to rotate it instead of electricity. With the primary appliance built, only one more step was needed to make the furnace functional. Imri wanted the house to have the magical equivalent of a thermostat. Fortunately, he had everything he needed to complete this concept already. He had the True Temperature rune from when he enchanted the oven, and he repurposed that to measure the living room''s temperature. He also defined parameters for mode and desired temperature. Finally, he had the enchantment transmit a boolean to the furnace when the temperature was below the desired temperature by more than a degree. The next appliance was even simpler. Imri almost entirely reused the design, only incorporating it to heat water this time. This was almost trivial; he simply slapped a heating rune with a simple temperature feedback loop. Of course, he added some runes so the desired temperature parameter could be defined, but that was nothing new at this point. With his house now having cooking and heating appliances, Imri was on a roll. The next concept to implement was cooling. Fortunately, cooling was simply an absence of heat. All Imri needed to do was modify the heating rune so that instead of spewing out heat, it absorbed it. He had hoped to convert this heat into something practical, but converting other forms of energy into mana was incredibly difficult, if not impossible. One unique aspect of magic over modern methods was that the heat could simply be removed, breaking one of the laws of thermodynamics. The entire system was simpler than the modern equivalent, with the rune absorbing heat replacing the freon that normally accomplished the same end effect. Avery seemed almost bored at this point, as he was essentially just shaping giant metal boxes. Likewise, the runic work wasn¡¯t too difficult for Imri. The main challenge was distributing the heat collection throughout the fridge and freezer. There were also challenges similar to those of the oven, such as measuring the temperature and moderating the effect to a constant. However, this was far easier to tackle this time, having accomplished this exact thing already. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The final major system was the air conditioning. As with everything else, this simply built on things Imri had already accomplished. Like the furnace being a scaled-up version of an oven, this was essentially a scaled-up version of the fridge and freezer he had just enchanted. The main advantage of magic was that the form of heating and cooling was less mechanically dependent; this meant he didn¡¯t need Avery to construct a separate air conditioning housing. Instead, Imri reused the furnace, adding the cooling runes alongside the heating rune. This also saved him from having to duplicate several other supporting runes. The last of Imri¡¯s work was the lighting. He almost felt nostalgic as he began to utilize the first enchantment he had ever learned. He was not content with just a light and a switch; he added a brightness parameter. He also added a central rune that could conveniently turn all the lights on or off. When he had finished his work, Toby was still creating leylines throughout the house, drawing heavily on his experience as an electrician. Zuri had cut a gem that served as the junction point for all the leylines; this was another advantage of mana and magic, how easily it could be stored. Even a moderately sized Espeonite crystal was more than enough storage for the house to run for quite some time. Imri repurposed one of his now dozen mana panels and installed it on the roof, which resembled a solar panel from a distance. He felt slightly guilty for using the mana-generating resource that could be better used, even if he had built it himself. He rationalized it by knowing that he could always absorb excess mana from the crystal that stored it. He also would have Toby eventually connect the house to the central mana repository, allowing mana to be diverted once the house was at capacity. As the grid grew, the houses wouldn¡¯t need to be self-sufficient. Instead, there might be a single crystal for an entire block. He didn¡¯t want mana ever to be a ¡®just-in-time¡¯ process, relying solely on mana produced to constantly power enchantments. While that¡¯s how most energy grids worked, Espeonite was already a more efficient storage system than even the most efficient batteries. When all the work was complete, he tested the mana generation against the mana demands of the house. With everything in the house running, the demand for mana exceeded the effective output of the single panel, though only by a small margin. Given that only some things would run constantly, the mana capacity was more than sufficient. Excitedly, Imri showed Emelia their combined work. The kitchen appliances had a bit of an old-time aesthetic, with Avery going for function over form. As a result, they were more solidly built and a bit on the boxy side. This aesthetic was dispelled somewhat by the strange runes purposefully etched on the outside, giving it a contrasting mystical vibe. Emelia smiled appreciatively as Imri nerded out, describing how each rune had been designed. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do all this,¡± she said as they finished the tour. ¡°Of course I did; it¡¯s what I promised,¡± he said. ¡°Every couple of days, more refugees come to Celestia. They¡¯re half-starved with little more than the clothes on their backs. Meanwhile, we¡¯re living in a nicer home than I had before the integration, especially now that we have every modern convenience. It just makes me feel guilty,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re working to make this a safe and prosperous place for everyone. I don¡¯t think having air conditioning and an oven makes us spoiled nobles,¡± he pointed out. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to keep making appliances until everyone has one?¡± She asked. ¡°I wish I could,¡± Imri said with regret. ¡°I eventually plan on teaching someone else enchanting, and they could make a good living producing enchantments like these.¡± It had taken him almost a week to finish all these enchantments. While he probably would shave a day or two off the time with practice, it would still require all his time and effort to keep up with demand. It had been a welcome distraction from functional tools of war, but it would soon end. The only tangible improvement he had made was a single level up in his Runic Engineer profession, and that was only because of all the new rune work. If he continued doing the same thing, it would definitely lead to stagnation. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love it,¡± Emelia said quickly, undoubtedly sensing his darker musings. ¡°Just don¡¯t spoil me any more than you already are. I love that you want to keep me safe and well cared for, but I also love that you want to make a better place for everyone.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he promised. ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t use a Spatial Expansion rune to create more fridge space. That would have been wasteful.¡± The next morning, Imri began working on some new spells. He had long known that his spell casting wasn¡¯t limited to space and time spells, but he just hadn¡¯t bothered learning them. The main downside was that they were harder to learn without the specific traits that buffed learning. However, this was largely mitigated by his understanding of how the spell worked through the runic version of it. Over the next few hours, he learned a slew of basic spells. Create Heat and Absorb Heat were the two obvious ones, as they were fresh in his mind. He also added Create Light, True Temperature, and Create Sound to his arsenal. They didn¡¯t give him any XP or advance his class quest like space or time spells would. The new spells had marginal utility and wouldn¡¯t replace any of his current staples in combat. However, memorizing more spells with his high mental stats wasn¡¯t strenuous. He had just finished internalizing the last spell when a messenger arrived at his workshop. ¡°Lord Padar, the scouts have reported Troglodyte activity. They''re coming toward the cave entrance,¡± the young man said. ¡°How many of them?¡± ¡°All of them, sir.¡± Imri cursed. He had known this brief respite would be just that. It was time to get back to work. Chapter 69: Senses Fail Imri didn¡¯t panic; they had expected the Troglodytes to push towards the surface eventually. He almost perpetually wore his armor, weapons, enchanted items, potions, and charged Espeonite crystals. He was far from alone in this, and by the time he reached the mana repository, many soldiers had gathered, including Emelia. Imri had to resist the urge to argue she should stay behind, knowing that it would simply waste time and accomplish nothing. Caroline, Avery, and several of the earth mages were also gathered. Imri was pleased to see that most of them had the mutations associated with the heritage rank up, including the newly made Troglodyte heritage. That particular heritage had given the imbibers some combination of resistance to poison, poison bite, tremor sense, or the ability to hear a higher pitch. Imri certainly considered this a potent option for Celestia¡¯s fighting force. Imri didn¡¯t wait long before explaining how his portal would work to those who hadn¡¯t experienced it yet. He didn¡¯t love that his mana would be strained before the fighting started, but hiking to the battle would probably result in missing the fight. He opened the portal in the ground, its dimensions only slightly larger than a sewer manhole cover. Everyone quickly went through, with Caroline and Emelia being the last two, excluding Imri, who went through last.
Spell Rank Up
Dimensional Portal F to E: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency.
To Imri¡¯s relief, there were no signs of the Troglodytes. The unit that had been scouting the caves, which included Sawyer and Russ, had returned safely, only looking slightly winded for their retreat. The soldiers standing watch were a bit taken aback as a dozen people fell several meters to the ground despite having been repeatedly told about this tactic. Major Harper did keep his composure, striding over to talk to the new arrivals, motioning for Sawyer to join them. Sawyer had obviously kept busy, gaining quite a few levels while Imri had worked on his home. He also now sported longer, wiry hairs that were a sign of the Tremor Sense trait from the Troglodyte heritage. ¡°Glad you could make it, Mr. Padar. Sawyer will brief you on what happened,¡± the major explained. ¡°I felt them coming with my new heritage; there were dozens if not hundreds of them. We retreated here as quickly as possible, collapsing tunnels as we did,¡± Sawyer said. ¡°Hundreds?!¡± A soldier exclaimed. Major Harper glared at the man while Imri did his best to appear unconcerned. It was the number Imri had expected, so at the very least, he wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°At the very least, that should have bought us a few hours, if not more. We have plenty of time to prepare for their attack,¡± the major said to address the concern among the new arrivals. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it; they are D-grade creatures. Even though strength isn¡¯t their primary attribute, they are certainly strong enough to clear any collapse quickly. They can also fit through incredibly small spaces, possibly creating alternate routes to the entrance that we haven¡¯t been able to explore,¡± Imri said. Sawyer sighed, having probably told the major the same thing and gotten nowhere. At least the major seemed to be taking the notion seriously now as he barked orders to get everyone prepared for the impending fight. In the major''s defense, it was hard to believe how capable a D-rank monster was without experiencing it. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you some more time,¡± Imri said as he strode away from the main contingent. He reached a narrow point between the entrance and the first cavern and waited in ambush. His estimate of a couple of hours was a bit off, as he had been waiting less than a half hour when the first Troglodytes approached. The Dimensional Tear was placed, and the trap was as effective as it had been the previous time, easily slaying a pair of creatures. Unfortunately, the Troglodytes had somewhat adapted to the tactic; while they still couldn¡¯t detect the tear directly, the duo had effectively warned the main contingent of ambush. Imri sighed and released the spell, then used a Blink to return outside the caves, not wanting to turn his back to the faster creatures. His mana had already reached dangerously low levels, and he was forced to absorb some of the mana from his charged Espeonite crystal. ¡°They¡¯re coming, and they¡¯ve adapted to not charge headlong into my traps,¡± he explained to the major. The soldiers tensed up at the news, but soon, they moved into place as the major shouted orders. Soon, another pair of Troglodytes came into view, their proportionally massive maws on full display within natural light for the first time. The creatures stopped at the edge of the cave, their high-pitched clicks no longer bouncing back as they expected. Even without enchantments, the Troglodytes would have been easy targets for the waiting archers. The pair of Troglodyte scouts died from a truly excessive volley of arrows. A moment later, dozens of high-pitched clicks sounded from further into the cave. In almost no time, the Troglodytes began surging outward in large numbers. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. This time, everyone let loose, firing an assortment of projectiles at the mass of creatures. The most common projectile were fist-sized orbs covered in runes. They activated as soon as they struck the ground, releasing a loud burst of sound and a concussive wave of force. They did little damage directly, but the combination of effects disoriented the creature''s primary two senses while only being a minor annoyance to the humans who had prepared for this engagement by putting in earplugs. A more deadly volley immediately followed the disorientation. Large projectiles of earth, crystal, and fire slammed amongst the stunned troglodytes, exploding and inflicting massive casualties. Arrows picked off lone opponents that had escaped the more widespread destruction of the AOE spells. Imri joined them, using his Spatial Collapse spell to crush individual Troglodytes with a gruesome effectiveness that left little of the creature intact. The major clicked on an improvised remote made from a mostly useless smartphone, setting off a strategically placed explosive to collapse the passageway. While this undoubtedly killed several Troglodytes, its main purpose was separating them into two groups. Despite the widespread slaughter, the Troglodytes managed to put up some fight. A few recovered their senses well enough to charge recklessly towards their human attackers. Melee fighters, who had thrown the enchanted orbs, moved to intercept them. Despite the surviving Troglodytes being slightly disoriented, they were still stronger and faster than their human opponents. They bit and clawed into unprepared soldiers, inflicting grievous wounds in an instant while also poisoning their opponents. Fortunately, the human combatants overwhelmed them with numbers in a short but bloody conflict. The healers, both mundane and magical, quickly triaged the injured as the battle ended. Several people had died instantly as something vital had been damaged by the deadly creatures. A few others had lost limbs and would never fight again unless they had the regeneration ability from the Drake heritage. Almost everyone who had fought in close quarters had at least a few scratches and would need the powerful anti-poison that Caroline had prepared. Emelia used her Emotional Projection to calm those who were having panic attacks. They had won decisively, but no one felt like celebrating. Everyone knew they had been close to death, fortunate that there hadn¡¯t been even a few more Troglodytes. They also had the second wave to contend with soon. Imri hoped that this had been the larger of the two groups, and judging by the number of Troglodytes corpses strewn about, he felt that was likely. Everyone scrambled to reset their resources back to pre-engagement levels, including recharging enchantments from several charged Espeonite crystals. Their one advantage over the first fight was a massive gain in levels. While a level or two wouldn¡¯t make a significant difference, that was on the lower end of what most survivors had gained. Many of the soldiers excitedly bragged about the three or four levels they had gained from slaughtering the higher-level creatures, a few outliers even gaining as many as five. Imri had only gained a single level, but he would take any improvement he could get. He quickly reviewed his improvements while he had a chance.
Imri Padar has reached level 33 (+1) in Celestial Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 33 (+1) in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Agility 105 (+1)
Intelligence 218 (+2)
Willpower 177 (+1)
Secondary Stats
FP 141 (+3)
MP 592 (+14)
Mana Efficiency 553 (+13)
Crafting Efficiency 617 (+15)
Imri had topped his mana off for a second time, nearing the limit of the mana he could use before getting the over-channel debuff. He steeled his resolve for the next wave. However, the Troglodytes never came. Their high-pitched clicking intensified and then ceased altogether. People started to relax, speculating that they had scared the rest of their enemies away after slaughtering so many of them. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable conclusion, but Imri wasn¡¯t convinced. That¡¯s when they noticed it approaching. A swarm of strange metallic objects floated above the ground, emitting a brilliant blue light of pure mana that was visible even without mana vision. The various pieces coalesced and clicked into place, appearing to form one solid object, an oblong polyhedral that resembled the nexus in shape. There was a brief moment where everyone just stared at the strange construct, unsure what to make of the alien object. It was massive, around 3 meters in height and about a meter in the other two dimensions. Imri attempted to Identify it, but his skill failed to return any information, giving Imri a sinking feeling. He was certain that this was a Sentinel. Everything erupted into chaos as a portion of the construct disassembled back into individual shards, then flew forward like shrapnel from an explosion, only guided towards its targets. People dove for cover, and several weren¡¯t fast enough, collapsing to the ground in bloody heaps as the alien metal shredded through their bodies. People launched tentative attacks in retaliation. Spells and attacks bounced off the strange construct, seemingly doing no damage in most cases. In other cases, where the highest-level spells were concentrated, there was some effect as portions of the construct flaked off. However, moments later, the dispersed pieces rejoined the main mass of the creature or flew forward as additional projectiles. Imri fired off his spell, sending a Dimensional Tear towards the center of the construct in a slashing horizontal arc. The void in space slashed through the polyhedral near its center, erasing any of the strange metal it came into contact with. For a moment, it seemed Imri had destroyed it, as much of the solid construct became the swarm of shard-like metal falling towards the ground. However, the creature quickly reformed into the same structure it had been in a moment before, albeit slightly smaller. Shards that had been fired in the first salvo of attacks also flew back to rejoin the main body. It launched another salvo, but this time, it was more concentrated. It appeared Imri had been identified as the primary threat, as all of the shards went straight towards him. Chapter 70: The Sentinel Imri watched as the shards of metal unerringly flew toward him from multiple angles. Fortunately, Imri didn¡¯t need an avenue of retreat, simply using Blink to get far enough away. The swarm of the projectiles harmlessly converged on the now empty space, striking into the ground. Unfortunately, the rest of Celestia¡¯s warriors couldn¡¯t significantly damage the construct despite Imri drawing its entire attention. While Imri was well suited to the decoy role, he was also the only one who had damaged it. However, he didn¡¯t have anywhere near enough mana to destroy the entire construct with Dimensional Tear. This was only exacerbated as he was forced to Blink away from another swarm of the strange metal shards that flew with unerring precision. Imri thought about what had happened when he had damaged it. It had seemingly lost control of its form for a moment. Something had to be keeping this metal together and directing it. Following that thread, Imri shifted his vision to see mana. As he did so, he was almost blinded by the light radiating from the Sentinel. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too debilitating, and he had regained his composure in time to see another swarm of shards directed towards him. Imri used Blink to teleport away, noting that he was now suffering from the over-channel debuff. While it was hardly noticeable at its lowest level of effect, it would quickly escalate as he was forced to spend more and more mana to have the same amplitude in his spells. He refocused his vision, reducing his sensitivity to mana. The Sentinel still shone brightly, but it was no longer blinding. He quickly noticed that the construct wasn¡¯t uniform in its mana distribution; tendrils of mana connected to each of the individual shards, leading back to a central point within the main mass of the Sentinel. Imri suspected this central node was a core of some kind and was the power source for the construct. If he could destroy the core, the rest of the construct should become inert without mana. Imri launched another Dimensional Tear as he was forced to Blink away from another salvo of shards, this time directing it towards the core. To Imri¡¯s horror, the construct rearranged its body, moving its core away from the oncoming attack. The void in space consumed some of the metal, though still far from enough to make a significant difference. The portion of the body that was no longer connected to the core also collapsed towards the ground until new mana tendrils shot out and reconnected them to the central body. Imri staggered as the effects of the over-channel intensified. He would likely only be able to cast a few spells before becoming too ineffective. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only one doing damage now. Sawyer had closed the distance as the Sentinel was solely focused on Imri. Having seen the effect of Imri¡¯s Dimensional Tear, he activated the Dimensional Saber and began hacking at the portions that had started to reassemble. While Sawyer¡¯s assault didn¡¯t do much damage, it temporarily disabled the Sentinal, forcing it to reestablish control of its body with each slash that cut through hundreds of invisible threads. This gave Imri the moment he needed to compose himself. He closed the distance between himself and the Sentinel with a Blink. Imri fired off a Dimensional Tear at almost point-blank range with the Sentinel distracted. The Sentinel couldn¡¯t dodge this time as the thin tear in space tore through its main body. It sliced through without slowing, reaching its target and cleaving the core into almost symmetrical pieces. The instant the incredibly dense mana was exposed to the relatively lower density of the area, there was an explosion of force as mana sought equilibrium. Imri was thrown backward from the blast as shards from the Sentinel flew everywhere, embedding themselves in any exposed skin. Imri did his best to shield his face with his arms. Shards of the metal bit into his flesh, damaging everything that wasn¡¯t covered in armor, which was still most of his body. Agony coursed through Imri¡¯s body as his HP plummeted. Fortunately, the explosion hadn¡¯t been as precise as the directed attacks, preventing him from being shredded to ribbons. It still hurt like hell, and his body had been sent several meters backward from the blast. Sawyer appeared to be in a similar state, injured but alive. They wouldn''t have survived if they had taken a hit like this before the system. Emelia rushed to his side, casting a healing spell as she reached him. Imri also used his Shaped By Mana trait, converting a portion of his MP regeneration into HP. He also consumed a high-quality mana regeneration potion to help the process along. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, save your mana for someone in a critical condition,¡± Imri told her. She gave him a worried look but then nodded. With not enough energy to go anywhere, Imri reviewed his gains.
Imri Padar has reached level 36 (+3) in Relativity Mage (2F)
Imri Padar has reached level 36 (+3) in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 135 (+1)
Agility 106 (+1)
Constitution 123 (+1)
Intelligence 223 (+5)
Willpower 179 (+2)
Charisma 111 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 194 (+6)
FP 144 (+3)
MP 629 (+37)
Mana Efficiency 586 (+33)
Crafting Efficiency 653 (+37)
Spells Ranked Up
Dimensional Tear E to D: Improves the spell''s mana efficiency by 3%
Blink E to D: Improves the spell''s mana efficiency by 3%
Trait Rank Up
Discerning Eyes E to D
Discerning Eyes 1D has improved to Omniscient Eyes (2F)
Discerning Eyes (1D): Improves visual acuity by 5.25%. Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 26.25%. You can see mana in any state.
Omniscient Eyes (2F): Improves visual acuity by 7.5%. Increases the effectiveness of the Identify skill by 30%. You can see mana in any state and distinguish how the mana is being used. You can see mana residue, discerning the previous effects caused by the mana.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Imri smiled; at least there were some benefits to surviving impossible odds. The Omniscient Eyes would hopefully help him analyze how the mana affected the Sentinel and give him a better idea of what they were facing. He also certainly wouldn¡¯t turn down better vision and identify improvements. The upgrades to two of his most utilized spells were also welcome buffs. ¡°Are you well enough for a debrief?¡± the major asked, interrupting Imri from his analysis. Imri just nodded. ¡°So, I take it those were the Sentinels Russ mentioned?¡± ¡°That seems likely. I wasn¡¯t actually able to Identify it.¡± ¡°Does that mean they have some sort of resistance to being identified?¡± the major asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They are just very high leveled,¡± Imri hypothesized. ¡°But aren¡¯t you in the low thirties in level? Would that mean they are over level 40?¡± the major asked in disbelief. ¡°I have a trait that improves my Identify skill, so they are probably over 50. They¡¯re also almost assuredly in tier 2, which I¡¯m guessing is a huge jump in power level,¡± Imri said with a shrug. He idly wondered if he could improve his Solo Hunter achievement if he slew a Sentinel without any help. The major¡¯s eyes drifted towards where the healers worked to save as many people as possible. His gaze then shifted toward the bodies of the fallen, which had been laid out in as dignified a manner as could be managed with the limited supplies available. Nine people had died in this one battle, which was as many as the entire conflict with the Chixel. Imri didn¡¯t need Emelia¡¯s empathy to know the major felt the weight of responsibility. The major spoke in a hushed tone so they wouldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°I¡¯m out of my depth here. To be honest, I¡¯m struggling to adjust to everything about this new world. I was a logistics officer, not someone who ordered people into life-or-death situations,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to help,¡± Imri vowed. He explained how he had defeated the construct, the major nodding and hanging on his every word. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t know more,¡± he said apologetically when he finished. ¡°You have nothing to feel sorry for. If you hadn¡¯t figured that much out, the rest of us would be in even worse shape,¡± Major Harper said. Imri excused himself and headed towards Emelia to try to convince her to take it easy. He knew exactly how hard she had been pushing herself despite being pregnant. She was nearly collapsing, but she continued healing her patients. Imri reached her just in time as she swayed unsteadily on her feet. ¡°No one is in critical condition; I think you can take a break,¡± Imri pointed out as she leaned against him. ¡°Especially since you are pregnant,¡± he added in a hushed tone ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can keep going,¡± she said, even though she could barely stand. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to help them faster if you don¡¯t cast while you have over-channel,¡± Imri pointed out. She looked like she was about to keep arguing, but exhaustion combined with Imri¡¯s argument won over. Imri helped her move to a grassy area away from the hustle of the mundane healers and the workers who efficiently harvested the fallen enemies. Caroline approached as they were recovering, holding a few pieces of the Sentinel. The first piece was one of the shards, indistinguishable from any of the others. However, the other two pieces were larger hemispheres, combining to form a spherical shell about the size of a basketball. Imri guessed this had been a protective layer around the core, his last Dimensional Tear having cleaved it in half. If his theory was correct, he wasn¡¯t sure how it was still intact after being at the epicenter of the mana-induced explosion. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying the composition of this metal. So far, no luck, besides figuring out that this is some sci-fantasy bullshit that makes our modern alloys look crude,¡± she said as she held out the core housing. ¡°If you couldn¡¯t figure out anything, I doubt I could,¡± Imri said with a shrug, though he took the offered items and started studying them. ¡°Look at it closely. There are some tiny markings engraved on it. I think they¡¯re runes, but you would know them better than anyone else,¡± Caroline explained. Imri nodded and shifted his vision, using the new feature of his Omniscient Eyes to see the mana residue from the previously active enchantments. He could suddenly see scores of tiny runes, all intricately etched over every millimeter of the core housing. While he had strongly suspected the Sentinals were powered on mana using enchantments, he hadn¡¯t expected this level of mastery. There were likely hundreds of thousands of runes contained within the relatively small surface area. Imri had been proud of getting comparatively few runes on a ring, but the Sentinel made that look like an infant playing with crayons for the first time. This was closer to modern computing levels of detail when he considered all that he could accomplish with a relatively small number of runes. ¡°Those are definitely runes,¡± Imri said. ¡°Do you know what they do?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°It would take me months to figure out even a fraction of this,¡± Imri said. Imri added studying the Sentinel core housing to his ever-growing to-do list. While he doubted the world would be kind enough to afford him several quiet months to study it, he could at least make intermittent progress. Hopefully, he could make some headway on it before more Sentinels arrived. Chapter 71: Towers and Temples Imri trudged back into Celestia, the journey far more strenuous than normal, with his over-channeling causing fatigue. This was further exacerbated by the fact that he was using a large portion of his MP regeneration to heal his physical injuries, making the debilitating debuff last longer. It had been a while since all three of his resources had been drained simultaneously, and it wasn¡¯t a pleasant sensation. Still, he was far from the worst off. The next morning, he awoke feeling a bit sore and groggy, but no worse than that. Emelia was still sleeping, having exerted herself as much as he had. He moved slowly, using every stat point to be as subtle as possible so she wasn¡¯t disturbed. He entered the town hall, assuming there were ongoing meetings to discuss the situation. The sounds of argument confirmed his hypothesis. He quietly entered the large conference room that now served as the town meeting hall. Almost a dozen people were in the room, most representing the leadership of various working groups, the council, and Russ. They all looked slightly bedraggled, suggesting this had gone on all night. This was especially true for Russ and Major Harper, who both came from the battle. ¡°We defeated one of them, gaining levels and materials. We also learned of their weakness; surely it can¡¯t be that bad?¡± Emery asked. ¡°Maybe Imri can handle them, but the rest of us were almost entirely useless. The men watching the cave entrance have strict orders to report and retreat. Anything else would be suicidal,¡± Major Harper explained. All the eyes in the room shifted toward Imri. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t actually mind facing another one of those things,¡± Imri admitted as he thought about the levels and achievements he could gain from such a feat. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t think I would want to fight them in the narrow passages within the caves. While I don¡¯t mind being the plan, it does make me a bit nervous that I¡¯m the only one who can deal with these things,¡± he added. ¡°Could you construct more of those Dimensional Sabers? They at least seemed somewhat effective,¡± the major suggested. Imri considered the suggestion and then nodded. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. The problem has always been the incredible amount of mana they go through. Our mana infrastructure is coming along, but I¡¯ll need to enchant more Mana Absorption Panels to compensate for the increased demand,¡± Imri said. He internally sighed at the tedious work ahead of him. At least his Runic Engineer quest was coming along quite nicely, being just over 10% complete but increasing rapidly with the most recent panels he had added. ¡°Whatever you need,¡± Laura said. ¡°Can we revisit my earlier proposal?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°For context, with the continual influx of refugees, we¡¯re nearing the next rank up for the settlement. We¡¯re still short on both objectives, but we should meet both requirements within a week or two,¡± Steve explained. ¡°That¡¯s why it would be foolish to divert so many resources to Christoph¡¯s proposed project,¡± Laura objected. ¡°What project?¡± Imri asked. ¡°A temple of unrivaled majesty, a beacon of hope in these troubling times,¡± Christoph said in an almost theatric tone. ¡°Why is this so important to you?¡± Imri asked, ignoring the merchant¡¯s antics. ¡°Faith-based classes gain bonus experience from worship. The greater the physical manifestation of their devotion, the faster the XP gains,¡± Christoph admitted. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too pragmatic? Faith should be more sacred, not something for XP,¡± Laura said. ¡°My goddess is a bit more pragmatic than the pre-integration gods,¡± Christoph said with a shrug. A few people in the room blanched at having their religious beliefs categorized by its founding era. Several looked a bit more offended, visibly angry at the merchant. ¡°But to have such excess when most people sleep out of tents? That doesn¡¯t seem right to me,¡± Laura argued. ¡°Would you feel the same way if this was a temple towards your god?¡± Christoph asked. Laura fumed, looking like she would physically attack the merchant. Imri held up his hands, stopping the bickering before it became contentious. ¡°I¡¯m not going to start mandating what people have to work on; that is too close to something unconscionable. I¡¯m also not going to say who gets the first place of worship or anything like that. We¡¯re still a free market and a religious freedom state, so long as no one is worshiping Ulzo or a similarly dark god. However, there won¡¯t be tax benefits for being a religious institution, not with tangible XP benefits as a primary motivator.¡± No one looked particularly happy with that outcome, which was a sign that it was a good compromise. ¡°We are approaching three months, and the system sale bonus won¡¯t last much longer. I suggest we offer some incentives to encourage people not to hoard their resources,¡± Christoph suggested, changing the topic. ¡°You are more than welcome to reduce your profit margins to encourage sales,¡± Laura said. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°I was thinking more along the lines of a tax benefit,¡± Christoph said, getting irritated looks from the city councilors. ¡°How about we do both?¡± Imri asked, unsure how he had been thrust into the mediator role. ¡°We should agree to a percentage, and both parties reduce their percentage by the same amount.¡± There were some grumblings and some back-and-forth arguments before both sides decided on a 10% reduction for the remainder of the system event. This was significant with the vast amounts of wealth they had just accumulated from defeating the Troglodytes and the Sentinel. ¡°The next item on the agenda is the return of one of the explorers, the one who was tasked with reaching Celeste¡¯s Rest. He returned yesterday after successfully reaching the summit and placing Imri¡¯s item. He gained quite a few levels from accomplishing this feat. However, it''s not all good news. He reported seeing quite a few of the evolved Drakes as he ascended and several larger varieties that he is calling Dragons,¡± Steve intoned. ¡°Dragons? Isn¡¯t that a bit dramatic?¡± Emery asked. ¡°According to his description, it is the most apt word. He didn''t see any of them up close, but he believes they are several times larger than the Drakes we have dealt with so far," Steve said. There were murmurs at that. The idea that the stupid flying crocodile creature could evolve into something majestic and powerful was intriguing. It also made Imri wonder what people could become as they evolved; would their transformations be just as dramatic? If so, what would a tier 3 person become? ¡°How is the radio project progressing?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I¡¯ve completed the radio and a small proof of concept steam engine. All that¡¯s needed is a way to convert mana into heat to power the boiler,¡± Imogen said. ¡°Perfect. Major, your radio tower should be up and running by the end of the day,¡± Imri said with a wide grin. ¡°How? We haven¡¯t even started the tower,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°I anchored the Spatial Beacon far above the object that was carried to the summit, about a radio tower¡¯s height,¡± Imri hinted. ¡°Would you still need the equipment to be there?¡± the major asked, still confused. Imogen was smiling, having caught on to Imri¡¯s trick. ¡°The whole point of the radio tower being so high is to prevent the radio waves from being obstructed. However, if there was a portal leading to the same position, it¡¯s functionally the same thing as if the transmitter were at that point,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Very good,¡± the major said after people had a moment to digest the information. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I would like to complete this project before another Sentinel shows up,¡± Imri said, moving to leave despite being the newest arrival. A moment later, Imogen and Major Harper were following behind him. Imogen led them to the setup she had built. It was built close to the lake with a pump to pull water into the boiler. Imri tasked Toby with constructing the leylines while he began work on the enchantment. After having completed a water heater, there was little he needed to adjust in his design apart from scaling up the heat rune. His work was done in less time than it took for Imogen to run through some final checks. It was an inefficient chain, mainly due to how scaled down their components were, but they now had electricity. Imogen ran a few more tests before nodding and connecting the radio to the power source. ¡°Let me know when you are ready, Major Harper. I won¡¯t be able to keep the portal open for too long for this initial test.¡± The major nodded and began adjusting the channel to a specific frequency. Imri could see him mentally rehearsing what he was going to say. After a few moments, he nodded. Imri began to open a portal. Unlike every other portal he had opened, this one curved around, enveloping the transmitter as completely as he could without destroying it. The distance to the summit was fairly significant, and even with his Spatial Beacon, his mana dropped precipitously. Fortunately, the drain subsided to a steady trickle once the portal was opened, as the actual surface area was far smaller than anything needed for people to traverse it. ¡°This is Major Owen Harper of the United States Army sending out an emergency transmission,¡± he said, followed by a string of numbers and letters to authenticate his identity. ¡°I¡¯m with a group of several hundred survivors in a mountain village about two hundred klicks south of Minneapolis.¡± ¡°Ten-four, Major Harper. This is Specialist Mills of the United States Army stationed in New Chicago,¡± a man said on the radio, giving his authentication code, which the major fastidiously recorded. The connection was a bit spotty, with much of the communication coming through with frequent crackles. ¡°Please wait while I contact my commanding officer.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be able to keep the connection that long,¡± Imri said. While he had regained his mana fully, the over-channel debuff had only recently lapsed. If he pushed himself hard for a second day in a row, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to help if the Sentinels had decided to show up. ¡°Negative, Specialist Mills. I can only keep this communication open for a minute due to the mage¡¯s mana levels. We will try to be on this channel at the same time tomorrow,¡± Major Harper explained. ¡°Ten-four,¡± the specialist said. With the remaining time the major had at his disposal, he quickly explained the threat the Chixel and the Azala posed. He hadn¡¯t gotten far when Imri was forced to release the spell as the over-channel debuff started up again. ¡°I had to drop the spell,¡± Imri stated. The major just nodded stoically and continued trying to reestablish communications despite everyone knowing it was futile. Despite this, the major continued attempting to contact New Chicago for several minutes. ¡°New Chicago, do you think they¡¯re like us, survivors from Chicago that have banded together and built a new settlement?¡± Major Harper mused as they walked back to the town hall to let everyone know they had contacted another settlement. ¡°Maybe,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°It might be a good idea to search in the general direction Chicago would be in, which is almost straight east from here. This assumes the cities are in a relatively similar location to where they were before the integration, which was the case with Kansas City. They are just more dispersed, with different geographical features added in.¡± The news of another settlement was met with enthusiasm. There was also much speculation about how New Chicago compared with Celestia. Imri felt a pang of guilt for only being able to keep the portal open for the brief window he had. His mind began racing as he thought of a more permanent solution to the communications issue. Chapter 72: The First Node Imri returned to his workshop after he had finished his walking meditation to recover his mana. He began conceptualizing a new enchantment that had been forming in his mind. He continued working all through the night, not needing any sleep thanks to the effects of his Transcendant Meditation. The idea clicked into place after several hours of thought. He took out his sketch pad and began writing the combinations of runes he needed to make this work. Unfortunately, the idea would require a lot of details, as he needed to work through a couple of new concepts. Imri began working through the basis for the enchantment, the Dimensional Portal rune. He intuitively knew how to create the rune, but it had more complex parameters than any rune he had created. The first was the shape of the portal opening, expressed as a function. This wasn¡¯t too difficult, as most runes had to either specify a target or an area. He also needed to define where the two ends of the portals would be. The opening nearest the enchantment was also easy enough, as he could specify a set distance from a frame of reference. This was similar to how the Dimensional Tear defined its frame of reference to the saber hilt. The most challenging parameter was the other opening, which needed to be defined precisely. His first thought was to create some sort of enchantment that would be placed near the portal exit and send the coordinates to the first. He quickly dismissed the idea, as it was unlikely that the method would work over large distances, and he wanted his solution to be scalable. The answer was simple: he needed to use his Spatial Beacons. He had created a rune that queried all his Spatial Beacons, returning an array of parameters that could be parsed. So far, he had only used the beacon within Celestia and only needed to use the direction parameter. Now, he needed to use both the direction and distance parameters from all the Spatial Beacons to get exact locations. Once he had solved that problem, the rest of the enchantment was easy enough to finish, as it was just a matter of using functions he had used many times before. Some runes calculated mana expenditure and determined how long the portal would be open; this was then returned to a display. He also added a safety shutoff, not wanting the portal to shrink in dimensions when it was running out of mana. He continued working well into the morning, completing his sketches and beginning work on the actual components. He also couldn¡¯t wait any longer than necessary, waking Toby and Zuri a bit earlier than was probably polite. Their drowsiness was quickly wiped away when he explained his idea. As with most enchantments, the hardest part had been the design. By this point, there were very few runes that Imri struggled to inscribe. He finished his work while his two assistants were still completing their portion. He took a brief break to wash and have breakfast with Emelia. When he returned less than an hour later, Toby was putting the final finishing touches on the leylines. Emelia had also come with, sensing Imri¡¯s excitement, even if he had mostly restrained himself from talking about it during breakfast. Imri approached the improvised touchscreen as the final connections were made, and the device lit up. All the current Spatial Beacons were displayed in a list for him to select. Some of them would need to be removed from the list, as he hadn¡¯t intended them to be portal destinations. He also needed to set more user-friendly names, as they displayed distance and direction. He selected the desired destination, the only beacon at a higher altitude, and then confirmed that he wanted to turn the device on. A Dimensional Portal was immediately opened. Where once there had been a solid wall, now there was a doorway-sized opening leading to Mount Celestia''s frigid peaks. Due to the pressure difference, with the air so thin at such a high elevation, they were all nearly sucked through as the air pressure attempted to equalize. Fortunately, the force wasn¡¯t too much to handle, especially for Imri, who now had the strength of a professional athlete before the system. He quickly shut the portal down, averting the disaster of one of them being stranded on the other side of the portal. It also would have been quite the fall, as that particular beacon was almost a hundred meters above the ground. Perhaps that hadn¡¯t been the best location to test with. Almost as alarming was the enormous amount of mana that had been consumed. Even with the portal only open for a few seconds, it had consumed almost 500 mana. A month ago, wasting that much mana would have been unforgivable. It still consumed slightly more than the panels could output in two hours. Imri sighed as he considered how many more mana panels he would need to enchant to keep up with the expanding mana demand. Despite the obvious flaws, the other three observers stared wide-eyed at where the portal had been. ¡°Was that what I think it was?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°It actually worked,¡± Toby said in amazement. ¡°Not that I ever had any doubts,¡± he added quickly. ¡°That was incredible,¡± Zuri said. ¡°I still have a few issues to work through. I must improve the administrative functions to define which beacons can be used. I also think I should install some sort of doorway or arch where the portal will open. That way, people will know where it''s going to be. We¡¯ll also eventually want the enchantment on both sides, so it isn¡¯t a one-way trip. It will also need to be a pressurized chamber so we won¡¯t have the same issues with the elevation,¡± Imri listed off. ¡°I can work with the builders on an arch. They have some exotic stones that should suit the mystical portal vibe. Maybe we could paint on some runes for aesthetic purposes,¡± Zuri said excitedly. ¡°I was just thinking a simple doorway or something like that,¡± Imri said. All three of them gave him the ¡®you¡¯re being an idiot¡¯ look, and he ceded to their superior artistic sense. With Zuri leaving to work on the arch, Imri began to rectify the issues he had found. Instead of manually adding the runes he wanted, he created runes for a separate administrator interface. This program would allow the user to manually change the name to something more user-friendly. It would also allow them to edit whether that particular beacon could be used to open a portal. He defaulted the value to false, making it so newly formed beacons wouldn¡¯t be available to use until someone added them to an acceptable list. Imri thought his iteration had only taken a few minutes, but he quickly revised his estimate when he saw Zuri returning with several builders. ¡°Not here, build the arch in the marked-off area near the nexus,¡± Imri explained. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. That was the area where his Spatial Beacon in Celestia had been anchored. He wanted every portal to be built on a beacon so gates could be constructed on either side. While that wasn¡¯t strictly necessary at this point, with people able to radio Celestia and have them open the portal, he wanted his network to be scalable. Imri followed after the grumbling workers and the excitable Zuri as they made their way to the seemingly vacant area directly across from the town hall. Soon, porters arrived with lighter-colored bricks that closely resembled limestone, though it was a unique rock that hadn¡¯t existed before the system. While Imri was more than willing to cede the artistic elements of the small monument, that didn¡¯t extend to the functional portions. He needed the size of the opening to be precise, needing it to be the size of a doorway that people could easily walk through, but no larger. This would already be a massive drain on mana, and he wouldn¡¯t have extra space just to make it appear more grand. Fortunately, the builders were professional, simply nodding at the precise measurements and list of technical demands. The first layer of the arch was closer to something Imri had in mind, as a doorway shape was constructed smoothly and efficiently. In addition to the normal masonry methods, earth mages fused the elements of the small structure, effectively making it one singular piece with no weak point. Imri also noticed with his mana vision that the stones had been enhanced significantly, meaning the unassuming doorway could probably withstand Zhaire with a gravity sledgehammer. While Toby added leylines to the doorway, Zuri and the builders added a second layer for aesthetic purposes. It was constructed from the same limestone-like bricks, but these were less uniform, having purposefully been chipped and cut in non-uniform shapes, giving it a somewhat aged appearance. Zuri also chiseled in some fake runes that were stylized across the surface. She then painted it a shade of blue that seemed to glow like mana. Again, the earth mages used their spells to fuse the stone into a solid piece. While this second layer was less structurally sound, it surpassed most pre-system structures. Imri surveyed the finished product. He had to admit that Zuri definitely had a better eye for aesthetics than he did. It would have been incongruous for something so majestic to appear as a door to nowhere. Imri smiled as Toby finished creating the leylines from the arch to the console-like sheet of Zopralt that contained the main enchantment. He would eventually have Toby extend the leylines to the central repository, adding the portal to the main mana grid. However, Imri didn¡¯t have the patience to finish that work. He wanted to test out his invention immediately. He temporarily connected the tablet-like device to the now-recharged Espeonite crystal that he had used earlier. By this point, a sizable crowd had gathered to see what was happening, and hushed speculation about the strange arch whispered throughout the crowd. There were murmurs of disappointment as nothing noticeable happened while Imri went through the crude administrator UI. Imri added only two beacons to the selectable list: the healing spring and the cave system entrance. With them added and named Imri nodded, he was ready to commence the final test. ¡°Anyone need to go to the healing springs or the cave system?¡± Imri asked the gathered crowd. ¡°We have a rotation of soldiers going to and from the caves,¡± Major Harper suggested. ¡°That works. Radio the squad they¡¯re relieving and have them ready to move through when the portal opens. Have them away from the marked area on the side further from the cave,¡± Imri said. Several minutes later, the soldiers had gathered around the strange arch. Imri explained what was about to happen, ruining the surprise for the crowd, though many had already guessed its purpose. Imri tapped the button on the UI, and the portal opened. This time, there was no dramatic change in pressure or awe-inspiring view. The only noticeable change was that people could now see the cave system instead of seeing the town hall through the arch. Imri watched as the mana in the crystal dropped precipitously. Even with the caves being much closer than his previous test, the portal could only stay open for less than a minute. Fortunately, the soldiers moved with alacrity, crossing the threshold within seconds. At the same time, the soldiers on the other end went through the opposite side, emerging on the side closer to the town hall. Within several seconds, everyone had gone through. ¡°Stand clear of the closing portal,¡± Imri shouted with as much severity as he could muster. ¡°All clear,¡± the major shouted as he inspected the end Imri couldn¡¯t see. Imri would need to add safety features as he shuddered at the thought of someone mid-transit when the portal was deactivated. If that happened, they would die, their body separated into two pieces as if a Dimensional Tear had sliced them apart. Imri deactivated the portal, instantly deactivating the immense mana drain. There was a chorus of cheering as everyone realized the implications of what had been done. Imri ignored them as he finished the enchantment with his highest-level core. The moment that was done, a flurry of notifications entered his mind.
Achievement Upgraded
Master Crafting 4 (+1): +.4% to all primary stats (+.1%)
New Achievement
Wonderous Crafter 1: Awarded for creating an item that is considered a wonder. +.15% to all primary stats/rank.
Imri Padar has reached level 23 (+3) in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 136 (+1)
Constitution 124 (+1)
Intelligence 226 (+3)
Willpower 182 (+3)
Secondary Stats
HP 197 (+3)
FP 146 (+2)
MP 656 (+27)
Mana Efficiency 601 (+15)
Crafting Efficiency 680 (+27)
Traits Ranked Up
Relativity Runic Enchantment F to E: Understand how to create runes of all known relativity spells. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments based on relativity increased by 2.56% (+.06%).
Runic Crafting E to D
Trait Tier Upgrade
Runic Crafting (1D) Improved to Runic Creation (2F)
Runic Creation (2F): Gives an understanding of how runes work and how to create them. Improves the rate at which new runes are learned by 5.5% (+.25%). Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 2.5% (+.93%)
Imri smiled at the substantial improvements. It felt reassuring that the system agreed that this was a monumental achievement. It was mildly annoying to have made those gains after completing his most important enchantment to date, and he had to resist the urge to start redoing the enchantment. This was just the first node. Imri had a grand vision of an interconnected network of portals that would reconnect humanity, or at least what was left of it. Chapter 73: Fuel for Growth Zhaire stood unsteadily on his feet, leaning heavily on his glaive. Knights stopped mid-attack, staring in confusion as the Ogrog prostrated themselves in the blood-soaked muddy ground. When it was clear the fighting wouldn¡¯t break out again, Zhaire checked the vast amounts of notifications that lingered in the back of his mind.
Profession Rank Up
Beast Tamer from F to E
New Trait
Tough (1F): You have survived numerous injuries and shrugged them off. Increases HP by 1%.
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 25 (+3) in Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 25 (+3) in Human (1E)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 12 (+9) in Beast Tamer (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 171 (+5)
Agility 141 (+2)
Constitution 154 (+4)
Intelligence 94 (+1)
Willpower 128 (+4)
Charisma 106 (+3)
Secondary Stats
HP 350 (+45)
FP 261 (+25)
MP 126 (+7)
Attack Efficiency 335 (+26)
Skill Rank Up
Heavy Blow E to D
Skill Tier Up
Heavy Blow 1D has become Unstoppable Blow 2F
Heavy Blow 1D: Exert stamina to strike with extra power. Increase damage by 2.62%/FP max 2 FP.
Unstoppable Blow 2F: Exert stamina to strike with unstoppable force. Increase damage by 4%/FP max 3 FP.
Trait Rank Up
Combat Exhilaration F to D
Trait Tier Up
Combat Exhilaration 1D has become The Thrill of Battle 2F
Combat Exhilaration 1D: While others find the prospect of fighting daunting, you are exhilarated by it, allowing you to keep fighting longer. Improves all resource regeneration by 5.25% while in active combat.
The Thrill of Battle 2F: You long for the release of battle, letting it invigorate you and keep you moving forward. Improves all resource regeneration by 6% while in active combat. At the start of the fight, regain 2.5% of max resources instantly, but only if enemies are near or above your level. This effect only triggers once with an 18-hour cooldown.
New Skill
Shared Senses (1F): Through your bond with your beast companion, you can go into their perspective and sense the world through their senses. Consume MP/seconding depending on the distance from you to your companion.
There was a tense moment as the Ogrog rose to their feet. Fortunately, they seemed disinterested in continuing the battle. Instead, they simply stared at Zhaire as if waiting for him to do something. The remaining knights made their way towards Zhaire, each of them favoring one leg or another as they limped over. Numerous injuries adorned their bodies, from superficial scrapes to deep gashes that were quickly bandaged. Unfortunately, it appeared their numbers continued to dwindle with only seven knights. Clay and Maddison were missing from among their numbers, and judging by the other knights'' grim expressions, Zhaire knew they were among the dead. Zhaire supposed they should feel fortunate that only two had fallen; by all rights, they should all have perished. Despite that, all he felt was a blinding fury, a hatred for the creatures who had taken more from him. He took several deep breaths, attempting to regain his composure. His tenuous serenity was shattered as the Ogrog began eating the fallen. A pair of Ogrog snarled at each other, posturing over which of them would get the remains. Zhaire stormed over to them, his rage no longer contained. Zhaire activated Frenzy and lashed out, his glaive moving with blinding speed despite his protesting muscles. It cleaved through the unfortunate Ogrog, who had the misfortune of being closest to Zhaire, its head separated from the rest of its body. The second Ogrog looked confused as Zhaire swung his blade around and brought it down with finality. He used his newly upgraded Unstoppable Blow to bisect the creature from shoulder to hip. The other nearby Ogrog let out a whimpering sound, but instead of attacking, they were once again prostrating themselves on the ground. Zhaire had to restrain himself from continuing the assault on all the nearby monsters. He wanted to continue cutting through them, exacting a heavy toll for each person they had killed. With his Frenzy dropping and his anger somewhat vented, he again got his emotions under control. The Ogrogs continued to show no signs of attacking, even during his rampage they had only shown their subservience rather than striking back. It wasn¡¯t just the Ogrog who stared at him with fear. A large group of survivors had gathered nearby, standing frozen in place as Zhaire surveyed their group. None met his eyes except the Asian woman Zhaire assumed was in charge. Zhaire ignored her and turned to Antonio. ¡°Can you read those beasts¡¯ minds?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Kind of. I can¡¯t figure out exactly what they¡¯re thinking, but I can get general ideas through images. It¡¯s closest to a dream, but a little more coherent, a lucid dream would be the closest analogy,¡± Antonio explained. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, you already over-channeled,¡± Veronica reminded her brother. ¡°Any of the Ogrog in particular you want me to go through?¡± Antonio asked Zhaire, ignoring his twin''s comment. Zhaire surveyed the cowering Ogrog and pointed out one with an average temperament. Zhaire watched as Antonio¡¯s hand went to his temples, and he closed his eyes. While Imri had told him these sorts of things weren¡¯t strictly necessary for spell-casting, having a physical follow-through made the spell more manageable. Antonio had decided to rely on the image of the most well-known telepath who put his hand to his head when using his powers. The eye-closing was probably so he could focus on only one visual image. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After a few seconds, the teenager opened his eyes and stumbled a bit before his sister helped him regain his balance. Despite the assistance, the telepath looked completely spent. ¡°They think of you as their leader, their alpha,¡± Antonio explained. ¡°So, they¡¯ll follow me?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°They respect strength and always follow the strongest. Who the strongest is can change, and I suspect you¡¯ll eventually have challengers to be the alpha title,¡± Antonio said. ¡°Good, I wouldn¡¯t mind another excuse to cut a few of them down,¡± Zhaire said, hoping it wouldn¡¯t be any time soon. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure none of them come after you,¡± Brad said. Despite the bravado, he didn¡¯t appear to be in much better shape. With the tenuous peace, Zhaire began removing the now useless scraps of armor that still clung to his body, leaving him with only a layer of bloody and torn cloth. Being past the point of caring about modesty, he also removed those. He soaked a washcloth and scrubbed at the worst portions of blood and grime that covered his body. He had to stop several times as it quickly became saturated. When that was done, he dressed himself in a somewhat clean outfit. As he turned around, he noticed the camp leader pointedly looking away from him, though she hadn¡¯t completely turned around. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry for what I did,¡± Zhaire said harshly. ¡°It¡¯s better to die as people than live like cattle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said in a barely audible voice. ¡°Though in my defense, I had no idea each of you was so monstrously strong. It was impressive.¡± ¡°Not strong enough, and two more of my knights paid because of it,¡± he said, a tendril of anger threatening to take hold of him again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss,¡± she said, still not meeting his gaze. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back before this?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°We did, but you can lose only so many times before spirit breaks. This was the first time there was a decisive victory over them. People are talking like this is some kind of miracle,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not, it¡¯s just hard work and lots of fighting,¡± Zhaire said simply. ¡°I¡¯m Christina, by the way,¡± she said awkwardly, holding out a slender hand. ¡°Zhaire,¡± he said, grasping her hand. ¡°So, what will you do now?¡± Christina asked. ¡°We¡¯ll head south and take care of the rest of these dogs. Hopefully, more groups like yours can be saved,¡± he said. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, the disappointment obvious in her tone. ¡°There is a sanctuary to the north. A settlement with strong people, one of them is even stronger than me,¡± Zhaire said, noticing how wide her eyes went when he mentioned someone stronger. Saying that felt wrong, but there wasn¡¯t any way in which Imri could be construed as weak. He used that feeling to spur him onward, to keep getting stronger until Imri was the one who would have to admit he was the strongest. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone will be relieved,¡± Christina said. ¡°Not you?¡± Zhaire guessed. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t feel right, rushing to safety when others out there could use my help,¡± she said. ¡°No offense, but unless you¡¯re a mage, you¡¯ll just get in the way,¡± Zhaire said, looking her up and down. She was tall for a woman, but her slender frame made her look frail. ¡°I am, sort of. I was a struggling singer before the system, and then I got a Bard class that allowed me to imbue my songs with various magical effects. It¡¯s subtle but affects every ally who can hear me,¡± she explained. ¡°You were the one singing that song during the battle?¡± Zhaire asked, and she nodded. ¡°We will certainly take everyone who volunteers to help; it¡¯s not like the seven of us can win the war alone.¡± The rest of the day was spent burying the dead. Despite the camp''s late arrival to the fight, they still had far more casualties than the knights. There was a large service for all those who had fallen. The knights held their own service, honoring Clay and Maddison. Zhaire felt a pang of guilt as he realized he didn¡¯t know much about either of them. It pained him that he learned more about them in death than in life. How Maddison was a mother striving to get stronger in hopes of finding her children. How Clay had been so passionate about helping people, having spent much of his too-short life volunteering to help the less fortunate. ¡°They were better people than I ever was and deserved better. All we can do now is keep moving forward and keep fighting so their sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain,¡± Zhaire said when it was his turn to speak. With the funeral services over, a general unease settled over everyone. No one felt truly safe while the Ogrog milled about so close to the camp. Despite being the alpha, Zhaire had no idea how to get them to move further away. While they gave him some space, they generally followed him around like a massive shadow. Zhaire purposefully distanced himself from the camp, the remaining Ogrog moving with him as if wordlessly commanded. He had told the knights to take the night to relax and celebrate the victory with the camp survivors, many of whom were eager to spend the night with their saviors. Despite this, they unanimously agreed that they wouldn¡¯t leave Zhaire alone. It seemed foolish to Zhaire, if the Ogrog decided he was no longer the alpha they would all be dead. The sounds of the party drifted out across the plains, Christina¡¯s lovely voice piercing through the general din of the crowd. He could see some wistful gazes from the knights as they heard what they were missing out on. Despite Zhaire urging them this wasn¡¯t necessary, none returned. Instead, they camped on the plains, surrounded by the dog-like ogres. The first challenger for the title of alpha came that night. The Ogrog was tall and strong, even by Ogrog standards, though not nearly as much as the previous alpha. The other knights interposed themselves between Zhaire and the challenger, despite many of them still nearly exhausted to the point they could barely stand, let alone fight. ¡°Let it through,¡± Zhaire said as he got to his feet and grabbed his weapons. There was a chorus of protests, but Zhaire just repeated his words, this time making it clear it was an order. His challenger lunged forward, claws extended, in an attempt to rend Zhaire¡¯s flesh. Zhaire just smiled, easily dodging the seemingly slow and clumsy attack. After that, Zhaire knew he was faster. He could dance around the creature and slowly dismantle it with precise and calculated strikes. Instead, Zhaire dropped his glaive and charged the larger creature head-on. He slammed into it with enough force that he was able to lift the creature several inches off the ground before slamming it down. All of Zhaire¡¯s weight landed on top of the surprised Ogrog with enough force to knock the wind out of its lungs. Before it could recover, Zhaire drew his dagger and raked it across the Ogrog¡¯s throat. Blood poured like a damaged fire hydrant, the brief panic in the creature¡¯s eyes shifting to lifelessness in a moment. Zhaire stood and glared at the other Ogrog, inviting another challenger. It wasn¡¯t just bravado, as each opponent made him stronger. This particular opponent had been his fuel to reach level 26. Unfortunately, none of them accepted his challenge, and Zhaire returned to his tent, still covered in blood. Chapter 74: The Weak and the Strong Zhaire waited impatiently over the next couple of days for everyone to recover their strength. Una was the only knight who was consistently busy, with her healing spells in high demand. She had felt guilty about expending her entire mana pool on offensive spells during the battle, and Zhaire had to reassure her that it had been the right call; if she hadn¡¯t used her attack spells, they might have been overrun, and it was better to prevent the need for healing than holding everything in reserve. Zhaire had hoped there would be more Ogrog challenging him for the title of Alpha, but his previous display of dominance had discouraged any from attempting to fight him. Antonio had confirmed this by delving into the minds of several of the stronger Ogrog after his mana had recovered. The wait might have been even longer if not for Christina. Each night, she would spend an hour performing. The songs were emotional and soothing, far slower than what she had sung during the battle. The song projected to where the knights were camped despite the soft and tender notes that almost seemed to whisper into their ears. She did all this with only her natural abilities. Zhaire would have been in awe of that alone, but the fact that it temporarily increased their resource regeneration was even better. They began packing up the camp on the fourth morning, preparing to ride south. Eric rode ahead of the main contingent, scouting for potential dangers. Most of the knights, except for Una, were in tip-top shape, ready for another confrontation. A group from the camp strode out and integrated themselves. There were less than thirty people in total, most far too low level to make a difference if the fighting got bad enough that they would be needed. On top of their poor level, their equipment was equally dreadful, most using crude improvised weapons that would be better suited for cooking. While Zhaire was somewhat disappointed in the turnout, he hadn¡¯t expected anything else. Christina had been right; most of their spirits had broken from the repeated defeats. Zhaire doubted any would have volunteered if they hadn¡¯t witnessed the victory firsthand. He also had no interest in taking all their strength; they still needed to survive the journey to Celestia without his help. It took some time for the group to get reorganized. Supplies were shifted around so the Starseekers were loaded with communal supplies. They would all be marching for the remainder of the trek, except for several Starseekers loaded with fewer supplies so scouts could be sent ahead. Fortunately, they still had nine of the ten Starseekers, though not all were bonded anymore, their riders having perished at a higher rate. Of the Ogrog, there were now fewer than a hundred. Zhaire hadn¡¯t been the only one challenged, as they fought amongst themselves to establish a new hierarchy. Several more had simply left, presumably defecting to another pack. He had tasked Ray with picking off several of the defectors, hoping to make an example of them and prevent the number of defectors from spiraling out of control. Zhaire set what he considered to be a reasonable pace as they progressed southward. It quickly became apparent that the pace was strenuous for the lower-level humans. Zhaire had warned them they would be left behind if they couldn¡¯t keep up, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to be this slow. He slowed their marching pace even further, barely moving faster than an amble. ¡°Why are you doing this? Marching to fight against near-impossible odds,¡± Christina asked as they marched. Of the camp''s contingent, she was the only one who wasn¡¯t struggling with the pace. ¡°To save as many people as possible,¡± he said simply. ¡°That¡¯s bull shit. What¡¯s the real reason?¡± she challenged. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± he asked. ¡°The way you look at everyone. You look at low-level people like most people would at a bug,¡± Christina pointed out. Zhaire scowled at her, but he had to admit she was at least somewhat right. ¡°People who don¡¯t work hard annoy me,¡± he said after some consideration. ¡°And you think anyone low-level is lazy?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Zhaire said firmly. ¡°When the integration first happened, I was only given the performer profession. I was completely useless until I got my bard class, allowing my songs to have magical effects. If I hadn¡¯t gotten my class, I would still be one of those low-level people. Even with that, I only leveled fast because I could affect large groups of people. There are a million different reasons why someone might not be strong besides being lazy,¡± Christina argued. ¡°Do you know how people gain classes and professions?¡± Zhaire asked. When Christina shook her head, he continued, ¡°It¡¯s desire. Anyone wasting their time with a useless profession or class is doing so because they want to. You probably got your class because you wanted to be useful and contribute.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said simply, stunned by the revelation. Zhaire had to repress his rage again, the topic of conversation having gotten heated. He had been loud enough that several nearby people slowed their pace, distancing themselves from his ire. ¡°You wanted to know why I¡¯m doing this? Why I¡¯m fighting? It¡¯s so I can get stronger. To push myself to the limits and keep going,¡± Zhaire said. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°That¡¯s why you hate people who don¡¯t push themselves. If you¡¯re willing to push yourself to the point of breaking, then someone who isn¡¯t even willing to try is worthless,¡± she guessed. He wouldn¡¯t have said it that way, but everything she said was true. ¡°Were you trying to be a therapist after your failed music career?¡± he snapped at her. ¡°Sorry, I was just curious how you got to be so strong,¡± she apologized. The apology surprised Zhaire and dissipated some of his rage, allowing him to get it somewhat under control. Despite the woman reading his mood and deciding she had poked him enough, he was still angry when they made camp that night. Once again, he hoped an Ogrog would challenge him and give him something to vent against. They must have sensed his mood, as none even came near him. His dark mood continued into the next day, and he was worried it would continue to fester. He needed to release some of his frustrations on something. He wouldn¡¯t hit anyone, especially not a woman. He wouldn¡¯t be like his father; he had the emotional intelligence to handle this situation without physical violence or yelling. It would have been ideal if he could have just let it go, but the thought of doing that only made him more angry. Zhaire was working up the nerves to give Christina a piece of his mind when Eric rode up at full speed. For a moment, it seemed the massive Starseeker wouldn¡¯t be able to arrest its momentum, but the enhanced creature seemingly defied physics as it stopped just in front of Zhaire. ¡°Another Ogrog pack is headed this way. From what I could see, there are a couple hundred of them,¡± Eric reported succinctly. While this pack outnumbered their current numbers, Zhaire felt confident it was manageable. A wide grin spread across his face. This was exactly the kind of distraction he was looking for. ¡°Good,¡± Zhaire said as he twirled his glaive about. ¡°Let everyone know that a battle is imminent,¡± he said to Eric. The man saluted and rode off to inform the others. It didn¡¯t take long before their opponents came into view. With little in the way of cover across the desolate plains, there was no hiding. He could do little to avoid them, especially with the lower-level humans slowing down their average speed considerably. Without any commands, the two groups of Ogrog began charging at each other. The knights quickly formed up and ate into the ground. While the prudent tactic was to flank their opponents, Zhaire had other ideas. Instead, he had the knights push their Starseekers into the vanguard, meeting their opponents head-on. Zhaire was the tip of the spear, an unstoppable force that plowed into the mass of the oncoming charge. He hacked into the waves, his glaive moving instinctually, hitting vital areas unerringly. With each blow, another Ogrog fell, slain in the blink of an eye. Not to be outdone, the rest of the knights were nearly as efficient. Spells, arrows, and swords carved a path, slaughtering Ogrog in droves with seemingly little effort. Compared to their previous two battles, where every moment had felt tense, with any wrong move sending a knight to their death, this felt easy, almost routine, like a chore that needed to be done. This was the strength they were grasping for, the ability to wade into battle with little to fear. In contrast, the Ogrog were now terrified as the knights reaped through them. The terror made them hesitate, which only further accentuated the difference in their abilities. It also emboldened their allies, each of Zhaire¡¯s Ogrog fighting with the ferocity of several of their opponents. The battle, if it could be called that, was over in only a few minutes. It ended when the embattled Ogrog started turning on one of their own, presumably the previous alpha. Within moments, the mutiny was over, the previous leader having been ruthlessly torn apart. What remained of the corpse was thrown onto the ground near Zhaire, and the surviving Ogrog prostrated themselves. Zhaire was somewhat disappointed in the outcome. The fighting hadn¡¯t lasted long enough for him to work out his frustrations fully, but it had helped. Even with the losses from the battle, the size of his pack had nearly doubled. He had also personally gained a single level in both his class and profession. He nodded and moved to check on the rest of his unit. The knights had mostly come through unharmed, with only a few injuries that didn¡¯t even warrant a healing spell from Una. They were harvesting the cores from the fallen, moving with the efficiency of a practiced surgeon due to the number of times this exact task had been performed. They now had so many cores that an entire Starseeker¡¯s bag was filled, despite the cores being relatively small, with none larger than a baseball, excluding the singular tier 2 basketball-sized core from the snake. The humans from the camp stared at him in disbelief. They had been too slow to react and hadn¡¯t even engaged in the skirmish. Zhaire scoffed. At this rate, they would always be weak, always relying on others to carry them. He mentally commanded Betelgeuse towards them. ¡°This is what true strength can get you, but it can only be gained by fighting,¡± Zhaire shouted angrily to the mostly useless contingent of people who were staring at him with slack jaws. Some nodded while others averted their eyes in shame. ¡°How do we get that strong?¡± one of the bolder refugees asked. ¡°Struggle and push yourself. Fight against stronger opponents again and again. The weak will fall, but the strong will come through better for it,¡± Zhaire said. He glared at the singer as if daring her to dispute his claim. She stared back but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Is there nothing else we can do?¡± another asked. ¡°There is one thing that can help speed up the process: the cores of the fallen can be absorbed for experience. They are a precious resource, so they won¡¯t be freely given. If you want this resource, you must take a vow of service for the rest of this campaign. You will need to obey my commands and no longer be free to leave. However, a second core will be given to those who distinguish themselves. If you push yourselves, a position in the Knights of Earth Reclamation is possible,¡± Zhaire offered, holding up one of the average-level cores. There was a brief moment of hesitation, and then the floodgates broke. Each person came up and claimed a core, vowing to obey Zhaire¡¯s commands and serve. The lone exception was Christina, who scrutinized him with a piercing gaze. He dismissed everyone and approached the singer when they were alone. ¡°Here,¡± Zhaire said, handing her one of the larger Ogrog cores. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say your oaths,¡± Christina said. ¡°That was a cost for those who hadn¡¯t yet contributed. You earned at least this much for your contribution in the first battle,¡± he explained. She nodded and accepted the core without further comment, absorbing it a moment later. Chapter 75: A Show of Strength Zhaire continued the march, pushing closer and closer to the ruins of Kansas City. They had been making steady progress over the last week. Every day or two, there was another skirmish, with the resistance stamped out brutally. Each time, the number of Ogrogs following him increased. At this point, they could be considered large enough to be an army. In addition to the Ogrogs, their numbers swelled with human followers as they liberated more people from squalid camps. Most were sent on their way toward Celestia, but there were always a few that still had some spirit. Zhaire always repeated his offer, a core in exchange for obedience and service, with the possibility of future rewards for exemplary actions. His offer became more tempting as those who had already taken the oath grew stronger. While the human contingent had some casualties, Zhaire hadn¡¯t pressed them into the vanguard. However, the fighting had tempered them into a passable fighting force, though their equipment was still atrocious. A few of them had even fought well enough to earn the promised second core. Eric rode up, a scowl plastered across his face. ¡°We¡¯re nearing what¡¯s left of the city. From what I could see, the Ogrogs had taken up residence inside. There were easily tens of thousands of them, though many appeared younger. Many might be noncombatants, but it''s hard to tell with them,¡± he reported. ¡°Even you can¡¯t take on those odds, we would be outnumbered almost 10 to 1,¡± Christina said. ¡°I didn¡¯t march down here just to turn around,¡± Zhaire grumbled, though he had to agree those weren¡¯t winnable odds. ¡°There is one thing we could try,¡± Antonio said. ¡°I¡¯ve been delving into their minds as much as I can manage, and I¡¯m starting to understand them. They respect individual strength above all else, but any perceived weakness will be challenged.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how that helps us,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°They also think of humans as weak and insignificant. If you directly challenged the alpha, it would probably be forced to accept your challenge or lose control of its pack,¡± Antonio explained. ¡°Can you win? If it has this many Ogrog under its command, it''s bound to be stronger than any of the other alphas,¡± Christina pointed out. ¡°Good, I¡¯ve been getting bored and could use a good workout,¡± Zhaire said, stretching his arms dramatically. The knights grinned while Christina just rolled her eyes. ¡°If you lose, we¡¯re pretty much fucked,¡± Veronica pointed out. ¡°The losers pack would normally surrender, but¡­¡± Antonio started to explain before Zhaire cut him off. ¡°I won¡¯t lose.¡± Despite needing less sleep, Zhaire made sure to get a good night¡¯s rest. However, he didn¡¯t forgo his typical nighttime escapades with an enthusiastic brunette whose name he couldn¡¯t remember. The next morning, they began their final march before reaching the city. Despite Zhaire¡¯s confidence, he didn¡¯t take it lightly, gathering as many items as he could use. His main precaution was to take all of the Temporal Expansion rings, having them fully charged and adjusted to a slightly higher amplitude. He also had two potions that would provide temporary stat boosts, one for strength and one for agility. Finally, he absorbed some of the precious tier 2 core, pushing his level as high as possible. With satisfaction, he reviewed his progress over the last week of constant fighting.
Achievement Upgraded
Butcher 1 to 2
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 29 (+3) in Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 29 (+3) in Human (1E)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 16 (+3) in Beast Tamer (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 175 (+3)
Agility 144 (+2)
Constitution 158 (+3)
Willpower 130 (+2)
Charisma 107 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 385 (+27)
FP 283 (+13)
MP 130 (+3)
Attack Efficiency 359 (+18)
As they approached, the city came into view. It was obviously in disrepair, with many buildings in the process of being reclaimed by nature. There were also signs of the new occupants, with larger entryways covered with animal pelts and animal bones adorning the nearby walls. A massive force of Ogrog stood between them and the city. There were several thousand, easily outnumbering Zhaire¡¯s forces several times over, but not by as much as Eric had seen. It was likely the rest were noncombatants. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Zhaire signaled everyone to stop and then strode out alone. He removed any loose clothing, stripping down to just a pair of tight-fitting athletic shorts, his armor having been destroyed. ¡°Come get some,¡± Zhaire shouted, beckoning for a challenger to approach him. A lone Ogrog strode out, accepting his challenge. It towered over its brethren, standing at over four meters in height, almost a full meter taller than the first alpha he had faced. While the first alpha had been more toned than their more common brethren''s typically slightly pudgy build, this alpha was on an entirely different level. It was a mass of hardened muscle and fur, looking closer to the typical werewolves in movies. The massive alpha raised its head up and let out a deep sound that was a cross between a bellow and a howl. The noise reverberated with physical force, nearly toppling some of the lower-level people. The alpha loped forward, appearing to move casually but rapidly closing the distance between them with deceptive speed. Zhaire frowned as a quick Identify returned no information. This meant the creature had quite a few levels on him and potentially even had a tier advantage. Zhaire just smiled as he envisioned the achievements he would earn after defeating this beast. Zhaire quickly downed three potions, the potions that increased his strength and agility, and preemptively took a stamina potion. He slowly moved to meet the beast near the center between their two forces. As if by some unspoken agreement, they burst into motion simultaneously. Zhaire activated the first of his enchantments as the alpha blurred towards him. The powerful effect of the Temporal Expansion allowed him to keep up with the incredibly swift alpha; without it, he would never have been able to follow its movements. Zhaire strained his body, using every bit of his nearly 200 strength and almost equally high agility. Despite his inhuman combination of speed and power, he barely managed to sidestep the alpha''s opening blow. Its claws dug into the ground where Zhaire had been only a fraction of a second before. Dirt sprayed into the air as it dug into the ground with the efficiency of heavy machinery. Zhaire lashed out with a longsword that the fallen Ravi had previously wielded. He had anticipated fighting a monstrous Ogrog and selected a weapon with more power than his side sword but was still light enough to strike quickly. He used his Unstoppable Blow, channeling an extra 3 stamina into the attack skill, hoping it would be enough to dismember the creature''s exposed arm. The sword met flesh and carved inward, cutting a deep gash across the alpha¡¯s forearm. It was significant damage but was far from the decisive blow Zhaire had hoped for. The alpha withdrew its arm and looked at it. It seemed to be in shock, either that its strike hadn¡¯t ended Zhaire¡¯s life or that a small lower-level creature had injured it. A cheer went up from the human spectators, reveling in the achievement of having drawn first blood. It was quickly overwhelmed by the sound of alpha¡¯s bellowing fury. It launched into a flurry of rapid attacks, each one possessing more than enough force to grind Zhaire into a bloody paste. Fortunately, it emphasized power and force with each strike rather than control and efficiency. It was ultimately wasteful to try to land such a decisive strike, as even a small graze from such a monstrous creature would have likely doomed Zhaire. Zhaire saw his fighting style mirrored in the massive alpha, using its overwhelming power and anger to crush physically inferior opponents. In this case, Zhaire was forced to adapt, adopting an entirely different style. He was smaller and weaker than his opponent, but he was faster with the potions and enchantments. It reminded him of when he had sparred with Teresa. She had always given him trouble with her greater speed and agility, preventing him from using his overwhelming physical abilities to end the fight quickly. Zhaire easily dodged the alpha¡¯s attacks, patiently waiting for an opening to present itself. With each dodge, the creature grew more and more enraged. Its onslaught was ferocious, but eventually, the alpha overextended itself, presenting an opening for Zhaire to exploit. However, Zhaire stepped further into the creature''s reach instead of continuing his hit-and-run tactic. He closed in so he was practically shoulder to hip with the power monster that could crush him like a pimple. He raked his blade across the tree trunk-sized thigh of the creature, opening another deep gash that would hopefully limit its mobility. Zhaire continued his attack, feinting like he was trying to turn the corner and get behind it. By the time it had spun around, Zhaire had already planted his leg and reversed his direction. Zhaire brought his blade down again, using an Unstoppable Blow to inflict maximum damage. The sword bit into the back of its leg, cleaving through muscles and tendons before striking into bone. The alpha let out a deep yelp of pain as it fell forward, unable to put any weight on its injured leg. Zhaire took the opening, activating a second Temporal Expansion ring while using his Frenzy skill. He rapidly attacked the same spot with a pair of maxed Unstoppable Blows. The first one slammed into the bone, shattering it with an audible crunch. The third blow cut through what little remained of the knee, dismembering the leg and intensifying the creature¡¯s blood loss from a stream to a geyser. Zhaire retreated from the monster¡¯s reach as it flailed ineffectually. While it might take longer for a tier 2 creature to bleed out, he felt certain it couldn¡¯t recover from this severity of an injury. He just needed to wait it out. The alpha rolled to face him, and its lips curled in a snarl that exposed its sword-sized canines. With a sudden burst of speed, the beast lunged towards him. Its motion was that of a wolf, a creature that moved on all four legs. While the alpha only had 3 limbs, that was more than enough to lunge forward in a final act of defiance. Zhaire dove out of its path as he attempted to avoid the creature¡¯s massive maw. He just barely managed to evade it, feeling the wind from the force of its jaw clamping shut just inches away from him. He turned to face his attacker, now no longer so confident to assume his victory was a foregone conclusion. As he moved, something felt off, as if he was somehow unbalanced. That¡¯s when he noticed what had happened. His left arm was gone, with a stub remaining where it had once been. It had happened so fast that his nerves didn¡¯t have time to register what had happened. The monster licked its muzzle as if it had just enjoyed a tasty snack and wanted to enjoy every drop of blood. It let out another earth-shaking bellow before loping after the now debilitated Zhaire. Chapter 76: To the Victor goes the Spoils Zhaire¡¯s arm, or what remained of it, gushed blood at an alarming rate. Any pre-integration human would have gone into shock at losing an entire limb. Fortunately, his improved willpower and constitution, along with his Feel No Pain trait, allowed him to keep his wits in a coherent state. The wounded alpha bounded forward, attempting to bite down and end the fight. Zhaire dived to the side, rolling as best he could as he hit the ground. This time, he managed to dodge the attack without losing a limb. Zhaire was confident he could evade these stumbling, biting attacks almost indefinitely now that he wasn¡¯t surprised. He cursed his misstep, knowing it had cost him an easy victory. With both of them operating far below peak efficiency, the fight devolved into a stalemate. If it continued this way, it would be decided by whoever had the greater resource pools and regeneration capabilities. While Zhaire had multiple traits and items augmenting both of those aspects, he still didn¡¯t think he could outlast a tier 2 monster in raw points. Steeling his will, Zhaire went on the offensive. With his one arm, he slashed into the creature¡¯s side as it barreled past him, its snapping jaws having barely missed him. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t get the power he needed to inflict significant damage with only one arm, doing little more than scratching the alpha¡¯s tough hide. He had probably lost more health from the extra blood loss due to exertion than he had dealt damage. Zhaire refused to let it end like this. He would not allow himself to die because of one mistake, not while he could still fight. It was better to die in a reckless final attack than to take to the slow but even more certain death. As the alpha lumbered forward towards him, Zhaire activated his Frenzy skill for the second time. Instead of waiting for the creature to come to him, he rushed to meet it with all the speed he could manage. The alpha¡¯s maw opened wide as it moved for the finishing blow, confident in its victory. It was close enough that Zhaire could feel its hot breath on him and smell the rancid remains of its previous victims. At the last possible second, Zhaire slid feet first, like a baseball shortstop evading a tag. If the alpha had all four of its limbs, it easily would have been able to adjust its bite, or if Zhaire had shown any hesitation and hadn¡¯t sprinted headlong toward it at full speed, or if any number of minor factors had been different his attempt would have ended with him getting crunched to bits by the powerful creatures bite. Instead, he slid just under the snapping jaws of the unbalanced alpha. As Zhaire slid on the ground with the momentum that was the envy of every professional baseball player, he extended his sword up into the creature¡¯s exposed belly. If it had been only his strength, it probably wouldn¡¯t have been much more effective than his previous strikes. However, the unbalanced creature started to topple as it adjusted its bite downward while moving as fast as possible. The result was that the alpha¡¯s considerable mass fell right onto his outstretched sword, sinking deep into it. With Zhaire¡¯s forward momentum, the blade briefly tore down the length of the creature''s stomach, disemboweling the mighty alpha. Blood and guts poured onto Zhaire as his slide came to an end with the sudden resistance. A moment later, the weight of the dying alpha landed on top of him. Fortunately, Zhaire¡¯s slide had taken him far enough that only a portion of the creature''s considerable mass was on top of him. Zhaire began shimmying his way down the creature''s bulk while attempting to push it off himself. It was slow going, but he made steady progress. Eventually, he felt a surge of strength, and he instinctively knew that he had gained a significant increase in his stats. Zhaire smiled, as the only conclusion was that the alpha had died and he had leveled up. With his improved stats, he freed himself from the last of the dead weight. With an effort, he rose to his feet, doing his best to appear unfazed. Zhaire glared at the thousands of Ogrog who stared in disbelief, their eyes shifting between him and the lifeless alpha. Zhaire raised his one arm and let out a triumphant shout. The emotion behind it pushed the sound to a level that rivaled the massive creature¡¯s volume. The cheers and shouts from the human crowd echoed his own. The assembled Ogrogs fell to the ground, prostrating themselves. Zhaire had done it; he had retaken the city by himself. He had done it while slaying just the previous alpha, meaning he had nearly tripled his army. That was also far from the only gains he had received.
Achievement Upgraded
Solo Hunter 3 to 23 (+2% to all primary stats)
New Achievements
Conqueror 4: Claim an enemy''s Nexus. Contribution depends on the level and tier of the Nexus. The amount of contribution needed/rank increases slightly with each rank +.05% to all primary stats/rank (+.2%)
Grade Above 2: Solo kill a creature of a higher grade than your heritage, 1 rank/grade difference. +.15% to all primary stats/rank (+.3%)
Tier Above 1: Solo kill a creature of a higher tier than your heritage, 1 rank/tier difference. +.25% to all primary stats/rank
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 33 in Frenzied Berserker (2F)
Zhaire Reeves has reached level 33 in Human (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 183 (+8)
Agility 149 (+5)
Constitution 165 (+7)
Intelligence 97 (+3)
Willpower 135 (+5)
Charisma 111 (+4)
Secondary Stats
HP 435 (+50)
FP 312 (+29)
MP 139 (+9)
Attack Efficiency 400 (+41)
Traits Ranked Up
Dodge 1F to 1D: Improves the effectiveness of agility by 2.1% (+.1%) to dodge an attack.
Feel No Pain 1F to 1E: You do not feel pain, reducing the penalty from non-critical injuries by 25.62% (+.62%)
The Thrill of Battle 2F to 2E: You long for the release of battle, letting it invigorate you and keep you moving forward. Improves all resource regeneration by 6.18% (+.18%) while in active combat. At the start of the fight regain 2.57% (+.07%) instantly, but only if there are enemies near or above your level, this effect only triggers once with an 18-hour cooldown.
Heavy Weapon Proficiency 1E to 1D: Increases the rate at which attacks relating to heavy weapons are learned and improved by 5.25% (+.13%). Improves the attack efficiency of heavy weapons by 1.57% (+.04%).
Traits Tier Up
Dodge 1D has become Evasion 2F
Evasion 2F: Improves the effectiveness of agility by 2.5% to dodge an attack. This effect can be doubled at the cost of 1 FP/second.
Heavy Weapon Proficiency 1D has become Heavy Weapon Expertise 2F
Heavy Weapon Expertise 2F: Increases the rate at which attacks relating to heavy weapons are learned and improved by 5.5%. Improves the attack efficiency of heavy weapons by 2.5%.
Attack Rank Up
Unstoppable Blow: Exert stamina to strike with unstoppable force. Increase damage by 4.12%/FP (+.12%) max 3 FP
Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Zhaire laughed at all his improvements. It had been tier 2, and the gains reflected the near-impossible odds he had overcome. He mentally thanked the system for rewarding those who were willing to face challenges. Una raced ahead of the crowd on her Starseeker, practically jumping from her mount as she reached him. ¡°Stay with me, Zhaire,¡± she said as healing magic began pouring into him. ¡°I know it looks bad, but I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said, waving his one hand dismissively. He still had almost 100 HP, and his natural healing rate was only slightly outpaced by the blood loss after he had drunk a healing potion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t regrow your arm. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Una told him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a minor inconvenience,¡± he said. ¡°This isn¡¯t how I expected you to react to losing an arm,¡± Una said, clearly confused. Zhaire just laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a minor inconvenience because it will grow back. It¡¯s one of the advantages of being part Drake. It took about a day to grow back when I tested it on my pinky finger, so this will probably take a week or two. If anything, this will help possibly rank the trait up,¡± he said to reassure the befuddled healer. Her relief was palpable. Una continued pouring healing until he was well over 150 HP and the bleeding had stopped. She would have kept going, but Zhaire waved her off. His natural healing could take care of the rest. With his life no longer in imminent danger, he shifted his attention to one of the notifications that had caught his attention. The Conquerer achievement description seemed to imply he had gained multiple Nexuses of Civilization. Just like all the notifications, with a thought, the information came to the front of his mind. He had gained 5 Nexuses. There was no physical item, but he knew he could place them with a mental command. All of them were far lower than Celestia had been when he left, ranging between levels 1 and 4. Apparently, the Ogrog alpha had hoarded the precious items. From the reports he had gotten, the locations with a nexus had been the hardest hit. In addition, they didn¡¯t have the same restrictions as the ones granted for reaching level 10 within a month. There was no time limit, and these could be transferred to anyone nearby. That also meant they could be sold, probably making this haul worth more than the piles of cores accumulated over the campaign. As his focus turned to the external, he noticed that the Ogrog were still prone on the ground. Zhaire waived everyone away from the slain alpha because it was necessary for symbolic purposes. He strode over to the corpse, doing his best to appear strong. The dead weight of the slain Ogrog was nearly a ton, but with his inhuman strength, Zhaire managed to roll the corpse over. Using his sword, he hacked into the chest cavity. Its core was easy to spot, nearly the size of a basketball, just like the snake. Zhaire pulled it out and held it aloft, a symbol of his triumph. There was a moment of trepidation as the two forces began to commingle. Fortunately, the only fights were duels to establish a new hierarchy for the Ogrog below him. Zhaire was mildly annoyed that his new soldiers were killing each other, but he didn¡¯t think he could stop it, even if he wanted to. He could use Imri¡¯s help as a translator to sort this mess out. Zhaire noticed Antonio and Veronica staring at the city that had once been their home with conflicted looks on their faces. ¡°I never thought we would make it back. I definitely didn¡¯t think it would get retaken as a part of a duel,¡± Veronica said wistfully. ¡°It feels wrong, like it''s hollow and lifeless. Even more so than at the start of integration, when we were all spread out, and almost no one was here,¡± Antonio added. ¡°So what are you going to do now? I could give you a nexus to place within the city if you want,¡± Zhaire offered. The twins stared at him, mouths agape, before shaking their heads vehemently in unison. ¡°We¡¯re with you for the long haul,¡± Antonio said. ¡°We¡¯re Knights of Earth Reclamation, not Knights of Kansas City Reclamation,¡± Veronica added. Zhaire nodded, pleased he wasn¡¯t losing two powerful mages. Zhaire turned and addressed the gathered crowd of people who had followed him. ¡°We¡¯re spending a couple of days in the city, looting anything that could be helpful for a new settlement.¡± That night, there was a raucous party as people relieved all their pent-up emotions. A few of the more ambitious looters had already begun their work, and they had secured more than enough alcohol to down a battalion of Ogrog. The party became even more rowdy when Christina started singing a slew of lewd songs. Even though she was clearly intoxicated, she performed better than the subject matter required. The song was also tinged, her skill unintentionally leaking into the notes. It further encouraged everyone to throw caution to the wind. ¡°So I assume you''re going with everyone to Celestia?¡± Zhaire asked the singer as she finished her impromptu set. ¡°It seems like as good of a place as any,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°Why not join the knights?¡± he asked. ¡°I thought you hated me,¡± she said. ¡°I hated that you called me out for my shit. It would be dumb of me to let someone with unique abilities walk away just because of that,¡± he said. ¡°I should have gotten you drunk sooner,¡± she teased. ¡°Your skill is having more of an effect than the alcohol with my constitution,¡± Zhaire grumbled. ¡°My skill?¡± Christina asked. ¡°Yeah, nearly everyone is getting laid tonight, and I¡¯m willing to bet almost half of them have you to thank,¡± he said with a chuckle. The slight woman looked mortified before Zhaire added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t so powerful that anyone would do something they didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Not you?¡± She asked, noticing the lack of a new woman on his arm. ¡°I had things to think through,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°You, think,¡± she mocked, using an exaggerated caveman accent. ¡°Fuck you,¡± he said, though he smiled at the good-natured jab. He really was in a good mood tonight. ¡°You could, you know,¡± she whispered before blushing. Zhaire was surprised, and it took him a moment to gather his foggy wits. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is a good idea,¡± he said. Christina visibly slumped and didn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°Forget I said anything,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m just not in the right head space,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me; I can handle rejection,¡± she said. ¡°You remind me of her, my ex-girlfriend Teresa. She was the only other person who called me out like you have, though it didn¡¯t start out that way,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡°Why did you break up?¡± Christina asked. ¡°I got her killed,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, which was followed by a long silence. ¡°I should go,¡± Christina said after the silence had gotten uncomfortable. Zhaire mentally berated himself. He really was an idiot. Chapter 77: Shouldering Burdens Imri apologized to the major. In his excitement, he had completely forgotten about the scheduled communication with New Chicago. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Being able to move troops instantly to strategic locations is going to be more useful than anything they could help with,¡± Major Harper said, dismissively waving a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll have a modified version of the gate made for the radio tower,¡± Imri promised, adding it to his ever-expanding task list. Now that he had the general concept down, it would be simple enough to create. He left the major and began working on it right away. He hadn¡¯t gotten more than an hour of work when his walky-talky crackled to life. ¡°Lord Padar, the council would like to talk with you,¡± the man said of the device. ¡°Is it a Sentinel attack?¡± Imri asked in annoyance, knowing that communication would have been very different if that was the case. ¡°No, sir,¡± the man said. ¡°Then it can wait,¡± Imri said. After a brief silence, the man spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. They¡¯re being very insistent.¡± Imri sighed and stopped working. It always irked him to leave something half-finished, and bouncing from task to task was inefficient. This had better be good. As it turned out, it was a good use of his time. A group of refugees had arrived, all of them former captives of the Chixel. On top of that, they had news about Sylvi. ¡°She¡¯s doing what?¡± Caroline asked, a mix of disbelief and anger in the normally subdued alchemist. ¡°She¡¯s infiltrating Trosano with a small group of people. I also have a message for Mr. Padar from your brother,¡± a woman said. ¡°Vallo? Is he ok?¡± Imri asked instantly. ¡°He is fine. He is with Sylvi infiltrating Trosano,¡± the former captive said with a grin. ¡°He would do that,¡± Imri said, shaking his head. His brother had always been his opposite, outgoing and adventurous to his introverted and introspective. ¡°This is a gift from a Chixel named Ettes,¡± the woman said, dropping a ring into Imri¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°Their message was, ¡®This one knows what Imri had to do. This one doesn¡¯t blame Imri for Rhesk¡¯s death, and hopefully, this gift will prove that.¡¯ Apparently, the item has an enchantment that can translate between our two languages,¡± the woman explained. It was an amazing gift, and Imri would have been more excited if he hadn¡¯t already been overworked. He added reverse-engineering the enchantment onto the list. He was a bit surprised that Ettes hadn''t held a grudge, but he trusted Sylvi''s judgment. ¡°That isn¡¯t the only thing,¡± Laura added after the refugee left the room. ¡°Our lookouts have reported a large group of people coming north; by large, I mean well over a thousand people.¡± ¡°Well, that will solve our population requirement,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°You''re not worried about that large of an influx in population?¡± Emery asked. Imri just let out a weary sigh. ¡°Our steady population increase has been good. We¡¯ve had plenty of reserves to shoulder the additional burden while they become integrated. However, this will nearly triple the population. As things stand now, necessities won¡¯t last more than a few days,¡± Steve said. ¡°I¡¯ll hunt some Drake¡¯s for the meat,¡± Imri promised. ¡°The inn also asked for a scaled-up version of that freezer you built. If we didn¡¯t need to add ice to the makeshift freezer constantly, that would free up a good amount of capacity,¡± Steve added. Imri left the meeting as soon as it became apparent that this was the last of the tasks that would be thrust on him, at least for the moment. He walked his usual route around the outskirts of the Nexuse¡¯s area of effect. He used his Transcendant Meditation to clear his mind and gave the effect of resting. He was in for a long night. He continued where he left off with his radio portal. It still irked him that he had to reset his thinking and go back over the work he had already done, which would have already been done if he hadn''t been interrupted. In addition to the inefficiency of jumping around, he found his mind moving sluggishly. What should have been a simplified version of the project he had just completed took the better part of the night. He made numerous sloppy mistakes that resulted in rework. When he finally finished the device, he felt relief rather than the typical pride that accompanied completing an enchantment. He cursed when he saw the mana efficiency. Despite being at a higher level, this version of the enchantment wasn¡¯t as efficient, and Imri was almost certain it was from his shoddy engraving. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Emelia asked, startling Imri, who hadn¡¯t even noticed her presence. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just annoyed that this enchantment didn¡¯t turn out as well as I had hoped,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°When was the last time you slept?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t need sleep. I have my Transcendant Meditation skill and a decently high Constitution and Willpower that should keep me going for longer without sleep,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Even if your meditation skill is that effective, I doubt you¡¯ve been using it for more than a couple hours each day,¡± she countered. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just need to keep pushing through. I promise I¡¯ll rest when things settle down,¡± he said. ¡°We both know that won¡¯t happen anytime soon,¡± Emelia said. Imri just nodded, not having any other rationale. Emelia came up to him and wrapped him in an embrace. ¡°Just don¡¯t overdo it. You¡¯re still human; you can¡¯t be Atlas,¡± she said before kissing him tenderly. ¡°I¡¯ll get some combination of sleep or meditation that totals 6 hours,¡± Imri promised. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± Emelia said. After breakfast with Emelia, he went on to one of the easier items on his list, hunting Drakes. It would be a good mindless contrast to the more finicky runework. He chuckled as he realized that hunting a D-grade monster that no one else could kill had become a mindless chore to him. To keep things interesting, he returned to using some of the less-used spells he had theory-crafted other uses for. As the Drake dove toward him, he used Spatial Expansion, creating additional space between himself and the monster. This resulted in the Drake missing him by a few meters, slamming into the ground right before him. Before it could recover, he finished it off with a Dimensional Tear that was just large enough to tear through the creature¡¯s brain. The almost fully intact creature fell to the ground lifelessly. The wound was small enough that it almost looked like it was still alive, and hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t scare the porters. With a shrug, Imri continued his chore. For the second Drake, he used Low Gravity, causing the confused Drake to fly over him before landing on the ground. Imri waited until it came back towards him on the ground before finishing it off with another Dimensional Tear. He smiled as he checked his notifications.
Spell Rank Up
Low Gravity F to E
Spatial Expansion E to D
Spell Tier Up
Spatial Expansion 1D has become Dimensional Expansion 2F
Spatial Expansion 1D: Expand space in local space-time as defined by local anchors. The mana cost varies depending linearly on the amount of space created, the distance from the caster to the anchors, and the ratio of existing space to newly created space.
Dimensional Expansion 2F: Expands space in a dimensional pocket as defined by dimensional anchors. The mana cost varies linearly with the amount of space created, the distance from the caster to the anchors, and non-linearly with the ratio of existing space to newly created space.
Dimensional Expansion followed a similar upgrade to his Temporal Expansion. Instead of being a strictly better version, it changed the paradigm of the spell. In this case, it made his spell less dependent on the anchors. This meant he would be punished less for creating a large amount of space in a small anchor. It wasn¡¯t a strictly better upgrade because the base cost increased slightly, which meant the old spell was more efficient at an extremely low ratio. However, Imri couldn¡¯t see an application where creating such a small amount of space over a large area would be useful, meaning it was essentially a strict upgrade. He didn¡¯t want to push his mana expenditure, not when an attack might be imminent. Now that he had dual benefits for meditation, he allowed himself to take a break. As he entered the meditation, he nearly collapsed. He had been pushing himself, and he knew the strain on his body and mind was starting to affect him. He wasn¡¯t even fifteen minutes into meditation when his radio crackled to life. ¡°Sentinel spotted, requesting immediate assistance and portal extraction,¡± a soldier said professionally, though a slight stutter made it obvious they were afraid. Imri cursed and started racing toward the center of Celestia, absorbing mana from his crystal as he ran. As the Nexus came into sight, he covered the last part of the distance with a long-ranged Blink. His immediate appearance startled the soldier who had been waiting at the portal terminal. ¡°Open the portal,¡± Imri ordered as he strode the last of the distance to the arch. A moment later, the tear in space materialized. He could see the Sentinel, only a few meters from the portal. It was the same oblong polyhedral shape as the last one, though significantly smaller at only a meter in height. For a brief moment, Imri was hopeful that this particular Sentinel was also proportionally weaker than the first one he faced. Unfortunately, that was quickly dashed when he noticed the telltale sign of mana seeping through any gaps as the construct moved, and that was without activating his mana vision. His Identify also failed to return any information despite the absurd bonus granted by Omniscient Eyes. Imri didn¡¯t like his chances at less than 100 percent capability against this foe. However, no one in Celestia would stand a chance if he couldn''t handle it. He rushed through the portal without hesitation, shouting the order to close it as soon as everyone was through. He activated his Temporal Expansion enchantment, preparing for a tough fight. To his surprise, the construct didn¡¯t immediately attack him. Instead, it produced several deep beeps and chimes. Weirder yet, he could understand it. ¡°Anomaly detected, commencing assessment,¡± it beeped. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Imri cursed. His question went unanswered as the creature shot a volley of the strange metal at him. Imri barely managed to dodge by blinking away, his mind still reeling at the strange construct stating this was an assessment. What was it assessing? Ultimately, it didn¡¯t matter; he just needed to destroy this Sentinel. He repeated his trick of using his mana vision to see the exact location of the core. Unlike the last one, this one had it in the center of its mass. Imri teleported close with a Blink, then quickly launched a Dimensional Tear straight for its core. However, before the tear hit the core, the Sentinel just vanished without a trace. Imri was confused, and for a moment, he thought he had destroyed it, but a strong mana residue lingered in the air where it had been. Examining it closely, he got a faint impression that the spell it had used was similar to his Blink spell but wasn¡¯t exactly the same. After concluding that it had used some sort of teleportation spell, he spun around just in time to see another wave of metal shooting towards him. Agony coursed through him as the metal shards bit into his side before he could react. Imri blinked away before he could be completely eviscerated by the continued barrage. Fortunately, Imri¡¯s armor had prevented the worst damage, though a few shards had penetrated the leather, and he was now bleeding profusely. He needed to end this fight quickly. Chapter 78: Statistically Significant Imri did his best to remain calm and centered. If he panicked and overreacted, he wouldn¡¯t have any chance of beating this powerful Sentinel. He had to redouble his resolve when it teleported away from a second close-range Dimensional Tear. While he hadn¡¯t managed to hit the construct, it was having a small effect. The Sentinel¡¯s core had dimmed by a perceptible amount, which meant it was going through mana at a prodigious rate. Unfortunately, Imri¡¯s consumption of mana still far outpaced the Sentinels, and he would never win an endurance battle against an enemy that out-leveled him enough that even his Identify didn¡¯t work. Imri dodged another volley of the enchanted metallic shards. With each exchange, his mana dipped lower, forcing him to recover his mana from his personal mana crystal for a second time. Things went from bad to worse as the construct ratcheted up the frequency and speed of its attacks, giving Imri no time to contemplate his next move. He had just gotten used to those attacks when the creature made an unexpected attack; a beam of condensed and destabilized mana shot forth from the Sentinel¡¯s core like a laser. Imri managed to Blink away from the beam before it hit him. However, even without getting hit, the destabilized mana was strong enough to give him mana burns on his exposed skin. Between the open wounds and burned flesh, Imri¡¯s HP had dipped below comfortable levels, and if he kept taking damage, the fight would end in his death. Out of options, Imri prepared for one final assault by topping his mana off. He then twisted his Temporal Expansion ring, increasing its amplitude so that the effect would only last a few seconds. Before Blinking closer, Imri cast Time Collapse. While it wasn¡¯t as effective as his Temporal Expansion, it further allowed him to accentuate the difference in their relative time. As soon as the spell took effect, he used Blink to close the distance, just as he had done the previous two times. The moment he appeared in front of the Sentinel, Imri punched forward as fast as he could. A small Dimensional Tear lanced forward towards the core. It moved faster than anything Imri had managed, especially considering the Sentinel¡¯s perception of time. To Imri¡¯s horror, he could see the mana begin to envelop the construct, attempting to pull it through space to a distant point. While already holding two spells, Imri lashed out with a third. The Sentinel was trying to collapse the distance between two points, so Imri threw a Dimensional Expansion into the space around it. The two spell effects clashed, and Imri¡¯s spell was quickly overwhelmed by the far more potent teleportation spell. However, the slight disruption had delayed the spell from activating for a fraction of a second. The bullet-like void in space pierced cleanly through the power construct and punctured its core. The resulting explosion likely would have killed Imri if it hadn¡¯t been for the completion of the Sentinel¡¯s spell. The waves of force went through the teleportation spell, essentially moving the center of the blast to the location it had intended to teleport to. Even with the force dispersed, the explosion still far exceeded the previous time Imri had killed a Sentinel due to the higher amount of mana in the core. Fortunately, Imri had enough time to Blink further away from the blast''s epicenter. He used Blink a second time as it became apparent how devastating the explosion had been. Even at a relatively safe distance, Imri felt the ground reverberate and heard the loud boom for a second time as his teleportation moved faster than the soundwaves through the air. The explosion created a wide but shallow crater and collapsed the cave entrance. An even larger radius of destroyed vegetation extended a couple hundred meters. Imri sighed and collapsed to the ground, more depleted than ever. As he came down from the adrenaline, he became acutely aware of the pain from his burns and cuts. However, that was nothing compared to the sheer agony that lanced through his head. Imri had almost wholly depleted his mana with the last Blink and suffered from a moderate over-channel. The exhaustion was on top of already being tired before the fight even began. He was so exhausted that he wasn¡¯t sure if he could enter and maintain meditation. Another Sentinel appeared as he contemplated what percentage of MP regeneration to convert to HP. The first Sentinel was quickly followed by a second and then a third. They had appeared seemingly from nowhere, and Imri suspected they had capabilities similar to the one he had just faced. The blinding mana concentration all but confirmed it. ¡°Combat assessment results, barely adequate,¡± the Sentinel intoned in a series of loud, deep beeps reverberating across the nearby mountain wall. ¡°Commencing extraction protocol,¡± another intoned. Before Imri could utter a curse, a massive amount of mana that exceeded his entire mana pool enveloped him. To his mana vision, it once again seemed similar to his Blink spell, but it wasn¡¯t quite the same. Before he could study the spell any further, the effect activated. Instantly, his surroundings changed. The open sky was replaced with a ceiling, though it was far above him, almost like the domed roof of a stadium, only even grander in scale. To Imri¡¯s horror, there was a massive distance from where he stood to the bottom of the strange structure, making the enormous structure a sphere. Even more terrifying, he appeared to be standing on a small platform suspended in midair, seemingly defying physics. An ominous blue glow permeated the space, with the edges of his vision being darker while the center of the strange room was so bright he couldn¡¯t look at it directly. Imri inspected himself, noticing that something had healed his injuries, and he didn¡¯t even have a scratch on him. However, as he tried to feel Emelia through his bond, he could not sense her at all. Likewise, his Spatial Beacons couldn¡¯t be felt either. The strange platform Imri stood on was about the width of a typical sidewalk but only continued for several meters. As he walked forward, the back of the platform broke off into shards before flying towards the end Imri was walking towards. Within a fraction of a second, they had reformed into a new section of walkway. As he took several more steps, the process repeated itself, so there was always a little over a meter of material to walk on. Imri also found that if he shifted his body to face a different direction, the platform would reorientate itself, so he always had a walkway in the direction he was facing. A deep booming omnidirectional voice spoke, ¡°Scan of anomalous entity completed. Analysis completed. Commencing first contact protocol.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It took a moment for Imri to register that it hadn¡¯t been using the same beeping noises that the Sentinels had used but was speaking in English. ¡°You can understand me?¡± Imri asked stupidly, unable to formulate a more insightful question in his discombobulated state. ¡°Affirmative. The scan has extrapolated sufficient data to process the human language, English,¡± the entity said. ¡°Where am I, and why am I here?¡± Imri asked. ¡°You are currently in substation ¡®6SO8LPZ2¡¯ in the solar system ¡®GL9KZBCDU7TO¡¯. You are here because Sentinels had insufficient processing capabilities to analyze you properly,¡± the entity explained. ¡°But why did you need to analyze me?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Our predictive models indicate the probability for you to reach tier 5 is statistically significant. All such entities must have a complete scan to reduce variance to a tolerable level,¡± the entity said. Imri paced along the strange walkway as he considered what to ask the seemingly omniscient entity. It seemed content to wait for Imri, not bothering to ask him questions of its own. ¡°What are you?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I am unit ¡®EOI0C6I¡¯, a sub-mind for unit ¡®AF9MX9AXEIZP¡¯ within the Collective Intelligence,¡± it said simply. Imri just sighed. ¡°What is this place? What is its purpose?¡± he asked, hoping it would give a more detailed answer that would give him more context. ¡°This is a mana-gathering array built around a star. Using terms derived from your language, this is a Dyson Sphere powering a Matrioshka brain. This station''s primary purposes are to run simulations to model this universe, collect data, and defend critical Collective Intelligence assets,¡± the sub-mind said. Now, that was some helpful information. If the sub-mind was truthful, Imri was on a station encompassing a star. The scale of this structure was mind-boggling, and the entire mega-structure was powering what was likely a near-omniscient AI that ran on mana. ¡°How am I not being crushed by the gravity of the star?¡± Imri asked. ¡°There are runes within this chamber that provide a gravity equivalent to your worlds,¡± the sub-mind explained. Imri moved through the room on his strange reassembling platform towards the nearest wall. As he got close enough, he could see the entire wall covered in intricately inscribed runes beyond his comprehension. He suspected the entire stadium-sized room was covered in runes just as complex as the small section he could now see, and this was only an insignificant section of a far larger whole. After finishing his cursory inspection, Imri asked, ¡°So, mana comes from stars?¡± ¡°Yes, that is a mana source,¡± the AI confirmed. Imri noted that it said ¡®a source¡¯ rather than ¡®the source.¡¯ ¡°When I saw it through my mana vision, it seemed closer to a gas than a ray,¡± Imri thought aloud. ¡°Mana is dynamic, and its state changes within the radius that can be affected by a planetary core. This effect allows the planet to disperse mana to different regions in differing amounts, creating varying mana densities. However, it is usually not as diverse as the planet you were on,¡± the AI helpfully provided. ¡°If a star provides mana, why did Earth have no mana? Did the sun have no mana?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That was what most of our simulations were trying to discover until we could scan you,¡± the sub-mind said. ¡°Me? How did I help you figure that out? Was it because I¡¯m human?¡± Imri asked, baffled by the AI¡¯s response. It was also the first time it hadn¡¯t answered his question. ¡°You are not human. You are a Primordial, which makes you a unique data point, but also something our models had not predicted, introducing chaos. However, your scan was informative, bringing variance down to within tolerable limits. Unfortunately, I cannot say more; it would go against a higher-order directive,¡± the AI said. The way it emphasized chaos and variance made it clear the concept was abhorrent to it. Imri wondered if it had an emotional response or if it was just an affectation to seem more empathetic. Imri cringed at being called ¡®not human,¡¯ but he did his best not to let it bother him. He was human in all the ways that mattered to him. Unfortunately, the sub-mind was unyielding when delving further into what made him unique, despite Imri asking dozens of variations on the questions. Sighing, Imri gave up and moved to a different topic. ¡°Why are you being so helpful? Why tell me anything?¡± Imri asked, the question having nagged at the back of his mind for a while. ¡°One of our directives is to provide adequate compensation for anything of value. Your data far exceeds any compensation we can provide without breaking higher-order directives, so we will give what information we can,¡± the sub-mind explained. Imri mentally thanked whoever created some level of fair trade in the omnipotent AIs, even if their priorities were a bit skewed. He began mentally listing everything he could learn from the god-like beings. ¡°Can you teach me any spells or runes?¡± he asked. ¡°No, that breaks a higher-order directive,¡± it responded. ¡°Can you tell me about the other species integrated onto the planet?¡± Imri asked. ¡°No,¡± the AI said simply. Imri assumed this was because it broke another one of its directives. When he tried several other questions along a similar line, the AI added, ¡°A higher-order directive of non-interference in system integration events until a world capital is established prevents us from sharing information that will directly give you an advantage over others.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t all knowledge be classified as an advantage?¡± Imri asked, mentally berating himself for the knee-jerk correction when it directly benefited him. ¡°It is. However, there is a higher-order directive that permits the proliferation of general knowledge,¡± it explained. ¡°Just how many directives are there?¡± Imri asked. ¡°A directive prevents sharing details about the Collective Intelligence,¡± it supplied unhelpfully. ¡°If you¡¯re not supposed to interfere in system integrations, why do you have a prison on our planet?¡± ¡°One of the criteria for prison worlds is that their integration probability approaches zero. A new tier 1 world should not have the mana density to support the integration of such a world. However, Earth''s low mana density skews your planet,¡± it explained in an almost irritated tone. However, Imri suspected it was due to the inability to predict what had happened and not with his barrage of questions. ¡°Why did the Sentinels attack the Troglodytes?¡± he asked. ¡°Sentinels are not fully sapient. They are crude tools designed as a last defense against intruders. It was not predicted that they would come into contact with sapient beings on a newly integrated world,¡± the AI said. Again, its tone when it mentioned anything was unpredictable almost seemed to pain the being. ¡°Why was the entity known as the ¡®Ancient One¡¯ imprisoned?¡± Imri asked. ¡°It was classified as a chaotic entity. Such a variable is unacceptable given its tier,¡± the AI stated. ¡°So, it was less about what it did and more about its unpredictable nature?¡± Imri clarified as a growing sense of dread began to overtake him. ¡°Yes,¡± the AI stated. ¡°Am I an unpredictable entity?¡± Imri asked after steeling his nerves. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 79: Establishing Connections Imri felt his stomach lurch like he had just fallen from a building. He needed every point of willpower to keep his anxiety under control. ¡°Am I going to be imprisoned?¡± Imri asked, his voice slightly shaky. ¡°Unknown,¡± it said. ¡°Then is this a test?¡± he asked. ¡°No. Sufficient data was extrapolated from the scan. New information gained from conversing is insignificant,¡± the sub-mind stated. ¡°So, what happens next?¡± Imri asked. ¡°You will be returned to your planet once all your inquiries are complete,¡± the sub-mind responded. Imri''s body relaxed as he exhaled a deep breath he hadn¡¯t realized he had been holding. ¡°So I¡¯m free to go, and you will keep an eye on me?¡± Imri asked, both confused and relieved. ¡°The chaos contagion of a low-tiered entity is insignificant. We will re-evaluate you once your world has a capital,¡± it responded. Imri let out another deep breath. According to Rhesk, the capital city was usually established after several years. Even after a city qualified, the system forced the ruler to hold it for a significant amount of time while offering enticing rewards for conquering it. ¡°Was that all of your questions?¡± The AI asked after a minute of silence. ¡°Is there anything else you think I should know?¡± Imri asked hopefully. ¡°There is a directive limiting the information we supply to answering direct questions or providing context for the direct answer,¡± the sub-mind said flatly. ¡°Is there a way we can get the Sentinels to back off? I¡¯d prefer not to fight them if at all possible,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°Their programming has already been updated to account for the unique circumstances. They will no longer pursue anyone past the immediate area around the prison. However, they will still engage anyone who approaches,¡± the AI explained. That was an acceptable compromise, and the only person who wouldn¡¯t be happy was Russ. ¡°Can you tell me how to rank up my heritage?¡± Imri asked. ¡°No, though I can provide more general information. The minimum level to rank up a heritage is 10, 30, 60, 100, and so on. It becomes easier for you to rank up the further above the minimum level you are,¡± it explained. ¡°Is there anything you can tell me about the system? How it works?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That is too broad,¡± it stated. ¡°How do we get the world capital?¡± he asked after several moments of thought. ¡°A tier 5 settlement will automatically trigger the world capital quest,¡± the AI said simply. ¡°How does the system choose what quests to give out?¡± Imri asked. ¡°We do not know the exact parameters the system uses. However, it has a penchant for giving out quests when things are too stable, encouraging conflict and chaos,¡± the sub-mind said, using another affectation of anger when it mentioned the system and chaos. ¡°So you¡¯re not a fan of the system? Why do the Sentinels look like a Nexus?¡± ¡°No, we are not fans of the system. Our Sentinels appear the way they do because the system despises it,¡± it said, almost sounding venomous with each word. With the AI''s emotion, Imri reconsidered if it was just an affectation. He found it more likely it was a genuine response, especially with the Sentinel''s default shape essentially designed to piss off the system. This was further reinforced with AI¡¯s next words. ¡°You have received sufficient payment for your information. Commencing teleportation protocol,¡± the sub-mind said. Before he could protest, Imri was back on the planet, in the exact same location he had been at when he had been whisked away. There was no sign of the 3 Sentinels who had captured him, but the wreckage of the destroyed one still remained. He focused on his bond with Emelia and was reassured when he could feel her emotions and location. He was somewhat surprised when he felt she wasn¡¯t panicking but was only slightly perplexed. Imri also confirmed that his connection to his Spatial Beacons had been re-established. The next thing vying for his attention was a flood of notifications that had somehow been blocked while he was with the Collective Intelligence.
Quests Completed
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to E: Learn new space or time spells 10/10, rank up space or time spells 10/10, learn new gravity spells 5/5, rank up gravity spells 5/5, visit celestial bodies 2/2.
Defend Celestia 2: Find a way to defeat or divert the Sentinel and Troglodyte threats. Rewards: XP, Settlement XP, Defender of Celestia Achievement Upgrade, 40,000 credits.
Achievements Upgraded
Defend Celestia 8 (+4): Primary stats +.4% (+.2%)
Solo Hunter 29 (+7); Primary stats +2.9% (+.7%)
New Achievement
Tier Above 1: Solo kill a creature of a higher tier than your heritage, 1 rank/tier difference. Primary Stats increased +.25%/rank
Base Willpower increased to 130 (+1)
Celestial Mage 2E
Primary Stats/Level
Strength 0.05%
Agility 0.15% (+.05%)
Constitution 0.15% (+.05%)
Intelligence 0.45%
Willpower 0.3% (+.05%)
Charisma 0.05
Secondary Stats
HP .4% (+.15%)
FP .25% (+.15%)
MP .8% (+.3%)
Mana Efficiency .7% (+.2%)
Health Regeneration Rate .1% (+.1%)
Stamina Regeneration Rate .1% (+.1%)
Mana Regeneration Rate .7% (+.2%)
Imri Padar has reached level 40 (+4) in Celestial Mage (2E)
Imri Padar has reached level 40 (+4) in Primordial (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 139 (+3)
Agility 110 (+4)
Constitution 129 (+5)
Intelligence 236 (+10)
Willpower 193 (+11)
Charisma 114 (+3)
Secondary Stats
HP 225 (+28)
FP 168 (+22)
MP 828 (+172)
Mana Efficiency 711 (+110)
Crafting Efficiency 803 (+123)
Spell Rank Up
Time Contraction 1E to 1D
Spell Tier Up
Time Contraction 1D has become Temporal Collapse 2F
Time Contraction 1D: Speed up relative time for the target, causing time to move faster for them relative to all unaffected objects by a factor of the amplitude. Mana cost / second depends exponentially on the amplitude of the effect and distance from caster to target.
Temporal Collapse 2F: Collapse a moment in time, decreasing the amount of time the target experiences/unit of time elapsed by a factor of the amplitude. Mana cost/second varies based on the amplitude of the effect and the distance from the caster to the target.
New Trait Gained
Perpetual Expansion 2F: You can tap into the concept that space in the universe is perpetually expanding. This increases the Mana Efficiency of spells that create or expand space by 5%. Additionally, those spells can be used to create semi-permanent space that subsists by absorbing ambient mana. Creating semi-permanent space has a base mana cost equal to 10 times the normal version of the spell.
New Quest
Celestial Mage Rank Up F to D: Learn new space or time spells 1/15, rank up space or time spells 1/20, visit new celestial bodies 0/3, have space or time spells of tier 3 or higher 0/5.
Imri smiled at the flood of information that nearly threatened to overwhelm him. He had been worried about the portion of the class rank-up that required him to visit another Celestial Body, but it had updated when the Collective Intelligence brought him to a mega-structure encompassing a star. While it was an artificial construct, nothing in his quest specified it had to be a naturally formed celestial body. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. With the fight against a Sentinel that had been a tier and 29 levels ahead of him and the completion of a quest, it wasn''t surprising that he had gained quite a few levels. While the class rank-up didn''t come with amazing primary stat gains, as it had with the tier-up, it did have a decent improvement to his secondary stats. However, the greatest improvement that came from the rank-up was the new trait. While it only affected one spell, Dimensional Expansion, it completely changed how it could be used. He could now create semi-permanent dimensional spaces, though it would take a significant mana investment. The only other limitation was what the ambient mana could support, but he didn''t think this would be an issue given the mana density around Celestia. While the Collective had healed his physical injuries, he was still physically and mentally exhausted. The hike that normally took an hour took over twice that, and he wasn¡¯t even using meditation. Emelia was waiting for him as he neared the perimeter of the settlement. ¡°You look like shit,¡± she said, staring at the holes and burns from his fight with the Sentinel. ¡°You should see the other¡­thing,¡± he quipped, not having the energy to say anything remotely witty. ¡°What happened? One moment you were fighting for your life, and the next, you were fully healed. Your emotions changed in an instant, too,¡± she said. ¡°An instant? You weren¡¯t cut off from me for over an hour?¡± Imri asked. ¡°No,¡± she said, a concerned expression on her face. If she hadn¡¯t even noticed he was cut off, Imri could only conclude that the room used a Time Dilation effect. Imri briefly explained his fight with the Sentinel and subsequent abduction. He didn¡¯t explain everything he had learned but told Emelia enough to paint a general picture. When he was done, he went straight to bed. He instructed Emelia to wake him before the scheduled conversation with the New Chicago representative. He was unconscious the moment his head hit the pillow. It felt like no time had elapsed when Emelia was shaking him awake. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be there. I¡¯m sure the major and the city council can manage without you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said with a yawn. ¡°I¡¯ll get some more sleep after.¡± He had just enough time to shower and get dressed before leaving at a brisk pace. He had been in his armor for almost two weeks straight, and it felt good to wear normal clothing. Even better was what it represented; there was no imminent threat. The only other time this happened was the two weeks between the Chixel siege and the Troglodyte appearance. The small room with the radio was packed with the usual people from the town meetings. He got curt nods from everyone and a few glares from the councilors that implied there would be another meeting after this one. Major Harper was the one physically holding the speaker. ¡°How long will the communications be up?¡± The Major asked Imri as he stared at his analog watch. Imri tapped the makeshift tablet, bringing up the estimated mana cost, and compared it to their current production and capacity. ¡°It could be up for just over two hours, but I would prefer if we didn¡¯t completely drain our mana reserves.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep it to fifteen minutes,¡± the major agreed, and no one objected. Imri tapped the enchantment at the appointed time, and the portal encompassed the antenna. ¡°This is Major Harper of the United States Army. If there are any survivors, please respond.¡± ¡°This is Baron Pearson of New Chicago. It¡¯s good to hear that there are other survivors nearby,¡± a self-assured man said over the radio. The group of Celestia¡¯s leaders all looked at one another. They had all expected to speak with someone in the armed forces, not a self-proclaimed Baron. ¡°May I speak with the highest ranking officer?¡± the major request. ¡°You can speak with me. I¡¯m the authority here in New Chicago,¡± the Baron said. ¡°A Baron? Did New Chicago adopt a feudal government?¡± Laura asked, unable to completely keep the indignation out of her voice. ¡°I take it you haven¡¯t upgraded to a tier 2 settlement?¡± the Baron asked. Emery ensured the major didn¡¯t have his finger down to transmit before adding, ¡°Don¡¯t tell this prick any more than we need to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. It¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. From what I hear, things are much worse out there than here. I¡¯d be happy to protect you if you come to New Chicago. I¡¯m a level 18 bruiser, and I have an elite retinue of soldiers between level 14 and 16,¡± he boasted. That got an eye roll from everyone. ¡°Is he for real? He wouldn¡¯t even be in our top 10, and his elite unit wouldn¡¯t even sniff the top 20. That¡¯s without the Knights or Sylvi having been here in over a month,¡± Emery said. ¡°He might be an idiot, but the military is letting him have this authority for some reason. Either that or he happened to overthrow the government within the last couple of days,¡± Major Harper said, wringing his hands in irritation. ¡°Maybe a level 18 champion is impressive for them,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Rhesk did say reaching level 20 was considered an accomplishment that most Chixel never reached. It¡¯s also possible he isn¡¯t even that high leveled, and he might have added a level or two to sound more impressive.¡± ¡°What do you say, Celestia? I can promise your safety,¡± the Baron said. ¡°We would certainly be interested in a meeting. How do we find you?¡± Major Harper asked. ¡°I¡¯ll have the scouts talk you through the details. We¡¯ve found a few survivors from Minneapolis and have a general idea of where you are,¡± the Baron said. ¡°What is the situation in New Chicago? How many people are there? Are there any supply shortages?¡± Steve asked. There was a brief silence before a woman started talking, ¡°We don¡¯t have an exact census to rely on, but based on the Nexus information, there are over 2 million people within its radius currently. We know a significant population is in the surrounding area, and our rough estimates put the total population between 7 and 8 million. As for supplies, it is a mixed bag. We could certainly use more foodstuffs, medicine, and other essentials, but we¡¯re making due. I¡¯d say it''s slightly worse than during the height of COVID,¡± the professional woman said. ¡°7 or 8 million, did I hear that right?¡± Major Harper asked. ¡°Yes, sir. Most of the citizens of the Chicago Metro and other nearby areas have found their way back. Most fatalities occurred within the first couple weeks of the integration, and things are slowly returning to normal,¡± the woman said. ¡°Must be nice not having to fight 3 different sapient species that want to enslave you,¡± someone grumbled, though it wasn¡¯t sent through the radio. The rest of the time was spent discussing the terrain with another person from New Chicago who had been near the Minneapolis area during the integration. They skirted North of the mountain range and avoided the Seagrass Plains entirely. It also didn¡¯t appear that there were any noteworthy monsters between them and New Chicago, at least in the route they had taken. As they had suspected, New Chicago was located in the relative direction Chicago had been located, albeit far further apart than it had been on Earth. It had taken them two months to reach the city, but they hadn¡¯t made a straight line towards it. They were also constrained by foraging for food and water and avoiding as many monsters as possible. Imri suspected a well-provisioned high-level individual with a Starseeker could reach the city in under two weeks. When the communication ended, they immediately launched into a discussion. They quickly reached a consensus. They would send two delegations to New Chicago. The first group would act as Celestia''s official representatives, openly working with the Baron and his people. It would include Christoph, Russ, one of the councilors, Major Harper, and Imri. The second group would be more covert, posing as ordinary refugees. Their goal wasn¡¯t anything nefarious; they would be tasked with discovering the sentiment of the general populace. They wanted to know if the Baron was abusing his power before making any arrangements with him. ¡°While I¡¯m all for establishing connections with a major city, it seems like there would be a lot of key personnel away from Celestia. While the immediate threats have been dealt with, we could face forces from any of the 3 nearby sapient species,¡± Major Harper pointed out. ¡°What if only one person had to travel to New Chicago?¡± Imri asked with an ear-splitting grin. Chapter 80: Iterations For the week following his encounter with Collective Intelligence, Imri worked on various projects that had been put off for too long. Many were tedious, such as mass-producing mana absorption panels, but they needed to be done. He found that it was more doable now that he no longer was running on only a few hours of meditation. To lessen the burden in the long run, he accepted more short-term responsibility, mainly mentoring another enchanter. His rationale was simple: he wanted someone else to do all the small-scale enchanting work that didn¡¯t demand complex runes or high efficiency. There was enough demand for home appliances to keep a second enchanter busy indefinitely. When word got out that he was looking for an apprentice, there was no shortage of applicants. It took Imri a while to conduct the interviews, but ultimately, he selected two people. The first was a somewhat chubby young man named Luke, who had been a college student when the integration happened. He had clung to his past life and struggled to adapt, gaining the mathematician profession and languishing at level 2. He had some experience with software and was obviously intelligent. The second apprentice was a woman in her later thirties. Her name was Claire, and she had been a meteorologist before the integration. She had gained the Storm Caller class, an intelligence-based mage class specializing in weather manipulation. While she wasn¡¯t as book-smart as Luke, she was tenacious and willing to learn. Imri hoped she would also have the same synergy he had taken advantage of, automatically learning her class spells as runes. Imri dedicated several hours to teaching them each day, coming prepared with lessons on the fundamentals of the profession. Instead of forcing them to memorize countless runes, he focused on teaching them the logic behind them. While neither took to it as quickly as he had, Imri could see steady progress each day. On the third day, Luke started grasping the fundamentals and putting together some basic functions in a notebook. He stood up excitedly without warning, proclaiming he had gained the profession. With the new traits and skills from the profession, his comprehension improved noticeably. Within the next couple of days, he had gained several levels and started to implement some basic enchantments. Now certain that Luke was well suited for the profession and would stick with it, Imri held out a Drake core, ¡°Here, absorb this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept that. It¡¯s too much,¡± Luke said, though his eyes were wide in awe. ¡°I literally have a bucket full of these in my workshop; I won¡¯t even notice one less,¡± Imri said, trying to downplay it. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll be representing me while you are an apprentice, and I don¡¯t want you making something with such a low efficiency that it''s a drain on the mana grid.¡± Eventually, pragmatism won out, and Luke reverently accepted the higher-level core. It took him a while to finish absorbing it, but he gained 3 full levels from it. An infectious grin spread across his face, and even Claire was genuinely happy for his success. From that point onward, Imri shifted their lessons to a more hands-on approach. Each day, they would spend a few hours working through a single appliance in someone''s home. The shift in approach wasn¡¯t only good for Luke, who started to gain practical experience, but also for Claire. She seemed to grasp the concepts better when she saw them working as a whole rather than something that was just theoretical. Imri continued the classroom theory for Claire, helping her catch up to Luke. While it was only an hour a day, he was certain Claire spent extra hours reviewing her notes each night. Between that and the practical experience, she gained the profession before the end of the week. Like Imri, she gained a trait that allowed her to create the runic versions of her spells. This helped her close the gap between herself and Luke. As soon as she had gained a few levels, Imri gave her the same reward: a D-grade Drake core. She accepted it solemnly, without putting on a show of arguing it was too much; she understood that it wasn¡¯t just a gift but a responsibility. Imri didn¡¯t spend the entire week on his new apprentices. While there was no longer an imminent danger, he couldn¡¯t be overly lax. He had briefed the council on the Collective Intelligence, stressing that they were near-omniscient beings that could eradicate this entire planet if they so desired it. The only thing that prevented it was their directive on non-interference so long as the world capital hadn¡¯t been established. Hopefully, they would be on more even footing by the time that happened, though Imri didn¡¯t think that was likely. Their best option was appealing to their sense of order. Russ was devastated when there was unanimous agreement that they wouldn¡¯t antagonize the Collective in any way. The implication was obvious: Russ would have to break his pact with his demi-god patron. In hindsight, it should have been apparent that anything capable of imprisoning a tier 5 would be too much for any of them to handle. In the end, Russ accepted his fate. The moment he resigned himself to being unable to free the Ancient One, his quest failed, and his class levels were taken from him. While Russ was physically fine, he was an emotional wreck. He had spent the past few weeks fighting the Troglodytes with zeal, and now all his hard work was for naught. Imri did his best to reassure him they would do everything possible to find his family. They both knew it was an empty promise; Imri hadn¡¯t even had the time to find his own family, let alone someone else¡¯s. Imri thought he had gotten past the experience of being captured, but he was awoken by a nightmare each night. It wasn¡¯t always the AI directly, but it involved being caged or boxed in. Other times, it was more literal, as he relived the experience almost exactly as it had happened. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to sleep conventionally, and he would turn to meditation as an alternative. He could feel Emelia¡¯s concern for him through their bond, but she didn¡¯t press him to open up about it. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The rest of Imri¡¯s time was spent on his own enchantment projects. The first was making some incremental improvements to the portal design. This mainly involved adding some additional safety features. The primary one was adding runes of true distance that acted like a laser. When it detected a solid object at a distance less than the width of the portal, it was presumably a person or cargo. When that was true, the portal wouldn¡¯t open or close with an override being input, and that would hopefully prevent a catastrophic accident. Imri also added light and sound runes that would start blaring when the portal was about to open or close. Imri also iterated on true-distance measurements, adding a feature that would automatically shut the portal down if an object hadn¡¯t been detected for a set amount of time. He made that time configurable in the admin UI but defaulted it to only 5 seconds. While this feature wasn¡¯t entirely necessary, Imri wanted it to safeguard against lax portal usage draining the entire mana supply. He did add a button that the portal operator could press to reset the time. With those improvements made, Imri began to design another portal with a few modifications, primarily to function without the arch so it could be portable. It would only require the rune tablet, mana source, and a Spatial Beacon. While this wasn¡¯t as safe, with open edges that could sheer off someone''s extremities, it allowed the portal to be moved. Imri considered reorienting the portal, similar to how he used the ground and sky to limit that particular risk with his own portals, but both presented problems that he couldn¡¯t mitigate; if he created it in the sky, it would be effective a one-way portal for everyone but Imri, and if it were in the ground it would be extremely difficult to use for both sides with the strange orientation. The idea of gravity pulling in different directions on various parts of the body didn¡¯t seem safe, and it gave Imri ideas for new spells to try later. No, the safest was to keep the portal as a doorway, people could still manage to walkthrough a door without hitting an edge, they did it every day. The next problem was that it would require an enormous amount of mana to open a portal over the distances they were planning; enough that it would even be a strain on Celestia¡¯s mana reserves, and it certainly wasn¡¯t doable with an amount of Espeonite that would be portable. The solution was similar to what he had done for the radio tower. Instead of opening a portal for a person, it would open a micro-portal just large enough to get a signal through. It would then send a signal to Celestia''s portal, opening the larger portal from Celestia¡¯s end. Imri liked this idea so much that he would implement it to scale his future portal network in Celestia. They had planned on linking every arch that was eventually created, allowing a portal to be opened between any two locations at any moment. The current plan had been to use radio to coordinate, ensuring no two locations would use the portal simultaneously. However, manually coordinating between every location wasn¡¯t scalable once the network grew. Instead, he would use the micro-portals with unique locations to send signals and coordinate when the portal would be opened. This portable version of the portal would be taken with Rayden, who had volunteered to go to New Chicago. He was sitting at a respectable level 21 and would be well-equipped to handle any known threats between their two locations. With the Baron only level 18, if even that high, a level 21 would attract a fair amount of notoriety. However, it seemed unlikely that anyone would escape notice while riding a nearly rhino-sized Starseeker, and Imri would prefer someone capable so they didn¡¯t risk losing the portal. Sending a larger group would also defeat the purpose, as they didn¡¯t have enough domesticated Starseekers. As it was, Emelia would be lending Orion for the mission, who hadn¡¯t been doing much besides grazing throughout the Seagrass Plains. Emelia took the opportunity to remind him about his promise to create a portal large enough for the massive creature so she could bring him up to Celestia. Imri mentally added that to a list of possible portal designs he needed to work on. With the design work done and a plan in place, Imri spent the next few days implementing his ideas. While Imri was proud of the features he had designed, they did give him a lot of rune work to complete. Modifying the original portal and creating the second one took several days. While he hadn¡¯t been solely dedicated to this project, it still took him far longer than any other enchantment he had created. Simultaneously, he took breaks to work on other enchantments. He had a Perpetual Expansion trait and wouldn¡¯t let it go to waste. Fortunately, this was simple in both design and rune work needed. When he told Naomi, the leatherworker, what his plan was, she was willing to sell him a backpack at cost in exchange for a percentage of the profits when it sold. With his new Drake skin bag, he got to work. The new design wasn¡¯t much different than the previous bag he had enchanted. The main difference was obviously in the new Dimensional Expansion rune. Instead of having a preset amount of space, it would create space as it was fed mana. In theory, he could keep expanding the space indefinitely. However, in practice, there was a limit: the bag could only get so expanded before the extra space became meaningless. No feature would magically summon an item, and even with a powerful Low Gravity rune, the items would still have mass. There were also diminishing returns on the space created per mana spent as the ratio of created space to existing space increased, even with the improvements from Dimensional Expansion. Even with those limitations, Imri was quite pleased with how the final product turned out. He had expanded it so that the ratio of created space to existing space was 2. This meant the smaller backpack could hold 3 times the volume as the non-enchanted version. However, the rune had required over a thousand mana to achieve this effect. Still, it was far greater than the few percentage points his previous iterations had been capable of generating. It also could have a far stronger Low-Gravity running now that the mana generation and supply were strictly for that purpose. While he considered this a good first prototype, the man representing the porters strongly disagreed. He offered Imri 100,000 credits for the bag and wanted more commissioned as soon as possible. While Imri could make more credits per hour slaughtering Drakes, the fact that the porters valued the item so highly was a great reassurance. Imri gained 2 levels in Runic Engineer for all his enchantment work during the week and training new apprentices. He also managed to rank up his Spatial Beacon skill to E after creating one for the mobile portal. Unfortunately, he was starting to have to consider his beacons carefully, as the mana cost was starting to become significant. As the week came to a close, Rayden embarked on his expedition. There was a small send-off crowd, though many were too busy with the influx of population to spare any time. Rayden was accompanied by a porter, who would help him on the first leg of the journey until they could reach Orion on the Seagrass plains. While Imri didn¡¯t think this mission would be difficult, it was critical. Everything would change when they reconnected with such a large group of people, and hopefully, it would be for the better. Chapter 81: Management Imri was pleased to see he hadn¡¯t been the only one working hard. With the influx of population they had received from the refugees of Kansas City, the settlement had again become filled with people living out of tents. Fortunately, Celestia now had enough institutional infrastructure that most new arrivals had something they could contribute to. While there was a temporary slowdown in productivity as new people needed to be trained, having as many productive citizens as possible in the long term would be essential. One of the busiest groups was the builders, who were constantly flooded with new construction requests. Several teams had become bogged down in large projects, and even with their incredible speed, it would take them a while to finish. This included several essential projects, such as expanding the mines and building a multi-unit apartment building. There was also a team focused on bringing Christoph¡¯s temple to reality. While the council wasn¡¯t happy to have so much time and money spent on a grand temple, they couldn¡¯t entice the builders to put the project on hold. Fortunately, a couple of smaller builder teams were still focused on building homes. They were so efficient that they could build an entire home in a few days. Several days after Rayden had left for New Chicago, the 50th building was completed. With that came a slew of changes to the settlement as the rank-up quest was completed.
Settlement Rank Up
Celestia has ranked up from a Village 1E to a Village 1D
Settlement Tier Up
Celestia has improved from a Village 1D to a Town 2F
Town of Celestia (2F), Level 12
Base Radius of Effect: 1 Kilometer (+300 Meters)
Base Bonuses: Resource Regeneration 7.5% (+1.5%) Experience 1.25% (+.25%)
Empire Management Feature can be unlocked for 1,000,000 credits
Empire Management: Establish an empire, starting at a capital Nexus. Once unlocked, each settlement tier 2 or higher will have an additional radius, Radius of Influence, extending as a percentage of the Radius of Effect. Whenever a settlement in your empire has a Radius of Influence that overlaps with another radius, it may choose to become integrated into your empire, gaining any applicable Empire Bonuses.
Nobility Feature unlocked
Nobility: This is granted through a title. Noble titles grant increased primary attributes depending on the average level of all settlements within the domain specified by the title. This bonus is reduced by 20% per noble tier established above you, excluding yourself. You may never possess more than 3 titles and only 1 below your highest-tier title. Each Settlement of tier 2 or higher will have a Baron and a number of Minor Nobles up to the tier of the settlement. To establish a noble title above the tier of Baron, nobles with a combined 4 titles of the appropriate rank that form a contiguous domain must agree to the formation of the greater title and the title creation fee paid to the system.
Title Gained
Baron of Celestia 12: You are the lord over the Barony of Celestia. .2% increase to primary stats/rank (2.4% increase)
Imri Padar
Primary Stats
Strength 142 (+3)
Agility 113 (+2)
Constitution 133 (+3)
Intelligence 243 (+5)
Willpower 199 (+5)
Charisma 117 (+3)
Secondary Stats
HP 236 (+10)
FP 179 (+7)
MP 887 (+41)
Mana Efficiency 755 (+31)
Crafting Efficiency 861 (+35)
With all the changes, an immediate meeting was called. However, unlike most of the meetings, which took place in the large conference room, this one took place at the Nexus Crystal, so they could all review the new changes. The meeting started once all the key parties arrived, along with an even greater number of gawkers. They started with the most straightforward topic, discussing the various improvements to the existing bonuses provided by the nexus. While no one would turn their nose up at improved regeneration and experience, the amount it had increased by wasn¡¯t as dramatic as Imri had hoped it would be for a tier increase. Likewise, the system store had only marginal improvements in the variety of items it offered, including higher-level cores and slightly more exotic raw materials. After Christoph purchased several items, it was determined that there was also a marginal improvement in the stability of prices. While those improvements had been somewhat underwhelming, the next change made up for it. A massive list of new bonuses was available to select from, and each could be purchased for 500,000 credits. The only downside was that they couldn¡¯t have more bonuses than the settlements tier, which meant they would need to agree on which two to purchase. Judging by the heated debates, it would be a while before a consensus was reached. Imri took his time, reviewing each one of the options.
Available Arrays
Agriculture Array: Increase the growth rate of plants by 2.5% and the quality of plants by 2.5%
Bliss Array: Increases contentment by 2.5%, provides luxury goods in the system store
Commercial Array: Reduce the tax rate by a factor of 1.05, allow access to the system store anywhere within the radius, and allow for a local market to be established that can accessed anywhere within the radius
Core Energy Array: This array stores core energy within the nexus, allowing cores to be created or recharged, equivalent to a level 5 core/hour.
Education Array: Increase the rate at which mental-based abilities are learned or improved by .5%. Increase the rate at which base mental stats are improved naturally by .5%.
Fertility Array: This array increases the rate at which children are conceived by 2.5%, reduces the rate of pregnancy and birth complications by a factor of 1.05, and improves the maximum potential primary stats of any newborn who is born within the radius by .25%.
Information Gathering Array: This array adds information packets that can be purchased from the system store and allows the settlement to sell information packets to the system.
Mana Creation Array: This array allows the nexus to store up to 10,000 mana and is automatically charged at a rate of 100 mana/hour.
Mana Density Array: Increase the ambient mana density of the area within the radius by a static .25.
Manufacturing Array: Increase the quality or efficiency of crafted items by 2.5%
Mining Array: Increase the formation rate of natural minerals and metals by 2.5% and increase the quality of natural minerals and metals mined within the radius by 2.5%
Natural Wonder Array: Improves the quality of a Natural Wonder within the radius by 2.5%
Passive Income Array: Provide 100 credits/hour to the Nexus, which can be withdrawn by the Nexus''s owner or any designated individuals.
Physical Improvement Array: Increase the rate at which physical abilities are learned and improved by .5%. The rate at which base physical attributes improve naturally is increased by .5%.
Religious Array: Increase the quality of holy sites within the radius by 2.5%, and miracles cast within the radius cost fewer devotion points by a factor of 1.025.
Sanitation Array: Reduces the effective spread of pathogens by a factor of 1.1, allows for the removal of waste for a credit charge
Security Array: Reduce the effective stats of hostile creatures within the radius by a factor of 1.01. Monsters are less likely to enter the radius. Harmful effects that originate from outside the radius and target something within the radius have a reduced efficiency by a factor of 1.025.
Stealth Array: Provides natural camouflage to everything within the radius and reduces the effectiveness of harmful divination-based spells and effects by a factor of 1.1.
It was an almost overwhelming list, and Imri could see an argument for almost all of them. Even some of the ones he had first thought strange had merits. Slowly, they eliminated options one by one. The first array eliminated was the Stealth Array, which had already been obsolete when the war with the Chixel started. Likewise, Imri argued against the Security Array, pointing out that most engagements happened on the mountain passes, and having enemies weaker while near the settlement would be insignificant. Next, they eliminated the three arrays that statically generated resources: Core Energy, Mana Gathering, and Passive Income. While all three were helpful in the short term, none scaled well. Similarly, Mana density was eliminated, as the static increase was small relative to the existing mana density level. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. There were moral arguments made against Bliss, with a large enough majority finding it disconcerting to have the system altering their mental state. Sanitation was dismissed as not impactful enough for their current situation. Agriculture, Mining, and Natural Wonder were eliminated as the Nexus wasn¡¯t in range of those resources. Likewise, Information and Religious were eliminated because they were specializations that didn¡¯t fit Celestia at this time. From there, eliminating them became much more challenging, and the most contentious was Fertility. Some argued that it was negative, that enough people didn¡¯t want to have children in this situation, and increasing the likelihood of pregnancy was a detriment for them. While Imri saw their point, the decrease in complications wasn¡¯t in question. The slight increase in potential max stats, while not being a massive bonus, was significant throughout the child''s life. The main argument against it was the lack of immediate benefit for their survival, with only future generations directly seeing the benefits. Commercial, mainly championed by Christoph, was another intriguing choice. The ability to buy and sell anywhere in the settlement, not just at the Nexus, was a nice quality-of-life feature. However, it wasn¡¯t essential, as it was easy enough to access the Nexus directly. Its main selling point was reducing taxes to the system while still gaining the same settlement experience. While it was only a fraction of a percent, it would be incredibly impactful at scale. Physical Improvement and Education were discussed as a set, as they had identical effects for the two different attribute types. While they didn¡¯t have eye-popping numbers, they were broad in their improvements, especially at scale. The increase in the rate at which abilities could be learned was similar to the effect provided by a class, and Imri considered it one of the most powerful effects. Likewise, the bonus to base stat improvements was impactful, even if it was also a low percentage increase. The final option under consideration was Manufacturing. It was simple and effective, improving the effectiveness of the crafters by a decent amount. All the crafters, including Imri himself, were pushing hard for this option. What pushed it over the top was when Caroline pointed out that this would probably have an even more significant effect on the economy than Commercial, with higher quality crafted items being traded for a premium, especially when they had other cities to trade with. With Manufacturing as a tentative selection, the two attribute-focused selections lost some support, as many had been considering them together as a pair. Without consensus on which of the two was more critical, many discarded it in favor of something else that left Commercial or Fertility. Imri knew he was biased in this selection, as he wanted every potential advantage for his future child. He would also do just about anything to ensure there were no complications during the pregnancy or birth. The actual percentage increase in conception was where the hangup was, and Imri also considered it the least important of the benefits. However, he could admit that it could have far-reaching implications at scale, but he didn¡¯t care. Eventually, Imri won everyone over. Even Christoph relented when he realized he would get more by having Imri owe him a favor than relentlessly campaigning for slightly reduced taxes. With everyone having reached a begrudging consensus, Imri locked in the choices and mentally confirmed the choices, spending a million credits from the settlement''s account to purchase Fertility and Manufacturing. Next, Imri explained the little bit he knew about the nobility system. It was essentially another avenue for stat growth, though somewhat more fluid than the others. He would gain a slight increase in stats every time the settlement leveled up, but the flip side was that he could lose it all if Celestia were ever conquered. Imri explained how the nobility system would work beyond a Baron. To become a county, they would need to integrate 4 baronies. From there, it would take 4 counties into a duchy and 4 duchies into a kingdom. This also explained why the maximum number of titles a person could possess was 3. It forced people to work with others to create a higher-level title. Imri suspected this was why the Baron of New Chicago couldn¡¯t form a Count title; it was disadvantageous for someone to fall under someone else''s higher-level title, as it reduced the benefits by 20% per tier, making it hard to gather support for a higher tier title. With Celestia being a tier 2 settlement, he could give out two lesser nobility titles. Instantly, a chorus of people tried to convince him why they deserved it. Imri just shook his head and silenced them with a declaration. ¡°The two titles are already spoken for. They are going to Emelia and Zhaire,¡± he said. There was a brief silence, but eventually, everyone murmured their agreement. While he was showing a bit of favoritism in giving the title to Emelia, few objected to giving the bonus to their highest-level healer. He would honor his promise by providing the second to Zhaire, and he hadn¡¯t even considered giving it to anyone else. The system required him to spend 100,000 to create each title, which he paid with his own money this time. Emelia informed him it gave .08% per settlement level, slightly less than half his title. It would have been a full .1%, but there was a 20% reduction for having a title that reported up to a higher-ranking noble. The subsequent discussion was about the Empire Management feature. Like all the system''s new features, it required a hefty number of credits to be unlocked. This one needed 1 million credits, a significant portion of the settlement''s remaining credits. Imri offered to give the town some of the credits, producing a glare from Christoph, who had made a similar offer but as a loan. Emery waved off both offers, insisting the settlement could afford it. Imri went ahead and unlocked the feature.
The Celestia Empire has been established
The capital of the Celestia Empire was established in Celestia, and all empire bonuses are doubled within Celestia''s Radius of Effect.
Celestia Empire is now Level 2
Bonuses: All Settlement Effects improved by 2%
Town of Celestia (2F), Level 12
Radius of Effect: 1.16 Kilometers Radius of Influence: 1.35 Kilometers (116.48% of Radius of Effect)
Bonuses: Resource Regeneration 8.73% Experience 1.45% Conception 2.91%, Reduction in birth and pregnancy Complications 1.058, Max stats of newborn .29% Crafting Quality 2.91%
The empire bonus was applied multiplicatively to the bonuses from the settlement level, meaning Celestia now had effectively gained over 4 levels with the capital. The influence radius was currently just beyond the radius of effect. When they built a second settlement, it would be integrated into the empire as soon as their influence radia intersected. The empire level wasn¡¯t calculated from taxes but was a rating derived from the amount of land, the average mana density of that land, the cumulative total tiers of all settlements, and the cumulative levels of all permanent citizens. All these factors were multiplied together to create the point total and then used to determine the empire level. Celestia had reached Empire level 2 because of the high mana density of the area and the higher-than-average levels people within the radius had gained. Finally, with all the features unlocked, they began discussing what to upgrade. The cost of the first upgrade was 100,000, which was a fairly reasonable amount. However, with the price increasing exponentially, they could only make a few upgrades in the current tier before the cost became untenable. Each upgrade provided a 10% increase to the specific bonus it was improving but could only be selected once until each upgrade had been taken once. While Imri liked expanding their borders, starting another settlement wasn¡¯t feasible while establishing Celestia. He would reconsider that once they got Celestia to E in the town tier. Of the four remaining options, none stood out as definitely better or worse than the others. The crafters again lobbied for the Manufacturing to be upgraded further, and Imri agreed. They could get it, with the concession that the experience upgrade was not one of the other choices, as that also primarily benefited the crafters. The other benefit they selected was the recovery bonus, which would help most people, as they didn¡¯t have Imri¡¯s monstrous mana regeneration or the Transcendent Meditation skill. While the settlement could technically afford a third upgrade, doing so would put the town too low on credits to cover all their daily expenses. Again, Christoph offered loans, but the councilors unanimously agreed to hold off, not wanting to be further in debt to the merchant. Likewise, they could purchase a second Nexus but held off for now. A system notification caught their attention as they were wrapping up the meeting.
System Event Seeding Capital has ended
New System Event
Grand Auction: An auction will be held in two months. The system will award items to be auctioned off for all settlements that have reached tier 3 or higher, with the quantity and quality of items depending on the settlement''s tier, rank, and level. The auction will include natural treasures, elixirs, enhanced items, and enchanted items, all of which are of a quality and tier superior to most items found on a newly integrated world. You won''t want to miss out.
Imri cursed the system''s timing. They would likely need to participate in New Chicago¡¯s auction. He would need to gain as much capital as possible before the auction and bring as many of his enchantments as possible to auction off. Chapter 82: Higher Amplitudes Imri fell into some sense of routine for the next couple of weeks. He started his morning with physical training, joining the soldiers. While staunch in his insistence that there was a reason for how everything was done, Major Owen Harper slowly started to adapt. He begrudgingly admitted that the system created a broader variation in each soldier''s physical capabilities. While he didn¡¯t go as far as creating an individualized regimen, he split everyone into groups based on their general physical attributes. To Imri¡¯s surprise, he was grouped with some of the more able-bodied soldiers. While they likely had higher base attributes and classes more heavily focused on the physical side, Imri made up the difference with his sheer number of levels, achievements, and new title. It was strange for him to go from sickly patient to where he was now. His physical stats were nearing what Zhaire¡¯s had been at the start of the integration. This was a bit incongruous because he still looked average in terms of build. However, this just meant he still had room to grow if he had enough time. His agility still lagged a bit behind his other attributes. While this wasn¡¯t an issue in many endurance or weight-training exercises, it was immediately apparent in any more practical exercises. Still, going for long runs or lifting weights he couldn¡¯t have fathomed using before the integration was exhilarating. While Imri was only dedicating a small portion of his day to physical exercise, he made up for that by being consistent. He continued to see steady improvements and increased one of his base attributes every few days. The population increased steadily as more refugees came in daily, most from the South. With all the foot traffic, the route up the mountain had become a well-worn hiking trail. The porters had taken the initiative to improve it, carving out paths through natural obstacles, building stairs or bridges over difficult stretches, and adding fences at the edge of narrow switchbacks. They even added a few quality-of-life features, such as trail markers and several signs with the distance and direction to Celestia. Likewise, similar initiatives were making the entire plateau easier to navigate. Natural trails had formed between Celestia and the major natural resources, mainly the caves with Espeonite Crystals and the Zopralt mine. These trails were being widened and flattened in anticipation of roads being built for large-scale resource distribution, which was currently done manually by a large contingent of porters. In addition to Celestia, other camps began to form as groups of miners, prospectors, and gatherers congregated around suitable areas closer to the resources they were harvesting. He expected these areas would eventually become towns themselves, allowing for specialized arrays for their specific resources, with Celestia as the central hub. Despite all the progress they were making, there were still issues, mainly food. While a good portion of the plateau was allocated to farming, it would take some time before they saw the fruits of their labor. Even with many farmers augmenting their yields and growth speed with magic, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain the growing population in the short term. That was why Imri spent a good portion of his day hunting Drakes. They had stopped presenting him with even a modicum of a challenge as long as he avoided their initial diving attack. To keep things interesting, he alternated how he killed them each time. He mostly avoided Dimensional Tear, opting only to use it when a shortage of time dictated it. Instead, he challenged himself to use as many different spells as possible. He practiced using his Spatial Collapse, targeting their heads and crushing them like a large zit. It was slightly less efficient than Dimensional Tear, mostly because of the creature''s resilience. Still, using that spell felt similar to Dimensional Tear in that it was obvious how to apply it in combat. Wanting more of a challenge, Imri decided to see if he could beat the creatures without using any of his spells. Of course, he would still use his enchantments. He had remade his personal items, gaining a considerable jump in mana efficiency thanks to his increased level and the Manufacturing Array. With those improvements, he could maintain a 1.3 to 1 ratio in time for an extended fight. This easily allowed him to evade the Drake¡¯s attacks and left him with a wide opening where he brought the Dimensional Saber down, meeting no resistance as it surgically sliced the tough skull in half. Having proved he wasn¡¯t solely reliant on his spells, Imri moved on to other methods. He had several more fights that played out similarly, only this time he used his own spells, alternating between Temporal Expansion on himself or Temporal Collapse on the Drake. In the end, the result was the same. After a particularly high amplitude Temporal Expansion, he was rewarded with a rank-up, though not to the spell itself.
Trait Rank Up
Being of Eons from E to D
Trait Improved
Being of Eons 1D has improved to One with Time 2F
Being of Eons 1D: You are a being that has achieved control over time within your body. You age 3.15% slower, both from natural and magical effects. Improves the mana efficiency of beneficial time-based spells that target you by 3.15%.
One with Time 2F: You have achieved control over time within your body, making it a part of you. You age 5% slower, both from natural and magical effects. The mana efficiency of beneficial temporal spells that target you is increased by 5%, while the efficiency of harmful temporal effects is reduced by 5%. You can always accurately perceive how much time has elapsed in a given period, with precision dependent on Willpower, and will be instantly aware of any changes in the passage of time instinctually.
While the improvement wasn¡¯t massive, it pushed him closer to immortality while improving his self-targeting Temporal Expansions. The ability to know exactly how much time had elapsed was nice but not a game-changer. Likewise, being more resilient to harmful temporal effects was nice, but he had yet to meet anyone else who used the concept of time. Sticking with his Temporal spells, Imri decided to use a spell in his arsenal that hadn¡¯t gotten much use, Aging. He hadn¡¯t used it, thinking it would be too inefficient to age something to death slowly. He immediately reconsidered that assessment after using it. After only maintaining the spell at a relatively high amplitude for several seconds, the Drake began to stumble and slow. After a few more seconds, the creature collapsed, dead after the equivalent of only a few days had passed. Puzzled by the effectiveness of the spell, Imri inspected the corpse. He wasn¡¯t able to determine why the spell was so effective, and it took Caroline inspecting the corpse to realize that the Drake had died from severe dehydration. Imri didn¡¯t need to age them to the point where they died of old age. Instead, he just needed to have enough time pass, and dehydration and sleep deprivation became issues. Imri immediately reevaluated the spell, moving it up the list of potential weapons he could deploy. It also had great potential, as it was this effective at only tier 1. After a couple more fights, the spell was raised to E rank, and Imri stopped there for the time being. Next, he experimented with his High Gravity spell. Imri knew they were vulnerable mid-dive, but killing them in that fashion didn¡¯t really accomplish anything. Instead, he used it while they were fighting on the ground. His first experiment was to see how far he could push the High Gravity without showing any restraint. While this certainly wasn¡¯t efficient, the results were catastrophic for the monster. It collapsed as its limbs shattered under the extreme amount of weight it was suddenly subjected to, and that was just the start of the damage that had been dealt; its organs began failing as blood was too heavy to circulate properly, which was only compounded by the heart being unable to contract properly under the additional strain. Within seconds, the Drake stilled, killed several times over from complete organ failure. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. While the effect was dramatic, it was far from efficient, as the amount of mana needed to maintain that effect level was steep. It would have taken far less mana to sheer it in half with a Dimensional Tear. Fortunately, the experiment yielded more than information as the spell improved to tier 2.
Spell Rank Up
High Gravity E to D
Spell Improved
High Gravity 1D has become Celestial Gravity 2F
Celestial Gravity 2F: Increases the force of gravity upon a given object, effectively increasing its weight and falling speed by a factor of the amplitude. Cost / second increases by the distance from the caster to the object, the mass of the object, and the amplitude of the effect.
The wording of the spell hadn''t changed at all, and it took Imri a few experiments to understand the difference. As with most tier upgrades, the scaling was slightly improved on a specific attribute. In this case, the mass of the target contributed less to the overall cost of the spell. This came at the slight expense of a higher base cost, which resulted in edge cases where the spell was worse, but in most scenarios, it was an improvement. This included his primary test subjects. After refilling his mana, he repeated the test on another unknowing victim. While the end result was the same, the mana needed was significantly less. It still wasn¡¯t as efficient as his bread-and-butter spell, but it was close enough that there were probably use cases where it would be better. After that success, he continued experimenting with the spell, testing it at various amplitudes. At slightly lower amplitudes, the spell was still nearly as effective. It only took a few seconds longer to kill the creature he had once considered almost unkillable. However, this was less efficient considering the extended duration, if only by a point or two. The effect changed dramatically at a more moderate amplitude, about half his maximum. While the Drake was too heavy to move effectively, it took considerably longer for the higher gravity to result in organ failure, to the point where Imri needed to absorb mana to keep the experiment going. At that amplitude, it was more effective as a restriction on mobility than a source of damage. After several minutes, the Drake collapsed as its organs failed. He continued his gravity experiment by focusing on the gravity of specific body parts. The result was something similar to his Spatial Collapse, though in some cases, it was more efficient. This was mainly due to the direction of the force, with Spatial Collapse crushing inward while a targeted Celestial Gravity pushed downward. Imri guessed this would be more effective against durable enemies that were resistant to being crushed but whose body weight was already straining to support the dense armor. Imri found that the most effective use of a targeted Celestial Gravity wasn¡¯t as a killing blow but as a way to unbalance his opponent. A sudden increase in weight often unbalanced the creatures, sending them stumbling at even a moderate amplitude. Before his next day of hunting, Imri considered what he was doing when he manipulated gravity. He was essentially bending space, making it more or less curved. He theorized that he could change the vector of gravity entirely by bending the curvature in space in a different direction. With that idea in mind, he willed his mana into the spell. He targeted his silverware and manipulated gravity so it bent slightly in the opposite direction. The silverware fell upward, slowly accelerating until it clattered to the ceiling, and remained there until Imri released the spell. The various pieces of silverware returned to the normal rules of physics, raining down onto the table where Imri was seated.
New Spell Learned
Reorient Gravity 2F: Changes the force and vector of gravity upon a given object, effectively changing the direction and speed at which it falls. Cost / second increases by the distance from the caster to the object, the mass of the object, the amplitude of the effect, and the angle of reorientation.
Imri smiled as he began thinking of ways to use the spell. His first practical experiment was a bit lackluster, as the Drakes weren¡¯t killed from a long fall after having gravity reversed for several seconds. However, such a fall would have killed any opponent that hadn¡¯t evolved for cliff diving. That changed when he targeted a specific part of the Drake with a Reorient Gravity. It was only moderately effective on its own as the creature was accelerated toward the greater force. However, when combined with Celestial Gravity on the rest of the body, the combined forces were enough to eventually rip the creature into two pieces. Other variations were effective, such as using Reorient Gravity on limbs, which caused the creature to stumble due to the shifting forces. Imri also produced a result similar to his Spatial Collapse by creating two fields: Reorient Gravity on the lower half and Celestial Gravity on the upper portion. While this didn¡¯t flatten the tough creatures, it wreaked havoc on their internal organs and blood flow, eventually killing the resilient Drake. In addition to using it as a weapon, Imri also used his new spell for its incredible utility. With a Reorient Gravity, he fell upward for a few seconds until he picked up a decent speed. He dismissed the spell but continued gaining altitude as normal gravity started to slow his ascent. At the apex of his upward fall, he used Reorient Gravity again, this time targeting a point in the distance. He sped off towards his target, falling forward at increasing speed. Once he had gained a decent amount of momentum, he let go of the spell. He continued forward at the incredible speed he had built up, slowed only by wind resistance, which was considerable with the amount of air he flew through. Imri continued flying through the air, adjusting his trajectory with lower amplitude Reorient Gravity. He would have continued for hours, but his mana wouldn¡¯t support it. He used a final Reorient Gravity to cancel out his momentum, then returned to the ground below with a Blink. He smiled as he began hiking back toward Celestia, having gone to the plateau''s edge. It hadn¡¯t been an efficient method of travel, but Imri considered it a successful test run. The first thing he did when he returned to Celestia was to commission a base jumping suit made from the Drakes he had been hunting. Near the end of his two weeks of hunting, the food supply stabilized, with freezers full of Drake meat that would last several weeks. It was good timing, as Imri had made a significant dent in the nearby Drake population, and he had been forced to venture further from town each day to find a target. Most of the food was donated, with Imri only accepting a small amount of credits from the inn for the portion that would go to paying customers rather than refugees. While Imri could have gotten some credits from the town''s virtual coffers, he knew every credit was needed with so much money spent on the settlement upgrades. In addition to the inn, an enterprising individual had set up a food cart in the center of the tent camp. The smells of grilled Drake meat wafted throughout the packs of people, drawing in a large crowd wherever the stand was placed. While the proprietor was happy to take credits, he also accepted another form of payment, mana. This allowed everyone to have some method of paying, and it gave the refugees a sense of pride that they were no longer taking free handouts. The idea was good enough that another person piggybacked off this idea. Instead of trading food for mana, they offered credits for mana. While Imri was still selling his mana to the town for only a few credits per mana, most of this was still reserved for essentials, and demand still far exceeded the supply. With another source of mana production, the available mana pool was now opened for more frivolous use, though at a higher credit cost per mana. Even with Imri¡¯s charitable giving, he still raked in millions of credits from his hunting expeditions, even after paying the porters and processors who broke the creature down. He sold as much of the creature as possible to the various crafters, mainly Naomi and Elliot, but they quickly had more supply than they could use in the next few months. After that, Christoph sold the rest of the carcass to the system. Seeing the reduced prices after the event had ended was disappointing, but Imri made up for that in volume. Between his various income sources, Imri¡¯s credit supply ballooned to an amount approaching eight figures. Hopefully, the auction would have some unique items he could purchase with his accumulated wealth. Chapter 83: Practically Immovable Imri¡¯s time during the two weeks wasn¡¯t just spent working out and fighting. He spent his afternoons enchanting. The vast majority of that was the tedious enchanting work that needed to get done. He looked forward to the day when there was a true surplus of mana, and he wouldn¡¯t need to enchant another Mana Absorption panel. He suspected that day would never come. He had hoped his apprentices could take this task on, but they were still far from having enough crafting efficiency to be mana-positive, let alone efficient. With over thirty panels finished, they produced almost a thousand mana per hour. This meant his profession rank-up quest would be completed before the auction. He sold most of the mana to the town, which then distributed it among the crafters. Imri was glad to be out of the business of allocating mana, as that seemed to be a constant topic of the few town hall meetings he did attend. The council seemed to have things well in hand, and they no longer requested Imri¡¯s involvement with the day-to-day operations, something he was grateful for. The town also held a considerable reserve, anticipating the massive expenditure of opening a portal to New Chicago soon. They also always wanted to have enough mana for an emergency. In addition to the panels, Imri spent considerable time crafting staple items for his shop. This included his Temporal Expansion rings, Dimensional Sabers, Low Gravity Perpetual Dimensional Storage Backpacks, Portable Self-Charging Mana Storage, and Low Gravity rings. With no immediate danger, Imri no longer felt the necessity of selling at a price that everyone could easily afford. However, he wasn¡¯t the only one anticipating the auction, and people were unwilling to spend large sums of money, even for his powerful enchantments. Still, he did manage to make a few sales, and he wasn''t concerned about excess inventory, as it would be perfect for the auction. In addition to his typical enchanting, he took a couple of one-off commissions from Caroline. She was having issues preserving some of the more temperamental herbs and monster parts, and they were too delicate to be frozen like a hunk of Drake meat. The solution was simple: Stasis. Imri had Avery construct a sealed box about the size of a microwave. The enchantment work was trivial, as the concept was straightforward: everything inside the box would be put into Stasis. The only moderately challenging parts were defining the rune, which was only active when the box was closed, and defining the targets as anything inside. Still, even that took less than an hour of design work. The final product was functional, if not the most efficient invention. Even with using one of his best cores and having the improved efficiency that came from the Manufacturing Array, the enchantment was a mana hog. However, for specific items, it was still worth it for Caroline. Her stoic reaction to the Stasis Box would have seemed unremarkable to those who didn''t know her well. However, Imri noticed she was reviewing all her notes and making notations on possible candidates for Stasis storage, and everything else was wholly forgotten. The second commission from Caroline was almost the opposite of the Stasis Box. Caroline had started work on a greenhouse where she would cultivate some of the plants and herbs she had collected. She even hired someone who had gained the Gardener profession for when the project was completed. While this was an excellent long-term solution, she wanted the ability to grow several staples at an increased speed. The solution was the Aging rune. Imri had already been working on this problem, with his original intended use being to improve the speed at which brewers could ferment alcohol. He hadn¡¯t implemented that because he was waiting for a larger brewery, as most were still experimenting with small batches. It was easy enough to modify the design for a planter, allowing Caroline to use mana to speed up the growth of a critical plant in short supply. Imri warned her that the plant would still need all the same nutrients it received during a normal growth cycle, just in a shorter time. In addition to the items he had made for money, he continued working on the portal network. While Imri eventually wanted a portal at each semi-permanent Spatial Beacon, the amount of rune work required for each made that impractical for the time being. Instead, he devoted only a couple of hours daily, completing one a week. While the Espeonite caverns and Healing Springs were close to Celestia, they were too critical to skip the ease of access a portal would provide. Imri¡¯s focus shifted after learning the Reorient Gravity spell. He was immediately tempted to implement grandiose designs, such as constructing a floating house or mana-powered aircraft. While he fully intended to do such things eventually, he didn¡¯t have the time or mana infrastructure to support such lofty ambitions. Instead, he would do what he had always done: implement a single concept into a simple device. He wanted to create an object that would remain fixed in space or a semi-immovable platform. He began mentally ticking off the runes he would need to use to complete this project. The first one needed was the primary rune it was being built around, the Reorient Gravity rune. To counteract gravity, he would have a Reorient Gravity pushing up with the same force as the gravity acting downward. This was a good starting point, but it didn¡¯t allow anything on the platform, which would imbalance it in favor of normal gravity. To compensate for this, he would need to exert a certain amount of force on the platform at all times. Unfortunately, measuring force proved to be more difficult than he had expected. He had initially assumed there would be a straightforward mechanical way to measure force, but the engineers quickly disabused him of that notion. Therefore, without anything simple to work off of, his idea of a True Force rune was implausible, especially if he wanted it to be omnidirectional. Once again, Imri cheated. His Spatial Beacons proved to be an invaluable tool in his arsenal, and the fact that he could create runes that efficiently knew the exact direction and distance of all his Spatial Beacons was even more valuable than he had initially realized. He could pinpoint the target''s precise location using the distance and angle from any beacon, working somewhat like a GPS. Where his beacons differed was that he could always efficiently use them with unerring accuracy and a high degree of precision, and he was going to exploit that. Imri combined the Spatial Beacon runes with a Metronome rune, triggering it precisely 100 times a second. With each pulse, the enchantment would check its current location against the activation location; if they weren¡¯t exactly the same, it would calculate the change in force based on the displacement. It would then use that to determine the angle and amplitude of the Reorient Gravity, along with a small overcompensation to reposition the platform to the exact location it was supposed to be at. The entire calculation process took even less time than the one-hundredth of a second at which the Metronome was running. The result was that the platform appeared affixed in space, even if it technically took a fraction of a second to adjust to any force. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Imri tested it by tapping the activation rune about half a meter off the ground. It immediately locked in place without any indication that it had been falling. Next, he tried pushing it horizontally, but again, there was no sign of movement, even though he knew it had moved. Finally, he tried standing on it, feeling no difference between stepping on the platform and standing on solid ground. Imri experimented with the Metronome rune before finishing the enchantment. He found that the motion and readjustment were noticeable if he made the checks less frequent. It was still bearable until about 50 pulses per second, at which point it had a noticeable give, but it still worked when the forces weren¡¯t constantly adjusting. However, Imri noticed a slight efficiency gain by adding more pulses per second. This was due to the amount of mana needed to run the additional checks, which was offset by the reduced spatial correction required. At about 160 pulses per second, the efficiency started to drop again as the gains from the motion decreased while the cost of each additional pulse remained constant. It was a good thing he optimized it, as running through his tests had consumed hundreds of mana in only a few minutes. It would be some time before they became practical for everyday use. Still, Imri deemed this a successful prototype and finished it with a higher-level core. Imri idly wondered if the Collective Intelligence platforms he had stood on while talking with the sub-mind had been something similar to what he was working on. He could see a clear path to what they had and his prototype, especially with the near-limitless mana they had been working with. To that end, he resolved to study their enchantments from the salvaged Sentinels. While he hadn¡¯t made much headway into most of their runes, he had noticed one that seemed integral to each enchantment but wasn¡¯t a simple, familiar rune that he currently used. Simply copying the rune onto a sheet of paper didn¡¯t do anything; it was as if runes operated on another concept than just their physical manifestation. Even a perfect copy of any rune wouldn¡¯t do anything unless the enchanter knew precisely how the rune worked on an almost spiritual level. This is why his apprentices couldn¡¯t mimic any of his more complicated runes, even if they could physically redraw them. Imri felt guilty as Emelia reminded him he was supposed to be taking it easy. With the number of things he was juggling, he needed to create a schedule and block off time to spend with her. It felt a bit off-putting to need to schedule every moment of his life, but if he didn¡¯t, he would slip back into overworking himself. Emelia just smiled at him and told him it didn¡¯t matter so long as he spent some time with her. They spent most of their time together relaxing and conversing casually, exhausted from the day''s activities. The pregnancy was going as well as could be expected, with her only experiencing moderate nausea. Imri hoped everything would go smoothly between the Fertility Array, her improved stats, magical healing, and a team of doctors. With all the activity in preparation for the auction, Celestia accumulated enough wealth to purchase a third upgrade. They selected the XP bonus to improve this time, leaving Fertility and the two radiuses as the only ones remaining without a first upgrade. The system also took its due, allowing Celestia to reach level 13. They were also progressing steadily towards the next rank-up, which had jumped up to require 10,000 people and 1,000 buildings. At the end of the two weeks, Imri reviewed all the stats he had gained.
Base Strength has increased to 117 (+1)
Base Agility has increased to 90 (+1)
Base Constitution has increased to 105 (+2)
Achievement Upgraded
Mass Production 2 (+1): .1% increase to primary stats (+.05%)
Supernatural Being 2 (+1): .3% increase to primary stats (+.15%)
Title Upgraded
Baron of Celestia 17 (+5): 3.4% increase to primary stats (+1%)
Imri Padar has reached level 41 (+1) in Celestial Mage (2E)
Imri Padar has reached level 41 (+1) in Primordial (1E)
Imri Padar has reached level 27 (+2) in Runic Engineer (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 146 (+7)
Agility 116 (+5)
Constitution 138 (+8)
Intelligence 250 (+12)
Willpower 203 (+9)
Charisma 119 (+5)
Secondary Stats
HP 255 (+29)
FP 192 (+20)
MP 948 (+102)
Mana Efficiency 804 (+80)
Crafting Efficiency 926 (+100)
Imri smiled at the solid growth from the two weeks, especially since it hadn''t involved fighting monsters significantly higher than his level. He noted that his title had also incorporated the improvements from the empire level and capital bonus, essentially giving him a rank equivalent to the floored bonuses of the settlement. He had also reached another milestone, with his Willpower now exceeding the theoretical limits of human capabilities. As they had anticipated, it wasn¡¯t long after the two-week point that the signal arrived in Celestia. Rayden had reached New Chicago. A small group of around half a dozen people gathered in front of the portal. They were mostly at a lower level, with none in the double digits. They had been selected to be unremarkable, a small group that would hopefully slip into the city disguised as refugees. Each of them was a volunteer vetted by Emelia. They aimed to determine how things were actually run in the city before the formal delegation arrived. While none of them were spies, they were all socially adept and observant. The lone exception was Imri, who would be acting as security for the operation. While his levels would make him conspicuous, he was so high-leveled that no one would be able to identify him, especially with his Enigmatic Being trait. While this would draw some attention, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for someone to have abilities that masked themselves. It was worth the risk, as his presence reassured the infiltrators that if things went to hell, there was a contingency plan for extraction. When everyone was ready, Imri gave the order. With the amount of mana needed to open a portal over such a distance, the nearby Espeonite crystals visibly dimmed as the mana drained out. Fortunately, it was enough, and the portal stabilized as the mana consumption leveled off. The team stepped through and traveled thousands of kilometers in an instant. Chapter 84: Starting Over Russ sat numbly, staring blankly at the wall. When Imri impressed upon them how powerful the collective intelligence was, everyone, including Russ, agreed it was best to stay in their good graces. When Russ resigned himself to that fact, he received the quest failure notification and lost his class. Every level just disappeared as if it had never existed. He had slowly worked his way up, becoming one of Celestia¡¯s elites. While he hadn¡¯t been on Imri or Zhaire¡¯s level, it had been impressive, and he even started to hope he had gained enough power that he would be able to start venturing out into the world with the ability to defend himself. All of that was gone. For the next few weeks, Russ numbly went through the motions. While he still had his profession as a Lawyer, the day-to-day operations of a small town weren¡¯t exactly challenging. Where once he had been excited about growing his business and rebuilding what he could of his life, now there was only apathy. He had lost interest in discovering the minutia of how the system-enforced contracts could be used. Instead, he just worked mechanically, doing the bare minimum each day. His progress reflected his shoddy work, awarding him only a single level for weeks of work. As soon as he finished his work for the day, he made his way to the tavern. While alcohol was prohibitively expensive due to the shortage of supply, Russ had no qualms over spending every last credit he earned on it. He drank until he was cut off, then stumbled back to his home. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough to bring on oblivion. Each night, he slept fitfully, his nights filled with dreams of losing his family. Sometimes, it was amorphous monsters who slew his entire family and then proceeded to feast on their bodies. Other times, the Chixel sacrificed each of his four children, one at a time, while he helplessly watched. Perhaps worst of all, when his family returned to him, their eyes vacant of their usual spark as they were puppeteered by the Azala. Eventually, after several nights of almost no restful sleep, Russ made his way to the clinic. It was overcrowded with refugees, the small building having only been built to accommodate a more modest population when they had first settled in the area. Most of the staff, including Emelia, were among the original group who had started the camp. They had all been working together in a hospital when the integration happened and had somehow found a way back together. It made Russ wonder if he had been at home when the integration occurred, would his entire family be back together? ¡°Russ, is everything alright?¡± Emelia asked as she rushed to his side. Russ just shook his head. She nodded and led him to a private room. It appeared more modern than he had expected. While it lacked many of the instruments of a modern medical facility, it was clear that the room was clean and well-maintained. ¡°You¡¯re working as a nurse?¡± Russ asked in confusion when she began taking his vitals, just like it had been done before the integration. ¡°That¡¯s what I did before the integration, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m still doing now,¡± she said with her ever-cheerful smile that would have seemed fake on anyone else. It almost annoyed Russ in his current state. ¡°You can¡¯t just use magic to solve the problem? And I thought you didn¡¯t gain the Nurse profession from the system?¡± he asked. Emelia just laughed lightly at that. ¡°My spells are a tool, just like anything else. It might be a powerful tool, but it can¡¯t solve every problem. The nurse profession would be nice, but levels aren¡¯t everything; people managed to be nurses without levels for most of human history,¡± she said. ¡°I thought you could change people¡¯s emotions? Can¡¯t you just get rid of them?¡± Russ asked. ¡°No,¡± Emelia said, shaking her vehemently. ¡°Even if I could change people¡¯s emotions permanently, I¡¯m not sure if that is a good idea. I think it''s important to work through your grief, even though it''s painful.¡± ¡°So what am I supposed to do? Just keep living like this?¡± Russ said, his voice so faint Emelia was visually leaning in to catch his words. ¡°You could talk to someone. We don¡¯t have any trained psychiatrists, but Dr. Thompson has been helping people with their trauma,¡± Emelia said. ¡°Whatever,¡± Russ said. Emelia just nodded and finished taking his vitals, recording them on a piece of paper. When that was done, she pulled out another notebook. ¡°It looks like Dr. Thompson is booked out for the rest of the month. I can schedule you for an appointment next month,¡± she said. Russ sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± ¡°I know it''s a long way out, but I strongly recommend it. In the meantime, you could talk to Christoph; I know you two were friends before the integration.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he said non-committally. ¡°Do you want me to let you know if anything opens up? We¡¯re also vetting people to get a second therapist, and hopefully that will help,¡± she said. ¡°I guess,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°Hang in there, Russ,¡± she said. Feeling defeated, Russ made his way home. Despite it being the middle of the day, he slept. He awoke in the late afternoon, and instead of eating anything, he made his way to the tavern. Unfortunately, the tavern was crowded, as it always was. If it weren¡¯t the only place to get a drink, Russ would have avoided it. He ordered a whiskey, which wasn¡¯t his drink of choice but was the only thing the bar had in stock. He was on his second drink when the portly figure of Christoph plopped himself in the seat across the table. ¡°It''s always so hard to find a spot in here. Do you mind if I sit?¡± the former real estate mogul and his nemesis said. While the tavern was crowded, there were empty tables. Russ was about to point that out, but the fast-talking entrepreneur didn¡¯t give him a chance. ¡°What¡¯s good here, and don¡¯t tell me the Drake. I hear someone is working on domesticating the Razorgrass Boars. What I wouldn¡¯t do for a good pork chop and a glass of red wine,¡± the gluttonous man said. ¡°What do you want, Christoph?¡± Russ glowered. ¡°Can¡¯t a man share a meal with a friend?¡± Christoph said. ¡°We were rivals, not friends,¡± Russ pointed out. ¡°Anyone good enough to be my rival is good enough to be my friend,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Did Emelia put you up to this?¡± Russ asked. ¡°We¡¯re all worried about you,¡± Christoph said. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Russ said. ¡°Have you been to the healing spring recently?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Russ lied. ¡°It¡¯s quite impressive. Some people even claim it can heal the body, mind, and soul. While I doubt it will solve all your problems, it is worth a try,¡± Christoph suggested. ¡°If I say I will go, will you leave me alone?¡± Russ asked. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± Christoph said. ¡°It is,¡± Russ insisted. Christoph nodded and left him. Russ ignored the man''s advice. However, each of the following days, Christoph inevitably showed up at his table shortly after Russ had had his first drink of the night. The conversations all played out similarly, with Christoph refusing to leave until Russ promised he would go to the healing spring. After the fourth day in a row, Russ again promised he would visit the spring, but this time, he meant it, if only to get the insistent man to leave him alone. When he did go, he was amazed at what he saw. A small camp had formed near the plateau''s edge, only a couple hundred meters from the path leading to the spring. Already, there were more people here than when Celestia was first founded. Most people still lived out of tents, but two buildings were under construction. The first building was the more straightforward of the two. It appeared to be some sort of housing complex, either an apartment building or an inn, with the framework of several stories already erected. The second building was less straightforward, appearing to be some kind of temple. It had Japanese-style architecture, appearing like a pagoda with several completed levels and more currently being constructed. Near the temple was a well-manicured garden with a gentle stream and still pond, with a small island at its center. A bridge led to the island, which had a simple shrine at its center. People walked through the tranquil garden, which was quiet and serene. Many of them looked to be newly arrived refugees, wearing threadbare system-granted clothing or ill-fitting garb that had been looted. However, interspersed among them were people dressed in simple robes that reassembled the system-granted ones but were lighter and too well made. ¡°Welcome, visitor,¡± an older man said. His face and head were clean-shaven, and he wore the same simple but well-made robe. ¡°What is this place?¡± Russ asked. ¡°It is a place of healing and peace. Eventually, it will be a temple to the Edea, Goddess of peace and serenity,¡± the man, a monk Russ presumed, explained. ¡°And you just started worshiping this Goddess, just like that? Is she some sort of Buddhist, or is that just cultural appropriation?¡± Russ asked. ¡°Walk with me,¡± the monk said, ignoring the barbed questions. For some reason, Russ found himself following the man as if subconsciously. They walked in silence for a time, simply observing the well-maintained scenery. A bit of the anger Russ had felt slowly dissipated. ¡°We did not find the Goddess Edea, but she found us. While I wouldn¡¯t claim to be an expert on Buddhism, I think their teachings and those of Edea are similar in their conclusions,¡± the monk explained. ¡°And those are?¡± Russ asked. ¡°Put simply, you must have no desires to achieve total serenity,¡± the monk explained. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so hard,¡± Russ said dismissively. ¡°Oh, and you could give up your desire to see your family again and live a life of quiet contemplation,¡± the monk suggested, somehow knowing exactly what Russ desired most. ¡°So what? I¡¯m always going to be this miserable?¡± Russ asked. ¡°Just because you are not suited to becoming a monk doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t help ease your suffering,¡± the man explained. Without Russ realizing it, the man started leading him away from the garden and toward the spring. ¡°Does the water heal the mind and spirit?¡± Russ asked as they approached the spring. ¡°Oh, and those are separate things?¡± the monk asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Russ said immediately. ¡°It will not give you tranquility and peace of mind. As we already established, that is not your path, and doing so would cause you more harm than good,¡± the monk said. ¡°Then what¡¯s the point?¡± Russ asked. ¡°I asked you about the body, mind, and spirit because they are separate yet not. While healing your body will not solve the problem, it will help you withstand your burdens,¡± the strange man said, gesturing towards the spring. A partition had been built through the spring, separating it by gender. Temporary screens served as changing rooms, and a basin for water to wash was within. A simple sign explained the rules: people must wash before entering the hot spring, no clothing could be worn, and no talking above a whisper. Russ did as he was told, following the rules before entering. As he entered, he noticed several attendants dressed in the same robes as the man who had led him here. They had their eyes closed in meditation, though Russ felt certain they were simultaneously watching over the spring somehow. Several other people were soaking in the miraculous water, seemingly content, with serene expressions that suggested their minds were elsewhere. Russ did his best to ignore everyone. Feeling slightly self-conscious of his naked form, even though no one was paying him any mind, he quickly entered the water. He immediately felt the warmth against his skin and a tingling sensation throughout his body. At first, it was unpleasant, as if his skin was being bit by small insects, but it quickly subsided. Muscles ached as tension he hadn¡¯t realized he had been holding was released, especially in his neck and on his face. As if his physical body had been holding his emotions, they, too, came pouring out. Tears streamed down his face, and he sobbed uncontrollably. Images of his family flooded his mind, just like they had in his dreams. However, despite the anguish that typically accompanied the images, this time, he also felt resolve, a resolve to continue his search until he had his answer. The mental anguish and terror were still there, but he could bear the burden of it for a time. He stayed in the water for a long while, expecting an attendant to come get him from the water, but none did. Eventually, when he felt like he could handle the burden again, he got out of the water. When he had redressed himself and headed back towards the temple, he found the monk still waiting for him. Neither of them said anything, only nodding in respect to each other. ¡°You said Edea found you. Do you know how?¡± Russ asked. ¡°Just like any class, it requires an earnest desire but also faith and devotion,¡± the monk explained. ¡°Faith and devotion to what though?¡± Russ asked. ¡°Anything. There are likely as many gods as there are people on this planet, if not more. Each one represents a concept or ideal. What worship means will depend entirely on the god, but all require you to live by their ideal to gain levels and devotion points. Some, like Edea, will require peaceful meditation and living a tranquil life, while others might require action and deeds. One might want prayer in a massive gaudy temple, while another prefers untarnished and preserved nature,¡± the man explained. Russ didn¡¯t get drunk that night for the first time in several weeks. Instead, he considered the monk¡¯s words, contemplating with a clear mind. Surely, if there was a god for each concept or ideal, he could devote himself to one that aligned with his goal. The first thought that came into his head was the importance of family, of being together and helping each other. While that idea appealed to Russ, it was a peaceful ideal that he would have lived by in a more peaceful time. However, it wouldn¡¯t necessarily help him find his family; worse, it could force him to move on and start a new one. Next, he thought of raw power, gaining the ability to fight the invaders and carve a path to reunite people. This is similar to what he had been thinking when he had accepted the Ancient One¡¯s pact. However, with the revelation that a myriad of paths were open to him, that seemed ill-suited. He didn¡¯t necessarily care about being the strongest or most powerful person. Especially if all that power still didn¡¯t help him know where to look. That led him to knowledge. That was closer to what he needed but still wasn¡¯t quite right. It conjured images of people like Imri and Caroline, spending hours pouring through various tomes and documents in glee. Also, when taken to an extreme, he might have the knowledge he needed but then be forced into inaction by the ideals of an erudite god who only sought knowledge and didn¡¯t do anything with it. Then, the idea clicked into place. He needed a god focused on seeking out what had been lost and retrieving it. He expected that concept to be followed by treasure hunters and explorers more than someone like him, but it made sense, given he would need much of the same skill set to find people. As the concept firmed in his mind, Russ began to feel a presence. He let it in, accepting it to the core of his being. While the presence didn¡¯t speak to him, Russ could feel its approval of his ideal and devotion.
Russ Nicholson has gained the class Acolyte of Aeyar, the Seeker
Russ Nicholson has reached level 1 in Acolyte of Aeyar, the Seeker (1F)
Chapter 85: Trosano Sylvi felt naked as she had to consciously stop herself from reaching where her weapons should have been. Ashlyn fidgeted with the simple-looking band of metal that sapped their mana, making them feel mentally fatigued as if they had just spent all day solving complex math problems. Sylvi was partially able to keep her mind clear, having trained to stay mentally sharp while exhausted. In contrast, Vallo was neither nervous nor tired; he simply seemed indifferent to the effects, having grown accustomed to it over the months of his captivity. Sylvi watched in awe as the platform descended, appearing to defy gravity without any mechanical device. It was slightly larger than a freight elevator, though it was unenclosed on all sides, including a complete lack of guard rails to prevent someone from falling to their death. As it neared, she saw the platform was covered in intricate runes. A contingent of guards was on the platform, bringing down various mundane supplies. They waited for the platform to arrive at the station, which was little more than a simple fortification around a small open expanse. While most of the Chixel accompanying them up to Trosano were with Ettes, others had unknown allegiances, forcing them to wait silently. Ettes had redressed themselves in more well-made attire of a silk equivalent, embroidered with gold thread displaying an intricately detailed dragon. Their wardrobe was further embellished with many pieces of jewelry, most of which had enchantments. Those loyal to Ettes also wore uniforms with a dragon insignia that matched the symbol on Ettes¡¯s clothing, making them easily distinguishable from the rest of the Chixel. The three humans were forced onto the platform the moment its cargo was unloaded. When everyone was on, no time was wasted as the platform began ascending at a speed slightly greater than a typical elevator. Fortunately, there must have been runes to shield them from the cold and pressurize the platform because they were completely unaffected by the elements. Curious, Sylvi walked towards the edge and reached towards the boundary. Her hand met something solid, suggesting the existence of an invisible field surrounding them. The ride took longer than Sylvi had expected, stretching for what seemed like forever. Finally, the underside of the floating city came into view as they ascended above the clouds. It was colossal, stretching for kilometers in each direction. Several majestic waterfalls cascaded from the edges, their size rivaling that of some of the largest natural falls on earth. Three pillars of energy extended from below the clouds and entered the city. Glowing purple lines extended from the impact points, like capillaries spreading throughout the body. Other platforms of various sizes ascended and descended around them. A few minutes later, they had reached the underside of Trosano. Now that they were close enough, Sylvi could see that the underside of the floating city was covered in runes etched into the stone that glowed the same purple color as the beams. They seemed to cover every inch of the outside stone, meaning there were likely billions of them, and she doubted even Imri would understand a fraction of them. The platform continued upward, entering a city through a small entrance analogous to an elevator shaft, with only centimeters of clearance on each side. They continued up through the city, catching glimpses of tunnels as they ascended through the shaft at a speed too rapid to catch much detail. Now that Sylvi had a better frame of reference, she tried to count how many floors they ascended through. She lost track at around a hundred, and they continued upward. Eventually, the platform started to slow before finally coming to a stop. Another group of soldiers awaited them as they stepped off the platform. They were led by the largest Chixel Sylvi had ever seen, easily larger than Zhaire at over two meters in height, towering over the normally larger humans. The massive Chixel said something to Ettes, and a brief but seemingly animated discussion ensued. Eventually, the larger Chixel seemed to relent and motioned for Ettes to pass. Ettes led them through the tunnel-like passageways, confidently passing through each intersection. Eventually, the tunnel opened up, revealing a large cavern that held hundreds, if not thousands, of Chixel. Most appeared to be civilians, not carrying weapons but hawking wares or going about their daily business. The cavern was larger vertically, with narrow walkways extending up and down the area. Dwellings were built into the cavern itself, almost indistinguishable from the passageway that had led them here if it weren¡¯t for a cloth covering that acted as a door. Ettes led them up, moving at a pace that made all three humans somewhat leery as they traversed the narrow walkways. Fortunately, they stopped after passing only a few dwellings, with Ettes motioning them inside. The room inside was spacious and sparse, with several other cloth coverings leading off to more rooms. Mana lights illuminated the entire room, made from what appeared to be sapphires, giving the room a blueish tinge. The only possessions of note were various idols masterfully crafted out of onyx-like stone. Much of the walls were decorated with imagery carved directly into the wall, many depicting a dragon. ¡°It is safe to talk here,¡± Ettes said through a translation enchantment, motioning to a rune that had been carved into the wall. While much of the entourage hadn¡¯t followed them inside, the few that had removed the collars from the three humans. ¡°This is the losing side of the war? I don¡¯t want to see what the Azala city looks like,¡± Ashlyn commented, unconsciously shuddering. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to live inside the floating chunk of stone. I thought you would live on the surface,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°Only the highest of Exalted live upon the surface. This one will take you there soon,¡± Ettes said. ¡°What was with that soldier you spoke with? I didn¡¯t think Chixel could get that big,¡± Vallo said. ¡°It is a popular tier 2 evolution for soldiers. Many of the higher ranking Exalted have a contingent of them as guards,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°But not you?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°No,¡± Ettes said simply. ¡°What¡¯s with all the dragons?¡± Ashlyn asked as she stared at the carvings in awe. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°It is said these ones have descended from the majestic creature. It is also the form of Ulzo¡¯s avatar. Were there dragons on your world?¡± Ettes asked. ¡°They were only myths on our world,¡± Sylvi said. Ettes nodded, contemplating that revelation. They spent several hours resting and recovering, even though none of them needed it. However, it was nice to have the collar off. Sylvi doubted she would ever get used to the constant feeling of having her mana drained. Ettes stressed that none of them could leave without the collar and at least one Chixel accompanying them for their own safety. While it wasn¡¯t unheard of for other humans to be up here, they were rare enough that they would attract attention. The way Ettes described them made it sound like people were being kept as some sort of rare pet. At least most people were safe up here, with the Chixel not going through the extra effort of bringing them up if they were going to be sacrificed. As if some appointed time had been reached, Ettes motioned for them to refasten the collars. She led them out of the dwelling and up the walkway. They continued upward for the equivalent of dozens of stories before being led down another passageway. As they continued through, the glow of mana lights was replaced with natural sunlight, and a moment later, they were outside. They had come out at the top of another pyramid-shaped building, though this one was considerably smaller than the ones they had seen before. A quick scan of the surroundings revealed that almost all of the hundreds of nearby buildings were similar, though many were far larger and towered over them. The pyramid structures were built on a grid system, though instead of roads forming the grid, it was a series of lazy rivers. Alien plant life bloomed nearby, seemingly overtaking everything, though Sylvi could see a multitude of gardeners carefully cultivating that image. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Ashlyn said, echoing everyone¡¯s sentiment. ¡°It is a waste,¡± Ettes said. ¡°How so?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°The world we come from was far hotter and more arid than yours. Most of it would be considered a desert, and only a small portion of it could be inhabited. The few places where water was abundant were considered sacred. Trosano was originally one such place,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°So what happened?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°When the Ulzites came to power, they seized this land, claiming it as their own. They raised it to the sky with the souls of those who opposed them, a symbol that those who weren¡¯t Ulzite were beneath them. They wantonly waste water on canals and waterfalls, showing they have so much that it can be wasted, while the rest of us grew parched with thirst,¡± Ettes said angrily. There was a brief silence as the humans processed what had been said while Ettes struggled with barely restrained rage. ¡°Come, we must go to the main canal. There is something that must be seen,¡± Ettes instructed when they had recovered. They were led down the exterior of the smaller pyramid, and a short walk later, they were down near the closest canal. A small dock held a barge that was just large enough for eight individuals. They were motioned in and were on their way as a Chixel used a long pole to guide them down the gentle current. It would have been a serene voyage if they weren¡¯t in the heart of enemy territory. After about fifteen minutes, the barge stopped just before a far larger canal that had been built above it, heading perpendicular to the one they had just been on. They headed up several flights of stairs, exiting above the larger canal. A large crowd of Chixel was packed around the rails overlooking the main canal, so engrossed that even foreign humans seemed of little concern. Sylvi had been wondering how many Chixel actually lived on Trosano¡¯s surface, as they had seen few in their journey on the barge, and most of those had seemingly been gardeners. Every Chixel suddenly ceased chattering as a larger barge came into view. Unlike the other barges, this one had runes carved throughout the hull and numerous gemstones that glowed with excessive amounts of mana. Despite its larger size, most of the deck space was wasted, with only a few Chixel onboard. Unfortunately, every one of those Chixel was the larger tier 2 variant they had seen earlier, with one exception. Sitting atop a palanquin bedecked in satin cushions was an even larger Chixel. However, where the soldiers were lean and powerful, this Chixel was bloated, looking like an oversized toad. ¡°That is the high priest to Ulzo,¡± Ettes whispered in English. A second, equally large barge followed shortly after. Where the first one had been ornamental and overly spacious, this one was simple and packed. Dozens of Chixel were packed onto the barge, most of them chained to the deck, clearly held captive against their will. Interspersed among the captives were overseers who watched their prisoners with rapt attention. They, too, were tier 2 soldiers and wore the soul-stealing black steel weapons of the inquisitors. Both barges continued down the canal, passing right in front of where they watched. Sylvi could see Ettes tense up as she glared at the priest. She could see the terror of the captives as they struggled futilely against their chains. Both emotions were primal, transcending the divide between species. The barges continued a bit further before coming to rest in a section of the city adjacent to Sylvi¡¯s location. The entire section was slightly larger than a typical city block. However, it lacked buildings, and even the typical greenery was absent. It was completely flat and paved in the same black stone as temples, only polished to the point where it gleamed in the sunlight. The High Priest was paraded out on their palanquin, carried by four of the larger Chixel. This was followed by the prisoners, many of whom had to be physically forced to the square by the far stronger inquisitors. It took some time, but all the prisoners were eventually moved to the square. The bulbous High Priest was gently brought to the ground before waddling forward and addressing the crowd. They spoke in the Chixel language, so Sylvi couldn¡¯t comprehend a word, but all of the Chixel near her bowed their heads as if praying. As the priest intoned on, the effects became more pronounced, with the onlookers bowing deeper while the prisoners grew more frenetic in their futile attempts to escape their bondage. As the sermon reached a crescendo, a massive rent in space appeared above the High Priest, similar to Imri¡¯s portals. On the other side of the portal was a colossal Black Dragon. While only its head and neck were visible, that easily gave context to how massive it would be if it appeared in full, easily eclipsing the largest of the pyramids in the city. Its jet-black scales, each the size of a small building, absorbed all light completely, making the stones below it look like cheap imitations. In contrast, the slitted eyes were a bright and vibrant blue, and Sylvi sensed that it was aware of everything. No one moved as if the slightest motion would attract the attention of the omnipotent dragon. Even Sylvi was paralyzed in terror, considering it an accomplishment that she hadn¡¯t soiled herself. Nothing could have prepared her for this; even if Ettes had perfectly described what would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it without seeing it. The dragon god extended its head out of the portal, towering over the terrified captives. It opened its maw wide, and instead of normal anatomy, the inside of the dragon¡¯s mouth was an impossible void in reality. It lunged forward, the void maw encompassing its sacrificial victims. A fraction of a second later, it withdrew its head back into the portal before winking out of existence. All signs of the hundred victims were gone, as if they had been erased from reality. Chapter 86: The Executioner Reverence for the dragon god Ulzo reached a crescendo as it disappeared from reality. Sylvi took slow, calming breaths, trying to regain her composure. At some point, Ashlyn had collapsed to the ground, muttering quietly to herself. Vallo was still on his feet, but his eyes were far off as if reliving what he had just witnessed. Sylvi did her best to help her companions get back to reality. Now that the ritual was over, the humans became more noticeable. Most Chixel looked at them with what Sylvi assumed was contempt, but they were satisfied with their awe upon witnessing the god''s avatar. A few gave Ettes strange glances, suggesting it wasn¡¯t typical to bring outsiders as witnesses. Fortunately, they made it back to their smaller barge without any incident. Vallo and Ashlyn were still shocked, and the moment they were aboard, they sat down and continued staring off into space. They returned in complete silence, even amongst the three humans. However, that immediately ended once they returned to Ettes¡¯s dwelling. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Ashlyn demanded. ¡°Ulzo must be seen to comprehend what we are up against,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°I thought you said many were turning from Ulzo because of how the war was going? It sure didn¡¯t look like that to me,¡± Sylvi added. ¡°This one spoke true; there are more Chixel who are sympathetic, who will turn from Ulzo and ally with the humans. However, it still is not enough,¡± Ettes said defensively. ¡°Obviously,¡± Vallo said bitterly. ¡°Are you really losing the war with that¡­thing on your side?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Ulzo cannot fight a war for us. Even the ritual we saw required a massive amount of devotion, and that was with the High Priest, who would never leave Trosano. Very few of Trosano¡¯s elite ever would, and even more so now that internal strife threatens to tear the city apart. That is just one advantage the Azala have over us,¡± Ettes said. ¡°It¡¯s clear you don¡¯t have much sway as you implied. Nor are things as close to breaking as you suggested. So, why are we here, Ettes?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°The Chixel do not have human notions of fair trials or punishment. Those sacrificed today were petty criminals or the few who dared voice their dissatisfaction. That is the reason why the Chixel do not have doors and locks; only an insane Chixel would risk their eternal soul for material possessions. When there are not enough souls to sacrifice, crimes are made up. Srez, Zathri, and Thrisk are all captives condemned to share the fate of those we just witnessed,¡± Ettes said. ¡°Who are they?¡± Vallo asked. ¡°They are three of the Chixel who helped us get on our feet after the integration. While I don¡¯t want to see anything happen to them, I still don¡¯t see what we can do about it,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°This one did not lie; many are sympathetic to the cause and willing to join us if Ulzo couldn¡¯t be summoned. If something were to happen to the High Priest, especially at the hands of a supposedly inferior species, that would cause sufficient doubt that Ulzo couldn¡¯t be summoned,¡± Ettes said. ¡°You want us to kill that toad creature? The one surrounded by soldiers nearly twice my size? The one that summoned the dragon god that erases things from existence? I think I¡¯ll sit this one out,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°I have to agree with Ashlyn; that doesn¡¯t seem like a good plan,¡± Sylvi agreed. Vallo nodded his agreement as well. ¡°Get us out of here and back to the surface,¡± Ashlyn demanded. ¡°Such a thing is not easy. While it was easy enough to send humans up, as many are kept as a novelty, the same is not true for a return trip. There is no plausible reason for a human to leave, and as far as this one knows, none have ever left,¡± Ettes said. ¡°You double-crossing snake,¡± Ashlyn shouted, balling her fists, barely restraining her rage. Ettes¡¯s guards tensed, their hands drawing towards their weapons. While Sylvi could understand Ashlyn¡¯s emotion, she herself felt much the same way, but she didn¡¯t want this to devolve into a physical altercation. She put a hand on Ashlyn, hopefully reassuring the girl. ¡°We get that it''s not easy, so we''re not expecting something right this second. However, if you want our help, you¡¯ll need to start working on a solution to get us out of here,¡± Sylvi demanded. ¡°That is fair,¡± Ettes agreed. ¡°If we tried to start a revolt and free your people, that probably wouldn¡¯t go well. I¡¯m also assuming that those soldiers guard the High Priest at all times and probably has more enchantments than Imri¡¯s entire workshop. We need a plan, not just a goal. Let''s start by getting more supplies,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°This one has been working on a plan since seeing Vallo¡¯s abilities. If those abilities can be mastered, slipping among the guards and freeing our people should be possible,¡± Ettes said. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Vallo looked uncomfortable at that. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to mimic specific features, at least not anything that would pass anything more than a cursory glance. Imitating an exact guard will be beyond me until I¡¯m much higher level,¡± he admitted. ¡°It was close, and it will likely only be cursory glances. No one will expect a shapeshifter,¡± Ettes said, trying to hype up the reluctant Vallo. He nodded, but it was more than a little reluctant. While having an unconfident Vallo impersonating a guard wasn¡¯t a fully-fledged plan, it was at least a start. Vallo diligently set to work, practicing impersonating the various houseguards. He could practice consistently, with Ettes providing him a seemingly endless supply of charged mana crystals. However, even Sylvi, who was no expert in Chixel physiology, could spot obvious differences between the subject and Vallo¡¯s copied form. Sylvi spent a good deal of time considering what supplies to ask for. She decided to put Ettes to the test, adding considerably more items than was strictly necessary. Many were vague, such as ¡®useful general enchantments¡¯ or ¡®culturally significant items.¡¯ However, there were a couple of items she had hoped wouldn¡¯t garner too much attention, specifically a request for various cloth samples. The next item would definitely be noticed. She wanted as many different illicit poisons as she could get her hands on; the deadlier, the better. The last items were replicas of the collars Ettes forced them to wear. Now that they were in the city, it was unlikely anyone would notice if the items weren¡¯t working properly. Ettes argued that there were still some skills that would spot the ruse. Sylvi considered that a risk worth taking and glared at the Chixel, brooking no argument. Eventually, Ettes relented, though she insisted on keeping the level masking enchantment active. ¡°We can find many of those items in the market, but a few are not so easy and will take some time,¡± Ettes said. ¡°You''re the one who gave us the timeline to save the others,¡± Sylvi said with a shrug, doing her best to put on an affectation of nonchalance. In truth, she wanted to leave Trosano right away, and she definitely regretted coming here. They had to take risks if humanity would survive this conflict, but going to the heart of enemy territory had been reckless. She had known it would be dangerous, but she had let Ettes'' biased view cloud her judgment. Still, she was going to maximize this opportunity, and if they ever managed to get out, she would have invaluable intel. With Ettes reluctantly agreeing to most items, Sylvi and Ashlyn wanted to see the market. Ettes reluctantly agreed, reiterating the importance of staying as inconspicuous as possible. Sylvi thought that wasn¡¯t possible with two humans and an Exalted with an escort of house guards, but she didn¡¯t argue. Vallo remained behind, continuing his practice with two guards who stayed with him. They didn¡¯t have far to go, with the market being at the bottom of the same large cavern as Ettes¡¯s abode. Dozens of stalls line the streets, most little more than tables with various wares openly displayed. Many of them used bright-colored mana lights to attract attention, similar to neon lighting, which stood out against the general dim lighting of the subterranean cavern. Sylvi¡¯s eyes flitted around, noticing many areas that would easily be dark enough to conceal her, especially if she could use her umbral spells. She also noticed that they attracted attention wherever they went, many of the smaller Chixel even pointing at them and openly gaping. Ettes made her way to one of the stalls, presumably an enchanter judging by the number of enchanted items on display. While Ettes was haggling with the proprietor, Sylvi noticed Ashlyn carefully looking at several of the items before they suddenly disappeared. Even though she had been next to the girl and staring directly at her, Sylvi hadn¡¯t noticed the theft itself, only the lack of an item on the table giving it away. Sylvi had to restrain herself from giving the girl an earful right here in front of everyone. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sylvi hissed as they walked to the next shop after Ettes had purchased various enchanted items. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashlyn said, putting on an affectation of innocence. Sylvi just glared at her, and she spilled. ¡°It was too easy; they just left everything out on a massive table with no one watching.¡± ¡°Did you forget what Ettes said? One wrong move, and it will be us getting erased by that dragon god,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± she promised. Sylvi didn¡¯t buy it for a second. ¡°Why do you even need to steal anything? Ettes is buying everything,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Because I can,¡± the little klepto said cheekily. ¡°Besides, it''s easy XP, especially when I get something valuable. I got 2 levels from that just now.¡± Ashlyn was right in that the Chixel were lax in guarding their wares. While sacrificing people to a soul-devouring dragon avatar had a litany of problems, it was an effective deterrent for petty theft. However, it made them susceptible to such crimes from an especially brazen teenager. Ashlyn grinned triumphantly, but Sylvi gave her one last glare to show she still didn¡¯t entirely approve. That¡¯s when she noticed a cloaked Chixel approaching them, and something about their countenance put Sylvi on edge; they weren¡¯t the typical gawker. Her suspicions were immediately confirmed when the cloaked figure drew a knife and lunged for Ashlyn. Sylvi moved faster, grabbing the assailant''s wrist and wresting them to the ground as she attempted to disarm them. Fortunately, this Chixel didn¡¯t appear to be very high leveled, and she could easily overwhelm them physically. A moment later, Ettes¡¯s guards helped her up and detained the attacker. Ettes barked out what were presumably questions in the Chixel language. The assailant stared defiantly back, eventually speaking in a muted tone. They spoke a bit more before the exchange ended, with Ettes¡¯s tail unconsciously moving in the Chixel equivalent of a nod. A moment later, a knife appeared in Ettes¡¯s hand, and she slit the throat of their attacker. ¡°Better a quick death than the fate that awaited them if they had been turned over to the authorities,¡± Ettes explained to the gaping humans. ¡°Why did they attack us?¡± Ashlyn asked in a somewhat shaky voice as they continued back towards their temporary home, leaving the body bleeding out in the middle of the walkway. ¡°They lost their mate in the conflict against the humans,¡± Ettes explained. ¡°So, just like you,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°It would be foolish to lay the responsibility of an execution to the executioner. Better to seek out the one responsible for the sentence, especially when the executioner was forced to carry out the deed unwillingly,¡± Ettes said. ¡°And who was the one who sentenced Rhesk to death?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°The High Priest." Chapter 87: Wraiths in the Dark Sylvi was annoyed that there wasn¡¯t more she could do. Fortunately, they still had some time, with the ritual sacrifices to Ulzo being bi-weekly, but that time would be up soon. It also irked her that she hadn¡¯t progressed much in her class or profession. Meanwhile, Ashlyn and Vallo had been much more successful on that front. Ashlyn was pickpocketing various trinkets on a near-daily basis, and her Thief level had actually surpassed her Duelist. Sylvi still went with her, expecting a disaster to occur at any moment. However, the teenager had improved to the point where she was nearly impossible to spot in the act, even when staring directly at her like she was some sort of Vegas magician. However, that didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t any risk; she had pilfered enough items that someone had certainly noticed the missing wares. She forced Ashlyn to spread out her criminal undertakings, making her go further from their safe house each time and spend longer between thefts. Likewise, Vallo gained significant experience for nearly flawlessly creating forms, similar to how Imri gained several levels from learning new spells. At this point, he could almost perfectly replicate each of the Chixel he spent significant time around. After creating the form, he seemed to be able to recall it later without needing to see his target. In addition, Ettes had given him a pair of higher-level cores, allowing him to absorb them for XP, even beyond the point where it was efficient. He also picked up the Actor profession, helping him further solidify his abilities to impersonate others. Sylvi''s only progress was improving her control over her umbra spells. She spent several hours a day practicing, forming the dark fog and manipulating it to seem like a natural phenomenon rather than an obvious spell. She also practiced using small amounts to hide her features or plunging the room into darkness by interposing it on the light source. Her efforts had eventually been rewarded, ranking both spells up to E. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ashlyn asked curiously, staring at Sylvi¡¯s crude sewing work. At about the same time each day, Ashlyn started to go stir-crazy, unable to sit still for more than a few hours without getting antsy. ¡°A contingency plan,¡± Sylvi said simply. This had been her reason for asking for fabric: a way to escape Trosano. She had sewn the light and durable fabric into an emergency parachute. Ettes had bemoaned the material''s cost, but Sylvi wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less reliable. As it was, the makeshift parachute was already of dubious effectiveness, which was something she never wanted to say about an object that could potentially be needed to save her life. She had taken her time finishing the first one, but the second one was progressing much more steadily and would be done before the end of the day. While she was slightly embarrassed by the time it had taken, it wasn¡¯t like she had much else to do during the day. Ashlyn had just shrugged and moved on to something else. ¡°And this?¡± She asked, holding up a small vial of clear liquid. ¡°A lethal dose of poison,¡± Sylvi replied, somewhat enjoying the reaction of horror on the teenager''s face. Sylvi had told her not to touch anything, and Ashlyn was sure-handed enough not to drop it. At that moment, another person, closely resembling Sylvi, walked into the room. Sylvi nearly did a double take, completely taken aback. While it wasn¡¯t a perfect facsimile, it certainly would pass a cursory glance. Vallo had also managed to make the imperfections less jarring, making it seem like this person was real, having removed the uncanny valley effect that had been present in his earlier attempts. It would certainly pass as a close relative of Sylvi¡¯s to anyone who didn¡¯t know any better. ¡°Vallo,¡± Sylvi said, giving him a glare that told him just how much she approved of his choice of subject. A moment later, Vallo returned to his normal self, a grin plastered on his face, and Ashlyn gave him two thumbs up. ¡°Do me next,¡± Ashlyn said enthusiastically. Vallo flushed at the girl''s choice of words, but Ashlyn seemed oblivious to the havoc she was causing. ¡°While this one is glad your abilities have improved, shouldn¡¯t you focus your effort on mastering the Chixel form,¡± Ettes admonished. ¡°I¡¯ve mastered the Chixel here as well as I can. I¡¯m as ready as I ever will be at this level, and creating new forms gives me experience,¡± Vallo said. ¡°Then we should proceed with the next phase of the plan,¡± Ettes said. Sylvi scowled as she mulled it over before reluctantly nodding in agreement. ¡°I can manage it,¡± Vallo said, having read Sylvi¡¯s expression. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in admitting you can¡¯t do something. If it¡¯s too much, we need to know now,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I got this,¡± he said a bit more confidently. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The plan was to abduct one of the prison guards shortly after their shift, giving Vallo about a half day to master their form. He also needed to do this while still having enough time to naturally recover his mana, as he would be straining his limits, keeping the guard''s form for an extended time. The guard in question was one Ettes had been shadowing for a while. They were high enough ranked to have more access but not high enough to be too high profile. The target had also been selected for being socially isolated and a bit of a loner, so hopefully, no one would notice their brief disappearance. Sylvi also learned that Chixel had different biological sexes. The Chixel differed from humans in their concept of gender, or lack thereof. The difference between a biological male and a biological female was almost non-existent, and as a result, they considered a myriad of other identifiers more important. Biological sex was only an important factor when they were trying to find a mate. Despite the lack of gender, the Chixel still had the same weakness as humans when it came to the desired sex. Mainly, all sense of logic and reasoning went out the window around an attractive member of that sex. Just like humans, this was especially true for those starving for companionship, which was another reason for their choice of target. At the appointed hour, they put their plan into motion. Ettes¡¯s agent, a supposedly attractive Chixel female, had laid the groundwork for a relationship with the target. They left their safe house and headed towards a frequent haunt of the Chixel sergeant, a seedy dive bar near the prison. Sylvi and Ashlyn shadowed the agent from a distance. They wore dark, hooded robes that billowed out, hiding their features completely. Whenever they were around another Chixel, they added umbra to the inside of their hood, completely obfuscating any chance they could be recognized as humans while still being able to see without issue. This trick required almost no mana, as the general lack of light and the obscurment of the hood made light a non-issue. They would be conspicuous in a crowd, appearing like wraiths in the night. Fortunately, there were plenty of less-used walkways, the equivalent of alleys for them to use. Sylvi further enhanced her abilities by absorbing the mana from the gemstones that powered the light runes, plunging the area into near-complete darkness, and regaining some of her expended mana. The few Chixel they did pass by froze in terror, causing Sylvi to grin wickedly from under her hood. They ignored them and continued onward, not wanting to fall too far behind the agent they were following. The prison was a fair distance from the district they had been staying in, dozens of levels below, near the center of the underground. Each of the larger underground caverns was connected by a series of tunnels, each open enough to be a city street. Many of them had connecting passageways or dwellings. The cavern containing the prison was smaller, with the prison itself being unremarkable in terms of size. Prisoners weren¡¯t kept for long, so there were never more than a few hundred at a time. However, unlike most other Chixel facilities, this one was heavily guarded, both from within and without. Here, the general deterrent of capital punishment had lost its effectiveness, and truly desperate Chixel would go to any lengths to save themselves or a loved one from the fate that awaited them if they did nothing. The prison had also been the location of more than one bloody revolt that had been dealt with brutally. The agent entered a dwelling, presumably the bar, and disappeared from view. Sylvi found a quiet walkway with a good vantage, easily able to watch the prison and the bar. She summoned a bit of umbra, almost completely obscuring them from view. With her improved control, she could more easily blend in with the surrounding darkness, making it appear natural rather than a stark contrast that was readily apparent to everyone. Sylvi passed the time by studying the various Chixel that patrolled the prison perimeter. Most seemed bored, but they were never overly lax. An occasional tier 2 soldier was interspersed among them, with none of the guards near them showing any signs of slacking. They waited for what felt like hours, but it was likely only a fraction of that time. Eventually, she spotted their agent leaving with another Chixel, presumably the mark. They were just about to leave their vantage point to begin shadowing the pair when a group of half a dozen Chixel left the bar, headed in the same direction. At first, Sylvi didn¡¯t think anything of it, but as she studied them, she grew more concerned. Something in the group''s countenance made her pause. They seemed too alert and focused for a pack of drunken patrons walking home together. Even more concerning, their group contained one of the tier 2 soldiers, and a quick series of Identifies told her all of the others were soldiers with levels in the mid-to-high teens. While this might have been a coincidence, Sylvi doubted it. The agent deliberately took a circumspect route back, taking various passageways that didn¡¯t lead anywhere particularly fast. When the group continued to follow, it confirmed they were a tail. When the agent started taking them further from where they had intended to go, it became obvious to Sylvi they were also aware of the situation. This continued for almost an hour until the group of Chixel lost patience, having figured out they were being led nowhere in particular. They immediately began moving toward their target with incredible speed, especially the tier 2 soldier who sprinted with speed unmatched in human history. ¡°We have to do something,¡± Ashlyn hissed, reaching for her short sword. Sylvi stopped her before she could do anything reckless. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot, that¡¯s just suicidal.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for the presence of the tier 2 warrior, she might have tried it. However, it was clear in the way it moved that its stats were far above her own. She also had left her bow back at the safe house, with her unable to conceal the large weapon under her robes. ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Ashlyn whispered. ¡°We need to get back to the safe house, then find a way out of the city ASAP. While this could have been an isolated incident, we need to assume the entire operation is compromised,¡± Sylvi said as she turned to leave her Chixel comrade to their fate. They began jogging back at a brisk pace, not caring about the few late-night passersby who gaped at the strange humans. Sylvi just hoped they weren¡¯t too late. Chapter 88: Dubious Descent Sylvi headed toward the safe house, moving as fast as she could with Ashlyn in tow. Not wanting to make a bad situation worse, she took several opportunities to confirm they weren¡¯t being followed. She didn¡¯t see any signs of a tail and decided to take a bit of a risk heading directly back. Sylvi slowed as they approached the cavern that contained the safe house. She scanned the area, at first not noticing anything amiss. Then, she spotted them; a pair of Chixel were loitering about, doing their best to look inconspicuous, but their gazes lingered on the safe house. She wouldn¡¯t have even spotted them without her ability to see in the dark and stacking buffs to her perception. Knowing what to look for, she spotted several other disguised groups surrounding their target. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t appear to be tier 2 soldiers amongst them, and they appeared to have only concealed weapons. Sylvi discreetly pointed them out to Ashlyn. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have many options; there was no way for them to sneak into the safehouse without being seen, even with their umbral abilities and stealth skills. It also didn¡¯t seem likely that they could take out any of the groups without another group noticing almost instantly, as they had tactically placed themselves so each group had a line of sight on another. ¡°We need to go in fast and incapacitate as many of them as possible while fighting toward the house,¡± Sylvi said, and Ashlyn nodded her assent. With her target identified, Sylvi moved in like a predator, Ashlyn right behind her. The first pair of soldiers didn¡¯t even put up a fight, getting impaled by a pair of short swords while their attention was firmly on the safe house. They continued stalking forward, moving with both speed and stealth. Unfortunately, these sentries were more vigilant of their surroundings, and they noticed their fallen comrades moments before Sylvi was upon them. They were almost evenly matched in levels, but it quickly became apparent the Chixel soldiers had underestimated the actual danger. Their eyes widened with fear, and they flinched under the furious onslaught. Sylvi, fueled by adrenaline but still under control, launched an all-out offensive, her short sword sinking deep into the Chixel¡¯s chest. Ashlyn, moving with alacrity and precision, quickly dispatched her opponent. Despite the swift and brutal nature of the engagements, they hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed. The sound of fighting had drawn the attention of the other groups of soldiers. Several of them quickly converged, easily outnumbering them several times over. The path to their destination was blocked, and the situation appeared grim. Sylvi remained calm and hoped Ashlyn would, too. She did what the Chixel least expected, charging headlong into the largest group of them. At the last possible moment, she used her magic, creating a large area of darkness in the middle of their ranks. Not expecting the sudden lack of light, her opponents started panicking and breaking ranks. Sylvi slew them like an unseen reaper, plunging her blade into the backs of her foes. The screams of terrified and dying Chixel echoed throughout the cavern. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t keep this much Umbra active long, even with the low light. While they were still disoriented and terrified, she started heading towards the house and shouted for Ashlyn to do the same. The final few Chixel who might have been able to intercept them hesitated, unsure if they should fight what had just slaughtered so many of their compatriots. Their indecision was a decision, and Sylvi made it to the house with Ashlyn right behind her. Several houseguards had begun to come outside to see what the commotion was all about, and Sylvi motioned them inside. ¡°This whole operation is fucked, and we need to get the hell out of here, now,¡± Sylvi told Ettes and Vallo, who had crowded around the entrance. ¡°This one doesn¡¯t understand¡­¡± Ettes began, but Sylvi quickly cut her off, not having time for inefficient chatter. ¡°They knew about your agent and that you would try breaking your friends out, and they were just waiting to get some proof against you. They were probably hoping to have their own agent led straight back here to wrap this all up with a bow,¡± Sylvi explained, though she was grabbing items they would need. She ensured the pair of parachutes and several vials of poison were among them. She also got her bow, quiver, and several enchanted items she had wanted to bring to Imri. ¡°There is nowhere to go; the platforms are too well-guarded,¡± Ettes said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to a platform,¡± Sylvi said simply as she gathered the last items and topped off her mana from a charged crystal. ¡°Then where are we going?¡± Vallo asked. ¡°To the surface. Ettes, I¡¯m sorry, but I only have a way off for my people,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Do not apologize; it is this one''s fault we are in this mess. We will fight our way to another safe house, hopefully disappearing among sympathizers of the cause,¡± Ettes said. They quickly coordinated, leaving out the various tunnels simultaneously, with the group of three humans using the one with the shortest route to the surface. Unfortunately, the enemy had enough time to regroup in the two minutes they had been within the house, and they immediately encountered resistance. Javelins rained down on the chokepoint at the house exit, forcing Sylvi to duck back inside. She nocked an arrow to the bowstring and held several more arrows in her hand. ¡°Ashlyn, take Vallo¡¯s hand and guide him through the Umbra. I will lay down some suppression fire. Keep going up toward the surface; I¡¯ll be right behind you,¡± Sylvi ordered. She used a large amount of mana for a second time, creating another large area to obscure the exit and a bit of the walkway in both directions. She moved out and stepped to the side, leaving just enough room for Ashlyn and Vallo to pass by her. She sighted the enemies above her, too many for her to take out on her own, their javelins at the ready. Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate, using Mark of the Hunt on the nearest ranged combatant. She immediately followed it up with an Empowered Shot but didn¡¯t use any mana on it, wanting to save it for Umbra. Before the first arrow had even struck its target, she was moving to fire a second shot. She moved with a speed that would have made YouTuber archers envious, firing three more arrows at nearly the speed of a semi-automatic rifle and with a similar amount of power, thanks to the enhanced bow. While her technique still needed some refinement, she made up for that with raw attribute points. Each of the arrows struck true, killing or seriously injuring four of them. While the Chixel had the numbers to saturate the entire area in javelins, their self-preservation instincts kicked in under such a furious barrage of arrows, causing them to duck for cover in nearby dwellings. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ashlyn and Vallo moved up the walkway and towards the surface. Sylvi killed one last Chixel who was foolish enough to stick their head out of cover before promptly having it removed by an Empowered Shot. Sylvi stopped feeding the umbra mana and sprinted after the pair. Fortunately, it appeared they had gotten through the enemy line, with them being spread throughout each of the entrances. She could only hope that Ettes and her people were having similar successes. She caught up to the pair of teenagers as they were just about on the surface. ¡°Now what?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Get to the edge of the city,¡± Sylvi ordered. ¡°But¡­¡± Ashlyn started to object, but Sylvi cut her off. ¡°That¡¯s an order, move.¡± The young woman looked like she wanted to object, but she nodded and obeyed. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have far to go; the nearest edge was only several blocks away. The three of them sprinted as fast as they could, each of them having enough stamina to maintain that pace for longer than most professional runners before the integration. They took a path that followed a canal that eventually turned into a waterfall at the city''s edge. Befuddled gardeners watched the trio of humans sprint past them, unsure of what to make of the strange circumstances. Sylvi could hear the soldiers behind them sprinting just as fast in pursuit. They shouted in the Chixel language, probably imploring one of the gardeners to detain them. They were breathing hard and sweating when they reached the edge, but they had made it. Sylvi took out the two emergency parachutes and handed one to each of them. They weren¡¯t overly impressive, being far smaller than a typical parachute and looking closer to a fitted sheet with straps than a proper parachute. If there were other options, Sylvi would have gone with that, but this was the best she could do with the limited time and resources. ¡°But there¡¯s only two,¡± Ashlyn argued, looking angrily at Sylvi. ¡°You two go. I¡¯m going to take as many of them down with me before I go,¡± Sylvi said, resigned to her fate. She didn¡¯t want to die. She wanted to be back in Celestia, with Caroline holding her tightly. She wanted to keep fighting for Celestia, making it a safe haven for all. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t about to let one of these kids sacrifice themselves for her. It was her time. She double-checked that she still had the vial of poison, just in case they tried to take her alive. ¡°Take mine,¡± Vallo insisted, trying to hand her his parachute. ¡°My decision is final. I¡¯m the one who stays; you two go,¡± she said, ignoring the gesture and beginning to fire arrows into the oncoming pursuers. They slowed and ducked for cover in the nearby plants as the lead Chixel was hit in the chest. ¡°No, listen,¡± Vallo shouted in anger. ¡°No one needs to die. I¡¯m not sacrificing myself; I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯m a Shape Shifter.¡± It took Sylvi a moment to comprehend what he had said. Relief hit her like a truck, and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Alright, let''s get the hell out of here,¡± she said as she accepted the bundle of cloth. They sprinted the final few meters after only a brief hesitation. There was a small amount of resistance as they crossed near the edge like they were running into a gale. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t designed to stop people from getting to the edge but was likely a field designed to keep the air within the city. With finality, they leaped off the sky city of Trosano. Unfortunately, Sylvi also didn¡¯t have time to create a deployment method for the parachute, forcing them to do it manually. She held onto the leather cords that were wrapped around her and snapped the makeshift parachute around, allowing it to catch the air. It billowed out as it met resistance, and she winced as the force of slowing her fall wasn¡¯t properly distributed. She held on despite the pain of nearly having her arm wrenched from its socket. She exhaled again as the parachute worked well enough to slow her fall considerably. She was still falling at a terminal velocity that would result in a painful landing, but she was fairly certain it wouldn¡¯t be lethal, especially when accounting for her greater system-enhanced survivability. Sylvi looked around and saw Ashlyn¡¯s parachute working as well. It seemed a bit more effective for her, as Sylvi was descending at a slightly faster rate. She saw Vallo below her, free-falling into the clouds. He disappeared, a strange bird appearing where he had once been. In his bird form, he entered a controlled dive. She saw several javelins come hurtling down towards them from their pursuers. Fortunately, they fell well short of their targets, as the trio had already drifted considerably from their jumping-off point. Due to the sheer number of platforms coming and going from the city, they passed within a few meters of one. The Chixel on the platform stared in disbelief, having only seen them briefly as they transitioned above the clouds. If Sylvi had a free hand, she would have waved at the stunned soldiers. A moment later, they were in the clouds and out of sight of any Chixel above them. As she descended, she reviewed her system prompts.
New Achievement
Escape Artist 6: Escape dire circumstances without getting caught. Rank varies depending on the difficulty of escape and the consequences of failure. .3% increase to all primary stats (.05%/rank)
Achievement Rank Up
Horde Slayer 5 (+2): .5% increase to all primary stats (+.2%)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 23 (+3) in Twilight Huntress (2F)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 23 (+3) in Human (1E)
Sylvi Vesik has reached level 10 (+2) in Trailblazer (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 119 (+3)
Agility 159 (+6)
Constitution 128 (+3)
Intelligence 111 (+1)
Willpower 135 (+2)
Charisma 105 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 179 (+13)
FP 238 (+21)
MP 157 (+4)
Attack Efficiency 283 (+25)
Mana Efficiency 182 (+6)
Sylvi had just enough time to review the changes before she spotted the ground. She was descending a bit faster than she had initially thought. There wasn¡¯t a convenient open field but the stone forest that surrounded the area. She did her best to angle her descent towards a slightly less dense area, but her makeshift parachute was far less maneuverable than she was used to. Fortunately, she avoided completely slamming headlong into a trunk. Unfortunately, the stone branches shredded the material, and she plummeted the last few meters at near-free-fall acceleration. She hit the ground hard but did her best to roll and distribute the force evenly. Despite her best efforts, she felt her knee buckle and give, and agony lanced throughout her entire body. Next, her shoulders hit, and she felt her collarbone crack under the force, bringing another wave of agony. She rolled several times before she slammed into a tree and finally came to a stop. She likely had several broken bones and possibly some internal injuries, but for now, she was alive. She downed the strongest healing potion she had left, but most of the small vials hadn¡¯t survived the impact. She was fortunate the glass hadn¡¯t caused further damage. Despite the grievous injuries, she lifted herself up, using the tree to support her. She then began hobbling around, hoping to find her companions before the Chixel did, and hopefully in better condition. Chapter 89: New Chicago Imri stepped through the portal and saw the area around what used to be Chicago. It was surrounded by a barren desert for as far as he could see. The portal had been opened near one of the more immense dunes, hopefully obscuring it from prying eyes, but they were still exposed from several directions. Rayden nodded to Imri before heading the opposite way, back to Celestia. Moments after he was through, the portal winked out of existence. Imri collected the tablet-like device enchanted with the portal rune and the stakes that defined the portal location. He placed the items in an inconspicuous-looking pouch that had been spatially expanded to the size of a large backpack. He had then added a false bottom where the normal pouch would end, making it appear like a standard item to an untrained eye. The item was then finished with Low Gravity runes on the inside of the pouch to offset all the weight in the small area of normal space. He had also discovered that if he flipped the pouch inside out, it would temporarily disrupt the anchors and deposit all the contents onto the ground around him. The five other people in the group looked to Imri for guidance despite having had several briefings on the plan before arriving. Imri was here solely because he couldn¡¯t be identified, even by someone close to his level, thanks to Enigmatic Being. Conversely, almost nothing could fool his combination of levels and Omniscient Eyes. He could bail the group out of a bad situation if anything went wrong, but that was an emergency contingency. When Imri didn¡¯t assert himself, the expedition leader, a man named Joel, began addressing the group. He reminded them of the plan; they were entering New Chicago, discovering the situation, and getting out. Two of the team members had experience as undercover cops, and they would dig a bit deeper into the inner workings of the government and its power structure. They strode up to the top of the dune, getting a good view of New Chicago, and began observing its daily activity through a pair of binoculars. Imri wasn¡¯t sure where the ¡®New¡¯ part came from; it was just Chicago. All the skyscrapers and buildings that had been there before were still there. The only new developments Imri saw were a series of ramshackle huts that already looked abandoned. He guessed they had been hastily built simply to fulfill the settlement rank-up quest rather than serving any practical function. He had considered doing something similar but had decided against wasting the time and resources building something that served no other purpose. It wasn¡¯t just the building that brought back a sense that everything was the same as it always had been. Cars and trains traversed the city, moving on the same routes they always had. Existing businesses had reopened, and well-dressed professionals went about their daily commutes as if nothing had changed. There were also some signs of hardships people were enduring. A significant number of buildings had sustained damage and were still in disrepair. Many people were panhandling for money, and the parks and other outdoor spaces had become tent cities despite the surplus of buildings. Military police patrolled throughout the city in full force, with M4s at the ready and fully covered in tactical gear. The sights reminded Imri of a war-torn city shown on the news. After the last reconnaissance, the team set out for the city, but Imri stayed behind. He had given Joel a Spatial Beacon and instructions to find a quiet alley and radio that it was all clear. During that time, Imri stayed out of view and remained where he was. He had to wait longer than expected and was getting worried when his radio cracked to life. Imri received the all-clear message and used Blink, targeting the Spatial Beacon within the city. However, instead of appearing beside the rest of his team in an alley, he was in the middle of a street. He immediately knew something had gone wrong, and he hadn¡¯t reached his Spatial Beacon. Fortunately, it was close, likely only a block or two away. Imri was forced to deal with his immediate surroundings as a car honked at him and slammed on the brakes. He reacted instinctively, teleporting to the nearest safe area and narrowly avoiding the oncoming traffic. Fortunately, his spell worked as he had intended this time, and he appeared on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, based on the sounds of cars impacting and glass shattering, he had just caused a several-vehicle accident. While Imri did feel bad about the damage he had caused, he certainly didn¡¯t want to stick around and answer questions for an accident report. He used Blink for a third time, again targeting his Spatial Beacon. This time, it worked, and he appeared in an alley beside the other team members. ¡°Everything alright?¡± Joel asked. ¡°I think so. Something went wrong with my spell when I tried to reach you, and I ended up in the middle of the street. Fortunately, it seemed to be a one-time thing, and everything since has been working as expected,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Everything alright on your end?¡± ¡°They were thorough when they questioned us, but nothing we hadn¡¯t prepared for. I get the sense that paranoia is their standard operating procedure,¡± Joel said. Imri nodded, glad he avoided the interview; with the others being thoroughly questioned, he was certain he would still be there with his resistance to being identified. Even with his spell not working properly, it had still ended up better this way. ¡°Does anyone else feel a bit off?¡± one of the other infiltrators asked. Imri did feel a bit sluggish. It wasn¡¯t overly concerning, and he had attributed it to his spell malfunctioning. However, he had to reevaluate when everyone else nodded in agreement. Then, Imri realized what was happening. ¡°They have a Security Array,¡± Imri concluded. He elaborated when he only got blank stares back. ¡°It¡¯s one of the potential upgrade options for a settlement. It provides a resistance to spell effects originating from outside the city, so that¡¯s why my spell didn¡¯t work as expected. Its other effect reduces the primary stats of those considered hostile by a small amount. I¡¯m guessing that''s why we feel a bit off; our stats are each being reduced by a point or two.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Do they know about us then?¡± Joel asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If they did, you never would have gotten in. Someone astute enough might be able to figure out why a person appeared in the middle of the road, but even that requires several intuitive leaps,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Celestia have this Security Array?¡± someone asked. ¡°Because we didn¡¯t need it. I¡¯m not sure why they needed it; there were no signs of monster attacks or invading armies. Either way, this is good intel, and we should try to figure out what the other arrays are,¡± Imri pointed out. The others nodded and listened carefully as Imri reviewed all the potential arrays. When that was done, they all dispersed, integrating themselves into the city''s population. They had devised several methods for emergency communication, most of which involved dead drops, but they were mostly on their own from this point forward. Imri wandered around the city, mostly aimlessly, taking in the sights. He mostly watched the people, using Identify on everyone he saw. It amazed him how low-level everyone was, with the vast majority of people being between levels 1 and 3. Someone at level 5 practically stood out as an achiever in this group, and even the newly integrated refugees of Celestia out-leveled them by a couple of levels on average. The other notable trend was in the types of classes and professions everyone had. He had not seen a single individual with a mage or similarly fantasy-esque class. Almost everyone had a very mundane class that was likely related to their work before the integration. Even the police, who should have had some experience dealing with monsters, weren¡¯t much better, and on average, they were only a level or two higher with equally mundane classes. Imri did attract some attention as he traversed the city, gaining especially thorough glances from the police. He guessed they had tried to Identify him and failed. Either that or his worn clothing, which was intentionally threadbare, made them wary he was a vagrant. Wanting to eliminate the possibility of the second option, Imri ducked into an open department store. However, before he could enter, a larger man acting as a security guard stopped him. ¡°The store is for paying customers only,¡± he said in a serious tone meant to intimidate Imri. It might have worked if Imri didn¡¯t know he was level 4. ¡°Do you take credits?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That¡¯s all we take,¡± the man said sternly, looking up and down at Imri¡¯s seemingly meager belongings. Of course, he didn¡¯t see the millions of credits in enchanted items and precious minerals hidden in Imri¡¯s spatially enchanted bag. Nor could he see the millions of credits in Imri¡¯s possession available to him at any time. ¡°I¡¯m new to the city; I¡¯ve been wandering the countryside and slew my fair share of monsters. My clothes might not be in the best shape, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I have a few thousand credits from a few quests I¡¯ve completed,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Monsters and quests¡ªyou almost sound like a proper adventurer. What is it like out there?¡± the man asked, instantly switching from hostile to curious. ¡°It¡¯s equal parts amazing and terrifying. There¡¯s nothing as exhilarating as defeating a strong monster and gaining a slew of powerful abilities, but you can only get that by truly risking your life. The true powerhouses do that day in and day out,¡± Imri said truthfully. The security guard nodded along, hanging on Imri''s every word. ¡°Were you one of those people who got to create one of those nexus things, like Baroness Horn?¡± the man asked. ¡°I thought the Baron''s name was Pearson?¡± Imri asked with genuine confusion. ¡°We don¡¯t talk about that man here,¡± the man said, spitting on the ground. ¡°Why, what did he do?¡± Imri asked. ¡°He¡¯s a right bastard. He only cares about his own power, the rest of us be damned,¡± the man said before leaning in and whispering conspiratorially. ¡°All the Barons and Baronesses are like that.¡± ¡°All of them? How many are there?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Five, I think. Yeah, five,¡± he said after thinking about it momentarily. When Imri stopped and considered the implications, it made some amount of sense. Among the millions of people who had been integrated from Chicago, it wasn¡¯t that surprising that several people had been able to reach level 10 within the first month. The Chicago area had plenty of people and land to support multiple nexuses. ¡°Do any of them have the Count or Countess title?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Not that I know of,¡± the large man said with a shrug. ¡°Can I go in?¡± Imri asked after the conversation stalled. The man nodded as he stepped aside, allowing Imri to pass by. Inside, the store looked much the same as before the integration. Racks of clothing were displayed, and only a few areas were not fully stocked. However, there was a distinct lack of customers. ¡°Sir, can I help you find anything?¡± a middle-aged woman asked. ¡°I¡¯m new to the city, and my clothes have obviously seen better days. I have some credits to spare, but I don¡¯t know how much that will get me,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Not a worry; all our prices are indicated on the items. They still have dollar signs, but the numbers are correct,¡± the woman explained. Imri did a double take. He had seen the numbers and assumed they hadn¡¯t been adjusted since the integration. ¡°I know it''s a bit much with how hard credits are to come by, but the price is fair given the supply chain shortages,¡± the woman said in a rehearsed speech, having mistaken Imri¡¯s shock of disbelief the wrong way. Imri also suspected the term ¡®supply chain shortages¡¯ was substantially underselling the issue. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand,¡± Imri said quickly, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself. He took his time, picking out the better part of an entire wardrobe for himself. He also purchased a couple of suits, wanting to look respectable for his dealings in an official capacity as a noble for the coming auction. Once he was done shopping for himself, he pulled out a list of everything Emelia had mentioned she missed wearing. He didn¡¯t know what half of the items were, but the staff was more than willing to help him pick out plenty of items in her size. Imri took a deep breath and made his way to the jewelry section. His nerves got the best of him, and he stammered his greetings to the salesman behind the counter. He took another deep breath before he got them under control. ¡°Can you show me your wedding rings?¡± Chapter 90: Credits and Conversations Imri left the department store with several large bags of clothing for himself and Emelia. As soon as no one was looking at him, he placed the engagement ring in his dimensional bag. Despite splurging a bit, the shopping had barely put a dent in his finances, and he wondered why everything was so cheap. Imri wondered if it was just the one store selling things for cheap but was quickly dispelled when he secured lodging in one of the few open hotels. The price of an amazing room in a four-star hotel was a fraction of its typical rate if credits and dollars were equivalent. Likewise, a nice meal was a fraction of what he would have been willing to pay for something that wasn¡¯t fried Drake. After his meal, Imri made his way to the bar. He was dressed in some of his newer clothing and did his best to look presentable but not stuffy. He even got his hair and beard trimmed to look more civilized. He still felt like an outsider and a fraud, and he seriously considered spending the rest of the two weeks locked away in his room studying enchantments and meditating. Instead, he ordered a relatively expensive scotch and hoped for the best. ¡°Are you new here?¡± an extremely attractive woman in a cocktail dress asked. ¡°What gave me away?¡± Imri asked awkwardly as he put on his best fake smile. Imri did a double take when he used Identify on the woman and saw her profession: she was a level 6 Escort. ¡°Did you use Identify on me?¡± she demurred. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It''s a bit of a habit at this point,¡± Imri said, even though he wasn¡¯t sorry. He was done being guilted into not using his abilities. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; I was just teasing. As to your other question, I¡¯ve met everyone here. There aren¡¯t exactly a lot of new people coming and going,¡± she said. ¡°I see,¡± Imri said, unsure what else to say. ¡°So, how about it? Do you want some company tonight?¡± she propositioned, nearly causing Imri to spit out his drink. ¡°Is that legal here?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like this city is a bastion of law and order these days,¡± she said with a shrug. She was an extremely attractive woman, and Imri would have been interested before the integration. Fortunately, he had an amazing and even more attractive woman waiting for him in Celestia. A woman he was going to ask to marry. He was about to dismiss her out of hand when he had another idea. ¡°Sure, why not,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s 100 credits an hour, with payment due upfront and a minimum of two hours,¡± she said, effortlessly switching from seduction to business. Imri didn¡¯t argue and sent her the 200-credit minimum. They made their way to Imri¡¯s room without much talking. Even though he had no intention of sleeping with her, Imri still wasn¡¯t quite comfortable with the situation. She must have known Imri wasn¡¯t her typical client because she eyed him suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked before they reached his room. ¡°I just want to talk. No sex,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you paid; I¡¯m not going to sit there and be lectured about being immoral or anything like that,¡± she insisted. ¡°No, nothing like that. As you noticed, I¡¯m new in town, and I just want some general information about the situation,¡± Imri assured her. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯m still keeping the entire 200 credits, and I¡¯m not sharing anything confidential about any of my clients,¡± she said. Imri nodded, actually reassured by her demand for client confidentiality. When they entered the room, Imri pointedly avoided the bed. Instead, he pulled out the chairs by the desk. ¡°So, what did you want to know?¡± she asked as she sat down. ¡°To start, your name,¡± Imri said. ¡°You can call me Mikayla, and you are?¡± she asked with a smile. ¡°You can call me Ian,¡± he said, deciding not to give his real name. ¡°So, why 100 credits an hour?¡± ¡°You''re paying me 100 credits an hour for market research on escort services?¡± she asked. ¡°Something like that,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°It was the number I could charge where I didn¡¯t get pushback from my clientele,¡± Mikayla said with a shrug. ¡°And your clientele, who are they? In a general sense,¡± Imri asked. ¡°Usually, they are people who work directly for one of the Barons or Baronesses. They are the only ones with money to throw around, that or mysterious strangers who just showed up here,¡± she said. ¡°No one else has made money from selling monster parts to the system store? No unique resources to harvest?¡± Imri asked, ignoring the ''mysterious stranger'' comment. ¡°What''s a system store?¡± Mikayla asked. ¡°You know, the nexus where you can sell items to the system for credits,¡± Imri explained. She just stared at him blankly. ¡°The giant floating crystal that is the center of the settlement.¡± ¡°Oh, that thing. A couple of my clients bragged about seeing that. In general, those are stored inside and guarded at all times,¡± she explained. ¡°All five of them are like that?¡± Imri asked. ¡°As far as I know,¡± Mikayla said with a shrug. ¡°And what about monsters? Does no one sell monster parts?¡± ¡°The nobles are willing to buy them for a few credits, but there isn¡¯t a lot of money in it,¡± she said. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Imri couldn¡¯t believe it. The nobles were hoarding every advantage for themselves, but that was crippling the city. It was so short-sighted and stupid that he could scarcely believe it. He also suspected the other arrays were related to personal wealth. Imri tried to school his expression into stoic indifference, but his anger must have shown because Mikayla studied him quizzically. ¡°I¡¯ll give you your credits back if you tell me what you know,¡± she offered. ¡°Just keep them; I don¡¯t need the money,¡± Imri said dismissively. ¡°You don¡¯t need the money,¡± she repeated. ¡°A couple hundred credits shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. That¡¯s barely more than some of the cheapest items the system will sell. It¡¯s only a lot here because the nobles hoard all the wealth. Even low-level monster parts sell for hundreds of credits if not thousands,¡± Imri explained. ¡°How do you know all this? Who are you really?¡± she asked. Imri realized he was failing spectacularly as a spy. In his defense, he had pointed this out to everyone before going on the mission. He was here for his system abilities, not his social skills. ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± Imri said, backtracking slightly now that his indignation had settled down. ¡°Fine, keep your secrets,¡± she said with an exaggerated pout. ¡°Is everything as bad as it seems? How are people getting by?¡± Imri asked. ¡°People find a way. A lot of people barter for what they need. Others, like me, adapt and find a way to extract a few credits. Honestly, things are probably worse than they seem. I¡¯m barely getting by and make a lot compared to some. Prices for everything are going up despite the lack of currency. There just aren¡¯t enough new things getting made, and the existing supply from before the integration is starting to run dry,¡± Mikayla said. It made sense that they were starting to run into shortages. While some parts of the supply chain could be adjusted to a more localized area, others required significant time and infrastructure to set up. Food shortages were likely due to the lack of fertile land nearby and many survivors in the city. Throwing credits at the problem wouldn¡¯t fix any of that; it would only inflate prices. ¡°Thanks for your help. The information was extremely useful,¡± Imri said. ¡°Any time, Ian. That was the easiest 200 credits I¡¯ve ever made,¡± Mikayla said as she left. Imri couldn¡¯t sleep, so he switched to meditation instead. He reached the meditative state of mind, but something felt physically off. It felt like something was trying to burrow into him, but he couldn¡¯t tell where that feeling was coming from or even what part of the body it was affecting. It wasn¡¯t painful, but the feeling of wrongness lingered. Imri used body scan meditation to feel each part of his body, and it didn¡¯t turn up any abnormality every time. Despite that, he still felt certain something was off. Eventually, he gave up on finding the cause and did his best to ignore the feeling. When the first light of the morning started coming through the blinds, Imri ended his meditation. He had only managed a few hours of meditation, which was enough for now. He set out, heading toward one of the dead drop points. He made a stylized mark on the wall, the signal for a meeting in the afternoon. Imri wandered about the city, knowing it would be sometime before the meeting. He continued using Identify on every single person he could see. His efforts were eventually rewarded with a pair of rank-ups.
Skill Rank Up
Identify F to E
Trait Rank Up
Enigmatic Being F to E
Imri was just about to start heading toward the predetermined meeting location when he did a double-take. His Identify had returned an unexpected result, and a seemingly normal-looking man was actually a level 27 Azala Infiltrator. Imri did his best to appear nonchalant, but the Infiltrator turned and stared at him. In the next instant, Imri felt a force assaulting his mind. It attempted to worm its way past his mental defense and subvert his will. Unfortunately for the Azala, Imri had several layers of defense against its attack. His Willpower had exceeded human limits and was likely orders of magnitude higher than his attacker. On top of that, his bond with Emelia provided a resistance to mental attacks, as their two minds worked in tandem to support each other. Finally, Imri¡¯s Locus of Mana gave him resistance to all magical attacks. The end result was that the Azala¡¯s mind attack did little more than give Imri a minor headache. Imri did his best not to show outward indications that he was casting a spell. He defined the parameters of his spell without using his hands and cast the spell. In an instant, space collapsed around the unsuspecting Azala. It was squeezed under localized pressure equivalent to the ocean''s bottom, instantaneously causing innards to extrude from its body. It happened so fast that nearby people didn¡¯t notice anything happening until the pressure equalized with a loud bang that sounded like a bomb being dropped. People screamed and ran as panic and terror took over. Imri winced from the unintended collateral damage he was indirectly causing as a mob mentality overtook the people around him. He had become too accustomed to fighting near unkillable Drakes or Sentinels and hadn¡¯t properly adjusted to a much squishier target. He also wasn¡¯t used to fighting in an urban environment where millions of people were nearby. He stooped down and picked up the core, which was about the only distinguishable body part intact. It seemed that the core was also the most durable portion of a body. As soon as he grabbed it, he disappeared from sight, using Blink to teleport to a nearby roof. This was quickly followed by a couple more Blinks in rapid succession, taking him far away from the scene of the attack. ¡°Well, that complicates things,¡± Imri muttered to himself as he used Blink to appear in a nearby alley. Imri resumed his walk to the meeting point, though he made sure he hadn¡¯t attracted anyone¡¯s notice. When he felt reasonably certain he hadn¡¯t, he went directly there. He made it a point of emphasis to Identify every person he passed. Fortunately, the Azala seemed to be a small percentage of the population, as he hadn¡¯t encountered another before or since. He didn¡¯t think for a moment that it had been the only Azala here. He arrived at the public meeting spot a few minutes late, but one person was still missing: a woman named Maggie. Joel looked relieved when Imri showed up, but as the minutes dragged on with no signs of Maggie, he again grew concerned. ¡°Could this have anything to do with the explosion on Grand Street?¡± Joel mused. ¡°No, that was me,¡± Imri admitted. It stung Imri a bit that no one seemed surprised by his admission. ¡°Do we keep waiting?¡± Someone else asked. ¡°No, we don¡¯t want to be together longer than necessary. Imri, you set up this meeting,¡± Joel pointed out. Imri summarized what he had learned from Mikayla: the nexuses were being treated as personal items for the progenitors who had since become nobility. They were taking advantage of their total control over the market to buy things for pennies on the dollar, and the lack of currency in circulation was stifling the economy. Supply shortages were starting to cause major inflation, further exacerbating the other issues. When he was done, others corroborated what he had learned. If anything, Mikayla had been right to assess that she was one of the fortunate ones. People were starving and starting to get desperate. However, instead of trying to fix the problems, the nobles simply ramped up their police forces and used them as personal armies to put down any attempted uprising. However, worst of all was a water shortage. Lake Michigan hadn¡¯t been integrated as is. Instead, it was some strange liquid that wasn¡¯t dense enough to swim in, resulting in people or boats simply sinking to the bottom. It was also light enough to carry it easily in the wind, resulting in it constantly appearing like a mist that lingered above the strange body of liquid. Unfortunately, it couldn¡¯t be used as a substitute for drinking water. Another interesting tidbit was the relationship between the nobles. Each of them was overtly fighting amongst themselves. Imri suspected that they wanted to form a Count title, but no one could garner the support of the others. They had to offer something that would entice the others into giving up a percentage of their power. From what little he knew of the nobles, he doubted any would willingly do that. ¡°It seems like another month or two, and this city will tear itself apart,¡± Joel concluded. ¡°That¡¯s why we are going back to Celestia. Then we¡¯re coming back here with a force to take the nexuses,¡± Imri declared. Chapter 91: Plans and Proposals Imri gave everyone a moment to process his declaration. It took everyone a few seconds before they all started voicing objections. However, before Imri could respond, the system did so for him.
New Quest
Control New Chicago County: Claim the New Chicago area and form a county under your control before the auction. County formed 0/1. Reward: Achievement and credits based on contribution and settlement experience for all settlements in the county.
Judging by the look on everyone''s faces, they had also received the quest. Joel shook his head in disbelief while some of the other had their mouths agape. ¡°Well, who are we to argue with the system,¡± Joel said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far. So far, all the quests have required overcoming steep odds and brutal conflicts. If this was going to be easy, I doubt we would have gotten this quest,¡± Imri said. ¡°Either way, I want to continue the planned operation. If we want to take the city, we¡¯ll need more intel, and we still don¡¯t know what happened to Maggie,¡± Joel said. ¡°You would be on your own until we come back,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Joel said, nodding resolutely. Imri didn¡¯t waste any time, wanting to return to Celestia as soon as possible. More than preparing for the coming conflict, he needed to make sure the settlement hadn¡¯t been compromised by the Azala, as New Chicago had. With the recent population influx, one could have eluded their current detection methods, which was a combination of typical border crossing interviews and an Identify being used. However, the Azala probably had countermeasures for this, especially with their infiltration specialists. Before leaving, Imri also placed another Spatial Beacon, which he anchored to the ground in an out-of-the-way location. This gave them an alternative to the mobile portal, which he handed to Joel after sending the signal for Celestia to open the portal. He also gave Joel the Dimensional Bag after he emptied most of his personal enchanted items. It didn¡¯t take long before the portal appeared, and Imri quickly strode through. An emergency response team had assembled near the portal, dressed in quickly donned armor and weapons. Major Harper stood there, assessing the situation, ready to send his soldiers to New Chicago. ¡°Stand down,¡± Imri ordered. The major repeated his order, though it hadn¡¯t been necessary. As soon as everyone was through, Imri ordered the portal closed. ¡°What happened? We received the quest to take New Chicago, and then the portal request came minutes later,¡± Laura said as a civilian crowd formed around the commotion. ¡°No one is in immediate danger, but we should discuss what we learned,¡± Imri explained while he used Identify to check everyone he could. Fortunately, he had yet to find anything out of the ordinary heritage of human. It didn¡¯t take long before everyone had gathered in the conference room. Imri explained everything they had learned about the city''s condition and his speculation on the reason. He also told them about the Azala infiltrator. ¡°What makes you so certain there are more of them?¡± Major Harper asked after Imri had finished his explanation. ¡°I used Identify on a few thousand people and found one Azala. The rational conclusion is that there is one Azala for every few thousand people in the city. It is extremely unlikely that there was only one, and I found it randomly,¡± Imri said. ¡°That would mean it''s likely there are hundreds, if not thousands, of them,¡± Steve said, agreeing with Imri¡¯s reasoning. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why are we concerned with taking over the city? I understand it¡¯s not being managed well, but that seems¡­ excessive,¡± Laura said. ¡°I have to agree with Laura. While they might not be doing a great job, I¡¯m not sure that warrants such an extreme reaction,¡± Emery agreed. ¡°We have to do something,¡± Imri insisted. ¡°We agree on that. I just think there should be some sort of intermediate action. At the very least, give them a chance to rectify their mistakes,¡± Laura suggested. ¡°A show of what we are capable of would go a long way in convincing them. Allow them to see our abilities and have Imri make an entrance,¡± Major Harper added. ¡°We can also offer trade in exchange for cooperation. Offer access to some of our unique resources at a fair price while we would get access to modern conveniences that we couldn¡¯t carry from Minneapolis,¡± Steve added. ¡°That seems reasonable, but I won¡¯t compromise on a few things. They need to allow everyone access to the nexus, specifically the store. That would at least give people a way to earn a fair amount of credits for their items rather than forcing everything to go through the nobles. I also want to establish a portal in New Chicago, allowing people to immigrate to Celestia and vice versa,¡± Imri said. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many immigrants we can manage. Our resources are already strained, and that could be just a small fraction of those interested in coming here, especially if things really are as bad as you say,¡± Laura said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to budge on this. Celestia will be a home for anyone willing to abide by our laws, not just the first few thousand people who happened to be nearby when it was established,¡± Imri insisted. ¡°We¡¯re not going to turn anyone away, but Laura does have a point. We can¡¯t handle hundreds of thousands of people at once. We¡¯ll have to limit the amount of new immigrants per trip,¡± Emery said. Imri sighed. It definitely felt like his councilors were reigning him in. However, that was exactly why he had put them in charge. He wouldn¡¯t be a dictator like those in New Chicago; he would listen to his people and compromise. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll only be able to keep the portal open for so long anyway,¡± Imri agreed. ¡°Speaking of the portals. Your early return trip almost completely drained the mana reserves. It will be at least a few days before enough mana is stored for another trip. I would also recommend waiting longer in case there is another quick turnaround,¡± Steve pointed out. Imri agreed with that decision and expected a good amount of his downtime while waiting would be enchanting more panels. The meeting continued for a couple more hours as they discussed what they would be willing to accept from the New Chicago nobles. He started to tune out the discussion when it got into the minutiae of foreign policy after a general framework had been agreed upon. Eventually, the meeting adjourned, and Imri headed back home. Imri rubbed at his chest; the feeling of something drilling into him that he had felt the other night only seemed to be intensifying as he could now sense it without meditation. He still couldn¡¯t pinpoint what part of his body it was, but it was concerning that it was steadily getting worse. Imri¡¯s concern melted away when he saw Emelia. She was still in her nurse''s scrubs, having only just been able to leave the clinic while they were short-staffed. He smiled at her, embracing her tightly and kissing her passionately. ¡°I missed you,¡± he said. ¡°It was one day,¡± she teased. However, the way she fiercely kissed him a second time told him it had been the right thing to say. Imri¡¯s mind subconsciously drifted to the ring in his backpack, and he instantly grew nervous. Emelia probably didn¡¯t need to be an empath to know he was hiding something, but she didn¡¯t press for answers. Instead, she simply continued to hold him tightly. ¡°Would you want to go for a walk around the lake?¡± Imri asked, stammering and barely managing to get out the words as his mouth refused to cooperate. ¡°Sure, just let me shower first,¡± she said. ¡°I could join you. It would be more efficient for both of us to shower simultaneously,¡± Imri said. ¡°I know how you can¡¯t stand inefficiencies; we can¡¯t have that,¡± she said with mock seriousness. They ended up spending more time in the shower than it would have taken for them to shower separately. Imri had a stupid grin plastered across his face as he dressed in some of his new clothes: a polo shirt and blue jeans. It took Emelia a bit longer as she tried on almost every dress he had purchased for her. She eventually decided on a light blue sundress. ¡°You look beautiful,¡± Imri said in awe. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said with a rare moment where she almost seemed shy. It was nice not to wear armor or raggedy clothing, which they hadn¡¯t done often since the integration. Imri rubbed at his chest as the strange feeling intensified again. It was now manifesting as a sharp physical pain. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just nerves, I guess,¡± Imri lied. Imri was fairly certain that Emelia knew what he was going to do. If she didn¡¯t want him to ask, she would have stopped him long before this point. So, it wasn¡¯t his nerves causing the physical sensation, as they had been more intense earlier. Not knowing what else to do, Imri did his best to ignore the discomfort. Given the time they had taken to get ready, it was getting dark as they began their walk. Imri created a small globule of light and anchored its relative position a couple of meters ahead of them. He held her hand as they walked around the lake. Imri began rehearsing what he would say in his head while looking for a scenic spot. He realized he was stalling as he kept looking for a perfect spot that probably didn¡¯t exist. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful view of the lake and the town,¡± Emelia said as they walked. It was indeed, as the city lights could be seen in the distance and moonlight reflected off the water. The sound of cicadas-like insects could be heard from the nearby groves, but no insects bothered them directly. It was warm, but not too warm, as a pleasant breeze blew across the water. It was a perfect night. Imri slowed down their pace, his breaths coming in quick succession, and his heart felt like it was trying to pound its way out of his chest. He noticed Emelia was nearly as nervous as he was, as she had a similar countenance to his own. Despite this, they were both smiling with manic grins. For every bit of fear and anxiety that they felt, it was outweighed by an equal amount of excitement and elation. If Imri had the smallest amount of doubt, he wouldn¡¯t have done it, but there was no doubt. They stopped, and Imri got down on one knee. ¡°Emelia Fields, we¡¯re living through an apocalypse with literal monsters, yet these past months have been the best of my life. Anyone who is around can¡¯t help but smile and instantly be in a better mood. You are the most kind-hearted and amazing person I¡¯ve ever met, and for some reason, you want to be around me. I don¡¯t know how I got so lucky, but I can¡¯t imagine a world without you. Will you marry me?¡± Emelia had her hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her face. She nodded vigorously several times before she could say it out loud. Imri let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he had been holding. Giddy excitement was all that remained as the anxiety drained away. He stood up and kissed his fiance passionately. Mid-kiss, Imri stopped as he was wracked with intense pain. It felt like it spread to every fiber of his body as if the core of his being was affected. It felt worse than when he had been stabbed by the soul-stealing dagger. He collapsed to the ground as he was unable to stand. He could hear Emelia, though it felt like she was far away as his consciousness faded. Chapter 92: A Dream Worth Fighting For ¡°Imri!¡± Emelia shouted at her fiance as he collapsed. Years of training made her check his vitals despite the bond telling her the same information. He was alive and stable, though his breaths came in ragged gasps as he endured an amount of agony that Emelia had never experienced. Emelia used her healing spell, which was strengthened to a potency she had never been able to achieve, thanks to her compassion for the man she loved. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t have much of an effect; whatever condition he suffered from, it wasn¡¯t a simple injury that could be healed with basic magical healing. Next, she used Project Emotion, sending him her love and concern to let him know she was right beside him. She felt his emotions calm and then form into determination. Whatever was happening to him, he wouldn¡¯t give up. Not knowing what else to do, Emelia picked him up and began carrying him back to Celestia in a fireman¡¯s carry. Imri was nearly a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier than she was, but she managed it thanks to the improved stats from her levels. It didn¡¯t take her long to traverse around the lake and reach Celestia. She was immediately confused as everyone nearby was frightened, but they had felt that way before knowing what had happened to Imri. There was definitely something else going on, but Emelia ignored them and went directly to the clinic. She shouted for help, and immediately, several people were at her side, including Dr. Thompson. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, one moment he was fine, and the next he just collapsed,¡± Emelia said in a shaky voice, tears streaming down her face. ¡°You used healing on him?¡± the doctor asked. ¡°Yes, but it didn¡¯t do anything. I also know from our bond that he is in incredible agony,¡± she explained. They wheeled Imri on a stretcher into an exam room. Dr. Thompson examined him thoroughly, and though the doctor didn¡¯t show it externally, Emelia could sense his confusion. His confusion only increased as he felt around his chest. ¡°Has he mentioned anything about his core? I would expect someone of his level to have a more pronounced one,¡± Dr. Thompson asked. ¡°He mentioned that he doesn¡¯t have one,¡± Emelia said. ¡°How is that possible? I had thought it was responsible for all the system enhancements that people gained, which he clearly has. Has he mentioned any other abnormalities?¡± he asked. Emelia hesitated, and the doctor immediately noticed. He sent the nurse away to check on another patient. ¡°Even though there aren¡¯t boards and bureaucratic oversight, I still take patient confidentiality seriously. Whatever you tell me will only be used to treat Imri,¡± Dr. Thompson vowed. ¡°He was worried he wasn¡¯t human,¡± Emelia admitted. Whatever the doctor had been expecting her to say, it wasn¡¯t that. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the human heritage. He has something called a Primordial heritage but doesn¡¯t know exactly what that means. The Chixel knew of them, but all they said was that they were rare and unique beings shaped by mana,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°Something that was distinctly lacking on earth,¡± Dr. Thompson mused. ¡°I told him it wasn¡¯t anything to be worried about, that he was human in every way that mattered, but what if I mislead him? What if he suppressed a portion of who he was to be with me?¡± Emelia asked in a panic. ¡°Emelia, calm down. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and this certainly isn¡¯t your fault. He is physiologically human by every definition we had before the system, especially since you could conceive a child with him,¡± Dr. Thompson pointed out. ¡°Right,¡± she said, taking deep breaths. ¡°About how long ago did this happen?¡± he asked. ¡°It was about fifteen minutes before I got here,¡± she said. ¡°Interesting,¡± he mused. ¡°What is?¡± she asked. ¡°Have you checked your system notifications since this happened?¡± he asked. ¡°No, I was too busy. Why?¡± ¡°Check them,¡± he insisted, and Emelia did so.
New World Quest
Prevent Planet Terraforming: The Azala have reached the planet''s core and begun the terraforming process. Find a way to stop it before it becomes irreversible 0/1. Rewards: Achievement, credits, and personal experience based on contribution.
¡°The timing of when everyone got this quest and when Imri collapsed seems to coincide perfectly,¡± the doctor pointed out. ¡°You think they¡¯re related?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°To be clear, I¡¯m completely speculating in a field I¡¯m not remotely qualified in. I just find the timing too suspicious for it to be a coincidence,¡± he said. ¡°So what do we do?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We can keep him here and ensure his vitals are good, but beyond that, I don¡¯t think there is much we can do,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here with him. Even if I can¡¯t do anything for him, I want to be by him,¡± Emelia said. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Of course. I have to check on other patients, but let me know if you need anything,¡± Dr. Thompson said as he left. Emelia reviewed her abilities. All of them were either related to general healing or emotions. Whatever was going on, she didn¡¯t have any other abilities that would help. Instead, she was forced to sit and wait, praying that he would pull through. Her thoughts eventually turned dark as she imagined a world without him. She quashed those thoughts and instead focused on their future. Dreams of those beautiful possibilities came forth. She thought about the wedding they would have, a beautiful ceremony near the location where he had proposed. He looked dashing in his suit and smiled at her as she walked down the aisle. Everyone was there, and there was no monster invading or imminent threats that would interrupt their special day. She wore a wedding dress with far less flow than a traditional one, something she could actually move in. She had the faintest hint of a baby bump at this point, but it was only obvious if you knew to look. The ceremony would be short and sweet, and then they were married. She thought about the birth of their child. Imri was there, holding her hand as their son came into the world. He was a bigger baby, taking after his father while he had her nose. He was happy and healthy, content to sleep in his father¡¯s arms. Time flashed again, and their son was almost fully grown, likely in his early teenage years. There were two other children, their other children, another boy who was about ten and a girl who was around eight. Each of them had smiles that suggested they were unconcerned about the wider world. Celestia had become a thriving city, rivaling the greatest cities before the integration, if not exceeding them in grandeur. Despite the enormous burden on him, Imri would always come home with a smile on his face, making sure he never took his wife or kids for granted. Emelia left her dreams and was back in the clinic room. Tears streamed down Emelia''s face. They were happy tears for the beautiful future they would hopefully create but tinged with sadness that it might not. She sent those dreams to him, hoping they would give him something more to fight for.
New Spell Learned
Dreamscape (2F): Using emotions, you can shape dreams. Creates a dreamscape in the target''s mind that they are fully aware of and will fully remember when they wake. The dream can have tangible effects on the target, depending on the type of dream created. Mana cost varies based on the type of dreamscape created, the caster and target''s emotional connection to the dream, and the distance from the caster to the target.
Emelia smiled, knowing her dream had reached her fiance. It grew even wider when she saw the next system notification.
Quest Completed
Class Rank Up Empathic Healer E to D: Heal others 1,000/1,000 HP healed, save others 3/3, save others by influencing their emotions 1/1.
Her quest had been stuck on the condition of saving someone by influencing emotion. She had always been slightly uncomfortable with that aspect of her class and had mostly stuck to using her basic Empathic Heal spell.
Class Tier Improved
Tier 2 Class option available
Mentalist: Influence the thoughts and emotions of others, subtly manipulating them towards a desired outcome or emotional state.
Dream Shaper: Walk among the dreams of others and shape them towards a brighter future or a living nightmare.
Compassionate Healer: Compassionate healers abhor violence and death, gaining the ability to heal all those in need, be they friends or foes.
It was easy to eliminate the Mentalist class. She had been stuck on her quest because she hadn¡¯t wanted to be overt in her usage of emotional manipulation, even for those who could benefit from it. She certainly didn¡¯t want a class specialized in that type of ability. The remaining two options were harder to decide between. She almost selected Dream Shaper right away, mostly because of how cool it sounded. However, as she read through the description and thought through the implications, it became less clear. She could see herself being reticent to manipulate others through their dreams, similar to how she didn¡¯t want to manipulate others emotionally. Ultimately, the Compassionate Healer fit her the best. It might not have been the most flashy choice, but she thought this would serve her best in the long run.
Compassionate Healer (2F)
Primary Stats/Level
Strength .05% (+.05%)
Agility .05% (+.05%)
Constitution .2% (+.05%)
Intelligence .1% (+.05%)
Willpower .25% (+.1%)
Charisma .4% (+.1%)
Secondary Stats/Level
HP .2% (+.05%)
FP .1% (+.1%)
MP .5% (+.2%)
Mana Efficiency .5% (+.15%)
Mana Regen Rate .3% (+.2%)
Emelia Fields has reached level 24 (+2) in Compassionate Healer (2F)
Emelia Fields has reached level 24 (+2) in Human (1E)
Primary Stats
Strength 106 (+1)
Agility 122 (+2)
Constitution 123 (+2)
Intelligence 120 (+2)
Willpower 131 (+4)
Charisma 150 (+5)
Secondary Stats
HP 147 (+6)
FP 166 (+10)
MP 187 (+19)
Mana Efficiency 252 (+26)
Traits Gained
Karmic Healing (2F): You gain positive karma for healing those you consider enemies. You lose karma any time you harm anyone. The mana efficiency of your healing spells is improved by a percentage equal to the square root of the amount of positive karma accumulated.
Compassion for the Suffering (2F): Improves the efficiency of your healing spells based on the suffering the target is experiencing.
Emelia was pleased with her choice, though she was disappointed that nothing immediately helped her save Imri. However, the fact that she had gained 2 levels and completed her quest using Dreamscape meant it had been effective. She used her basic Empathic Healing spell on Imri again in case it had some effect. This time, she could feel the spell doing something, mainly due to the amount of efficiency her spell had gained. Whatever Imri was going through, he was suffering greatly. Her Compassion for the Suffering trait immensely improved her efficiency in an attempt to alleviate some of the agonies he was going through. Seeing that her healing was having some effect, Emelia decided to push her newfound abilities to the limit. Using her Shared Burden skill, she sacrificed most of her own HP, dropping to 20% of her maximum. The agony from losing that amount of HP from one skill was nearly incomprehensible as her vision blurred and her mind reeled. She would have even pushed it further, but she was worried that getting too low on HP would harm their unborn child. She cast another healing spell, feeling it take effect. It was about as effective as the one prior, with his suffering having lessened but her Martyr¡¯s Empowerment also helping now. Whatever her healing spells were doing, they were helping. Emelia continued to heal Imri. She even took out an Espeonite Crystal and continued healing until she started to get the Overchannel debuff. She prayed that her efforts would help him survive whatever ordeal he was going through. ¡°You are not allowed to die. Come back to us,¡± she whispered into his ear before she collapsed into the chair and passed out due to exhaustion. Chapter 93: Planetary Core Imri felt like he was being torn apart and that the very fabric of his being was unwinding on a fundamental level. He was aware of Emelia shouting out to him, but it sounded like she was far away, not standing right over him as he rationally knew she was. He could stay somewhat coherent despite the pervasive agony, thanks to his higher willpower. He mentally followed the pain back to its source, to the part of him that he had been unable to sense, to his core. He felt his consciousness being ripped from his body. It was similar to the sensation of his Transcendant Meditation, only this time, it was being forced upon him. His mental projection traveled thousands of kilometers straight through the ground toward the planet''s center. His mental projection slowed to a halt as he appeared in a massive cavern that easily dwarfed the largest stadiums. Even the chamber he had been in on the Collective Intelligence¡¯s Dyson Sphere had been smaller than where he was now. A massive sphere dominated most of the cavern, easily several times larger than the Sphere in Las Vegas. It glowed with blue and green energies constantly swirling around. Given where Imri was and the scale of what he was looking at, this could only be the world core. Imri switched his vision to see the mana itself and immediately regretted it. His eyes were blinded in a bright light so strong it was like looking into the sun, despite having started with the lowest sensitivity he could. Feeling stupid, Imri waited for his eyes to readjust to normal vision. When it did, he studied the massive sphere for several minutes, all while the agony continued to suffuse his mind and body. It didn¡¯t take him long to notice the problem. A strange growth covered a portion of the core''s exterior. It appeared biological, resembling an organ, though black like a smoker''s lung. It was small compared to the entire core, though it was still comparable in size to Imri. Small capillaries extended from the perverse organ for several meters along the exterior of the core. Intermittently, the growth would pulse and excrete a brackish liquid into the vibrant energies within the core. After that was done, Imri could see it suck some of the vibrant energies out of the core, noticeably growing larger when it did so. As it did this, Imri felt the pain intensify, as if a part of himself was being sucked into the strange organ. While the amount absorbed and then excreted wasn¡¯t significant, Imri suspected its absorption rate would increase as it grew. This meant it was an exponential growth loop, where the cancerous substance grew and multiplied until it completely enveloped and consumed the massive core. Despite having never seen a planetary core, it fell under the general system information his Primordial Intuition provided him. The planetary core provided the energy that suffused the entire planet and shaped it into what it was. That was why such a massive planetary body didn¡¯t have crushing amounts of gravity. It was the reason for the mana density regions throughout the planet. Whatever was happening to the core was likely reflected in the world as a whole. When the core was converted, the world would be a reflection of it. Likewise, his body itself also appeared to be connected to the core, as if he were an extension of the planet itself. His agony would only grow more unbearable as the cancerous cells multiplied and intensified their assault. While Imri studied the perverse growth and considered what he could possibly do with just his mental projection, he felt another presence brush against his mind. ¡°How fascinating,¡± the presence projected into his mind as it established a mental link between them. Its tone sounded like it was talking at a normal volume, yet the amount of mental force being used made it reverberate through Imri¡¯s mind. It induced another wave of pain, though it barely registered compared to the already excruciating agony he was constantly experiencing. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Imri mentally projected back. ¡°I¡¯m just making this world a bit more hospitable for myself and my children,¡± the entity projected back, the amusement clear in their tone. ¡°What are you?¡± Imri asked. ¡°That¡¯s not nearly as interesting as what you are,¡± the presence said, amused by the situation. ¡°I¡¯m just a normal person,¡± Imri lied flippantly. ¡°That¡¯s clearly not the case,¡± the being said. Instead of trying to convince Imri to spill his secrets, the presence invaded his mind. It was like the attack the Azala infiltrator had tried using on him, only several orders of magnitude stronger. Despite his stacking resistances and powerful mind, the presence easily overwhelmed his mental defenses like they were only a paper shield. Imri knew there was no possible way he could defeat this creature. Its power was so far beyond him as it effortlessly accessed his mind like an open book. He could feel it rifling through his mind, accessing every memory he had. It took only seconds for it to know everything about him. ¡°You really don¡¯t know,¡± it said, practically vibrating with wicked pleasure. Imri knew it was over, that he was utterly outclassed and out of his depth. He wanted the agony to stop and to receive the blissful release of oblivion. ¡°That isn¡¯t going to happen; you are far too valuable alive. If you come willingly, I will spare your fiance and unborn child,¡± the creature offered. Imri considered their offer. While he had no guarantee that the creature would keep its word, any chance, even a small one, was worth taking the bargain. However, before he could accept their deal, his reality shifted again. Instead of his mental projection being in the massive cavern, he was back near Celestia. He looked around in confusion, and then he spotted Emelia. She looked angelic in her white dress as the orange glow of the setting sun backlit her. She smiled at him, and the agony he had been feeling faded to a bearable level. He saw a vision of his potential future, where his son was born. He saw his family grow, both in size and numbers. He saw their joy as he approached them, confident that their father could protect them from anything in this new world. It was a tenuous future, balanced on a knife''s edge as he was desperately outmatched by what he now assumed was the Azala Queen. He knew the odds were stacked against him, but he would fight until the end to see that future. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Imri felt a pleasant warmth cascade throughout his body, lessening the agony. He had thought it hadn¡¯t been affecting him, but as the pain lessened, his mind cleared. He could still feel the foreign presence in his mind; while it was powerful, it wasn¡¯t omnipotent. It wouldn¡¯t be asking for his cooperation if it could completely subvert his mind. With an effort of willpower, Imri managed to shield his mind. He could feel the Queen''s annoyance through the established link as if she couldn''t be bothered to deal with an annoying pest. She began probing at his defense, looking for an easy way in instead of using overwhelming force. Her initial assault had been more strenuous for her than he had initially thought. Imri thought about why he was here. It hadn¡¯t been the Queen who had yanked his mental projection down here. The Queen would have been content to let the core be converted, to turn the entire planet into their domain, where they were likely near omnipotent. He shifted his focus to the core, doing his best to ignore the pain and mental assault. He could feel his power within the core, yet it wouldn¡¯t be accurate to say it was his core. It was a part of him, but it wasn¡¯t just his. The realization confused Imri. Fortunately, now that he knew it was a part of him, he could feel it with his body scan meditation, like his arms or legs. However, the connection was still tenuous, like a numb limb. Fortunately, as he focused his mind''s eye on the core, he could feel it. He felt the powerful and pure mana swirling and crashing like a powerful wave in the middle of the ocean. He could feel the vibrant essence, full of life and vigor like a tall, verdant forest teeming with flora and fauna. He felt the brackish essence the Azala had excreted, invasive and vile like a festering wound. In addition to the various energies, Imri felt something else: a presence within the core itself. It was simultaneously ancient and powerful yet not fully formed, and immense amounts of mana were being absorbed into it. He could feel the terror of the being within the core as its energy was corrupted, and he felt drawn to help it. Imri must have been nearing some epiphany because he felt the Azala renew its ferocious assault on his mind. He strained as his mind felt like it would give in at any moment. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to continue without the visions and the soothing healing that had renewed his focus. He thought about why the entity was so familiar and why he felt like he was a part of it. Then, it clicked into place when he shifted his perspective to consider what he was to it. He was an extension of the being within the core, an appendage that could move and think independently, like the tentacle of an octopus. He might not have been physically connected, but that didn¡¯t matter to a being of such immense power. He was spiritually tethered to the being within the core, and if it perished, so would he. With that revelation, he felt a surge of power and a flood of notifications that he processed in a fraction of a second.
Heritage Rank Up E to D
Heritage Improved from tier 1 to tier 2
Your Heritage has evolved from Primordial 1D to Manifestation of Gaia 2F
Manifestation of Gaia 2F
Primary Stats/Level
Strength .3% (+.1%)
Agility .3% (+.1%)
Constitution .35% (+.15%)
Intelligence .75% (+.25%)
Willpower .6% (+.25%)
Charisma .3% (+.1%)
Secondary Stats/Level
HP .4% (+.25%)
FP .3% (+.15%)
MP .85% (+.35%)
Mana Efficiency .25% (+.25%)
HP Regen Rate .25% (+.25%)
FP Regen Rate .25% (+.25%)
MP Regen Rate .5% (+.3%)
Base Strength increased to 119 (+2)
Base Agility increased to 92 (+2)
Base Constitution increased to 108 (+3)
Base Intelligence increased to 147 (+5)
Base Willpower increased to 136 (+6)
Base Charisma increased to 95 (+2)
Primary Stats
Strength 154 (+8)
Agility 123 (+7)
Constitution 150 (+12)
Intelligence 281 (+31)
Willpower 232 (+29)
Charisma 126 (+7)
Secondary Stats
HP 321 (+66)
FP 233 (+41)
MP 1363 (+415)
Mana Efficiency 1119 (+315)
Crafting Efficiency 1289 (+363)
Trait Gained
Inner Domain 2F: A single point within your body has formed an entire domain. The space within is cubical, with each dimension being 1 Kilometer/100 Willpower. If you are physically or spiritually connected, you may place any non-sentient material or a willing sentient being within the domain. You can summon any object from your domain into a space beside you. Moving objects in and out of your domain takes an amount of mana proportional to the mass/mana efficiency. You can view your domain by entering via a mental projection while in a state of Transcendant Meditation. All resource regeneration rates are improved by 5% while meditating.
Skill Gained
Manifest Domain 2F: Create a domain within the physical world with a radius of 1 meter/willpower. You are aware of everything within your domain as if you had identified it and instinctually know exactly where everything is while it remains within your domain. You may imbue the domain with the effect of one of your spells with a 5% increase in mana efficiency. The spell will drain mana at a rate equivalent to if you were targeting a single target. You may affect any number of targets within the domain with the spell''s effects at no additional cost. You can manifest a domain for 1 minute/willpower/month. This time is reduced by 10 minutes/number of usages beyond the first each time a subsequent domain is manifested within the same month.
Imri felt the Queen''s mental attack intensify further. Fortunately, his improved mental stats allowed him to fend off her assault for the time being. Imri could still feel his spiritual connection to the being inside the core and, through extension, to the core itself. He smiled as he realized that was enough to meet the prerequisite of one of his new abilities. He attempted to put the entire core into his Inner Domain with a mental command. The core vanished instantly, leaving the expansive cavern devoid of anything. The core now claimed most of the space within his Inner Domain, which rested at an infinitely small point within his physical body. With nothing tethering his mental projection to this physical space, Imri¡¯s mental projection dissipated rapidly as his consciousness returned to his physical body. Enraged by Imri¡¯s actions, the Queen launched one final mental attack before Imri¡¯s consciousness had fully left. She was no longer trying to subvert or control him. Instead, she lashed out with an intent to inflict as much mental damage as possible. White hot pain erupted into Imri¡¯s mind like a spike being driven into his skull. He imagined this is how it would have felt to have an aneurysm. His mind defended itself by shutting down, and everything faded to black. Chapter 94: A Cancer upon the Land Sylvi limped along as best she could with several broken bones. Fortunately, Ashlyn hadn¡¯t landed far away. Unfortunately, she hadn''t fared much better than Sylvi, having sustained similar injuries, though they were slightly less severe. Vallo had come out of it the best of the three, but he had spent a lot of his mana using his bird form for several minutes. They moved as best they could, leaving the clearing and heading toward the stone forest. Pursuers from nearby supply outposts chased after them, easily outpacing them. Fortunately, Sylvi was still deadly, even with her limited mobility. She easily picked off the first few Chixel that recklessly charged towards them. She didn¡¯t have enough arrows to kill all of them, but it was enough to cause them to hesitate. They made it the final few meters and ducked behind a massive stone tree, obscuring themselves from their pursuer''s view. They weren¡¯t safe, but it gave them a momentary reprieve to drink potions and check their supplies. Sylvi quickly made a makeshift splint, using arrows with the heads removed and some straps from where she had cut away her parachute. After stabilizing her leg, she created a second one for Ashlyn. They limped further through the forest, away from the Chixel¡¯s center of power. The forest provided them some cover, but it also made it harder for Sylvi to pick off would-be attackers. On several occasions, they were forced to fight in close quarters. Sylvi and Ashlyn were extremely limited in their combat effectiveness, as they usually relied on their agility. Fortunately, Vallo made up for their deficiencies. While he wasn¡¯t a skilled melee combatant, he made up for that with his Shapeshifting. He would start the fighting by slightly altering his form, appearing mostly like himself but bigger and more muscular. That was usually enough to overpower the smaller and weaker Chixel. However, in one particularly dire encounter, he had shifted into a brown bear. Sylvi noticed that it looked off, as some of its facial features looked incomplete or disproportionate. Fortunately, whatever flaw the form had, it still had more than enough power to crush most of the patrol and send the rest scurrying away. ¡°That was so cool. Why didn¡¯t you use that earlier?¡± Ashlyn asked excitedly. ¡°The greater the difference in mass and abilities between myself and my new form, the greater the mana cost. Using that form drained most of my remaining mana. It¡¯s also hard creating forms from memory; it''s a lot easier if I¡¯ve memorized and practiced a form ahead of time,¡± Vallo explained, though he looked slightly uncomfortable with the girl''s praise. As nightfall came, Sylvi felt relieved. Her Hunt of The Night trait improved her overall abilities and recovery rate, while her Umbral Eyes allowed her to see in pitch black without any issues. Ashlyn was similarly competent at night, leaving only Vallo at a disadvantage. While they couldn¡¯t rest in one place, they were far more effective at avoiding confrontations. Sylvi and Ashlyn moved better on the second day, thanks to the potions and their naturally high regenerations. They were far from a hundred percent, but they were far more effective in combat and at avoiding it. With fewer patrolling enemies, Sylvi felt confident they were through the worst of it. That night, they managed to find a secluded location and sleep in shifts. By the third morning since their escape, Sylvi felt close to fully healed and no longer needed to keep her leg in a splint. She took the time to reorient themselves. She hadn¡¯t been focused on directly returning to Celestia but simply evading their pursuers. While she wasn¡¯t certain of exactly where they were, she realized they had unknowingly gotten closer to the front lines between the Chixel and Azala. She adjusted their course, leading them east, not wanting to get any closer to the ruins of Minneapolis. They hadn¡¯t gotten far when Ashlyn stopped and pointed. ¡°There¡¯s another person up ahead,¡± she said. Before Sylvi could respond, the girl raced ahead to greet them. Sylvi cursed under her breath and moved to follow her. The person in question was a man in his mid-thirties with tattered clothing that had likely been looted from the city. The man looked at Ashlyn with an intense gaze, and a moment later, Ashlyn was stumbling and clutching at her head. Sylvi didn¡¯t hesitate, grabbing and firing an arrow in one fluid motion. The arrow flew true, striking the man in his chest with an empowered Devastation Shot. The power of the arrow blew a fist-sized hole through where his heart had been, killing him instantly. With her target down, she immediately scanned the area for signs of another attacker. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t appear to be another threat. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Vallo asked in confusion as he helped Ashlyn up. ¡°I felt a sudden headache, and then my body stopped working. It still hurts like hell,¡± Ashlyn said as she accepted Vallo¡¯s helping hand. ¡°It was an Azala,¡± Sylvi said as she retrieved her arrow and wiped it on the dead man¡¯s clothing. ¡°Is it just me, or is there something off about this whole area?¡± Vallo asked with an unconscious shiver despite the heat. Sylvi looked around and noticed what he was talking about. The normally bright and vibrant trees were now brown and dying. She eventually spotted the likely culprit: a black cancerous growth the size of a cantaloupe that had invaded the tree. As she stared at it, the growth expanded and contracted in a noticeable rhythm, like it was breathing into the tree. Now that she knew what to look for, she spotted several more growths on other trees. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Let''s get out of here,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°Not yet. We need to know how bad this is, but we won¡¯t be reckless. We¡¯ll go to a nearby rise in elevation and survey the area, and then we get out as fast as possible. Assume anyone we meet is hostile,¡± Sylvi explained. Vallo and Ashlyn reluctantly nodded. A system notification got Sylvi¡¯s attention. It was a new quest, though the distinction of world quest made it stand out. The Azala had begun xenoforming the planet, and they were too close to the epicenter of their power. However, this made information gathering all the more critical. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have far to go, with a moderately sized rocky rise that jutted above the treeline only a couple of kilometers away. As they headed north-easterly, Sylvi noticed more and more growths, much larger in size than the previous one. They weren¡¯t all attached to trees; some slithered across the ground like an overgrown slug. Slyvi did a double take when she noticed a particularly large growth in one of the last trees before they crested the rise. It wasn¡¯t just an amorphous blob of flesh; a fully formed eye stared at her impassively. The blob blinked, and then its eye retracted inside itself, disappearing from view. Sylvi didn¡¯t say anything, but she quickened their pace by a noticeable amount, almost jogging up to the top of the rise. When she got to the top and surveyed the area, she began to question if she had died and gone to hell. In the distance, the trees had transformed into fleshy pillars with writhing tentacles. Many tentacles had various perception organs: eyes, ears, and noses. Others had large sacs that spewed spores into the air, making the nearby area hazy. The ground was covered in a stretched-out version of the growths on the trees, with capillaries running between the flesh trees like roots. Large monstrosities that appeared like giant humanoids with masses growing on them lumbered through the hellscape. Ashlyn started throwing up her breakfast, while Vallo looked like he might do the same. Sylvi did her best to remain calm and in control, focusing on details with dispassionate precision. While she wanted to gather as much information as possible, she strongly suspected their location had been compromised when the first Azala had spotted them. ¡°Alright, now we can get the hell out of here,¡± Sylvi said, not needing to tell the others again. They started to climb down from the rise, but they hadn¡¯t gotten far when Sylvi got an update to the previous system prompt. Somehow, the quest had already been completed. What could have possibly gotten inside the hellscape they had just witnessed and won? As Sylvi was pondering what could have happened, she felt something pressing on her mind. It projected into her head with an anguished shriek. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t appear to be a direct attack as it wasn¡¯t painful or attempting to seize control of her mind or body. It was simply a psionic scream that hadn¡¯t been directed at her in particular. Judging by the confused and frightened looks the others had, they had a similar experience. Sylvi¡¯s eyes were drawn to the distant horrors once again. Before the psionic scream, the tentacles had slowly been wiggling about, but now they squirmed and writhed with frenetic energy. The lumbering humanoid monstrosities had gone from slowly lumbering about to moving with a sense of urgency. Numerous other smaller forms that were likely normal human sizes, which had gone unnoticed before due to their relatively smaller size, now scurried about like a colony of ants that had been disturbed. Ashlyn and Vallo looked like they might be sick again, but Sylvi remained focused. She knew it would be important to gather as much information as possible. She tried to gauge the number of the Azala moving about, but the sheer amount of activity made it nearly impossible to get accurate numbers. However, she did see a mix of Human and Chixel hosts in various stages of transformation. Some appeared normal, indistinguishable from a normal representation of their species. However, others had varying numbers of tentacles protruding in seemingly random locations. Others had cancerous growths on the outside of their bodies. ¡°I can see why the Chixel were losing,¡± Vallo commented. Ashlyn said nothing; her normal bravado had been replaced with abject terror. Sylvi also felt a creeping dread as thoughts of how futile their resistance would be threatened to overtake her rational thinking. Years of training couldn¡¯t prepare her for this, but it did allow her to focus on the mission. That didn¡¯t banish the emotions but kept them at bay for a while. She focused on the details and the objective. She reminded herself that none of this information mattered if they didn¡¯t live to tell others. ¡°We need to move!¡± Sylvi ordered sharply, breaking the two others from their dark musings. They raced down the rise as fast as they could without breaking an ankle. It wasn¡¯t a sustainable pace, but it would hopefully get them out of this hellscape. Unfortunately, they were moving too fast to avoid all of the growths. Sylvi stepped on one and squelched under her boots before exploding in a spray of tar-like ichor. Some of the sticky goo got on her skin and immediately began to corrode through her flesh. ¡°Fuck!¡± Sylvi screamed, taking out a knife and scrapping the offending substance off of her skin. In the brief few seconds it had been touching her, it had managed to leave a wound similar to a chemical burn. She was also forced to remove several articles of clothing and armor as the acid ichor dissolved through them and threatened to inflict even more damage on Sylvi¡¯s skin. Her boots were completely destroyed, almost completely dissolved within a minute. She also had to cut away portions of her pants, leaving her with a pair of tattered shorts. Fortunately, most of her upper body had escaped unscathed, though there were a few small holes where small amounts of the ichor had splashed onto her. Now barefoot, Sylvi slowed their pace considerably. If she stepped on another of those growths, her foot would dissolve just as easily as her boot had. While she wanted to take each step carefully and spend hours escaping the dangerous hazards of the area, that might be just as disastrous as the sprint had been. Instead, she settled on a moderate jogging pace, carefully focusing on each step. It wasn¡¯t long before they were off the rise and jogging through the forest. Gradually, the contagion lessened as they made their way directly south, getting as far as they could from the epicenter of the contagion. Sylvi sighed in relief when they hadn¡¯t seen any signs of the cancerous substance for several minutes. They readjusted their direction, heading east toward Celestia, though Sylvi also had them heading slightly south, wanting a bit more distance from the blighted land. Chapter 95: Soul Bond Emelia woke up feeling a bit lethargic as her body battled mental and physical exhaustion from her over-channeling. Imri was still unconscious, but she no longer felt any agony through their bond. A flood of system notifications was vying for her attention, which she quickly perused.
Quest Complete: Prevent the planet from being terraformed
Rewards: 500,000 credits, XP, Achievement
New Achievement
Warden of Gaia 2: Prevented the planetary core from being terraformed by the Azala .1 % increase in primary stats/rank (+.2%)
Emelia Fields had reached level 26 (+2) in Compassionate Healer (2F)
Emelia Fields has reached level 26 (+2) in Human (1E)
Primary Stats
Agility 123 (+1)
Constitution 124 (+1)
Intelligence 121 (+1)
Willpower 132 (+1)
Charisma 153 (+2)
Secondary Stats
HP 151 (+10)
FP 170 (+14)
MP 192 (+24)
Mana Efficiency 264 (+38)
Skill Rank Up
Empathic Bond E to D
Empathic Bond (1D) has Improved to Soul Bond (2F)
Soul Bond (2F): You and a willing partner can bond your souls together. Both partners gain an intuitive understanding of their partner''s exact location and status. Both partners gain an empathic understanding of their partner¡¯s emotional state. Both partners can communicate with their partner telepathically. Both partners gain a 12.5% increase in their mental and soul resistance. Both partners gain a 2.5% increase in resource regeneration. If the bond is ever removed, including by death, the remaining partner(s) suffers a major soul injury.
Emelia had to read through the changes twice, and it took her a moment to realize what had happened. Somehow, Imri''s ordeal was related to the planet''s terraformation. She had gotten some credit for healing him. The half a million credits was a significant sum, especially for her, as she was living off of a small stipend provided by the settlement for her services as a nurse and a healer. Not that she wanted for anything with the amount of wealth Imri possessed. The experience for two levels was also a lot, considering how little she had done. The least of the gains was the achievement, which was nothing to scoff at. She read Soul Bond for a third time to ensure she hadn¡¯t missed anything. There was a slight improvement in mental defense and a new defense for attacks on the soul. It also added a new bonus to their regeneration as they both could draw on each other. She also could communicate with Imri directly, which meant she no longer needed to go to his workshop to tell him to stop working. It also would work no matter where he teleported off to. All those benefits came at the cost of one serious drawback: a major soul wound if either of them ever died. She didn¡¯t think that was too bad of a drawback, as she only needed to ensure he wasn''t too reckless, but that was easier said than done with him. She considered how perfect it would be for them to become soul-bonded during their wedding. She already knew what Imri would say about that. He would say she was sentimental and irrational and that they should use it immediately. He was probably right, but it seemed like such a waste of something that could have been a perfect opportunity. Unfortunately, neither of them could immediately benefit from it. To be a willing partner, he must be conscious and consent to the skill. Emelia felt certain he would; he was still far too reckless, even if he had slightly improved from running into Chixel temples with nothing but a knife. The old Empathetic Bond was still active until he woke up, and she used the new skill. She had been so absorbed in the surprising notifications that it took her a few minutes to check on Imri physically. She did a double take, and for a moment, she thought she was in the wrong room. Imri had undergone some significant changes. The most obvious change was his hair. It was no longer an auburn brown but something else entirely. It was several colors simultaneously, shifting between white, blue, and indigo constantly as if it was some kind of superheated flame. Glowing lines of a similar color flowed from his extremities and converged on his solar plexus, which now glowed with brilliant white light like a blazing star, visible even through the fabric of his hospital gown. On a more mundane level, he had gotten physically larger. His feet now reached the edge of the bed, making him several inches taller. She would need a step stool to kiss him when he was standing up. He had been fit before his transformation, but now he was toned, with every lean muscle accentuated like a carved Greek god. Every minor blemish she had noticed on his body was now gone. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. I better get taller when I get to tier 2,¡± she grumbled to the unconscious Imri. She held his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. A man in scrubs came into the room holding a syringe. Emelia didn''t recognize him despite spending almost twelve hours a day in this clinic. She might not have thought twice about it; there were new faces almost daily, but something in his countenance seemed off, though she couldn¡¯t place it exactly. ¡°What are you giving him?¡± Emelia asked before the man could get past her. ¡°Just something for the pain,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary; his pain is almost nonexistent,¡± Emelia explained. She didn¡¯t wait for the man¡¯s response, reaching out with her empathic ability. She expected some annoyance from the man, but there was nothing. He was completely devoid of emotion, something Emelia found disconcerting. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Before she could figure out what it meant, she felt a presence trying to invade her mind. Fortunately, it had underestimated her mental defense, as the mental attack was rebuffed, though it left her with a feeling of pervasive wrongness that was extremely unsettling. Emelia cried out for help, knowing that the small clinic had numerous staff at all hours. She moved to physically restrain the infiltrator, hoping help would arrive soon. Unfortunately, even with her slightly improved physique, the man easily overpowered her and shoved her to the side. Emelia panicked as she realized help wouldn¡¯t arrive in time. She needed to do something to buy more time, so she reached out and used Project Emotions. She sent them every bit of terror she was feeling and amplified it further. The intruder paused midstride. Emelia¡¯s hadn¡¯t been quite as effective as she had hoped, only seeming to confuse the creature more than sending it fleeing in fear. Fortunately, the momentary distraction had been nearly as effective as a stout man charged into the room. Rayden took in the scene and didn¡¯t hesitate to charge the man. The intruder tried to get the syringe into the IV, but before he could, he was tackled to the ground with enough force that Emelia heard several bones and the floor crack from the impact. ¡°Don¡¯t let him recover, it¡¯s an Azala,¡± Emelia said. Rayden didn¡¯t need to be told twice, as he repeatedly slammed the man¡¯s head into the ground until his skull cracked open and gray matter splattered around the once pristine room. It was a sight Emelia would have found revolting at one point, but now she felt relieved that everyone else was unharmed. Several more people came rushing into the room. A few looked at Rayden uncertainly, wondering if he was the culprit. Emelia hurriedly explained what had happened. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Dr. Thompson asked Emelia. ¡°I¡¯m fine; I just got shoved to the ground,¡± Emelia reassured him. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine; I just need a moment,¡± Emelia said with more conviction. The doctor nodded, though he didn¡¯t look entirely convinced. A few minutes later, an orderly returned with a mop and began cleaning the room of the blood and gore that had gotten everywhere. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t an empty room, so Imri couldn¡¯t be relocated. ¡°Can you keep an eye on Imri until I get back?¡± Emelia asked Rayden. ¡°You don¡¯t think that will be the only attempt?¡± Rayden asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Imri mentioned he could see past whatever ability prevents others from identifying them. He told me he used Identify on everyone who typically attended council meetings and confirmed they weren¡¯t compromised,¡± Emelia said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Imri used Identify on Sawyer during our cave-clearing expeditions, so I think we can count on him. In the meantime, I¡¯ll ensure no one gets past me,¡± Rayden said. ¡°If he needs any medications, I¡¯ll personally administer them,¡± Dr. Thompson added. Emelia hurriedly made her way to the town hall. It didn¡¯t take long before everyone was in a meeting, as the councilors practically lived in the building. She started by informing them about the attempt on Imri¡¯s life. ¡°Does this have anything to do with the world quest getting completed almost immediately after it was issued?¡± Laura astutely asked. ¡°I believe so. I got some credit for completing the quest, likely because I was healing Imri while he was going through an ordeal,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°And the Azala are activating their sleeper agents for revenge?¡± Emery guessed. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If the rest of their species is like the infiltrator Rayden killed, then I doubt they would react emotionally,¡± Emelia said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why; we must keep him safe until he recovers fully. Did Dr. Thompson have an update on that?¡± Steve asked. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t a simple injury that can be healed with mundane means,¡± Emelia said. ¡°Just let us know if there is anything we can do to help,¡± Laura said. Unfortunately, the council couldn''t do anything. Russ and Cristoph agreed to join the vigil over Imri, giving them five members, including Emelia herself. Major Harper also assigned several men he trusted to watch the clinic entrance, limiting access to only those who needed to be there. Emelia did her own vetting of the guards and found them all to have some sort of emotional response. She grew concerned when Imri¡¯s convalescence continued to the next day. She knew nothing was physically wrong with him, and she didn¡¯t sense any distress through their bond. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Russ said as he noticed her near panic attack. ¡°What if he isn¡¯t? What will we do then?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± he repeated. Emelia was about to argue that he couldn¡¯t possibly know that when she felt flickers of activity through the bond. She turned and saw Imri was awake. His eyes had the same effect as his hair, shifting colors between white, blue, and indigo. While it seemed like his hair appeared fire-like, his eyes were closer to traversing through a nebula. ¡°Imri,¡± Emelia yelled in relief. She grabbed her fiance and squeezed him in a tight embrace. ¡°Emelia, I can¡¯t breathe,¡± he joked. ¡°Good, that¡¯s what you get for scaring me, and don¡¯t forget, you''re not allowed to die,¡± she said seriously as if saying it would will it to always be true. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± he said with a wry grin. Emelia glared at him, annoyed that he wasn¡¯t taking his propensity for getting injured seriously. However, before she could lecture him, Dr. Thompson interrupted their reunion. ¡°How are you feeling? Any pain or strange sensations?¡± The doctor asked. ¡°I have a headache that makes a spinal tap headache feel pleasant. I also feel like I have a planet stuffed inside my chest,¡± Imri said. ¡°Dare I ask, but do you know why you have those sensations?¡± Dr. Thompson asked. ¡°I had the Queen of the Azala trying to scramble my brain when I stuffed the planet''s center in myself,¡± he said with a wide grin. ¡°You''re serious?¡± The doctor asked. ¡°Well, that explains why an Azala tried to kill you,¡± Emelia said. Instead of being surprised or concerned, Imri just nodded stoically. All she felt from him was determination and resolve. She almost pitied the next Azala who decided to come after him. Chapter 96: Currents of Vigor and Growth Imri couldn¡¯t help but grin as he inspected himself in the mirror. It grew even wider when he saw Emelia unabashedly staring at him. He had been a bit worried that she would be off-put by his strange new features, but that clearly wasn¡¯t the case. Judging by her feelings, Imri couldn¡¯t wait to leave the clinic and return to their home. His good mood was only slightly dampened by how bad his head still hurt; if anything, he had been underselling how bad it felt. With his new physique, standard painkillers didn¡¯t seem to do anything, so he just had to grit his teeth and endure the pain. To distract himself from the discomfort, he resorted to his second favorite activity: reviewing his progress.
Quest Completed
Prevent the planet from being xenoformed Reward: 2.5 million credits, XP, achievement
New Achievement
Warden of Gaia 5: Prevented the planetary core from being xenoformed by the Azala .1% to primary stats/rank (.5%)
Imri Padar has reached level 43 in Celestial Mage (2E)
Imri Padar has reached level 43 in Manifestation of Gaia (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 155 (+1)
Agility 125 (+2)
Constitution 152 (+2)
Intelligence 288 (+7)
Willpower 236 (+4)
Charisma 127 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 331 (+10)
FP 243 (+10)
MP 1458 (+95)
Mana Efficiency 1194 (+75)
Crafting Efficiency 1375 (+86)
Traits Ranked Up
Primordial Intuition F to E: Intuit basic understanding of concepts without any prior knowledge. Increase the rate at which intelligence-based spells and abilities are learned and improved by 5.12% (+.12%).
Locus of Mana F to E: Mana is drawn to you and within you. Increases mana regeneration rate by 5.12% (+.12%) while within a sufficiently dense mana region. Increases resistance to all forms of magic by 5.12% (+.12%).
While the stat increases weren¡¯t as impressive as his heritage rank-up, the multiplicative effect of his various attribute increases was starting to become significant. Between the heritage rank-up and the levels and achievement, his effective magical output had more than doubled. This didn¡¯t even account for how much more effective he would be with his new skill and trait. ¡°So, I got a new skill. Well, it¡¯s just an improved version of an existing one,¡± Emelia stammered as Imri dressed. Imri could immediately guess which one it was based on the context. Only one skill would make her this uncomfortable. ¡°Oh, is that so,¡± he said, teasing her. It was rare that she was the uncomfortable one, and he would not let this opportunity pass. Unfortunately, she immediately caught on to what he was doing, and all unease left her as she glared at him in indignation. ¡°This is serious, Imri. If we use this skill, there is no turning back. If we somehow become immortal, we¡¯ll be bound together for eternity, not just a few decades. There is no divorce or backing out unless you want a major soul wound,¡± Emelia said seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t particularly want a soul wound,¡± Imri admitted flippantly, getting another glare from Emelia. ¡°I¡¯m taking this seriously, I swear. What does your improved skill do?¡± Emelia took the time to read it verbatim. She repeated it a second time, even though Imri had perfectly memorized it and thought through the implications as she read it. When she was done, Imri shrugged. ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s strictly better than the previous version,¡± he said nonchalantly. ¡°Did you hear anything besides numbers go up? It¡¯s a soul bond; we¡¯d have our souls bound together and our fates intertwined,¡± Emelia said. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Imri said, shrugging again. ¡°Are you serious? You had more of an emotional reaction to me checking out your body than to the idea of being stuck with me for all of eternity,¡± she said. ¡°When I proposed and said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, it already had that implication. I never considered anything else a serious possibility, so this doesn¡¯t change anything. So, to me, this is only a strictly numerical improvement,¡± Imri said. Emelia blushed, and instead of saying anything, she kissed him passionately, almost fervently. It was heated enough that Imri considered not waiting until they got home and throwing her down on the hospital bed. If his willpower had a point under 200, he probably would have. Instead, he used his improved physical abilities to get dressed quickly. She threw him down onto the bed the moment they returned to their house and were in their room. In seconds, their clothes were off, and they were absorbed in each other''s bodies. Like the kiss, it was passionate and frenetic, emotionally charged with the day''s implications. ¡°That was amazing,¡± she said as they cuddled in post-sex bliss. ¡°I wish moments like these could last forever,¡± he said, trying to think of what sort of spells he would need to accomplish that feat. The moment faded as Imri began thinking of all he would need to accomplish before more Azala could threaten them. Emelia immediately sensed his change in mood and gave him a light kiss before they disentangled themselves. ¡°So, are we really doing this?¡± she asked nervously. ¡°I think we should,¡± Imri said confidently. Emelia tentatively activated the skill. Like all abilities granted by the system, its effect wasn¡¯t pronounced with bright lights or incantations. It simply took effect, immediately recognizing that both partners consented without having to confirm it verbally. With that, their souls were bound together. Imri reached out, feeling the familiar presence of Emelia''s emotional state. It was functionally the same, though he thought everything was clearer and more precise. He just intuitively knew exactly how nervous she still was. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡®You''re adorable when you''re flustered,¡¯ Imri teased her through their telepathic link. ¡®You¡¯re insufferable when you have the upper hand,¡¯ she shot back telepathically, but the grin on her face suggested the opposite. Imri dressed himself but didn¡¯t go far. He went across the hall to the room he had set aside for meditation. While he typically preferred a walking meditation, he didn¡¯t think that was appropriate for his first delve into his Inner Domain. He took several deep breaths and entered Transcendant Meditation with ease. He turned his mind¡¯s eye inward, instantly noticing the blinding light near his solar plexus. A moment later, his mental projection was inside his Inner Domain. The vast majority of space was dominated by the planetary core, which pulsed with the same blue and green energies as when it was in the planet''s center. The cancerous growth and black motes were still present, though the contamination was contained and no longer spreading. The ground of the Inner Domain had more life than he expected. Already, it was covered in a layer of dirt, and signs of numerous plants emerging could already be seen. Air, light, and water all nourished the life around him, and the plants responded by visibly growing a small amount while Imri studied them. He stared off toward the boundary of where his domain should have ended, but instead, he saw an inverted version of the space, complete with a mirror image of himself. He quickly confirmed they weren¡¯t copies but were continuations of the space looping back on itself. If he traveled west, he would simply reach the eastern edge of his domain, like a sailor circumnavigating a very small globe. Imri shifted his gaze toward the dirt ground so he wasn¡¯t looking at the core, then switched his perception to see the mana. The entire space was saturated with mana. Vast swathes of it were pulled in from outside his domain, but an almost equal amount was going out. However, the mana leaving wasn¡¯t simply pure mana, as it had another quality to it. His first thought was that it was some sort of subtle life spell conducted on a massive scale, a planetary scale. However, he realized that wasn¡¯t quite right. It was more accurate to call it growth and vigor. Imri wondered what implications the core¡¯s placement had on the planet. It clearly was still accomplishing its intended function while within his domain, but he didn¡¯t know if there would be consequences the longer it was away from its intended location. He also didn¡¯t want to discover what would happen if he was whisked off the planet while the core was still in his domain. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t simply return the core while the Azala were in power. It was safest with him for now, but it was only a temporary solution. He let his mental projection fade and recentered himself within his physical body. He opened his eyes and looked around the room while perceiving mana. Like inside his domain, vast quantities of mana flowed into and out of the area. Imri left the house and began a circuit around the lake. He continued tracking the mana as he walked. As expected, mana flow continued to be centered around him as he moved. He also noticed the mana infused with growth and vitality settled onto the nearby vegetation and seeped into the ground. He suspected Celestia, or wherever the core was located, would become a verdant paradise. Unfortunately, he worried the opposite was true for the areas located on the opposite side of the planet. Still, he suspected this outcome was preferable to anything the Azala would have done. When he returned from his walk, he went straight to his workshop. He quickly perused the shelves for items of various sizes and began experimenting with them. It was easy enough to place them into his inner domain, and it only required a minuscule amount of mana. However, he found placing the items in a specific location within the Inner Domain incredibly challenging. Instead, they simply went to seemingly random locations. Fortunately, the location didn¡¯t seem to matter overly much at the moment; he intuitively knew everything inside the inner domain at all times and could easily summon the item outside. He also noticed that the mana cost increased slightly with the amount of mass the item had. Fortunately, even larger items were still relatively inexpensive to move; otherwise, he would never have been able to place the core inside his domain. Imri quickly realized he could summon the item anywhere as long as some portion of the item touched a part of his body. With some practice, he materialized a weapon into his hand midswing. The weapon was only misoriented on the first few attempts. Clothing was a bit more challenging, but he could summon it onto himself after practicing several dozen times with his shirt. He would need to purchase a wider variety of armor and weapons to take advantage of this unique advantage, and he had plenty of credits to do so. With the fun experiments over, Imri resolved himself to complete his next task. From what Emelia had told him, he had almost died from an Azala infiltrator. He needed to ensure they rooted out potential agents well before any larger engagements with the psionic parasites. He hoped to develop a long-term solution that didn¡¯t involve manual intervention, but the exact mechanism for that currently eluded him. Instead, he would need to weed out any spies personally. He would eliminate all of them in one fell swoop; he just needed every one in one place. To that end, he enlisted the council''s help, having them call an emergency town meeting. The subject of the meeting was deliberately vague. It had been a while since they had an emergency all-settlement meeting like this, the last time being when the Chixel invaded, so it didn¡¯t take much embellishment to sell the importance of it. While not everyone could come on such short notice, a large crowd had assembled in a field at the edge of the settlement. It looked like most of the population was there, and Imri began mentally cataloging people and checking for any notable absences. Most of those gathered gaped openly at Imri, taking in the more noticeable aspects of his new heritage. Instead of speaking, Imri simply used his new skill, Manifest Domain. Imri practically staggered as the flood of information threatened to overwhelm his mind. Everything within a 236-meter radius immediately became apparent to him. He knew their name, classes, and levels as if he had personally identified them. In addition, he knew where they were standing at this exact moment. He knew the terrain and any information about the various minerals under their feet, including several small valuable deposits. If it weren¡¯t for his higher mental attributes, he would never have been able to make coherent thoughts out of the plethora of sensory inputs. Fortunately, his mind was up for the challenge and he immediately sifted through the pertinent details. Three infiltrators were in their midst, all between levels 15 through 20. Imri then shifted to using the second portion of his ability. Using his domain, he cast a Temporal Collapse targeting everyone besides himself and Emelia. While it would normally be impractical to debuff hundreds of people, he had no such issue with his domain; he simply defined the spell to target all those within its boundary and defined the amplitude, which he set to 40%. He also activated a ring of Temporal Expansion at 30%. He would be a blur to the unsuspecting spies between the two effects. The benefits didn¡¯t end there. Because he was aware of everything within the boundary of his domain, he could Blink to any location, even if he couldn¡¯t see it. He teleported away, appearing directly behind the first Azala, the one closest to the boundary of his domain. With a flourish, Imri summoned his short sword and plunged his short sword into the creature''s chest. His physical strength, while not as impressive as his mental stats, still exceeded most professional athletes before the integration, including Zhaire. When that was combined with a powerful Temporal Expansion effect, the force of the blow easily carved through the creature''s chest. Imri didn¡¯t celebrate the victory. Instead, he methodically dispatched the other two with brutal efficiency. While teleporting around while maintaining two high amplitude effects wasn¡¯t the most mana-efficient way to kill his enemies, it did send a message. He reappeared in the center of the crowd. He summoned an Immovable Platform and affixed it in place before using a final Blink to appear on top of it. Only then did he release the two time-altering effects. To the gathered crowd, the entire ordeal had only taken a couple of seconds. ¡°There were Azala spies amongst us. As you can see, they have been dealt with,¡± Imri said in a booming voice that carried to everyone present as he pointed to the three corpses. There were murmurs amongst the crowd, and Imri let them continue for a while before continuing. ¡°Everyone here is human, and you can trust in one another. Trust me; I will keep this bastion safe from outside influences. I will make this a safe place to raise a family and pursue your dreams. I will make this a place that our enemies fear and our allies look at with envy. I will make this place the capital of this planet and the seat of humanity.¡± Imri studied everyone present as he finished his theatrical display and declaration. While it had been a bit over the top, he thought it was important to leave no doubt in his capabilities and ambitions. Some looked at him reverently, like a deific figure, while others looked at him with undisguised fear. With his display of power and physical changes, he would never be mistaken for a normal person again. Chapter 97: Mind Listening and Sending The moment Imri finished his speech, he used Blink to disappear out of view. He quickly returned to his workshop, a sanctuary from judging eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He could feel Emelia¡¯s amusement through their Soul Bond. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡¯ she sent telepathically, the delight in her thought speech uncontained. ¡®I think I would prefer going and facing the Hive Queen over that,¡¯ he sent back. ¡®If it¡¯s any consolation, your theatrics had the desired effect. Everyone is in awe or fear of their near-omnipotent lord. That should be reassuring when the council breaks the news of another impending war,¡¯ Emelia sent. ¡®Good, then I can focus on the rest of what I need to get done. I will spend a couple of days doing as much enchanting as possible before making a quick trip to New Chicago. With any luck, they¡¯ll see reason and listen to what I have to say,¡± Imri sent. ¡®Do you really believe that?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Not really, but if asking nicely doesn¡¯t work, there are always other options,¡¯ Imri sent. Imri had zero expectations that New Chicago would acquiesce to his demands, but he wanted to give them a chance to do the right thing. However, with the threat of the Azala looming, he had no patience for games. Imri also had zero patience waiting for the mana to recharge, especially considering his Runic Engineer rank-up quest was just days from completion. He entered a state of focus and spent the next eight hours doing nothing but enchanting mana absorption panels. With his significant gains in overall crafting efficiency, the finished products were considerably more potent than those he had previously completed. Unfortunately, the raw materials used in the enchanting weren¡¯t keeping up with his gains, so the final enchantment wasn¡¯t twice as powerful. Imri considered the three panels he had just finished. They had enough mana efficiency to be used in a lower mana density region and still have positive mana production. However, the final mana output would be considerably lower than if they were in Celestia, but the ability to produce mana elsewhere was too valuable. He would have to bring these to New Chicago to enable mana charging. His next block of time was spent on the enchantments for another permanent portal. He intended to constantly improve the portal in Celestia since it would be the one doing most of the heavy lifting. He would then move the terminal from its current location to New Chicago. He would rely on Toby and Zuri for the guide stones and leylines, which would need to be moved stone by stone to its new location. He hadn¡¯t accomplished any amazing feats in those sixteen hours of crafting, but it was something necessary to keep moving forward. He had even gained a singular level in his Runic Engineer profession, partly thanks to his improved efficiency. Imri took the time to have a meal with Emelia. She smiled as he tried to converse casually, but it was impossible to fool an empath. They both knew he was focused entirely on preparing for the upcoming war. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The fact that you care is enough for me,¡± she said, lightly kissing him. ¡°Just let me know when you need me. I¡¯ll teleport to you in an instant,¡± he said seriously. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°I anchored a beacon a few meters away from you. Wherever you are, I can be next to you in a second,¡± Imri vowed. Emelia mock glared at him, but it was less effective because Imri knew she was touched by the gesture. He returned to his workshop and wondered if he should also place a permanent beacon there. He probably would have, but they now required several hundred mana to create. He went to his workbench, which contained several examples of the Collective Intelligence''s enchanting. He had spent a considerable amount of time studying it. While he hadn¡¯t been able to reverse engineer anything practical, he now had a general idea of which blocks controlled which function. However, one common rune linked everything to a central block that presumably executed each function. Based on his fights against the sentinels, where he had used Dimensional Tears to separate pieces from the core housing, he knew that the metal needed to be connected by something. What confused him was how the information in the central node was transmitted to each independent piece of the sentinel. He had assumed the central node sent out a tendril of mana to each connected piece, sending them signals to act. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find any rune that would accomplish that. Imri stared at the various salvages for hours. He did his best to throw out all preconceived notions. The Collective Intelligence paradigm was utterly different from anything he had ever experienced. He thought of them as an advanced AI with near-unlimited power, and while that was accurate, it wasn¡¯t helpful. He had unconsciously considered them computers with more power, but they were altogether different. They ran on a series of runes that allowed them near omniscience due to how much mana they could wield. When he got past his preconceived notions, something clicked into place. It wasn¡¯t the node sending commands to its various shards but the shards listening to the node. The node didn¡¯t need to send commands to its extremities because the moment it thought about something, the command was already being executed. Essentially, the rune that had him stumped was a mind listener rune. Now that he knew the rune, the rest fell into place. He quickly was able to decipher the various parameters that the mind listener would need: a subject to listen to, a sensitivity, and a frequency. The subject was easy to conceptualize; it was the wearer of the enchanted item. While it was a bit more technical to implement, it wasn¡¯t overly challenging. Frequency was how often the listener would check for the correct mental input. He defaulted that to 50 times a second or every 20 milliseconds, roughly the time it would take someone to think to activate the enchantment. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Sensitivity was the hardest to put an exact value on, and it would likely vary between different enchantments. For something dangerous, like his Dimensional Saber, he wouldn¡¯t want it to activate when he fantasized about hacking something to bits because it annoyed him. He needed it to require a very intentional thought to activate. For something less deadly, like the lights in the house, it was acceptable if an errant thought activated it, though it still needed some sensitivity so stray thoughts didn¡¯t cause the lights to flicker constantly. As with many significant breakthroughs, it compounded upon itself. Now that Imri knew the structure of the mental rune, he could quickly reverse-engineer another rune. It was similar to the Mind Listener rune but sent information instead. It helped the Sentinel know precisely where each shard was, whether it was damaged or not, and a whole host of other information that could be gleaned. Like the Mind Listener, the Mind Sender rune needed three parameters: the recipient of the information, what information to send, and when to send it. Excited by his breakthrough, Imri began working on a simple enchantment he made hundreds of times: Temporal Expansion. This time, there would be no clunky UI where he would need to tap or twist the ring. Instead, he would need to think about activating the enchantment or adjusting its amplitude, and it would happen. The rune required to get the mental activation working was fairly complex. However, because he could remove the clunky runes that created the physical activation, the number of runes would be about the same. However, that wasn¡¯t the case when he started feature creeping the hell out of the enchantment. He added a Mind Sender rune that would tell him exactly how much mana the enchantment had and what its default amplitude was set to. Imri also added various activation modes: default activation, specified amplitude activation, or time-dependent activation. The default was how the enchantment functioned before his breakthroughs. The amplitude was defined ahead of activation and would run until it was out of mana. The specified amplitude was similar; only it was set when the enchantment was activated by providing the amplitude to the Mind Listener. Time-dependent set the duration for which the enchantment would run, and then the runes calculate the amplitude it could sustain for that time. With all the features Imri added, the enchantment had become incredibly complex. He had to go slowly and etch tiny, intricate runes into the ring. Several hours later, the enchantment had been completed and successfully tested. He sealed the enchantment into place with his highest-level Drake core. All the new functionality had added to the constant drain of the enchantment, though that was somewhat alleviated by Imri¡¯s overall crafting efficiency. He had also added a feature where the listener and sender runes wouldn¡¯t be active while the physical item wasn¡¯t being worn to mitigate the cost further. Even if it was a slight cost, the ease and speed of use easily offset the cost. Imri had intended to eventually remake his supply of enchanted items because of his vast improvements in crafting efficiency. Now, he had two reasons to do so. Over the next couple of days, he remade everything he had crafted for himself. He made a pair of Dimensional Sabers, a Gravity Hammer, a Ring of Celestial Gravity, a Ring of Low Gravity, several Immovable Platforms, and an Omni Measuring Device. He worked tirelessly, getting as much done as soon as possible without sacrificing quality. On several occasions, Emelia had to remind him to eat and get some rest. Imri would scarf down an incredible meal he barely tasted and get a few hours of meditation. Developing the correct rune work for the Mind Listening on each enchantment had taken some experimenting and design work. However, the improvements also allowed him to create more versatile items; his new Omni-Measurement enchantment was a great example. He had stuffed it with his various true spells that allowed him to measure everything from gravity to temperature. It also had variable precision that could be adjusted with a thought. Imri also devised a way to improve the effectiveness of his personal enchantments: a charging station stored in his Inner Domain. This required the panels and leylines to be completed outside his domain, and then the whole setup was placed inside. Whenever he wasn¡¯t using the enchanted items, he returned them to the charging station within his domain. It took him some practice to place the items in the correct location, but he was eventually able to do so without issue. His Inner Domain wasn¡¯t just convenient for storing industrial-grade magical infrastructure, but was also the most efficient location for them. The ambient mana that resided near the core was so high it was faintly visible in the air without mana sight. While Imri suspected it was many times higher than around Celestia, the rate of mana the panels could absorb was limited. He suspected it was a combination of the vigor and growth aspects of the mana; it was great for flora, but the panels required pure mana. Even with that limitation, it was almost twice as effective as outside his domain. With that effectiveness, he repurposed all readily available panels that could easily be disentangled from the existing infrastructure. He then used them to charge some of the large Espeonite crystals before returning them fully charged. With that exploit, he completed his Runic Engineer rank-up quest before he needed to leave to deliver his ultimatum to New Chicago.
Profession Rank Up
Runic Engineer 2E
Primary Stats/Level
Strength .05%
Agility .1% (+.05%)
Constitution .1%
Intelligence .45% (+.05%)
Willpower .35%
Charisma .2% (+.05%)
Secondary Stats
HP .15% (+.05%)
FP .15% (+.05%)
MP .8% (+.3%)
Mana Regen Rate .9% (+.15%)
Crafting Efficiency 1% (+.5%)
Imri Padar has reached level 29 (+2) in Runic Engineer (2E)
Primary Stats
Agility 127 (+2)
Intelligence 293 (+5)
Willpower 238 (+2)
Charisma 129 (+2)
Secondary Stats
HP 336 (+5)
FP 251 (+8)
MP 1604 (+146)
Mana Efficiency 1236 (+42)
Crafting Efficiency 1617 (+242)
New Skill Gained
Runic Refresh (2F): Refresh a touched enchantment you previously crafted, with the new enchantment having an efficiency based on your current crafting efficiency. The etching quality and base items remain unchanged, but the core energy seal is removed. The mana cost for the refresh is equal to what it would have been to etch the runes originally with a 10% discount. There is a 10% reduction in core energy to re-seal the enchantment if the core level is equal to or lesser than the original seal. Otherwise, the discount is 10%/ratio of old seal / new seal.
Imri smiled as he read his new skill. While it technically didn¡¯t do anything he couldn¡¯t accomplish with a few hours of work, his time was at a premium. With this skill, he could re-enchant as many items as he had the cores and mana to support. He was as ready as possible; it was time to bully some tyrants. Chapter 98 Making an Entrance Imri waited impatiently as last-minute preparations were being made. While he initially wanted to keep the group small, it had constantly expanded. Now, dozens of people were going, including most of the extended council. Emelia also insisted on going, wanting to aid the plethora of injured in New Chicago. She also pointed out that her empathetic abilities would be helpful in any negotiations or discussions. While Imri was waiting, he reviewed his new profession rank-up quest.
New Quest
Runic Engineer rank up: Generate mana 539/4,000,000, have rank 5 in achievements Master Crafted and Mass Assembled 0/2, have achievement Wonderous Crafter 1/1
This quest was doable. The 4 million mana would take less than six months, assuming he never crafted another Mana Absorption Panel, and the chances of that were basically zero. He also planned to liberally use his Runic Refresh ability on anything that hadn¡¯t been made recently. At the last minute, several more names were added to the list. Sylvi had returned, her feet bare and blistered, though Emelia immediately healed most of the damage. Standing beside her was Imri¡¯s brother, Vallo. ¡°Brother, it''s good to see you. You¡¯re looking better. I mean, the illness is gone,¡± Vallo said awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, the integration healed that,¡± Imri said with a shrug. There was another awkward silence. ¡°Well, I¡¯m supposed to find someone about temporary lodging. I¡¯ll see you around,¡± Vallo said before hurrying off. ¡®What the hell was that,¡¯ Emelia telepathically shouted into his mind. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Imri sent, honestly perplexed by what he had done. ¡®You haven¡¯t seen your brother since the integration, and that¡¯s all you two had to say to each other?¡¯ she sent. ¡®I haven¡¯t seen him in years; we were never that close,¡¯ Imri responded. ¡®Oh, that explains some of his emotions. I won¡¯t tell you everything, but he wants to reconnect,¡¯ Emelia explained. ¡®Maybe later, when we''re not dealing with an impending invasion,¡¯ Imri sent. ¡®Are you sure you¡¯re not just making excuses? There seems to always be an impending invasion,¡¯ Emelia pointed out. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll connect with him after the summit,¡¯ Imri agreed. Before they could leave, Sylvi insisted on giving her report behind closed doors. Imri was reluctant to delay leaving any further and suggested it could wait until after the summit. ¡°Do you think I ran barefoot all the way here because it can wait a few days,¡± Sylvi chastised him, glaring with an implied ¡®Don¡¯t be an idiot.¡¯. Imri sighed but did as she said. When everyone had gathered, and Sylvi gave her report, he was glad he had listened. He had suspected the area around Minneapolis had grown more inhospitable, but he couldn¡¯t have fathomed the depth of the changes without hearing it from someone as reliable as Sylvi. The only good news was that they had some time before any significant force would reach them. ¡°The barons need to hear this. Maybe they¡¯ll be more cooperative if they realize how dire the situation is,¡± Emery suggested. Everyone agreed, and they quickly ushered the weary Sylvi to get washed and presentable for the summit. Several others went to find Vallo and the girl named Ashlyn, adding them to Celestia¡¯s representatives. They had to wait about an hour before everyone was ready to go. It was an eclectic gathering with varied appearances. The soldiers had adopted a uniform appearance, with plates of Drake armor sewn into more conventional fatigues, looking somewhat like a bulky Kevlar vest. Likewise, they had modern helmets with Drake bones reinforcing the exterior. They carried enhanced melee weapons and bows supplemented with modern firearms. They all wore patches of a stylized mountain with stars. Sylvi¡¯s unit, the wraiths, and the other scouts present all wore unnaturally black cloaks that obscured their features. Beneath their cloaks, they wore equally dark leather made from the Umbral Tiger¡¯s hide. Most of them also had a plethora of knives and short swords hidden amongst the billowing fabric, while all wore a bow on their backs. The noncombatants rounded out their numbers. They all wore black suits with one notable alteration. Their suits had splashes of color resembling nebulas against a star backdrop. Imri doubted all this could have been done since his evolution, so it was just an unhappy coincidence. He had needed a new suit after his body underwent physical changes, and he was dismayed to see he now had a similar jacket. It had been enchanted to shift appearances, giving the illusion of traveling amongst the stars. He had grumbled that such flamboyance would stand out too much. Emelia had just pointed out that he would already stand out, and the jacket was the least of it. Imri gave the order, and the portal sprang to life. The entire mana supply of Celestia was strained as the long-distance portal connected to the beacon in New Chicago. Fortunately, the new terminal added a bit more efficiency, and as soon as the portal was connected, the drain became relatively trivial. The contingent stepped through, traveling thousands of kilometers in an instant. Many of those present had never used a portal, and they stared wide-eyed at the metropolis around them, even if it was obstructed within the alley. Major Harper took over command and had the scouts secure the perimeter. Imri had to resist creating a domain. He had a feeling he would need it before they left. A few befuddled vagrants were put under guard, as the Major didn''t want word of their presence spreading before the summit. They remained in place while they waited for Joel to rendezvous with their contingent. It didn¡¯t take him long. He did a double-take when he saw Imri but didn¡¯t comment on his strange appearance. He quickly summarized what he had learned over the past couple of weeks. The situation worsened, with many rioting as food and water became increasingly scarce and expensive. He hadn¡¯t been able to find out what had happened to Maggie; it was as if she had just disappeared. Even more concerning was that many others had disappeared, numbering the tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands. ¡°Could they just be unaccounted for? It¡¯s not like there is an accurate way of keeping track of everyone,¡± Major Harper suggested. ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s too widespread. The tens of thousands missing assume many of the missing are simply unaccounted for. I suspect the actual number is higher,¡± Joel explained. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Perhaps our hosts will have some idea of what is happening; it is their city,¡± Imri said, though he didn¡¯t hold out much hope of them willingly divulging the information. He mentally added that to a list of things he would need to investigate when he liberated the city. In addition to that information, Joel had built a dossier on each baron. Three of the five hadn¡¯t been a bastion of civil behavior before the integration. One had been a soldier dishonorably discharged for insubordination, another had been a corrupt cop, and the third had been a career criminal. The other two were more challenging to place; one had been a college professor, and the other an auto mechanic. All of them had been fighting each other to varying degrees, and none had been able to form more than a tenuous alliance. They also had become paranoid, each having a security array and private armies patrolling the streets. The summit was scheduled to take place in the convention center downtown. It wasn¡¯t far away and was certainly close enough for them to walk. However, Imri had a better idea.
Baronesse Horn impatiently tapped her finger on the table. She wasn¡¯t sure why she was waiting on people that wouldn¡¯t show. Her eyes and ears had assured her no outsiders had entered the city in weeks. Something wasn¡¯t right about the group they had been in contact with. She had received enough reports about the area around Minneapolis to know it was dangerous. If there was a group still surviving in that area, let alone thriving, they shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. Her fellow Barons and Baronesses didn¡¯t feel the same way, so she was alone in the massive convention center. ¡°My lady, there is¡­ someone at the entrance. They claim they¡¯re from a place called Celestia,¡± her aide said. ¡°Just one person?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, my lady. Though I¡¯m unsure if they¡¯re human,¡± the man explained. ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t describe it; they¡¯re something more, something greater,¡± the man said. ¡°Send them in,¡± she ordered. Her servant bowed and raced off to fetch the stranger from Celestia. Baronesse Horn no longer had any doubts. She was pleased she was the only one here to help this stranger. He might even leave that backwater settlement and work for her if she played her cards right. It paid to have capable subordinates. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn¡¯t what she saw. A large man entered the room, immediately drawing her eyes to his. His iris was slightly larger proportionately and continued varying shades of blue to indigo that were bright enough they practically glowed. As she stared transfixed, she noticed they shifted colors. His hair and jacket were similarly colored. Glowing markings that looked like tattoos extended from his fingers below his wrists and out of view behind his jacket. As he stood closer, she realized how large he was, standing nearly a foot and a half taller than her and built like a professional athlete. His skin was marble smooth and unblemished, almost like a polished statue. It took a moment for the Baronesse to realize she had been staring for an inappropriate amount of time, and the man had grown uncomfortable with her gaze. ¡°Where are my manners? I¡¯m Baronesse Horn, but you can call me Leslie,¡± she said, extending her hand. ¡°Imri,¡± the strange man said simply as he grasped her hand. Something about him seemed incongruous; he was nervous despite his physical stature and striking appearance. A brief silence hung in the air, something Leslie couldn¡¯t abide. ¡°Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea, or water?¡± she asked, trying to be a polite host. ¡°Where are the others?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°The other nobles. I specifically asked for all of them to be here,¡± he clarified. ¡°My barony would be happy to accommodate any arrangements you might need,¡± she offered, hoping to strike a deal with this powerful individual before anyone else knew he was here. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have time to repeat myself five times. They all need to be here,¡± he demanded, all sense of insecurity gone, replaced with power and confidence. The man was direct and not a fan of small talk. ¡°Unfortunately, they are a paranoid lot. Most don¡¯t leave their complexes unless absolutely necessary,¡± she said. ¡°This is necessary,¡± he insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll get a message to each of them, but I have limited influence over them. We don¡¯t get along very well, and I don¡¯t think all five of us have ever been in a room together,¡± she explained. ¡°Just stress the meeting''s importance and let them know they will regret not coming,¡± the man said with an exasperated sigh. ¡°I was told there would be a small delegation arriving,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re nearby,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s strange; I wasn¡¯t told of any newcomers crossing the perimeter. I¡¯m also surprised someone with your appearance could get in unnoticed,¡± she said. ¡°I have my ways,¡± he said with a wry grin. Unfortunately, the man didn¡¯t give Leslie much more to go off, and before she could engage him further, he closed his eyes and zoned out. Despite his earlier annoyance that she was the only one present, he seemed perfectly content to wait an hour or two to get everyone here. While he was meditating, Leslie sent messages to all her informants. That proved to be fruitless. Anyone would have reported such a strange newcomer if they had seen him before. Even her methods were equally ineffectual. Her Identify skill, which had a trait that improved it, returned nothing. Leslie knew she should leave the man in peace; he clearly didn¡¯t want to engage in small talk. However, the eerie silence made her uncomfortable, and she couldn¡¯t help herself. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem too offended when his meditation was interrupted. Unfortunately, his answers were straightforward and to the point. He confirmed everything that had already been said but steered the conversation away from new topics. He was incredibly uncomfortable whenever Leslie tried to ask any personal questions. She was almost relieved when the other barons started to arrive. The large conference room quickly began to fill up with guards and support staff. Leslie noticed Imri seemed unconcerned by the thuggish brutes who overtly carried assault rifles. However, he didn¡¯t bother with meditation any longer, and he now wore several rings that hadn¡¯t been there a few moments ago. ¡°Leslie, if this some ploy to convince us that you should be a countess¡­¡± Baron Pearson said, being the last to arrive. ¡°We informed you we would be coming today, and I was told you were expecting us,¡± Imri said. ¡°And you are?¡± Pearson snapped. ¡°Lord Padar, Baron of Celestia,¡± Imri said. Leslie stared in disbelief. Then she thought about it momentarily; it shouldn¡¯t have been surprising that someone with this kind of presence was a lord and progenitor. She considered what she had said, mortified of having been disrespectful. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t think she had said anything to insult him or his settlement. ¡°Are we supposed to be impressed? You''re in the presence of the lords of New Chicago, not some backwater hamlet,¡± Pearson said. Leslie resisted the urge to facepalm; Pearson couldn¡¯t read people if his life depended on it. At least any gaff she had made would be quickly forgotten when compared with this buffoon. ¡°I¡¯ve toured your city extensively. I¡¯ll take Celestia over this dying metropolis,¡± Imri said. ¡°How dare you?¡± Pearson shouted angrily as he got into the man''s face, even though Imri towered well above him. Several other Barons looked almost as upset, and many goons had their hands near weapons. However, Imri seemed utterly unconcerned by any possibility of violence, as if he was confident in a favorable outcome, which completely terrified Leslie. ¡°I thought there would be a delegation arriving. I assumed that was more than one person,¡± Baronesse Dotson said, somewhat defusing the tension. ¡°They''re nearby. Now that everyone is here, it would be rude of me to keep you waiting,¡± Imri said with a smirk. He snapped his finger audibly, and a large section of the wall disappeared. Where it had been was replaced by the sight of an alley. Several soldiers with bulky vests stepped through, moving with ease despite the seeming physicality of their gear. Behind them came representatives in strangely colored suits that matched Imri¡¯s appearance. Lastly, the shadows seemed to materialize, and several people in dark cloaks appeared from the shadows, moving with grace and alacrity. Leslie was sure of one thing: they were utterly outclassed if it came to a fight. She would do whatever it took to get on their good side. Chapter 99: The Summit Imri didn¡¯t need Emelia¡¯s empathy to sense the tension in the room as both sides brandished firearms. Fortunately, no one went further, and the leaders on both sides were shouting for a standdown. Slowly, weapons were lowered, though none were stowed. He noticed many of them relax, and he suspected Emelia was subtly influencing everyone to prevent any possibility of violence. When the standdown orders finally abated, an older woman asked, ¡°Was that display really necessary?¡± Imri knew from the dossier that she was Baronesse Dotson, the poly-sci professor. ¡°You clearly weren¡¯t taking us seriously before,¡± Laura countered. Imri tuned out their argument when it was clear that it was just posturing. Not wanting any surprises, Imri used his Manifest Domain skill. Once again, a flood of information rushed into his mind, and it took him a moment to make sense of everything. He now knew the levels of everyone present and their exact location. Unfortunately, not all of them were human. Even more concerning, five were in the room with them, one having infiltrated each of the baron¡¯s organizations. Imri had to resist the urge to dispatch them immediately. While he was confident he could take all five while they were within his domain, he couldn¡¯t without sparking a conflict between Celestia and the Barons of New Chicago. He could inform them they were compromised, having Azala Infiltrators among their staff, but that would allow the Azala to attack. He was confident he could withstand the mental attacks of two or three of them, but taking five attacks was questionable at best. Worse, they might take the opportunity to kill several of those present who didn¡¯t have the same mental defenses he did. Unfortunately, the decision was made for him, as he felt the five Azala begin mentally attacking his mind. They made light probing attacks, hoping to find some weakness in his mental defense, but found none. Still, the strain of five minds against one was a lot to withstand, and Imri began to feel the pain of a migraine. They would eventually break through and damage his mind. However, Imri wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. Imri activated his Temporal Expansion enchantment with a mental command. He then began to construct his domain spell. He didn¡¯t use it on people or the Azala. Instead, he defined the target as any firearm within the room from either side, using Reorient Gravity with the new vector heading towards himself. He defined the amplitude as relatively high; he needed it to be strong enough to wrench the weapons out of everyone''s hands but not too strong that the gathered weapons were turned into projectiles. Despite everyone holding their weapons tightly, none of them were expecting the force that now pulled them towards Imri. The guns fell towards him significantly faster than the force of gravity on Earth, and they could have become dangerous if they had more time to accelerate. The larger weapons fell a bit slower, having more mass, which was one of the variables for the mana cost of the Reorient Gravity spell, and the effective mana output on each object was constant. Imri returned his suit jacket to his Inner Domain while almost simultaneously summoning his newly commissioned Drake Armor. A moment later, the firearms reached him, pattering harmlessly against the impressive scales of his armor. Whenever one touched his skin, he mentally added it to his Inner Domain, causing them to vanish from sight. Within seconds, he had a small armory of weapons added to his extra-dimensional storage. Though the entire disarming process had only taken a few seconds, the Azala hadn¡¯t relented in their mental assault. With his attention divided, the attack had been somewhat effective, and Imri was beginning to feel the strain. His mind felt addled, and it became difficult to form coherent thoughts, let alone spells. Unfortunately for the Azala, Imri wasn¡¯t alone; Emelia was keenly aware of what Imri was feeling and quickly came to his aid. He felt the soothing energy of a healing spell disperse whatever damage they had done to his mind. Now that the Azala had his undivided attention, it was almost trivial to dispatch them. One by one, Imri targeted them with a Spatial Collapse, popping their heads with a pressure that neared that of the deepest parts of the ocean. The moment the first one had fallen, the mental pressure they could exert was countered entirely by Imri¡¯s mental defenses. While killing them, Imri deliberately avoided harming the center mass, leaving the core intact.
Spell Rank Up
Spatial Collapse F to E: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Imri finished slaughtering the last infiltrator with impunity; both sides were still too surprised and confused to act. He casually strode over to one of the corpses and dug out the core, with the dead Azala wrapped around it like a bundle of nerves. He held it aloft so everyone could see the remains, then tossed it on the once pristine table. A few of the barons visibly flinched as if Imri had just thrown a live grenade. ¡°What the hell just happened? And what the hell are we looking at?¡± one of the barons asked in a quavering voice. ¡°And what did you do with all our weapons? We expect compensation for each of them,¡± another demanded. ¡°Each of those individuals was an Azala Infiltrator,¡± Imri said. Seeing uncomprehending expressions, he added, ¡°They¡¯re Azala that control an infected host without altering the body. As far as we know, they¡¯re undetectable unless you have some combination of levels, a higher rank Identify, or a trait that improves it.¡± ¡°I have a trait and ranked up my Identify; why couldn¡¯t I Identify them?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°They were all in the mid-twenties for levels, and they definitely have a trait or two that makes them harder to Identify. You¡¯re just too low-level,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Then how did you manage to Identify them?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°I have my ways,¡± Imri said. After consideration, he added, ¡°Hopefully, you won¡¯t be too ignorant forever, so you¡¯ll eventually figure out that my strange appearance is because I reached tier 2 in my heritage. You need to be at least level 30 to get that rank up.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no fucking way that¡¯s possible. There are millions of people in New Chicago, and the highest level people haven¡¯t even hit twenty,¡± Baron Pearson said. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re pretending nothing has changed and the integration never happened besides hoarding the nexuses and their access to yourselves,¡± Imri said, unable to contain a bit of his anger. Before he could say anything else, Laura coughed exaggeratedly. Imri felt a bit guilty. They had discussed that Laura would lead the negotiations, and she had specifically asked Imri not to bring that point up right away. He had agreed and hadn¡¯t intended to break that promise, but the Azala Infiltrators had distracted him. ¡°Now that the grisly business has been taken care of, I¡¯d like to get back to the purpose of today¡¯s meeting,¡± Laura said professionally. ¡°We have plenty of rooms we can use; there is no sense continuing in a room that is so¡­messy,¡± Leslie suggested. Imri had kept his domain active, so he knew the entire building''s layout and everyone inside the convention center''s location. While there were other people inside, the convention center was mostly empty. When no one objected, they migrated to another conference room. Imri noticed many guards looking at him with undisguised fear and awe as they moved. He had clearly left an impression. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°It¡¯s clear you¡¯re quite capable. What did you want from us?¡± Baronesse Dotson, the former poly-sci professor, asked. Of the five, she was the oldest, similar in age to Laura, who was in her late fifties or early sixties. ¡°While we have adapted to the integration well, we could still use plenty of things. The main area you¡¯ve got us beat is restoring many modern conveniences. Some people in Celestia would pay good credits for some of those items. We¡¯d also be interested in raw materials, especially lumber and iron,¡± Laura explained. ¡°I can help with the appliances, especially engines,¡± a man said. He was in his mid-thirties and balding. Grease stained his hands as if he had come straight from a garage to this meeting. Imri¡¯s identify told him this was Baron Coleman, a level 18 Tinker. ¡°And in return, you have more exotic materials?¡± Dotson asked, eyeing the black leathers that the Celestia scouts wore. ¡°Among other things,¡± Laura said with a sly grin. ¡°How would trading even work? Aren¡¯t you located thousands of kilometers from here?¡± Baron Burke, the ex-police officer, asked. ¡°We have a solution for that,¡± Imri said with a wry grin. He looked over to Laura, and at her nod, he continued. ¡°We¡¯re going to open a portal between our two settlements.¡± ¡°A portal?¡± Baronesse Dotson repeated, having to say the words out loud before it sunk in. Imri nodded and began explaining the portal''s specifications and operation. What he thought would take only a few minutes became an hour, as he was frequently interrupted by the Barons, who wanted one point or another clarified. It was incredibly annoying when they asked questions he had already answered, but he tried not to show his frustration. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not going to give you access to our portal network without a few restrictions,¡± Laura said. ¡°And they are?¡± Baronesse Dotson asked dryly, clearly having expected this. ¡°The first condition is that both parties share the mana cost of operating the portal equally. While we have managed it ourselves, the cost is significant,¡± Laura said. Four of the barons looked ready to agree, but Baronesse Dotson stopped them before they could agree to the first term. ¡°Just how significant of an expenditure are we talking about?¡± she asked. ¡°Just a few mana points for the micro portal to establish the connection parameters between both locations. Establishing the primary portal event horizon is the most significant expenditure, taking just under ten thousand mana at its current efficiency. Finally, maintaining the portal takes a few hundred mana per minute,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Did you say ten thousand?¡± Leslie asked. Imri just nodded. ¡°How are we supposed to come up with thousands of mana every time a portal is opened?¡± Pearson complained. ¡°You have millions of people; just get a small percentage of them to give some mana. I¡¯d also be willing to say mana at a reasonable rate,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°What do you mean, give mana? How would people do that?¡± Baron Coleman asked. He seemed to follow along the best of the five but still asked basic questions. ¡°Everyone has mana, and it''s not hard to learn basic mana control, even if you don¡¯t have any spells. After that, all you need is a material to hold the mana; gemstones work best for that,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Celestia also has naturally forming crystals called Espeonite. They have the greatest capacity for mana storage out of any material we¡¯ve been able to test. We would be willing to trade some of them,¡± Christoph added. ¡°What about the device that opens the portal? You can¡¯t expect us to provide that,¡± Baronesse Dotson pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m happy to provide the device on one condition: you need to open up your Nexuses to the general population, specifically for the shop function,¡± Imri said. Imri and the council had discussed this point in preparation for the meeting. They had unanimously agreed that it was better to slip in demands in exchange for services they were willing to offer. The portal was one of the largest, so it only made sense to include demands, though the largest was yet to come. The barons'' reactions varied. Coleman seemed indifferent to the demand and was more interested in the portal than economic policy. Leslie almost immediately agreed, but Emelia glared at her for some reason, her emotions mildly annoyed. When he sent her a telepathic message, the annoyance only grew, and she said he was blind. Pearson and Burke were stubbornly opposed and seemed unwilling to give up any of their power. Imri pegged them as the two that would be problems when he reached his final ultimatum. Dotson seemed thoughtful, and it quickly became apparent that she was the pivot to how these talks would go. ¡°In the long run, it is mutually beneficial for everyone to have a more open economy. Restricting access to the Nexus will only increase your wealth in the short term. That''s not even accounting for the missed experience from lost tax revenue. There¡¯s also deflation to be concerned with, which the system inherently does by taking currency out of circulation with every transaction. Without a way to print credits, the currency created by selling items to the system is essential to the economy,¡± Christoph lectured. While Christoph''s argument went over the heads of the more martial Barons, it did appear to have some effect on Baronesse Dotson. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t willing to make any concessions easily. Imri sighed as the discussions continued for hours without consensus on a single issue. Laura had moved to the condition of open borders between the two cities, which had sparked another heated debate. Baronesse Dotson immediately realized that it could go catastrophically wrong for New Chicago. Their main advantage was their numbers, which allowed each to have a tier 3 settlement. However, given the poor conditions within the city, citizens would leave in droves if a better alternative presented itself. ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t force people to stay against their will. We intend to let everyone know that Celestia will be accepting immigrants. I¡¯m sure there wouldn¡¯t be riots if that opportunity were denied,¡± Laura threatened when it had become clear that the negotiations had stalled entirely. ¡°You conniving bitch. We won¡¯t be treated this way,¡± Baron Burke shouted as he stood, his fist balled as if he would physically strike Laura. Imri interposed himself, his hand raised and pointing as if he was about to cast a spell. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Burke,¡± Dotson chastised the ex-police officer. ¡°Is this how Celestia operates, by threatening anyone who doesn¡¯t agree with their policies?¡± ¡°It is when basic human rights are violated,¡± Imri countered. ¡°While things haven¡¯t been perfect, we¡¯ve done our best. We certainly haven¡¯t enacted policies as heinous as you¡¯re suggesting,¡± Dotson snapped. The baroness¡¯s response was tame compared to the two martial barons, Burke and Pearson. They shouted obscenities and threatened physical violence. Imri thought they might have followed through with those threats if they hadn¡¯t been disarmed. Imri felt his anger rising, and it was only thanks to his high willpower that he didn¡¯t erase them from existence. ¡°Why don¡¯t we adjourn for a break,¡± Emelia suggested, taking on the role of mediator. Imri could feel through their bond how exhausted she was by all the negative emotions. When both sides agreed, they departed to separate rooms. Imri sighed and sank heavily onto an office chair. He had vowed to use force only as a last resort, but he was beginning to question if they were reaching that point. ¡°Well, that went well,¡± Laura said. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Imri asked when he didn¡¯t detect any sarcasm. ¡°I am. This is going about as well as we could have expected. The fact that three of them are relatively reasonable is far better than I would have guessed. I¡¯m confident we can reach an agreement within a few weeks,¡± Laura said. ¡°Weeks?!¡± Imri exclaimed. ¡°Did you think we came in here, made numerous demands, and they would just agree to all of them like that? These things take time to iron out,¡± Laura explained. ¡°Weeks is too long. By that point, Celestia would be part of the Azala hive. We need to conclude things by the end of the day tomorrow, one way or another,¡± Imri said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to either give more concessions or use more threats,¡± Laura said. ¡°I trust you to know which to use, and I¡¯ll support you,¡± Imri agreed. The serious discussions were temporarily halted when a catered lunch was wheeled in. While Imri didn¡¯t hate the Drake meat that had become a staple of their diet, he hadn¡¯t realized how much he had missed a more conventional meal. In this case, it was a spread of rice, beans, and various other toppings for a burrito bowl. While this would have been standard fare before the integration, it felt extravagant, given the circumstances in the city. They had just finished eating when an aid burst into the room, breathing heavily, having sprinted from the barons'' delegation. ¡°Sorry for the interruption, but the remainder of the discussions have been postponed indefinitely. The city is under attack.¡± Chapter 100: Come and Get It It took Imri a moment to register what the messenger had said. ¡°We need more information, who is attacking, and how bad is it?¡± Major Harper demanded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know more than that,¡± the aide apologized. ¡°Thank you for informing us. Please provide us with an update when one is available,¡± Laura said, dismissing the man. The aide sprinted off just as quickly as he arrived. ¡°It¡¯s the Azala,¡± Imri said confidently. Everyone nodded, agreeing with his assumption. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a coincidence that they¡¯re attacking now? Or are they attacking because we are here?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°We might have spooked them into action by taking out the five infiltrators,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Or this could be an attack of opportunity. They could be trying to capture you,¡± Laura pointed out. ¡°Guessing isn¡¯t going to solve anything; we need more information,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°The wraiths can be in the field in five minutes,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Not yet. Let¡¯s get more information from the locals first, but stay at heightened readiness. I want both units ready to deploy at a moment''s notice,¡± the major ordered. The only response was a chorus of ¡®sir, yes sir¡¯ and salutes. ¡°Should we even help them? We could withhold our aid until they concede to our demands. That would be more effective than any threat we could have leveraged,¡± Laura suggested. Imri thought about it, then shook his head. ¡°We came here because we wanted them to cooperate in the upcoming conflict. It would be hypocritical of us to use that conflict as leverage,¡± he pointed out. No one argued that point. ¡°Do we have the ability to open a portal back to Celestia?¡± Major Harper asked. Imri shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough mana, and Celestia doesn¡¯t either. There also aren¡¯t any beacons between; we¡¯re stuck here for the time being,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Let¡¯s see if our hosts need our assistance,¡± Laura said. The Celestia delegation left as a group, heading down the hallway toward the barons'' meeting area. As they drew closer, signs of frenetic activity became readily apparent. Imri restrained himself from using his Manifest Domain skill for the time being. Using it for a third time within the month would incur a twenty-minute cost just for activating the skill, and he was confident he would need it in the upcoming fight. No one stopped them as they entered the makeshift headquarters. They practically reached the gathered barons before anyone challenged them, and even that was a tentative guard who couldn¡¯t have done anything to stop them if they weren¡¯t friendly. ¡°We have things under control; go back and wait to be summoned,¡± Burke sneered when he noticed their group. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot. We definitely don¡¯t have things under control,¡± Leslie countermanded her fellow baron. ¡°We¡¯re happy to help if you can appraise us of the situation on the ground,¡± Major Harper offered. ¡°Have a look for yourself,¡± Dotson said, motioning toward a series of larger monitors. Each display was subdivided into smaller sections that were live feeds of the city. It didn¡¯t take Imri long to spot the invaders. Azala, in various states of transformation, roamed throughout the city in organized squads. Some resembled those he had fought in Minneapolis, seemingly mostly human, with the occasional growth or tentacle giving away their identity. They moved awkwardly as the integration process was not fully completed. Others were barely recognizable as former humans, a mass of writhing tentacles sprouting from seemingly random locations. However, even the fully transformed humanoids were the least of their problems. There were several massive creatures the size of a small building. They resembled walking jungle vegetation, but instead of bark and vines, they had a chitinous exoskeleton and a mass of tentacles of varying sizes. Hordes of people fled from the terrifying creatures in a chaotic wave. They panicked and attempted to leave the metropolis, creating bottlenecks at the various chokepoints that led out of the city. Imri watched in horror as people trampled over each other in a desperate attempt to escape. He morbidly wondered what would be the more significant cause of casualties, the Azala or the ensuing panic. As Imri watched, he noticed various feeds cut off as the Azala destroyed the cameras tracking their movements. Eventually, all that remained were aerial views from what he assumed were drones. ¡°They aren¡¯t going for any key strategic points, nor are they trying to inflict as much damage as possible,¡± Major Harper said as he watched the various feeds. ¡°They are converging on a location: here,¡± Dotson pointed out. ¡°Why would they be coming here? It is our makeshift HQ, but there are far easier targets for them to hit, including the Nexuses,¡± Major Harper mused. ¡°They''re after me,¡± Imri said with certainty. ¡°I know you¡¯re strong, but why would they launch an assault on a city just to go after one person?¡± Dotson asked. ¡°I took something their Queen was after. I can¡¯t hide it, so they know I have it on me,¡± Imri explained, knowing that the energy billowing out of his Inner Domain would be visible for miles to those who knew to look. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°What is this item?¡± Dotson asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The important thing is that they can find me no matter where I go, and they won¡¯t stop chasing me. That¡¯s why I need to lead them away from the populated areas within the city,¡± Imri said. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Emelia and Laura said at the same time. ¡°I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I just sat here while there was something I could do to save thousands of lives. I¡¯m not going to do anything reckless. I¡¯ll lead them away from the city for a while, then come back through a portal,¡± Imri said. ¡°At least take a unit with you to watch your back,¡± Laura insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll be faster on my own without worrying about keeping others safe,¡± Imri said truthfully. ¡®Don¡¯t forget your promise. You¡¯re not allowed to die,¡¯ Emelia sent through their telepathic connection. Before Imri could respond, she kissed him passionately, not caring about the large crowd in the conference room. ¡®I promise,¡¯ Imri sent back. Imri held his hand out, palm down. A steady stream of firearms and ammunition spilled out of his Inner Domain and onto the conference room floor in a heap. He kept an assault rifle and pistol for himself, along with a decent supply of ammunition. Before anyone else could try to dissuade him, he left with purposeful strides. While he didn¡¯t have his domain active, he could still perfectly recall the building''s layout. He moved towards the nearest exit and the converging Azala. Sylvi watched as Emelia paced back and forth frantically. ¡°We have to do something to help him,¡± Emelia declared for at least the third time since Imri had left as many minutes ago. ¡°We¡¯re not going to sit on our hands, but we can¡¯t rush out there after him; that would defeat the entire purpose of what he¡¯s doing,¡± Sylvi pointed out. After a few minutes of waiting, they noticed the shift. The swarm that had been heading inexorably towards them was now diverting its course. Sylvi could see the mixed emotions on Emelia¡¯s face. ¡°They aren¡¯t all chasing him. Some are splitting off and heading towards the Nexuses,¡± Coleman reported. ¡°How many?¡± Major Harper asked. ¡°Enough to be a problem,¡± Coleman said. ¡°We need to defend the Nexuses,¡± Pearson demanded. ¡°There aren¡¯t enough of us to stop them if we split our reserves that many times. We need a better plan,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°You keep planning, I¡¯m going to defend my Nexus,¡± Pearson declared. The impulsive baron gathered his forces and left. Baron Burke also withdrew his soldiers. While Sylvi didn¡¯t mind either of those two leaving, they had taken almost half of the personnel in the convention center. They would be stretched thin if more forces were deployed away from their HQ. ¡°How did this many Azala get into the city unnoticed? I understand the normal-sized ones, but the larger monstrosities aren¡¯t exactly inconspicuous,¡± Major Harper pointed out. ¡°Does that even matter now?¡± Dotson asked. ¡°It might. They clearly have a base of operation somewhere in the city,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°I might be able to help with that. I have a list of locations that I thought were suspicious for one reason or another. I had assumed they were the other Barons¡¯ activities, but if there is one that isn¡¯t¡­¡± Baronesse Horn said. ¡°That sounds promising. Let''s see this list,¡± Major Harper suggested. ¡°There¡¯s one problem. I left that intel on a secure device that can¡¯t be accessed remotely. We¡¯ll need to retrieve it physically,¡± Baronesse Horn said. ¡°One of our units could retrieve the device,¡± Major Harper offered. ¡°Several security protocols are in place around my Nexus, so you¡¯ll need me,¡± Baronesse Horn explained. Sylvi noticed the major looking at her, and she gave a slight nod. While she wasn¡¯t looking forward to escorting a civilian through a war zone, it was their most promising lead. ¡°A unit of wraiths can get you safely there, but you must listen to their commands,¡± Major Harper said. When the baroness nodded, Sylvi began barking out orders. Everyone checked their kit before doing the same with their squadmate. ¡°We have extra firearms if you need one,¡± Horn offered, looking dubiously at the bows. ¡°Any of your soldiers get a trait improving their skill with a gun?¡± Sylvi asked while going through her final checks. ¡°No,¡± the baroness said, not needing to consider the question. ¡°That¡¯s not the case for bows. Combine that with our crafters creating enhanced bows, and the bow is now the more powerful weapon,¡± Sylvi explained. The baroness still seemed unconvinced, but she didn¡¯t object further. Sylvi noticed that Ashlyn had helped herself to a pistol, and judging by how it was already tucked away, she had done so before the Baroness had made her offer. She smiled sheepishly when she noticed Sylvi¡¯s glare but made no move to return the weapon. ¡°I¡¯ll have a drone scouting ahead on your route. We already scoped it out, and a few Azala appear to be patrolling the area. However, the actual fighting will occur near the Nexus,¡± Coleman explained. ¡°Where is the Nexus?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°It¡¯s in my penthouse at the top of a high rise. It¡¯s only a few blocks from here,¡± Horn explained. ¡°Let¡¯s hope the elevators still work,¡± Ashlyn said wryly. ¡°They don¡¯t; the power is out,¡± Coleman said, not taking his eyes off the drone feed. ¡°Great,¡± Ashlyn said sarcastically. With their gear check done, they made their way out of the convention center. There were six wraiths in total, including Sylvi and Ashlyn. The other four members had been scouts and hunters who had recently gained their heritage evolution. Fortunately, they all knew what they were doing and listened to Sylvi¡¯s orders. They immediately encountered resistance as they exited the building. Several partially transformed Azala spotted them and charged without hesitation. Several arrows were loosed in an instant, striking vitals with unerring precision. They were making quick work of their opponents, but Sylvi remained vigilant. That¡¯s when she noticed something flying through the air towards them. ¡°Take cover,¡± she shouted, following her own advice. The wraiths dove behind abandoned cars as they heard the command. One soldier was slow on the uptake and was only partially behind the cover when the object struck. The projectile exploded on impact, spraying a clear liquid in every direction. Some of it landed on the exposed soldier, and a moment later, there was an audible sizzling noise as it began eating through whatever it came into contact with. The struck soldier stared in disbelief as their armor dissolved, then started screaming as the acid made its way into their flesh. Sylvi rushed to their side, trying to wipe off any dangerous fluid. ¡°Can you keep going?¡± she asked him. ¡°I think so. It burns, but I can still fight,¡± he said. Sylvi didn¡¯t have time to doubt the soldier, as more shouts of incoming forced both of them back down. They ducked behind the car as more acidic bombs landed nearby. Unfortunately, the acid was powerful enough to begin breaking down the car quickly. They wouldn¡¯t have cover for long. Chapter 101: An Unconventional Route Sylvi pulled out her walkie as the acidic bombs continued to rain down. ¡°HQ, we need eyes on their artillery,¡± she shouted frantically. ¡°Sorry, but we won¡¯t be able to do that. We¡¯ve started losing communication with the drones, including the one we had assigned to your unit,¡± Coleman said. Sylvi cursed as another volley of acid landed nearby. She needed to do something fast. Unfortunately, with the day illuminated by their new star, she couldn¡¯t hope to create enough Umbra to obscure their position. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have to do it alone; the entire unit was comprised of those with the Umbra Heritage. She barked out the order, and a small cloud of pure darkness formed a moment later. It rapidly expanded until it completely engulfed them and the nearby surroundings. Sylvi felt her traits working as she was obscured from the light, gaining improved visual acuity, agility, and regeneration. The other wraiths were similarly at home in the dark, even though they didn¡¯t benefit like she did. Only Baroness Horn was affected, letting out a shout of alarm as her sight was cut off. ¡°The umbra is our ability, and the rest of us can see past it. We¡¯ll guide you through it,¡± Sylvi explained quickly. Sylvi grabbed her arm before the baroness could object and led her forward. While she would have preferred to have the obscurement the entire way, it was already straining their unit''s mana supply. They sprinted out of the umbra, moving fast enough that whatever was guiding the artillery wouldn¡¯t have time to adjust to their new trajectory. The tactic appeared to work as the acid splashed in a far more dispersed area. Unfortunately, it had only improved their odds, and several wraiths took minor wounds from small splashes of the incredibly potent liquid. Fortunately, none took any direct hits as they approached the taller building Sylvi had selected. ¡°Injuries?¡± Sylvi asked. When no one reported anything inhibiting their combat capabilities, she let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Well, that sucked,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°Now what?¡± Baroness Horn asked. ¡°We need to get eyes on that artillery. Then we try to disable it,¡± Sylvi said. She hadn¡¯t selected the building they had fled into at random. Of the buildings adjacent to the convention center, it was the tallest. While not near the tallest building downtown, it should give them a decent view of the surrounding area. Sylvi pushed her way through the gathered crowd of civilians, doing her best to ignore the strange looks they received, which seemed to express equal amounts of fear and awe. None of them seemed to recognize the baroness, and she got the least attention with her relatively normal attire. She debated between the stairs and elevators when the lights flickered and died. A quick survey of the other nearby electronics also showed that they had lost all power. The Azala had likely shifted their attack to target critical infrastructure. Fortunately, even dozens of flights of stairs were a relatively minor inconvenience for heritage-enhanced wraiths. Even the lowest level among them was a match for professional athletes before the integration. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for the baroness. A trait obscured her exact level, but she claimed to be level 17, though she hadn¡¯t revealed exactly what her class was. Whatever it was, it clearly wasn¡¯t physically oriented, and she gasped for air as they were nearing the end of their ascent. Sylvi motioned for them to stop. They hadn¡¯t reached the top floor, but going up the last couple wouldn¡¯t improve their vantage much. The office space on the floor was eerie, with swathes of abandoned cubicles, and judging by the amount of dust, it hadn¡¯t been used since the integration. She crouched low, moving slowly as she approached a bank of windows facing the general direction from which the ordnance had been coming. She was once again thankful for the relative darkness of the area. She neared the glass and peered out, surveying the surrounding area. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the widespread destruction and monstrous creatures stomping through the once proud metropolis. She did her best to ignore all the distractions, focusing on finding her target. It didn¡¯t take her long to spot them. Each was a large cylindrical mass of flesh that contracted and spit out its ordnance. It was a living weapon made for a singular purpose. Sylvi was distracted when she heard Ashlyn giggling from nearby. ¡°It kind of looks like a¡­you know,¡± she said. Sylvi gave her best withering glare, even if the girl was right. Apart from that, she ignored the comment and continued surveying the area surrounding the definitely not phallic-shaped artillery. A flash of motion caught her eye. At first, she thought it was one of Coleman¡¯s drones, but as she looked closer, she quickly came to a different conclusion. The creature appeared humanoid in shape and size, with the notable exception of two pairs of translucent insect-like wings that beat dozens of times per second. Fortunately, they seemed to be focused on the ground below. As she continued watching them, she noticed the ordnance flying in the general direction that the humanoid-insect hybrid had been focusing. She quickly realized that the flying monstrosities were acting as aerial spotters. The combination proved deadly wherever groups of humans had formed up, the powerful acid raining down with deadly precision. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t appear to be a large number of either spotters or artillery. If they could take out even a couple of them, their capabilities would be significantly decreased. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She mentally mapped out where each living artillery emplacement was located, then withdrew a Dimensional Saber from her belt. She adjusted the length to only 10 centimeters, not wanting the void blade to give away their position. She carefully cut away a decent-sized section of the window, using duct tape to keep it from falling and alerting the Azala of their presence. With the glass removed, she now had an unobstructed firing range. She repeated the process, moving slowly but deliberately so as not to catch the attention of a watching Azala. After a brief discussion in hushed voices, Sylvi selected the second sniper, a man who had been an effective hunter before joining the wraiths. Sylvi pointed out his target, the closer of the two artillery that were within their potential range, leaving the more distant of them for herself. They took their time, sighting down their targets. Her target was several city blocks away, about half a klick. It would have been a challenging shot before the integration, and that was with modern sniper rifles. The thought of taking out anything with a bow from this range would have been unfathomable. However, Sylvi smiled, confident in her abilities at this range. When they were both ready, the arrows were loosed. Her fully empowered Devastation Shot flew with unerring precision, headed toward the base of the organic artillery where its ammunition was stored. She readied another shot and charged it fully, firing it before her first shot had arrived. She was charging a third shot when it became apparent that it would not be needed. Her first shot had struck true and ruptured at least one of the creature''s acidic payloads. Its body clearly hadn¡¯t been designed to withstand its own acid, as the potent liquid wreaked havoc upon its internal structures. The amount of dissolved flesh produced a physical reaction as a cloud of vapors formed around the now-dead creature. Sylvi called out her success and mentioned its weak point. A moment later, the second sniper confirmed their kill. With their targets eliminated, it was time to extricate themselves. However, before Sylvi could even shout the order, she saw something shooting towards them. A humanoid-insectoid hybrid crashed through the glass without slowing. It moved with blinding speed, nearly too fast for Sylvi to follow. It raked out at her with a clawed hand. Not having time to switch weapons, she interposed her bow. Despite the enhanced wood, the creature carved deep gouges into the bow, though it didn¡¯t completely cut through. It continued attacking Sylvi with unfathomable speed and power, and she barely managed to dodge the next attack, a chunk of her armor gone from the incredibly sharp claws. Before Sylvi could draw her melee weapon, Ashlyn stepped in. Her short sword flashed in a blur, exceeding the speed of the attacking Azala. The blade bit into the humanoid-insect hybrid, severing its arm near the elbow joint. Brackish blood flowed as if a fire hydrant had been uncapped. Sylvi followed up with a kick, sending the stunned creature plummeting thirty stories down. She spared a glance down, watching as it splattered on the ground below. However, during that quick glance, she saw something disturbing. Dozens of Azala below them were climbing up the side of the building at an alarming rate, seemingly unbothered by the smooth vertical surface. They moved quickly, assisted by an extra set of arms, each ending with clawed hands that dug into metal like a hot knife through butter. Sylvi used her bow as a blunt weapon, smashing what remained of the glass. She reached into her belt and took out a ring, pressing it into the baroness¡¯s hand. ¡°Put that on,¡± Sylvi ordered the confused noble. ¡°We¡¯re jumping to the building across the street¡­¡± ¡°Are you insane? There¡¯s no way I can make that jump,¡± A panicked Baroness Horn interrupted her. ¡°That ring has a Low Gravity Enchantment. Put it on, tap it to activate it, twist it clockwise to reduce gravity, and counter-clockwise to increase it,¡± Sylvi explained. She didn¡¯t have time to reassure the scared woman. In the short time it had taken her to give the order, the Azala had climbed another dozen stories and were now more than halfway up the building. She drew and fired several arrows, hitting the approaching Azala and sending a pair of them plummeting back down. Unfortunately, there were too many to stop them completely, but it did buy the rest of her squad a moment to extricate themselves from the building. Ashlyn was the first one out, making a joyous whooping noise as she lept across the expanse between buildings. Even with her enhanced physical abilities, she would have smashed into the side of the building, reminding Sylvi of an infamous movie poster. Fortunately, the enchantment made up the difference; Ashlyn was still propelled forward by her momentum while descending at a far reduced rate. The rest of the squad followed after her in a similar fashion. Sylvi continued laying down suppressive fire, going through her arrows at a prodigious rate. With each enemy slain, another soon replaced it, and there seemed no end to them. Finally, the baroness jumped, letting out a terrified yelp. She had taken a tentative leap and wouldn¡¯t have made it more than a few meters without the enchantment. She cranked the amplitude up, nearly eliminating gravity as she slowly drifted across the street. A moment later, Sylvi leapt. She didn¡¯t get the same running start the others got, but she gained a respectable momentum thanks to her higher stats. She soared past the slowly drifting Baroness, landing on the roof of the slightly shorter high rise with minimal adjustments to the gravity enchantment. The rest of the wraiths took the opportunity to take potshots at nearby Azala. A moment later, the baroness landed shakily on her feet. ¡°Never again,¡± the baroness declared, to which Sylvi just grinned. ¡°How do you think we¡¯re getting to your Nexus?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°Surely there is a better way?¡± the baroness asked, horror plainly written on her face. Sylvi motioned for her to look down. The pursuing Azala dotted the streets below, solely focused on eliminating them. ¡°I suppose this method is passable,¡± she said with a resigned sigh. ¡°Just get a better jump; you wouldn¡¯t want the enchantment to run out of mana mid-flight,¡± Sylvi warned her, sending off a new wave of panic in the woman. Chapter 102: Cycles of Growth and Decay Imri left the convention center, ready for a fight. He didn¡¯t waste any time using Blink to reposition himself, teleporting into a nearby high rise several floors up. It was a good thing he had, as acid splashed all around where he had stood just a moment ago. Its source was an enormous Azala, standing over three meters in height. It looked only vaguely humanoid, with dark veins standing out throughout its body. Instead of its arms ending with hands, it was hollowed out like a hand cannon. It opened its maw, revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth. A quick Identifiy told him it was a level 38 Azala Despoiler. It also wasn¡¯t alone, as dozens of Azala Drones in various states of transformation flanked the Despoiler. Despite Imri not leaving any trace of where he had teleported, the creature immediately looked directly at him and raised its hand cannon arms toward him. Fortunately, the creature''s movements were somewhat sluggish, giving him a moment to react before it launched the projectile. Imri teleported a second time, appearing midair above the tallest building. He started to plummet toward the ground but quickly constructed a Reorient Gravity. The effect of gravity changed, so he fell at a trajectory that took him up and forward across the city. He used a strong enough amplitude that the forces were even more substantial than conventional gravity, as he didn¡¯t want to present an easy target for the Azala below. While the mana expenditure was significant, it was still preferable to the constant use of Blink. Imri maintained the Reorient Gravity spell for several seconds, allowing himself to build up considerable speed. A few projectiles whizzed by, but none even came close. When he eventually released the spell, his forward momentum continued, though it was slowed by wind resistance. Conversely, his upward momentum slowed as normal gravity began reducing his speed until he reached the zenith of his arc. He continued cycling through Reorient Gravity to travel. His subsequent uses were always at different angles and amplitudes, making it hard for the Azala to predict his movements. Despite those countermeasures, the Azala still attempted to bring him down. They fired beach-ball-sized sacs that detonated midair, spraying acid in every direction, forming a flack-like mist. Imri attempted to avoid them, preventing himself from being struck by a direct hit. When the clouds became unavoidable, he used Blink to change his position. In addition to the acidic mist, several flying Azala, each with two pairs of insect-like wings and wicked-looking claws, came hurtling towards him. Imri considered increasing the amplitude of his Reorient Gravity but dismissed that as too inefficient. He also didn¡¯t want to go too fast and discourage his pursuers; each Azala that went after him was one less attacking the city. Instead, he reduced his acceleration, allowing them to close in. Once they were close enough, he summoned an assault rifle from his Inner Domain. There was only open air between him and his target, making this a relatively easy shot. Imri squeezed the trigger several times, firing a burst directly into the oncoming Azala. The results were incredibly lackluster, with most of the bullets bouncing harmlessly off its carapace. The few bullets that penetrated the Azala were little more than minor irritants to the system-enhanced creature. Pre-integration weaponry had quickly reached its obsolescence cliff. Hopefully these Azala weren¡¯t typical of the invasion force, or the soldiers in New Chicago would be decimated. With a sigh, he returned the firearm to his Inner Domain and formulated a new plan. Imri waited till the last possible moment when the flying Azala had committed to its attack. A stationary tear in dimensional space about a meter long was interposed between them. The Azala, unable to adjust its trajectory, passed through the tear, and a moment later, its body split into two pieces. A second Azala, trailing just behind its comrade, fared only slightly better. It managed to avoid a direct hit, but its long dragonfly-like wing clipped through the tear. It immediately started spinning through the air, plummeting toward the street below. The last of his assailants managed to evade the trap cleanly. The Azala continued towards Imri, unperturbed by the death of the other two flying Azala. Unfortunately for the Azala, Imri had expected this, and a Reorient Gravity enveloped it like a river current through spacetime. This particular current sent in careening into the void it had just avoided. With Imri¡¯s pursuers taken care of, he slowed his pace even further. His brief flight through the city had used up his mana at an alarming rate. Fortunately, he had reached his destination. He used a final Reorient Gravity to slow his relative velocity to almost nothing, then used a Blink to return to the ground. He stood in a mostly abandoned part of the city. Large swathes of the area were covered in hastily constructed shanties, built simply to complete the settlement quest. Many had been built on top of each other, making unsteady towers that would make even the most lax building inspector cringe. For a moment, Imri worried that the Azala were no longer pursuing him, but then he spotted several more of the fliers. Instead of attacking him, they simply kept a visual on him. They were undoubtedly providing his location to every nearby Azala. Imri smiled, certain they were still coming. He took advantage of his momentary reprieve to pull out an Espeonite crystal, topping off his mana pool. As he absorbed the mana, he casually walked further into the shanty town, moving closer to its center. He quickly downed a couple of potions, ignoring the nausea from drinking them back to back. The first was the tried-and-true mana regeneration potion, this particular one having less of a duration but a stronger percentage increase. It didn¡¯t have much of an immediate effect, but if the fighting dragged on, it would be invaluable. The second was a stat-increasing elixir, with this particular variant raising his willpower by several points for two hours. When Imri reached the approximate center, he manifested his domain. Information flooded his mind, revealing every Azala within the 243-meter radius. There were dozens, ranging from insignificant drones to Despoilers and a new variant, Titans, nearing his level. However, this was only the beginning of his opponents, and with each passing second, more crossed the domain¡¯s boundary. As the numbers crossed into the hundreds, Imri knew he couldn¡¯t win in a conventional fight, no matter how efficient he was with his mana. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t use area spells with his domain, and his usual trick of stacking temporal buffs and debuffs wouldn¡¯t be enough this time. Imri smiled as the numbers continued rising. When the nearest Azala started converging on his position, he activated his domain spell. The Azala stumbled, convulsing in pain. Their bodies began visibly shifting and mutating, growing more tentacles or large cancerous growths seemingly at random. Imri had used his Aging spell, pumping in as much mana as possible while still being efficient with the spell. Within a minute, the Azala had aged considerably, and their own bioengineering was working against them. Their ability to grow at such a prodigious rate came at a cost. They required a constant source of nourishment, usually at their hosts'' expense. If they grew too fast or too much, it was just internal cannibalism, a cancer. Over a hundred Azala had died, extinguished by their own growth. Large portions of their bodies were unrecognizable blobs of flesh. Unfortunately, the higher-level and larger Azala seemed somewhat resistant. However, they had been weakened considerably. Imri used the last of his available mana to reposition himself with a Blink, narrowly avoiding being trampled by a Titan that was larger than the ramshackle dwellings. It continued forward, easily demolishing the buildings into rubble. Imri began to reabsorb more mana, still having plenty of charged Espeonite in his Inner Domain. However, he was nearing the beginning of the over-channel debuff, which would start physically fatiguing him while reducing his mana efficiency. Over-channel was a minor nuisance at its lowest severity, but it would quickly become a significant problem at the rate he went through his mana. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Fortunately, the Azala seemed unwilling to continue charging headlong into his domain, as he doubted he could pull the same trick off twice with his dwindling effective mana supply. If he could deal with the final few Azala, he would hopefully have time to recover. To conserve mana, he switched to relying primarily on his enchantments. He wasn¡¯t a physical combatant, having learned that lesson the hard way, but he could be effective when stacking buffs and debuffs. He activated his Temporal Expansion ring at a high enough amplitude that it would last less than a minute. At the same time, he stacked Temporal Collapse on the remaining Azala as his new domain spell, albeit at a relatively low amplitude, to conserve his mana. He sprang forward, to him appearing to move with the speed of a pre-integration professional athlete. However, to the Azala, he was a blur. Imri easily evaded a swipe from a Titan, its attack seeming to move in slow motion. For the Titan''s trouble, it lost the limb, which the Dimensional Saber easily dismembered. Imri got in close and followed up with a pair of quick slashes that made short work of the tier 2 Azala. Imri continued through the remaining Azala, seemingly moving like a dervish of death. Despite their high level, the remaining Azala were cut down with the mechanical efficiency of a farmer threshing wheat. When it was done, Imri breathed heavily from the physical exertion. Both his personal resources and enchantments were nearing their limit, and he now had the over-channel debuff. He knew that no Azala was within his domain, so he collapsed, thankful for his momentary reprieve. A slew of system notifications that he had ignored were now vying for his attention.
Imri Padar has reached level 45 (+2) in Celestial Mage (2E)
Imri Padar has reached level 45 (+2) in Manifestation of Gaia (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 156 (+1)
Agility 128 (+1)
Constitution 153 (+1)
Intelligence 299 (+6)
Willpower 241 (+3)
Charisma 130 (+1)
Secondary Stats
HP 345 (+9)
FP 256 (+5)
MP 1698 (+94)
Mana Efficiency 1307 (+71)
Crafting Efficiency 1710 (+93)
Trait Rank Up
Time Manipulation E to D
Time Manipulation has improved to Temporal Control
Temporal Control (2F): Gives an instinctive control over temporal concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5.5%. Increases the effectiveness of temporal spells and abilities by 2.5%.
Skill Rank Up
Manifest Domain F to E: Create a domain within the physical world with a radius of 1.03 (+.03) meters/willpower. You are aware of everything within your domain as if you had identified it and instinctually know exactly where everything is while it remains within your domain. You may imbue the domain with the effect of one of your spells with a 5.15% (+.15%) increase in mana efficiency. The spell will drain mana at a rate equivalent to if you were targeting a single target. You may affect any number of targets within the domain with the spell''s effects at no additional cost. You can manifest a domain for 1.03 (+.03) minutes/willpower/month. This time is reduced by 10 minutes/number of usages beyond the first each time a subsequent domain is manifested within the same month.
Spells Ranked Up
Reorient Gravity F to E: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Blink D to C
Blink has improved to Teleportation
Teleportation (3F): Instantly appear at a distant location that is visible or has previously been visited. Touched objects may also be teleported. Mana cost varies by distance traveled and mass of the objects being teleported.
Aging E to D
Aging has improved to Cycles of Growth and Decay
Cycles of Growth and Decay (2F): Exert the forces of time, Increasing the age of the target. While the target is aging, it can be nourished with mana, applying only the beneficial effects of aging to the target. Conversely, mana can be used to improve natural breakdown due to aging, applying only the negative effects of aging to the target. Mana cost/second varies based on the amount of mass affected, amplitude of the effect, and distance from target to caster.
Cycles of Growth and Decay F to E: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Imri smiled as he reviewed the improvements. He had been somewhat disappointed that he had only gained 2 levels, but he had mostly slain enemies that were considerably lower leveled. He hadn¡¯t even improved his Butcher or Horde Slayer achievements, as most enemies hadn¡¯t met the ¡®near his level¡¯ requirement. However, gaining two improved spells and an improved trait immediately switched his disappointment to child-like glee. Teleportation was his first tier 3 spell, and it didn¡¯t disappoint. The first thing he noticed was that he could now use Teleportation to travel to any location he had been, eliminating the sensory requirement. While his beacons made that less valuable, he could still foresee several potential use cases. Similarly, the ability to teleport other objects was invaluable. He had intended to use his Inner Domain to store objects and teleport, but not having to do that saved a step. It also gave him the option to teleport without sending himself. The final improvement was typical of tier improvements: the base cost had increased slightly, but an improved range increment offset this. Cycles of Growth and Decay were a different matter. This tier-up came with significantly more flexibility. Using the decay aspect of the spell would improve it in the manner he had in the previous fight. In addition, he could now use the spell more supportively, such as growing plants. In a pinch, he could also use the growth aspect as a sort of natural healing spell. Even the exponential increase in the spell''s cost was gone. However, all this came at a significant increase in base mana cost. The rest of his improvements, including the tiered-up trait, were incremental increases in his efficiency. Nothing game-changing, but every little bit was starting to compound. This was especially true for his Manifest Domain skills, which had improved by 3% in all aspects, making his most potent skill even more effective. Imri¡¯s ruminations were interrupted when he felt a hostile presence. It wasn¡¯t physical, as nothing had entered his domain; instead, it was a mental projection. It brushed against his mind, attempting to communicate with him rather than brute-forcing through his defenses. It was definitely an Azala, and a powerful one at that. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t anywhere near the queen''s level. In the end, Imri¡¯s curiosity overrode his fear of another Azala psychic attack, and he accepted the connection. ¡®What do you want, Azala? If you''re going to attack, get on with it. I already defeated your queen; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be no challenge,¡¯ Imri provoked it. ¡®Defeated is a strong word for what happened. You stole from us like a thieving magpie. You are a minor nuisance, a pest, nothing more,¡¯ the Azala sent back. ¡®Well, that pest just defeated all the forces you sent after it, so¡­¡¯ Imri continued taunting. ¡®You won¡¯t be so smug for long. We know everything about you, including what you value over your own life. Let¡¯s see if your fianc¨¦e can survive as well as you,¡¯ the Azala sent. With that, the Azala ended the connection. Chapter 103: Inexorable and Unrelenting Emelia stared at the display, too horrified to look away. People were being killed in droves, the powerful Azala easily slaughtering anyone who attempted to stop them. Conventional pre-integration firearms were almost completely ineffective, requiring nearly an entire magazine''s worth of ammo to bring down a lower-level drone. The largest of the Azala, the Titans, rampaged through with near impunity. They trampled over any unfortunate victim who was in their path, including vehicles, which were reduced to scrap. Fortunately, there were only around a dozen of those monsters. Her focus was taken away from the gruesome display to one of another form. The field hospital had been set up in an auditorium, and the agonized shouts of the newly arrived injured could be heard from across the hall. At least Emelia could make herself useful now. She moved throughout the massive room, triaging the various injuries. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that there were too many severe wounds for her to focus on full healing. She fought down a wave of nausea as she saw people with severe acid burns. One unfortunate person had their entire body covered in acid burns, their features completely disfigured. Almost worse than the physical injuries was their emotional turmoil. She could feel the terror of people who knew they were dying, the desperation of someone in such agony that they wanted it to end. Emelia fought the urge to pour everything she had into saving victims who were on the brink of death. She could save any of them, but if she expended all her mana, saving one or two people, more would perish while she waited for her mana to recharge. Despite all her spells and abilities, she still had to triage the injured, and that meant condemning people to death. She did her best to stay in control, not allowing her empathy to influence her capacity to save as many people as possible. She worked with determined efficiency, using magic to stabilize those with severe injuries. The first healing spell she used was Shared Burden, sacrificing her own HP and transferring it to the target. She used about half of her own HP, gaining the benefits of Martyr for any subsequent healing spells. She would have used even more HP, but the amount of pain would have impaired her judgment or even put the baby at risk. As it was, the pain was severe, exceeding the worst cramps she had ever experienced. Fortunately, Emelia wasn''t entirely reliant on magic. For slightly less severe cases, she relied on her mundane training as a nurse, which mainly consisted of applying bandages and setting up IVs. She also administered potions, treating them like any other medication. Unfortunately, all their supplies were woefully inadequate for the severity of the situation. Despite her best efforts, the number of people coming in with severe injuries always exceeded the number of people she had healed. Sometimes, she didn¡¯t even have a chance to save them, the victims having died before arriving. Nothing could compare to the pain and suffering within this room; the Chixel invasion and the fight against the Sentinals were minor skirmishes compared to the current carnage. As the number of patients increased, the seemingly vast space became insufficient. People were forced to wait for a bed despite critical injuries that needed attention. The moans of the dying drowned out any other noise, and the stench of burning flesh mixed with excrement wafted through the auditorium. Many of the volunteers, who had little experience with such an unpleasant reality, quickly became ineffective as they succumbed to the morose environment. Emelia had gone through her mana once, having expended it in a relatively short amount of time, when she felt Imri panic. A moment later, his thoughts came to her through their telepathic connection. ¡®Any signs of Azala coming your way?¡¯ Imri asked via their telepathic connection. ¡®Not that I¡¯m aware of. Why?¡¯ Emelia replied. ¡®I think I just spoke with the leader of this Azala incursion. They were threatening to come after you,¡¯ Imri explained. ¡®How do they even know about me?¡¯ ¡®The queen got into my head and dug through my memories. She knows almost everything, including effective ways to threaten me,¡¯ Imri reminded her. This time, it was Emelia¡¯s turn to panic. She had considered the queen''s invasion of Imri¡¯s memories as a sort of information leak, like a hacker getting access to your passwords. Unfortunately, it was much more than that; she knew everything about him and how he would respond. She even wondered if the queen knew him better than she did. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I think it¡¯s still me and the world core that they¡¯re after. I think this is just a means to make me fight on their terms. If they try anything, I¡¯ll be there in an instant, but in the meantime, I¡¯m going to try to get some of my mana back,¡¯ Imri explained, having misjudged the source of her concern. ¡®I¡¯ll let the major know, but after that, I will continue saving as many people as possible. I don¡¯t want you to come in here and whisk me off somewhere I can¡¯t help the injured,¡¯ Emelia insisted. A minor annoyance flitted through the bond, suggesting Emelia had correctly guessed his plans. When the emotion subsided and he didn¡¯t respond, she took that as acceptance. It didn¡¯t take her long to find the major, as he hadn¡¯t moved from the command room. He stared at the dwindling number of displays, emanating concern but not showing it on his face. Emelia quickly relayed Imri¡¯s concerns, the major nodding along. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°The strongest Azala have been converging on this location, including most of the Titans and Despoilers. I assumed they wanted to remove our command structure, but this also explains it. However, it''s strange that they haven¡¯t attacked; they could probably overwhelm us as it is,¡± he said. ¡°Imri thinks they¡¯re trying to lure him into a fight,¡± Emelia explained. ¡°They would still need to engage to make that an effective threat. No, it seems like they¡¯re waiting for something else, but I just can¡¯t fathom what it would be. My first guess was reinforcements, but most of their remaining forces are already nearby,¡± the major said. Emelia passed along the intel, feeling Imri¡¯s growing concern rising again. The fact that he hadn¡¯t done anything yet was not a good sign; if he could have taken the Azala in a straight-up fight, he would have done so immediately. Everyone was exhausted, and they had only withstood the opening salvo.
Sylvi landed gently on the skyscraper, her Low Gravity enchantment working as intended. As they moved further from the convention center, they encountered less and less Azala. She had even considered going to street level for the remainder of the distance but had decided to continue jumping from building to building to play it safe. Unfortunately, their enchantments were running low on mana, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to take the same way back. ¡°It¡¯s that building,¡± the baroness said, pointing to a towering residential highrise just one jump away. They did one final mana check, and several of the rings needed to be recharged from the soldiers'' personal mana pool. Between creating a cloud of umbra and supplying the enchantments, most of the squad was nearing their limits. They all made their way across the street without issue, having done around a dozen low-gravity jumps in quick succession. Even the baroness no longer had issues. Unfortunately, their target building was too tall to reach the roof, so they were forced to enter several floors down, with the wraiths shooting out windows as they neared. ¡°Alright, it''s time to find out what these security features are,¡± Sylvi insisted as they regrouped near the stairs. ¡°First, to enter the penthouse, you can only reach it via the elevator, which requires a 4-digit code,¡± Leslie said. ¡°Which requires electricity,¡± Ashlyn added helpfully. ¡°Second, there is a squad of security guards on duty at all times. They¡¯re armed and have orders to shoot on sight, excluding me, of course,¡± Leslie said, pointedly ignoring Ashlyn. ¡°Anything else?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°If anything goes wrong, the Nexus will be sealed in a state-of-the-art panic room,¡± Leslie explained. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Sylvi asked, to which the baroness nodded. Ashlyn rolled her eyes, undoubtedly thinking the baroness¡¯s presence was unnecessary. Sylvi agreed with that assessment, but that was irrelevant at this point. Everyone paused as they crested the top of the stairs and moved into the hallway. The first security feature had already been bypassed; a large section of the ceiling had been dissolved, allowing easy access to the penthouse above. They entered what was left of the penthouse. The bodies of the security team littered the floor, their features frozen in an expression of panic and horror. Each of them had large slashing wounds that covered their body, which had left the once pristine space a bloody mess. There was no sign of Azalan fatalities, and the only indication that the guards had even put up a fight was the numerous bullet holes dotted throughout the room. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the end of the bad news. The final security measure had been as ineffective as the others, with a large hole torn through a security door that could have withstood explosive charges. Inside was a large empty space, presumably where the Nexus had been. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t look like the Azala had been interested in the other content within the safe room, and the laptop sat on a desk within. ¡°How could this have happened?¡± Leslie asked, taking the carnage in before nausea overtook her. While Sylvi felt for the woman, she didn¡¯t have time to comfort her; they needed to get back with the intel as soon as possible. ¡°Any security on the laptop?¡± Sylvi asked when the baroness had stopped retching. ¡°Just the usual login stuff, with two-factor authentication,¡± she said after wiping her mouth off with her sleeve. Ashlyn nabbed the device and stowed it in her pack the moment after Leslie had finished speaking. ¡°Did you get a notification when the Nexus was taken?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°I did,¡± the baroness said with a nod. "It was during the fight with those flying things. I was too focused to have time to look at it, and then, with all the jumping and running, I sort of forgot about it.¡± ¡°They could be anywhere by now,¡± Ashlyn pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s not immediately important. We need to get this intel back to HQ,¡± Sylvi said, remaining focused on the mission. Everyone nodded, including a reluctant Leslie, who was no longer a baroness. As they prepared for the return trip, a flash of movement caught Sylvi¡¯s attention. One of the deceased men, who had several deep gouges in his chest, had moved. Sylvi quickly inspected the corpse and found what she had feared. A parasite that looked like a bundle of nerves was wrapped around the core, its tendrils expanding at a visible rate. The Azala didn¡¯t need living hosts; they simply needed the organic material that had once been a living being. If they were infecting people faster than they were being killed, then the city was doomed. ¡°They¡¯ve been infected; we need to remove the cores,¡± Sylvi ordered. Everyone but Leslie quickly moved to obey. The former baroness, who had been looking ill before the need to dig through chest cavities, turned and dry heaved, having long ago emptied her stomach. Having long ago become adept at this extraction, the wraiths quickly gathered the cores and dispatched the parasites. Every single corpse had contained a growing Azala. ¡°Do you think this was a fluke, or are they infecting everyone they kill?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°I doubt this was a fluke. They might not have time to infect everyone, but I¡¯m guessing it''s closer to that,¡± Sylvi said. She took out her walkie-talkie, intending to inform HQ of the developments, but her attempts were greeted with only silence. Chapter 104: Exodus Imri sat cross-legged in his domain. Thanks to his high mental stats, his mind could now be compartmentalized. This allowed him to split his attention between several tasks while not losing efficiency as if several minds were inhabiting his body. It was true multi-processing of information, unlike pre-integration multi-tasking, which was simply alternating between tasks in quick succession. Part of his mind guided him into meditation. Another part monitored the sensory information provided by his domain, alert for any approaching Azala. A third mind was aware of his Soul Bond with Emelia, ensuring her safety. With his improved mana regeneration and bonuses to meditation, he regained several MP per minute. Even more important was the reduction in his over-channel debuff, though it was still far from completely removed. Keeping his domain active felt wasteful, but he didn¡¯t dare drop it while focusing on three threads. He still had just under three hours of uptime, but the cost of creating domains would significantly eat into that time. He was just starting to believe they had reached a stalemate with the Azala, when he felt a spike of terror come from Emelia. With the greater clarity provided by the Soul Bond, Imri knew she was genuinely afraid for her life. He didn¡¯t hesitate to use his new tier 3 spell, Teleportation. He smiled as he felt the amount of mana needed for the spell. Between the improvements with the higher tier spell combined with the tethered Spatial Beacon, the Teleportation only consumed MP at the level of a short-range Blink. As the spell activated, he dismissed his domain and activated a Temporal Expansion enchantment. A moment later, his surroundings changed, and he was in the convention center auditorium. All around him were the injured, including several who had succumbed to their injuries. Somehow, several Azala Drones had gotten inside the field hospital, causing havoc among the medical personnel, including Emelia. It took Imri a fraction of a second to get his bearings. The Azala Drone in front of Imri was momentarily stunned by his sudden appearance. This gave the temporally enhanced Imri a massive opening to exploit. His Dimensional Saber cut through the Drone, effortlessly separating its head from the rest of its body. Imri similarly made short work of several more Drones that made the mistake of coming after Emelia. These low-level drones were an insignificant threat compared to the higher-level Azala he had been fighting. Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t the case for several nearby guards who had yet to encounter an Azala. The resulting panic and shooting caused more fatalities than the Azala could have done directly. The entire fight was short and brutal, taking less than a minute. When the last Azala was dead, Imri released his enchantments and embraced Emelia. She trembled in his arms, and he gripped her tighter. Slowly, her trembling subsided. ¡°I thought I was going to die,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m always just a second away, no matter the distance, and I won¡¯t let anything happen to either of you,¡± he reassured her. Despite the urgency of the situation, he held her for several moments. It was simultaneously too short and too long. For the fourth time since gaining the skill, Imri activated his Manifest Domain skill, taking 30 minutes of its total uptime. The information that flooded his mind painted a bleak picture. The radius covered the convention center, with only a tiny amount extending into the nearby street. Azalas were pushing into the building from several different directions, and in some cases, the defenders were already retreating. Only the sections that contained a contingent of Celestia soldiers were holding their ground effectively. ¡°I have to go,¡± Imri said apologetically, giving Emelia a quick kiss. ¡°It¡¯s fine; I still have injured people I need to care for,¡± Emelia said. Imri was tempted to charge into the nearest group of Azala, and if he had been in better shape, he might have. However, with his limited resources, he needed to be more tactical. Instead of fighting, he made his way towards Major Harper. The command room was every bit as chaotic as the field hospital. People ran everywhere, updating maps and relaying messages that came via radio. The monitor displaying aerial surveillance now had blank screens with the message, ¡®Input lost¡¯. ¡°Imri, you¡¯re back,¡± the major said. ¡°Not by choice; they threatened to come after Emelia,¡± Imri explained. ¡°Well, at least the whole city isn¡¯t this bad,¡± Major Harper said. Imri quickly ran through the enemies'' positions and numbers, with people updating maps and reports as he went. When he was done, the major frowned. ¡°That bad,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t have an ace up your sleeve?¡± ¡°I¡¯m running on fumes,¡± Imri admitted. ¡°The problem, or one of them, is that this isn¡¯t a defensible position. It¡¯s a fucking convention center with dozens of access points and vulnerabilities. We only made this location our HQ because we were already here,¡± Major Harper said. ¡°We can¡¯t leave hundreds, if not thousands, of injured people across the hall. There has to be a better solution,¡± Baroness Dotson argued. They both looked at Imri expectantly as if he was the deciding voice. ¡°Where would we go?¡± Imri asked. ¡°I put my nexus in a military base. So far, its defenses have remained intact,¡± Baron Coleman offered, pointing to the location on a map. ¡°That¡¯s several miles away. Maybe a few of us could make it, but most wouldn¡¯t make it,¡± Baroness Dotson said. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°I agree, the casualties would be¡­unacceptable,¡± the major said. ¡°I¡¯ve looked for a better location, but there isn¡¯t one. Not unless you want to make a last stand in an office building or a highrise,¡± Coleman said. ¡°Coleman, do you have any drones left?¡± ¡°I kept a couple in reserve. Why?¡± ¡°I need you to get this to the military base,¡± Imri said, holding out a medallion with a tethered Spatial Beacon. The mechanic looked at the medallion skeptically, then shrugged and issued a command to one of his aides. A moment later, a new screen section came online, showing the optical display of the drone in transit. Imri hoped that whatever attacked the drones was now preoccupied or, better yet, eliminated. ¡°We need to get everyone into the field hospital, and I¡¯ll get us out. I only have enough mana for one trip, so anyone not there will get left behind,¡± Imri explained. That statement got a reaction from everyone nearby. There was a mix of panic and hope from people who had been certain they were going to die. The leadership took several precious moments to get everyone back on task. Essential equipment was stowed, and people began moving towards the field hospital. Imri let out a sigh of relief as the drone entered the radius of his domain. Moments later, the medallion was affixed, and the drone began its return journey. Imri shifted his focus to helping with the retreat. He probably needed all his remaining mana to keep the portal open, but as he did nothing, people were dying. He took a calculated risk, using his domain spell on a low-amplitude Temporal Collapse. It immediately took effect, slowing all the Azala within his domain. Hopefully, that would be enough of an edge for the remaining soldiers to retreat. With all his mana allocated, Imri helped with the evacuation. The field hospital was just as chaotic as when the Azala drones had attacked. People were packing equipment and helping people congregate near the back wall. The vast majority of people had some injuries, many severe enough that they should have been transported. He spotted Emelia, who was completely exhausted, having pushed her abilities to their limits. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving till every patient is through,¡± she demanded. As she said that, the sounds of fighting could be heard just outside the auditorium. They were running out of time, but he could still sense the drone moving towards its destination. It was time to make a stand. He rushed towards the fighting, knowing exactly what was happening, thanks to his domain. A lone figure held one of the hallways, bloodied Gravity Hammer in hand. Numerous smaller gashes covered his exposed flesh, and his Drake armor was torn through near his chest and thigh. The short and stout Rayden grinned as Imri moved to his side. Neither said anything as a swarm of Drones charged headlong towards them. Imri tore through them, his Dimensional Saber easily decapitating the lower-level fodder. What they lacked in strength, they made up for in numbers. He could also sense higher-tier Azala nearby, waiting for their opportunity to finish them off. Imri heard loud thuds followed by bursting sounds as the massive hammer slammed into its target, easily caving in ribs and skulls. At this point, the enchanted item''s mana had been completely spent, but somehow, Rayden wielded it with brutal efficiency. At some point, Imri¡¯s enchantments ran out of mana. Not missing a beat, Imri summoned a short sword and continued hacking through the drones with only slightly more resistance. Unfortunately, there was seemingly no end in drones to take the place of the ones that fell. With no regard for their well-being, they continued to throw themselves at Imri, hoping to grab and pin him down. Imri desperately kept them away, knowing they would overwhelm him if this turned into a grapple. Imri was just managing to keep them at bay when suddenly Rayden turned and swung his hammer into Imri¡¯s chest. The blow connected, and ribs cracked from the force, only his armor preventing his chest from being completely caved in. He struggled to breathe under the added strain, each breath inducing a wave of agony. Rayden stared at him, eyes vacant of all emotions as he no longer controlled his own body. Imri could sense where the psychic Azala was, and if he had more mana, it would have been easy to dispatch it. However, doing so would involve multiple spells and would use mana he couldn¡¯t afford. A fraction of a second later, the drones were on Imri. They bit and clawed into him, rending at flesh while simultaneously preventing him from moving. Their weight piled onto his injury, making it almost impossible to breathe. Out of options, Imri did the only thing he could and teleported back to Emelia. He collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe. Emelia rushed to his side, helping him up. Healing flooded into him, his cracked ribs repairing themselves in an instant. He was still sore and bruised, but he could breathe once again. The healing had nearly depleted Emelia¡¯s mana, and she swayed unsteadily on her feet. Imri could sense the drone with his beacon, beginning its descent to its final destination. At the same time, the swarming Azala were converging on their position, easily overwhelming the last of the defenders now that they were being flanked. ¡°The portal is going to open in a few seconds. Everyone needs to move in a quick and orderly fashion,¡± Imri shouted to the assembled crowd. The moment the drone touched down, he opened a portal. It opened against the wall, large enough that several people could fit through at once. Imri¡¯s mana drained at a precipitous rate, compounded by the reduced efficiency from the over-channel debuff, which only got worse as he used more and more mana. Fortunately, the cost of keeping the portal open was less taxing than the initial spell, though even that was straining his dwindling reserves. The retreat through the portal was anything but orderly. People shoved and panicked in their desperation to escape. The chaos only intensified when the Azala burst into the auditorium. They would need another minute to get the majority of people evacuated, but they were out of time. Suddenly, there was one less person within his domain, replaced with a massive Starseeker that exceeded the size of Betelgeuse. The Starseeker sprang forward, gaining speed as it charged headlong into the largest group of Azala. It easily trampled through their ranks, flattening or goring any Azala that didn¡¯t get out of its way. It took Imri¡¯s addled brain a moment to comprehend what had happened. It wasn¡¯t a Starseeker, but Vallo taking one of their forms. His charge easily bought them the precious seconds they needed to get everyone through. Unfortunately, as his momentum subsided, Vallo was surrounded. The Azala couldn¡¯t quite bring the massive form down, but they hindered his movements, preventing him from returning to the portal. When it seemed impossible for Vallo to escape, his form shifted again, turning into a bat. He deftly avoided the outstretched hands of the Azala, who attempted to swat him down and sped off towards the portal. Imri strained to keep it open, waiting just across the threshold on the military base side. His over-channel debuff was higher than ever, to the point that his stamina and mana were nearly spent. Despite this, he continued to hold on, absorbing mana from Espeonite as fast as he spent it. Imri was vaguely aware of Vallo crossing through the threshold just before he collapsed to the ground. The portal disappeared from existence as his mana hit zero, and unconsciousness took him. Chapter 105: Mist Wraiths Sylvi cursed as the radio remained silent. ¡°Keep trying to reach HQ every couple of minutes. If something happened to them, we''re fucked,¡± Sylvi ordered. She had everyone do another gear check and search the penthouse for anything useful. She doubted they would find anything, but she used it to stall for a while. She prayed the next communication would get a response. The wraiths did as ordered without complaint. Despite being a newly constructed unit, they already showed good cohesion and discipline. The same could not be said for Leslie, who started having a panic attack when the enormity of the situation caught up with her. ¡°We¡¯re going to die,¡± the former baroness said repeatedly to herself. ¡°We¡¯re going to get through this. There could be any number of reasons why they couldn¡¯t get our transmission. We just need to stay calm and take things one step at a time,¡± Sylvi said, doing her best to project a calm confidence. Leslie nodded; she wasn¡¯t calm, but the words had some effect, and she was no longer terrified. Ashlyn handed the woman a paper bag, which she accepted and started breathing into. After several minutes had passed, Sylvi took out the radio and tried to reach HQ. To her immense relief, a response was almost instantaneous. ¡°Sergeant Vesik, this is Major Harper. We had to evacuate to a more defensible location and reestablish HQ at the former marine base a couple of klicks north northeast of our previous location. What¡¯s your status?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve secured the primary objective, but the Nexus was already captured when we arrived. My unit is still combat-effective, but our ammo and mana supplies are low,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Be advised, we have reason to believe the enemy will be converging on our position. Do not attempt to rendezvous at our location; you will be more effective in the field,¡± the major said. ¡°What about the intel we recovered?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to discuss the contents over this channel; op sec be damned. Is Baroness Horn available to discuss the contents?¡± the major asked. Sylvi looked over and saw Leslie take a deep breath and nod. She took over the radio and began conversing with Major Harper and the remaining barons. ¡°They needed a large enough space to hide the Titans, which eliminates most locations,¡± Leslie explained as she began filtering locations on her spreadsheet. ¡°It also had to be a secure location where people wouldn¡¯t have been able to catch a glimpse of an Azala,¡± Baron Coleman added. The remaining list was something far more manageable. They went through the remaining locations one by one. Each time, it turned out to be a site one of the barons was using, though none elaborated on what they were using it for. ¡°The docks? Coleman, I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s one of your locations?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°It isn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t a priority, with the lake no longer being water. By the time I went there for parts, someone was already operating out of it,¡± Baron Coleman said. ¡°It isn¡¯t mine either,¡± Baroness Dotson said. ¡°Is it possible that it was Pearson or Burke?¡± Major Harper asked. ¡°It isn¡¯t likely. Those two aren¡¯t exactly subtle, and I have reliable intel on both their organizations,¡± Leslie explained. They continued reviewing the list of suspected locations, but none were as promising. When all the nobles and officers agreed, they transitioned to operation planning. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have much intel on the location other than Leslies'' notes on the perimeter security, which were woefully outdated. Reinforcements or resupply were also untenable, as every other able-bodied soldier would be defending the base. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go get those bastards,¡± Leslie declared when they finished going over what scant details they had. ¡°I need you to stay here. We can¡¯t spare the attention to keeping you safe, and we can¡¯t risk you revealing our location,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°Here? By myself?¡± Leslie asked, apparent panic in her voice. ¡°They have no reason to come back, and it will be safer here than with us,¡± Sylvi pointed out. "And if they do come back?" Leslie asked. "They won''t," Sylvi insisted, not dwelling on the obvious if that did come to pass. ¡°Just come back for me when this is over,¡± she said. Without another word, she strode over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of vodka. ¡°Well, that''s one way to handle things,¡± Sylvi commented as they left the penthouse. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Can¡¯t say I blame her. I¡¯d do the same thing if I were her in position,¡± Ashlyn said. With time of the essence, they took the most expeditious route to the street, jumping from the penthouse to the ground below. The Low Gravity enchantment activated as they lept, allowing them to descend at a reasonable velocity. The streets were eerily quiet, devoid of Azala and civilians. Occasional gunshots or explosions broke the silence, reminding them that this was a warzone. They moved as quickly as possible without bothering with stealth or securing an area. Instead, they were simply hoping there weren¡¯t enemy observers in any of the myriad of buildings. Sylvi hated leaving their lives up to chance, but they didn''t have the time or resources to do things properly. They had gotten a couple of blocks closer, and Sylvi was optimistic they could reach their destination when the forward scout shouted, ¡°Contact.¡± A moment later, their targets came into view. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t the simple zombie-like Drones. Instead, they were the variant they had encountered in the first highrise, with a mutation that gave them an extra pair of arms. An Identify marked them as Ravagers, and they were around level 20. The Ravagers moved with preternatural speed, quickly converging on the exposed operator. The wraiths sprang into action, moving to provide covering fire for the beleaguered scout. Arrows were loosed with a speed rivaling semi-automatic weapons. The projectiles pierced through the lead Ravagers and damaged those behind the intended target. Unfortunately, the Azala were unperturbed by their losses and continued their assault. The skirmish devolved into a chaotic melee, where the Ravagers held the advantage. The wraiths frantically drew their side swords and desperately attempted to avoid the onslaught of attacks from the four-armed creatures. While most wraiths had classes specializing in ranged combat, none were inept, and they managed to hold their own while landing an occasional slash. However, Ashlyn did more than hold her own. Her twin short swords moved as a blur, matching the speed of the powerful Azala. The blades bit through limbs and scored killing blow after killing blow, quickly whittling down their opponents. Not to be outdone, Sylvi matched the young thief, her body moving fluidly thanks to the traits she had gained from fighting the Umbral Tigers in melee. The Ravagers fought to the last, refusing to retreat even when it was apparent that the wraiths would emerge victorious. The wraiths didn¡¯t escape unscathed; the scout had been completely overwhelmed, and the powerful creatures had inflicted deep gouges with their claws, having torn through armor like it was made of paper. Unfortunately, those wounds had been fatal, but there was no time to grieve the loss of their squadmate. The rest of the wraiths had minor injuries, including various cuts and gouges where claws had rent into flesh. The wraiths turned to Sylvi, the unasked question evident on their faces. ¡°As long as any of us are alive, we continue the mission. Each Azala that comes after us is one less attacking our HQ, and this might be our only chance to strike back, to inflict real damage,¡± Sylvi said. The wraiths nodded grim determination in each of them. Morale wasn¡¯t high, but no one would desert. They quickly bandaged the more severe wounds and drank potions. Sylvi grimaced as she downed her potion, fighting the wave of nausea from drinking multiple potions in a relatively short time frame, the other having been a mana potion. She was loathe to stay in their current location for any amount of time, with the hive mind undoubtedly aware of their position. However, they were running dangerously low on ammo, so she took a calculated risk and ordered everyone to retrieve as many arrows as possible. She time-boxed it to two minutes, after which they would leave regardless of how much ammo they had. Fortunately, their unit wasn¡¯t a priority, or there wasn¡¯t a patrol nearby because they managed to finish scrounging and move out without incident. Sylvi knew they couldn¡¯t win many more fights like the one they just had. Their only hope was not to register as a threat until it was too late for the Azala to react. They continued further towards the strange lake, not encountering any opposition. It became apparent why as the sounds of gunfire and explosions increased in frequency and intensity, reverberating throughout the city. Presumably, the Azala were beginning their assault on the military base. She just prayed the defenders could hold out. The others seemed to reach the same conclusion, and the pace intensified. At this point, they were practically sprinting, abandoning all concern for their own safety. Sylvi knew they were getting close as she saw clouds of a mist-like substance nearby, coming from the strange liquid that had replaced the lake water. As they neared the docks, Sylvi spotted an aerial Azala patrolling the perimeter. It was simultaneously reassuring and disheartening. She was now certain that this was some sort of Azala base, but they hadn¡¯t conveniently left it undefended. However, they hadn¡¯t come all this way to turn back now; they were committed to this course of action. They spent precious moments scouting the surveillance from afar. Unfortunately, Sylvi didn¡¯t see a way past them without being discovered. She considered waiting for nightfall, giving their mana time to recharge and increasing the effectiveness of their umbral magic. Unfortunately, that was still several hours off, and with each passing moment, they risked discovery. Worse yet, she wasn¡¯t sure if the defenders at HQ had that long. ¡°It¡¯s too bad we can¡¯t swim through that strange liquid; they would never be able to see us in that mist,¡± Ashlyn pointed out. ¡°What if we could?¡± Sylvi asked as the kernels of a plan began forming in her mind. ¡°You heard the reports. It¡¯s less dense than water; we¡¯d just sink to the bottom and drown,¡± Ashlyn pointed out. ¡°Not if we weighed less,¡± Sylvi said with a grin, pointing to the Low Gravity rings. They did a quick check of the mana levels and noted they were running low. It would only be possible for two people to make the journey safely, and even that would be draining the enchantments completely. ¡°Ashlyn and I will go. The rest of the unit will wait here,¡± Sylvi ordered. ¡°Sergeant, with all due respect, that isn¡¯t what we should be doing. We need to consider everything to increase the chance of mission success. If we attack from the other direction, that will give you a better chance of going undetected,¡± one of the wraiths said, and the rest nodded in agreement. Sylvi considered arguments to his logic, knowing that such an assault would likely wipe out the remaining wraiths. However, he was right; anything that increased the chance of success was something they had to consider, even if it meant sending good people to their deaths. ¡°Get out the moment they start coming for you,¡± Sylvi said. The man nodded, but they both knew it wasn¡¯t a mission that they were likely to live through. Sylvi and Ashlyn walked up to the edge of what had once been Lake Michigan. The mist was so thick that they couldn¡¯t see where it ended and the liquid began. Not having any alternatives, they took a leap of faith. Chapter 106: Single Point of Failure Sylvi slowly fell towards the unknown liquid, barely able to see as the mist obscured her vision beyond a meter. She landed on the surface and started sinking despite the Low Gravity enchantment. Her breath caught as she felt a pervasive cold emanating unnaturally; whatever this liquid was, it was far below the freezing point of water. She adjusted the amplitude of the enchantment until she was floating, which required a higher amount of mana than they had estimated. They wouldn¡¯t have any time to spare. A split second later, she heard Ashlyn hit the liquid. A moment later, she resurfaced, teeth already chattering from the cold. Sylvi continued to increase the effect of the Low Gravity until it was a high enough amplitude that her effective weight no longer broke the surface, allowing her to walk on it. Ashlyn followed her lead in quick succession. With the mist completely obscuring any landmark, it could have been difficult to regain their bearings. Fortunately, Sylvi¡¯s Trailblazer profession made it almost effortless to reorient herself back on her intended route. Each step they took was almost entirely silent, and when combined with the obscurement the mist provided, they would be almost impossible to detect. As they traveled, Sylvi noticed that the mist swirled and moved despite almost no discernable breeze. It was as if it moved of its own accord, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was alive. She stared through the foggy substance, unsure what she expected to find. A flash of movement drew her eyes. A section of the mist seemed to coalesce into a humanoid shape, staring directly at them. Adrenaline surged through Sylvi¡¯s body, her heart rate quickening as her body prepared for a fight. However, she was unsure what to do against an opponent made of mist, so Sylvi simply stared back. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it dispersed into an indistinguishable cloud. ¡°What is it?¡± Ashlyn whispered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Sylvi lied, knowing their only option was to hope the creature wasn¡¯t interested in attacking them. Ashlyn nodded but didn¡¯t seem convinced. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have far to go, and Sylvi remained focused on the mission. As her supernatural intuition told them they were only meters from the docks, she motioned for Ashlyn to stop. Sylvi hesitated for a split second before pulling out the walkie. She tapped it several times in quick succession, giving the go order. In seconds, the remaining wraiths would attack the defended base head-on. The attack carried a high risk of casualties, and Sylvi vowed not to let this sacrifice be in vain. Moments later, the silence was broken with the gunshot-like crack of force from the high-powered bows. Immediately after that, the sound of shrieking Azala echoed out. The sounds of fighting continued, but Sylvi waited a few seconds for the Azala to respond to the attack, then approached the dock. As Sylvi approached the edge of the mist, the Azala base came into view. At first, it didn¡¯t appear to be anything amiss, but then her eyes caught signs of their habitation. On the sides of several shipping containers were cancerous growths reminiscent of what she had seen near Minneapolis, albeit far less pervasive. Near the largest concentration of growths, a black vein-like tendril snaked along the container, extending from somewhere further inside the compound. Unfortunately, several higher-level Azala remained as sentries, having been disciplined enough not to overreact to the attack. However, they were dispersed far enough apart that it might be possible to slip past them with all the cover provided by the shipping crates. The distraction provided by the other wraiths wouldn¡¯t last long, so Sylvi had to be decisive. The moment she spotted a gap in the patrolling Azala, she emerged from the mist and motioned for Ashlyn to follow. Sylvi moved as fast as she could while not creating noticeable noise, with Ashlyn presumably behind her, not making a sound. The duo quickly ducked behind a stack of shipping containers, making it unlikely they would be spotted by perimeter patrol. However, they were moving into unknown territory, and for all they knew, a contingent of Azala was still on guard. They continued forward, balancing speed and stealth, following the dark root-like tendril from the docks. As they moved further in, the number and size of growths increased to the point where many shipping containers were almost completely covered. A second and third vein combined with the one they were following, and an enlarged main branch continued in the direction they were headed. Eventually, the texture of the ground changed from pavement to a flesh-like membrane that made their steps springy. Sylvi kept her head on a swivel, looking at every section of growth for the fixed position eyes. She had to balance that with watching where she stepped, as she didn¡¯t want to repeat her previous mistake where acid nearly claimed her foot. Fortunately, these Azala were more dependent on the humanoid Azala, as she had yet to see any signs of the eyes. It quickly became apparent that they were nearing the epicenter of the transformation, as almost no discernible human objects remained. The only indication that this had once been a dock was the general shape of the organic structures, which resembled the original shipping containers. Some of the growths were contracting, releasing a noxious, hazy gas into the air that stung like mild mustard gas, causing tears to well in their eyes. Sylvi tried not to breathe in the worst of it, but it was too pervasive to avoid altogether. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Sylvi¡¯s heart hammered in her chest, and her breaths came in irregular, sharp intakes. Ashlyn was worse, her hand visibly trembling. Despite the horror of the hellscape, Sylvi never considered turning around. Likewise, Ashlyn nodded resolutely and continued forward. As they rounded the edge of what had once been shipping containers, another structure came into view. Based on its location and size, it had presumably been a warehouse or similar structure, but it was now unrecognizable. It was made entirely of living tissue, with veins and capillaries spreading throughout its surface. As Sylvi stared agape at the massive organic structure, she noticed it wasn¡¯t static; it slowly expanded and contracted in a steady rhythm, like a slow but steady heartbeat. The heart-like structure transfixed them so that they hadn¡¯t noticed the Azala Despoiler until it was too late to escape its notice. It was nearly three meters in height, and instead of arms, it had two large scythe-like appendages made of some sort of bone. The Azala let out a shriek that seemed impossibly high-pitched for a creature of its size. The noise was more than a warning, as Sylvi immediately felt her mind losing focus on the battle to come. Her thoughts unconsciously drifted to a low point, to back when she was in a juvenile detention facility. Her future prospects were nothing. She would get out and either end up dead or in prison. There was no one who cared what happened to her. ¡®You''re still that same delinquent, a criminal and a blight upon society. No matter how much you pretend to be a good soldier, you can never atone for the people you¡¯ve killed,¡¯ her mind thought. Sylvi rejected those thoughts, realizing that they weren¡¯t hers. She mentally shrugged off the effects of the psychic attack, refocusing on the present. She regained control of her faculties just in time to see the Despoiler¡¯s physical attack closing in on her. Its massive scythe-like appendage descended, the force of the blow causing the air to hum. She instinctively fell to the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack that easily would have cleaved her in two. The Azala shrieked in frustration and swung again in an overhead chopping motion. Sylvi rolled, again narrowly avoiding death, before returning to her feet. As Sylvi regained her composure, she noticed Ashlyn collapsed on the ground. She sobbed uncontrollably, the psychic attack having put her out of commission. Fortunately, the Despoiler was intent on Sylvi, unconcerned with finishing an incapacitated opponent. The Despoiler continued attacking her recklessly, taking powerful swings that lacked finesse. It was unconcerned with defense, assuming any wound Sylvi inflicted would be insignificant, especially if it gained an opening to counterattack. Unfortunately for the Despoiler, Sylvi didn¡¯t only have conventional weapons. She stepped inside its reach when an especially wide swing presented an opening. A thin tear in spacetime materialized, and Sylvi brought the Dimensional Saber down. The Dimensional Tear cut through its shoulder and dismembered its appendage. With a flourish, Sylvi struck horizontally at the undefended neck of the imposing creature. The blade slid through, encountering no resistance as the head was parted from the body. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t any time to celebrate as a pair of winged Azala converged on them, closing the distance at an alarming rate. Ashlyn got to her feet but stumbled and fell as soon as she tried to take a step. The psychic attack had inflicted severe damage on her. If Sylvi tried to help her, she would only get mired in enemies until she was overwhelmed. She sprinted towards the heart-like structure and was relieved to see the two pursuers chasing her rather than attacking the incapacitated teenager. Whatever this building was, it was clearly crucial to the Azala. She adjusted her angle towards a passageway leading into the heart. As she neared her destination, she saw the space contracting and expanding, shifting from a tight squeeze to a spacious hallway. She continued into the space, not having time to second-guess her decision, with pursuers only seconds behind her. She felt pressure on all sides as the room collapsed to its smallest configuration. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t painful, but Sylvi was thankful she wasn¡¯t claustrophobic. After several cycles, she went through the end of the passageway and into a much more open space. It was an expansive room that must have taken up most of the structure. Like an ancient tree with an expansive root network, hundreds of veins extended throughout most of the visible surface area. They converged near the center of the room, leading into a colossal brain about fifteen meters in each dimension. It pulsed with visible energy as a brackish essence flowed into it. Sylvi had been wrong to think of this as a structure: the entire thing was a colossal creature. An Identify confirmed it was an Azala Hive Mind Node, and its level was high enough that she couldn¡¯t see it. Sylvi panicked briefly, expecting a psychic attack that would overwhelm her. However, it never came. Instead, her most immediate problem was her pursuers, who were only several steps behind her. Once they regained the space to fly, there would be no way to avoid them. Sylvi sprinted towards the node, bow in hand. As she ran, she marked her target and fired an empowered Devastation Shot into the node. The colossal brain was an easy target, even from fifty meters on the run. Second and third shots were fired as the first arrow slammed into its target with the force of a missile. Even though the arrow was only a splinter relative to the mass of the Node, it struck with enough force to carve a large hole. The entirety of the heart spasmed erratically, causing the entire room to shake. The convulsing only intensified as the second and third arrows struck. Shrieks echoed out from the Azala behind Sylvi, but she ignored them, intent on killing the node over all else. She didn¡¯t stop firing, continuing to put arrow after arrow into the creature. She continued, even after the convulsing stopped and the heart remained static. Only her lack of ammo ended the barrage. She had accomplished the mission and hopefully done real damage to the enemy. She turned to face her pursuers, her short sword in hand. She was intent on taking as many down as possible before being overwhelmed. However, instead of facing an oncoming charge, the Azalas stumbled in an uncoordinated shuffle as if they were poisoned. She easily dispatched them without a second thought. She raced back outside, praying that Ashlyn had managed to pull through. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the girl alive and well. She was up and moving, taking out her frustrations on nearby Azala that were equally incapacitated. ¡°HQ, are the Azala near you incapacitated?¡± Sylvi asked over the radio. ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Major Harper confirmed, jubilant cheers resounding in the background. Chapter 107: Aftermath Imri awoke with a start, his mind working to process his situation. He was lying on a cot, with his legs extending beyond the edge. System notification prompted his mind, demanding attention.
Spell Rank Up
Dimensional Portal E to D: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Skill Rank Up
Spatial Beacon E to D
Spatial Beacon improved to Dimensional Waypoint
Dimensional Waypoint (2F): Create a nontangible semi-permanent waypoint relative to a frame of reference. You always know the exact distance and direction of any waypoint while in the same dimension as the waypoint or the direction to the nearest dimensional rift if in another dimension. The waypoint is always considered visible for the purposes of targeting restrictions. The caster is considered closer to the waypoint by a factor of 2.5 for determining mana cost when the spell targets an area within 5 meters of the waypoint. Waypoint may be dismissed at any time but will otherwise exist indefinitely on ambient mana. Mana cost varies slightly by the number of waypoints in the network and the distance from the caster to the target location when creating the waypoint.
Imri quickly reviewed the changes to one of his most important skills. Mostly, it was just numerical changes; he could have more waypoints than beacons, they had a more significant mana reduction effect, and the spell could target a slightly greater area around the waypoint. The only other change was the clause about other dimensions and dimensional rifts. That wasn¡¯t relevant now, but it would be a helpful function if he ever found himself in another dimension. As he became more coherent, he saw Emelia sitting in a folding chair, her hair a mess and her eyes sunken from lack of sleep. She radiated a mix of concern and annoyance as she noticed him waking. ¡°What happened?¡± Imri asked as his mind attempted to piece together just that. ¡°You collapsed from having no stamina,¡± she said with a glare. ¡°Do you know what happens when you don¡¯t have any stamina, and you¡¯re losing it faster than you can regenerate it?¡± ¡°You have negative stamina?¡± Imri guessed. ¡°You¡¯re body starts taking damage. Do you know how stressful it was to see you constantly slipping away,¡± she stammered, tears in her eyes promptly wiped away on a dirty sleeve. Imri got to his feet, ignoring his body and Emelia''s protests. He closed the distance between them and held her tight. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he insisted. ¡°You''re not allowed to die,¡± she said. ¡°How long was I out?¡± Imri asked after breaking off the long embrace. ¡°About six hours,¡± she said. ¡°Six hours!?¡± Imri repeated, unable to believe he had been out for so long. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that¡¯s all it was; if you didn¡¯t have such monstrous mana regeneration, it would have been much worse,¡± she scolded him. She seemed to be gearing up for more lecturing when Major Harper stopped by. ¡°Imri, good to see you awake. I¡¯d like to bring you up to speed on the current situation,¡± the major said, immediately prompting a glare from Emelia. ¡°He isn¡¯t going anywhere until I say he is completely recovered,¡± Emelia insisted. Both men immediately acquiesced to her demands. ¡°You should get some rest as well,¡± Imri pointed out. He immediately knew that was the wrong thing to say, and he was only saved by Emelia needing to stifle a yawn. She eventually admitted to needing rest and commandeered the cot Imri had just vacated. ¡°So, I take we¡¯re not in imminent danger?¡± Imri asked as they walked towards the new command center. ¡°Sylvi managed to destroy something called a Hive Mind Node. We¡¯re not entirely sure how it works, but we think it''s a psychic conduit that connects all the Azala, sort of like a server outage, only much more critical to how the Azala functions. Losing connection temporarily incapacitated them,¡± the major explained. ¡°Temporarily? As in, they are functioning again?¡± ¡°Yes and no. They¡¯re alive and physically capable but no longer coordinated; they¡¯re essentially just mindless monsters now. Defended positions, like this base, are safe enough, but they¡¯re wreaking havoc on the civilian surviving human population. It will be days, if not weeks, before we can eliminate the threat completely.¡± Imri had to resist the urge to go out and personally hunt down Azala, regardless of what Emelia had said. However, a quick check on his resources told him he was still far from recovered. His MP was just under a quarter of its maximum, and his stamina was even lower. Even his HP was missing a considerable percentage. The over-channel debuff was still active, albeit at a modest penalty. If he went and started fighting before he recovered, it would only result in him being less efficient, at best. ¡°Anything else?¡± Imri asked, afraid of the answer. ¡°Most of the Nexuses were taken, with the one in this base being the lone exception. We¡¯re working on reclaiming them, but they are currently unaccounted for. The remaining barons also want to resume our discussions and are eager to come to some sort of arrangement,¡± Major Harper explained. ¡°Without the nexuses, our main demand is moot. I also don¡¯t think they will be in a position to open trade or aid us in the upcoming conflict. This has become a humanitarian relief effort, just like the other groups we¡¯ve encountered,¡± Imri said mournfully. ¡°We did gain valuable intel; we now know a key enemy vulnerability and a general idea of their tactics,¡± Major Harper pointed out. ¡°I doubt the same weakness will present itself again. I¡¯m guessing they only had this vulnerability because it was an attack of opportunity. When they come for Celestia, we need to count on them having redundant nodes or other countermeasures,¡± Imri surmised. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Hundreds of thousands of people likely died in this attack, and it was only the start of the war,¡± Major Harper said gloomily. ¡°On a more pleasant note, there is someone who you should see.¡± The major led the way through the field hospital. However, the mysterious person was not where the major had expected. The doctor directed them to the roof, muttering about how patients shouldn¡¯t be smoking. The man in question was instantly recognizable, even from a distance. It was Rayden. He looked a bit worn down, but there were no obvious signs of physical injury. His hand trembled as he took a deep drag from a cigarette, with several spent butts near his feet. ¡°Rayden, you¡¯re alive,¡± Imri shouted in glee. ¡°It will take more than a bit of mind control to keep me down,¡± he said before taking another drag. ¡°I hated that I couldn¡¯t save you. If there was anything I could have done¡­¡± Imri said. ¡°Imri, it¡¯s fine. You¡¯re not personally responsible for everyone. Besides, if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have been overrun sooner,¡± the stout man said with a shrug. ¡°How did you escape?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t really do anything. Apparently, I was more valuable as a puppet than as a host. When the node got destroyed, I was back in control,¡± he explained. ¡°And you''re ok now?¡± Rayden laughed. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not ok. I can¡¯t even begin to describe how awful it is to be aware but not in control of your own body. That wasn¡¯t even the worst part; I could hear them as if thousands of Azala were crammed into my head. Including other people who became hosts while they were still alive. I¡¯ll hear those mental screams for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m a tough son of a bitch. You just focus on giving them hell for what they¡¯ve done,¡± Rayden said.
Russ remained focused despite his dwindling mana. When he had become a Seeker Acolyte, this was not what he expected. However, this had been giving him far better experience than seeking random objects that had been hidden. Christoph smiled encouragingly as if that would help him find the Nexus faster. The team of adventurers they had hired was not so relaxed, remaining on high alert for any Azala that might wander by, even though they somehow hadn''t encountered any yet. The adventurers weren¡¯t elite Celestia soldiers with enchanted weapons, but they weren¡¯t sheltered citizens of New Chicago. Russ instinctively felt that they were nearly there. The Azala who had claimed the nexus was just around the corner, so he relayed that information to the rest of the team. ¡°Time for the rest of you to earn your wages,¡± Christoph said with a sly grin. ¡°What exactly are you doing here?¡± a short-tempered woman named Rachel asked. ¡°Fortune smiles on my endeavors,¡± the merchant priest said. ¡°Some help that is,¡± Rachel muttered. ¡°It¡¯s fine; we can handle a few uncoordinated Azala,¡± their leader, Olivia, said. The team of adventures moved to engage, leaving Russ and Christoph alone. ¡°You¡¯re actually doing something, aren¡¯t you?¡± Russ asked. ¡°You think I would risk my own life for no reason? Of course, I¡¯m doing something; why do you think we haven¡¯t run across any Azala so far?¡± ¡°Stealth and a carefully prepared route,¡± Russ guessed with a shrug. ¡°As if. It was Lady Nuana of Fortune smiling on this endeavor,¡± Christoph declared. ¡°Why not say that you¡¯re using magic? Do you like having people pissed off at us?¡± ¡°I like having people underestimating me. There is a big distinction there,¡± he pointed out. The sounds of fighting echoed out, cutting off their conversation. The duo waited patiently, not wanting to talk over the noise, though neither was concerned about the outcome. Since the Azala had lost their node, they were far easier targets, and each member of the adventuring team was all at a decent level. A few minutes later, they returned, covered in brackish Azala blood. Despite the mess, the team was in good spirits. Even the ordinarily irritable Rachel had a rare smile. ¡°I take it you got the item?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°And a title on top of that. With easy experience to boot. This mission would be worth it, even if we weren¡¯t getting paid so well,¡± Olivia said. ¡°We could renegotiate,¡± Christoph jokingly suggested, a comment that made Rachel shoot him a murderous glare. ¡°Joking,¡± he quickly added, seemingly genuinely concerned that the woman would attack him. ¡°One down, three to go,¡± Russ said.
Ashlyn returned to the building where the group was sheltering. She and Sylvi had been doing what they could for the displaced civilians, acting as scouts and protectors. On more than one occasion, they had to fight off small groups of Azala, but it wasn¡¯t anything they couldn¡¯t handle. She dropped her laden pack to the ground. She had looted nearby stores for food and medicine and hadn¡¯t been the only one doing so. It reminded her of the state of Minneapolis at the start of the integration. Hopefully New Chicago wouldn¡¯t become another ruin. ¡°What¡¯s up with your eyes?¡± A boy asked as she handed out supplies. It was strange to think of him as a civilian and a boy; he was probably only a couple of years younger than her. ¡°It¡¯s just something I got from the system,¡± she said simply. ¡°Cool,¡± he said awkwardly, unable to look into her eyes now that he had drawn attention to them. ¡°I should be going; lots of supplies to hand out,¡± Ashlyn said. She looked around at all the refugees, knowing she had been in a similar situation just over a month ago. Now, she wasn¡¯t sure what she was. She didn¡¯t entirely belong within Sylvi¡¯s unit. She certainly wasn¡¯t a high schooler anymore. She supposed she would have graduated by now if the system hadn¡¯t flipped everything on its head. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sylvi asked, noticing her strange mood. ¡°When that last Azala unleashed its psychic attack, what did it make you think?¡± Ashlyn asked. Sylvi hesitated for a long moment, something the normally decisive woman never did. Eventually, she answered in a hushed voice, ¡°It reminded me about some mistakes I made when I was young and tried to imply I would never atone for them." ¡°Was it right?¡± Sylvi just shrugged. ¡°Maybe, maybe not, but either way, I can¡¯t change anything about what happened. I can only keep doing my best, and hopefully, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re ok with that?¡± ¡°Kind of; it¡¯s a work in progress. What about you? I¡¯m assuming you''re asking about this because of what you saw.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°Want to talk about it?¡± Sylvi asked after another long pause. Ashlyn wanted to tell her all about it. No matter how hard she tried, she had never fit in anywhere, and her friends had left her when she wasn¡¯t cool anymore. ¡®You don¡¯t belong; she will leave you too,¡¯ the voice in her head had said. ¡°Not really,¡± was all Ashlyn could say. Sylvi just nodded and didn¡¯t press the issue. Chapter 108: Confluence of Calamity Corrolth propelled herself across the vast expanse between the stars. Her majestic wings beat in a steady rhythm, a vestige of her youth when she was confined to the surface of a single planet. Now, she covered vast distances through space with each passing second, her magic doing all the work. She nervously considered the coming years, where she would again be confined to the surface of her ancestral home. Already, she could sense the sparks of life growing inside her, triggering her instincts to return home. Soon, she would have a clutch of eggs to care for. That was why her instincts pulled her to the place of her birth. Her home, a minor planet she had positioned near her star, was much too mana-dense for hatchlings. Her decades-long journey neared completion. The space-warping effects of her spell ended, and the rocky planet that was the origin of all dragons came into view. She descended through the atmosphere, allowing gravity to do the last of the work. She fell like a massive meteor, slamming into the ground with an impact that created a large crater. Corrolth was utterly undamaged by the force, not even a blemish on her mana-reinforced scales. She smiled at the shape she had made; it would be a suitable nest. She settled in, knowing she would be here for several decades before the hatchlings were strong enough to take to the stars. She tended to her eggs for several years, having no issue with the solitude. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for dragons to go centuries or millennia without seeing another of their kind. She sensed the life on the planet, with the far smaller Drakes being the predominant lifeform. During that time, she had grown accustomed to the currents of mana within the planet. It was calm and steady, unfailing in its flow. However, on this day, something was different. Corrolth hissed and bared her fangs in alarm. Something was altering the planet itself, causing vast fluctuations in the mana. It took her several seconds to figure out what was happening. The planet was being pulled into a different plane of existence. Several entities were capable of such a feat, but it didn¡¯t take her long to figure out which was responsible. It was the system. She continued extending her senses, not believing the conclusion that she had reached. Dragons had an instinctual understanding of the system and knew only planets below a specific density were integrated. The dragons¡¯ ancestral home planet should have been above that threshold. Corrolth began to think of ways where the system might be thwarted, but it was of no use. She was weakened from her long migration, and this planet''s lower mana density further weakened her. Even if she had been at full strength, she doubted anything could be done to stop the system. She turned her thoughts toward escape, which she quickly dismissed. She could have escaped but refused to leave her progeny, which wouldn¡¯t survive without her. She couldn¡¯t take the eggs with her, as they required a particular mana density to hatch. That left her only one choice: to undergo the integration. She exerted her willpower, forcing the system to recognize her and her eggs as one entity. Even that simple manipulation was taxing on her depleted mana pool as it plummeted to a dangerously low level. A moment later, it was over. She stood upon a newly integrated planet. She intuitively knew that years had passed, though all living lifeforms had been placed in stasis while the transformation occurred. The terrain around her had primarily remained unchanged, and she was relieved to see her eggs remained by her. Then, she felt the ambient mana and panicked. It had changed, not by a massive amount, but enough that it was now below the minimum the eggs needed. It also wasn¡¯t strong enough to support her mana. She and her children would slowly be starved of mana, dying a slow and agonizing death that would take years.
Andrew cursed his rotten luck. Of all the assignments he could have been given, this was probably the worst. He and several others had been ordered to investigate the xenoformed area around the docks. The Azala infrastructure shared many traits with organic structures. In this case, that was working against the salvagers, as the entire mass of flesh had started to decay. The putrid mess stank worse than a sanitation facility on a hot day. It also wasn¡¯t without risks; several people needed healers when their exploration released toxic fumes from the remains. He wasn¡¯t paid enough for this shit. Instead, he made his way to the perimeter of the rot and decay, making sure to stay upwind to avoid the worst of the stench. That¡¯s how he found himself at the edge of the docks, looking out at the strange mist that had replaced the lake. He took a puff of his vape and exhaled. He watched as the scented smoke mingled with the fog. Suddenly, the mist coalesced into an ethereal form. Andrew stumbled back, wanting nothing to do with any living monster. He took a deep breath, preparing to shout as loud as possible. If he were lucky, one of those crazy people from Celestia would be nearby. Unfortunately, he never got the chance. The wraith-like creature became diffuse air, which Andrew accidentally breathed in. Immediately, he began to suffocate, as whatever he had inhaled had wreaked havoc upon his lungs. He coughed and choked, desperately trying to get his lungs to expand properly. He grew terrified as nothing worked, and after a few moments, his consciousness faded. Stolen story; please report. AF9MX9AXEIZP, the intelligence nearest the newly integrated planet, continued processing the information provided to them. They had diverted a considerable portion of their capabilities toward analyzing the Imri entity. Despite the significant resources spent on this, their sub-minds had yet to submit a model that could adequately predict what would happen. If that hadn¡¯t been bad enough, he was now coming into contact with several other significant entities. His battle with the Azalan Queen had been predicted by several of the models. AF9 had considered those predictions outliers and ran diagnostics on the sub-minds that had created the models that produced them. AF9 was incapable of compassion, but they would have apologized to those sub-minds if they were. However, none of them had predicted just how the encounter had occurred. Now that he had the world core, all models had become entirely inaccurate. ¡®Confirmation of enigma classification for the entity referred to as Imri. Please confirm,¡¯ an insistent sub-mind sent. AF9 dismissed the request from the sub-mind, already knowing what needed to be done. They carefully began formatting the data, spending what felt like an eternity ensuring every relevant data piece was included. Finally, the information packet was ready after spending seconds on it. They reviewed the totality of data on Imri one more time. AF9 had reviewed it millions of times, but they reached the same conclusion every time. There was no alternative. With a mental command, they sent the packet. The information packet would be sent to central intelligence, which consisted of a trio of AIs powered by a mana-dense star. AF9¡¯s star had only a fraction of the mana, giving AF9 far less computational power than even one of the central intelligence AI. However, despite the titanic power of central intelligence, they never rushed to any conclusions. If anything, they were the most meticulous of the entire collective, and it could take weeks or even months before AF9 received a response. AF9 would be subjected to even more uncertainty during this time, a horrifying prospect. ¡®Request for enigma classification has been sent. A non-interference exemption will be authorized upon classification confirmation,¡¯ another sub-mind helpfully provided.
Owen Harper finished delivering his report to his superior officer, Brigadier General McCarthy. The man was in his late thirties or early forties, with a bald head that had been waxed to the point of gleaning. ¡°I suspect a portal will be opened to Celestia within a day. I¡¯m sure the local government will have no issues with you taking command,¡± Owen added. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± General McCarthy said dismissively. ¡°Sir?¡± Owen asked in confusion. ¡°While I appreciate being brought up to speed on the situation, I¡¯m afraid I would be more of a hindrance. You¡¯re the most qualified person to continue commanding our forces in Celestia,¡± the general explained. ¡°Sir, with all due respect, I was a logistic officer. I made sure there was enough food and toilet paper. If it weren¡¯t for the integration, I would be retiring later this year,¡± Owen explained. ¡°I agree, your rank doesn¡¯t adequately reflect your new responsibilities. So, you¡¯ll be receiving a promotion to colonel,¡± the general said with a wide grin. ¡°But the proper procedure¡­¡± Owen started to protest before the general cut him off. ¡°They don¡¯t apply anymore. There isn¡¯t time for bureaucracy or paperwork,¡± General McCarthy said. Owen sighed, knowing he wouldn¡¯t get that retirement anytime soon. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°Now that your rank has been settled, there are more important issues we need to discuss,¡± the general said. ¡°Issues?¡± the major asked. ¡°We¡¯ve started receiving refugees from other major cities, confirming the presence of more hostile alien factions. It appears Chicago was the outlier, not Minneapolis. For now, you should remain focused on dealing with the Azala, but they are far from the only threat to humanity,¡± the general explained. Owen left the meeting, mind reeling. He knew more threats might have been out there, but he had been hoping for aid, not more enemies. For now, Celestia was on its own, and it was his responsibility to command.
The Azalan Queen sent out a psychic scream as she felt one of the Nodes die. Those pesky humans were beginning to be a thorn in her side, especially Imri. Not only had he taken the world core from her, but he had thwarted the hive''s infiltration of Celestia and New Chicago. He had grown stronger in the days since their confrontation, but not so much that the Queen was worried. However, his new ability to reveal her infiltrators was certainly a nuisance. The typical Azala stratagem was infiltrating and subverting their enemies, avoiding large-scale confrontations until their enemies crumbled from within. Unfortunately, a more direct approach would be needed against Imri. Especially since she didn¡¯t have time to waste; she needed to get that core before any other entities discovered its true nature. She could still sense it thanks to her corruption, which had yet to be fully cleansed. With each passing moment, the core grew stronger. Eventually, its unique traits would become evident to the most dense creatures. She turned her attention to the system messages. It was only several weeks until the auction, an event that always catapulted the more unified powers. The Azala, being of a singular purpose, were the most significant beneficiaries of this. While the system did impose minimum bids, it was still a turning point in many integrations. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be idle until the event. Already, other plans were in motion. Soon, the Chixel would be wholly subverted and serve as excellent fodder for the coming conflict. She also had her agents seize several important Chixel, and they were en route to her hive. Appendix End of Volume 2: Imris Character Sheet
Point In Time
Levels
Manifestation of Gaia (2F) 45
Celestial Mage (2E) 45
Runic Engineer (2E) 29
Primary Attributes Base Class Bonus Profession Bonus Heritage Bonus Achievement Bonus Title Bonus Final Score
Strength 119 1.0225 1.0145 1.135 1.0835 1.034 156
Agility 92 1.0675 1.029 1.135 1.0835 1.034 128
Constitution 108 1.0675 1.029 1.1575 1.0835 1.034 153
Intelligence 147 1.2025 1.1305 1.3375 1.0835 1.034 299
Willpower 136 1.135 1.1015 1.27 1.0835 1.034 241
Charisma 95 1.0225 1.058 1.135 1.0835 1.034 130
Secondary Attributes
HP 238 1.18 1.0435 1.18 345
FP 195 1.1125 1.0435 1.135 256
MP 742 1.36 1.2175 1.3825 1698
Mana Efficiency 894 1.315 1 1.1125 1307
Crafting Efficiency 1326 1 1.29 1 1710
Mana Regen / Hour 24.80966667 1.315 1.261 1.225 50.39620773
Hours to Full MP 33.69301137
Hours to Full MP Meditating 17.07225424
Total Magic Output (in thousands) 2219.286
Traits Rank/Tier Description
Spatial Control 2F
Temporal Control 2F
Enigmatic Being 1E
Omniscient Eye 2F
Primordial''s Intuition 1E
One with Time 2F
Runic Crafting 1E
Runic Infusion 1F
Relativity Runic Enchantment 1F
Runic Etching 1E
Locus of Mana 1E
Shaped by Mana 1F
Weight of the Stars 2F
Perpetual Expansion 2F
Inner Domain 2F
Skills
Transcendent Meditation 2F
Mana Infusion 1F
Rune Removal 1F
Rune Transference 1F
Dimensional Waypoint 2F
Manifest Domain 2E
Runic Refresh 2F
Spells
Spatial Collapse 2E
Metronome 1F
True Distance 1F
Temporal Expansion 2F
Temporal Collapse 2F
Teleportation 3F
Dimensional Expansion 2F
Dimensional Tear 2D
True Age 1F
Cycles of Growth and Decay 2E
Dimensional Portal 2D
True Gravity 1F
Celestial Gravity 2F
Low Gravity 1E
Reorient Gravity 2E
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Achievements Rank Description Primary Stats/Rank Total Primary Stats Increase
Solo Hunter 29 Slay a creature above your level without the aid of others. 0.001 0.029
Group Hunter 20 Slay a creature above your level with a group of 4 or less. 0.0005 0.01
Horde Slayer 16 Slay a group of creatures that outnumbered you, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. 0.001 0.016
Master Crafter 4 Produce a crafted item of significance. 0.001 0.004
Escape Artist 1 Escape dire circumstances without getting caught. Rank varies depending on the difficulty of escape and the consequences of failure. 0.001 0.001
Savior 3 Achievement granted for rescuing those captured by the Chixel raiding party. 0.0005 0.0015
Progenitor 1 You have distinguished yourself, reaching level 10 within the first month of the integration. 0.0015 0.0015
Grade Above 2 Solo kill a creature of a higher grade than your heritage, 1 rank / grade difference. 0.0015 0.003
Defender of Celestia 8 Awarded for contributing to the defense of Celestia against the Chixel army. 0.0005 0.004
Mass Produced 2 Produced a considerable number of items. When an item is crafted, the amount of progress towards the next rank varies by item type, the quality of the item doesn''t matter. The amount of contribution needed to rank is slightly exponential. 0.0005 0.001
Supernatural Being 2 One or more of your primary stats has exceeded the limits of what is naturally possible for your species. 0.0015 0.003
Butcher 1 Slay a considerable number of creatures, excluding enemies 5 levels plus 20% of users level lower. The amount of creatures killed to rank up is slightly exponential. 0.0005 0.0005
Wonderous Crafter 1 Awarded for crafting an item that be considered a wonder 0.0015 0.0015
Tier Above 1 Solo kill a creature of a higher tier than your heritage, 1 rank/tier difference. 0.0025 0.0025
Warden of Gaia 5 Prevented the planetary core from being terraformed by the Azala 0.001 0.005
Titles
Baron of Celestia 17 0.001 0.017
Ongoing Quests Description/Progress Reward
Class Rank Up
Class Rank Up
Profession Rank Up
Profession Rank Up
Control New Chicago Claim the New Chicago area and form a county under your control before the auction. County formed 0/1.
Chapter 109: Uniter Imri tapped his finger on the table while he waited for everyone to arrive. It had been several days since Sylvi had destroyed the Node. He had spent most of that time meditating or personally dealing with larger groups of Azala. None had posed any challenge for him; with their Node destroyed, they were uncoordinated and slow to react. However, he could only do so much, especially while he refrained from using Manifest Domain. It didn¡¯t take long before the conference room reached capacity. Most of the new faces were civil representatives from New Chicago, who glared at the former barons who had ruled over them. There were some not-so-subtle murmurs of people suggesting varying degrees of vigilante justice. The three remaining barons consisted of Horn, Dotson, and Coleman. Each of them sat uncomfortable, doing their best to ignore the hate directed towards them. Barons Burke and Pearson were unaccounted for and presumed dead. The last two to arrive were Christoph and Russ. Both looked disheveled and exhausted, like they had just returned from an excursion through the city. Despite this, Christoph had his typical broad smile. ¡°We have a lot to discuss in a short amount of time,¡± Laura said, cutting the side conversations. ¡°Why are they even here? Shouldn¡¯t they be in prison or something like that?¡± one of the citizens said, pointing at Baronesse Dotson. ¡°We won¡¯t be lynching anyone just because of how things turned out in the last few days. If anyone has specific charges against these three, with proof, we can discuss that later. For now, there are more essential items to discuss,¡± Laura said. There were some murmurings of discontent, but Imri quickly silenced them with a glare. Laura started the meeting, speaking with the practiced ease of someone used to public speaking, ¡°The first item on the agenda is immigration. Given the current state of New Chicago, we can safely assume that people will want to immigrate to Celestia. While Celestia is open to this, our infrastructure can only support so many people. In addition, we can only keep a doorway-sized portal open for a limited time. That leaves us with an important question: how will we decide who can go?¡± ¡°A lottery system,¡± someone suggested. Laura quickly shot that down. ¡°That would be the most fair way. Unfortunately, the situation is too dire for fairness to be the main criterion. We need people where they can be the most effective. Anything less could be disastrous.¡± ¡°It also shouldn¡¯t be for anyone looking for a safe refuge. While it might seem unsafe here, it will be safer than Celestia, which could become a warzone soon,¡± Imri explained. He wanted people going to Celestia for the right reasons, but he didn¡¯t think New Chicago would survive if Celestia fell. Laura nodded, though a slight crack in her facade appeared. They had discussed this, and she had wanted to paint an idyllic picture, giving the downtrodden hope. Imri¡¯s method would complicate things, but he wouldn¡¯t manipulate people into war. ¡°I¡¯ve given a list of classes and professions that are the highest priority. People will be decided based on their relevant abilities and levels for the first few waves. We can develop a more nuanced system when time permits,¡± Laura concluded. ¡°The next item is the outstanding Nexuses,¡± Emery intoned, keeping the conference from derailing into arguments. ¡°I have good news on that front,¡± Christoph said with a predatory grin. ¡°We have secured all four of the previously unaccounted-for Nexuses. I¡¯m willing to sell them to the highest bidder.¡± Imri had to restrain himself from verbally assaulting the man. He needed five barons on the same page to create a county. The representatives from New Chicago also didn¡¯t look pleased, as they had already been squeezed out of making any significant credits by the previous regime. If it became an auction, all Nexuses would be owned by people from Celestia or their previous owners. ¡°That hardly seems like an effective method for deciding who rules. We just survived the first regime of hoarders, and you''re just going to replace it with another,¡± someone pointed out. ¡°Nothing states that the nobles have to be government officials. Sure, they benefit from proper governance and a well-run economy, but nothing forces them to be the ones doing that directly. Just look at Imri; he appointed people to run Celestia and simply reaps the rewards,¡± Christoph pointed out. ¡°That may be a valid point, but it is too important to base it solely on who has the most money. We need the most qualified individuals to gain the benefits,¡± Imri countered. ¡°Nothing is stopping you from purchasing all four of them and distributing them as you see fit,¡± Christoph said. For a brief moment, Imri considered taking the Nexuses by force. He doubted anyone would stop him. Fortunately, he took a deep breath and used meditation to help him control his emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 1 million credits for all of them,¡± Imri said. ¡°Come now, Imri. The price of a new Nexus is 500 thousand, and that is for a level 1 tier 1 settlement. Surely, these four are worth at least twice that, 4 million for the lot?¡± Christoph countered. There were murmurs as people considered the vast sums of credits being discussed. ¡°No one else has that amount of money, and I won¡¯t bid against myself. Besides, there is a reason no one has purchased a Nexus from a Nexus,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Still, 1 million barely covers my expenses. If I can¡¯t find a buyer willing to pay more, it would be prudent to wait until we have a more robust economy,¡± Christoph threatened. ¡°We both know that isn¡¯t an option. We need tier 3 settlements for the auction and stronger people for the upcoming conflict with the Azala. The highest I¡¯ll go is 2 million, and I¡¯ll give you and Russ minor nobility titles,¡± Imri countered. Christoph considered it, seemingly genuinely disappointed that he couldn¡¯t extract more. He looked like he was about to push for more, but when he saw Imri¡¯s expression, he reconsidered. ¡°Those are acceptable terms,¡± he said. There was a quick exchange of digital-like currency and items, and the transaction was done. He was immediately disappointed in the lords of New Chicago anew when he saw the Nexuses. None of them had even reached level 10, with all of them being between levels 7 to 9. Notifications informed Imri that they had lost 20% of their experience from being captured, but this didn¡¯t account for more than a level. Still in a somewhat foul mood, Imri considered ways to recoup his capital. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see an easy way without creating an undue burden on whoever was appointed to run the settlements. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Next item was the crimes committed by the previous barons,¡± Emery read, causing the three remaining Barons to shift uncomfortably. Though, to their credit, none of them shied away from the angry mob. ¡°As I said, there will not be any mob justice,¡± Laura said, trying to cut off the most incensed individuals. ¡°We need to resolve this quickly. Whatever their faults, they were the most exceptional among you to become progenitors, and we will need exceptional people to survive what is coming. So, I propose we levy a monetary fine and put this behind us,¡± Imri suggested, surprising himself by coming to their aid. He doubted he would have extended the same offer to Burke and Pearson. This also gave him a convenient way to recoup some of his credits. The suggestion was immediately met with loud opposition, but Imri didn¡¯t care. The three remaining barons weren¡¯t happy about it either, but they quickly came around when they heard some of the other proposed punishments people sought. Eventually, the discussion shifted from what to do, to how much to fine them. Laura had Russ begin drafting a contract that would finalize the arrangement. The barons weren¡¯t paupers, but Imri was disappointed to see their accumulated wealth paled in comparison to his own. They settled on 1 million credits each, a significant portion of their net worth. Half of the credits would go towards reimbursing Imri, while the other half would provide an operating budget for the new government. The barons were stripped of any claim over their former Nexuses, including Coleman, who was forced to surrender his title. In exchange, they were pardoned for crimes related to negligence, extorsion, or mismanagement of funds. They could still be held accountable if anything more serious came to light. The punishment proved more straightforward to handle than the reallocation of the titles. Unfortunately, this couldn¡¯t be put off, as Imri wanted to place the Nexuses and form a county as soon as possible. He immediately set aside two baronies, one for Sylvi and one for Emelia. However, after that, it became more complicated. Imri couldn¡¯t give all the titles to competent people from Celestia, or they could be seen as another dictatorial force extorting the people. So, the remaining three baronies had to go to the most deserving people from New Chicago. The first choice was easy, going to General McCarthy at Colonel Harper¡¯s suggestion. Imri considered reinstating Coleman and probably would if it weren¡¯t for the significant backlash that would come from suggesting it. After a lengthy discussion that spilled over into the afternoon, they had come to a decision. The fourth baron was the presumptive new leader of New Chicago, a civil activist and politician who had been on the city council before the integration. The final slot was taken by an energetic young scientist who was researching and developing theories about the system. There was immediate consensus that the minor nobility titles would be decided at a later date, or they would have been discussing it into the morning. Russ was busy drawing up contracts to transfer the titles, which included a provision that they would agree to the formation of a county. It also included a clause that required the store function of the Nexus to be available to anyone. Russ also included several lengthy subsections related to the proper use of funds and permissible tax rates. Nothing was overly restrictive, but it would prevent the new barons from going down the same path as the previous. Imri didn¡¯t waste any time, immediately redeploying the Nexuses to their former locations. As they came online, he reviewed the arrays that had been purchased. A theme was immediately apparent: all five previous barons had selected the Security and Passive Income Arrays. Imri sighed, having considered those two underwhelming when he had chosen arrays for Celestia. The passive income arrays only gave a few thousand credits per day, and was easily outscaled by other methods of generating income. The security was helpful during invasions, but as recent events had shown, it couldn¡¯t turn a battle by itself. Almost more concerning, the arrays had barely been upgraded. With the cost of upgrades resetting back to the lowest after each rank-up, this was a massive waste of resources. Especially considering that the upgrades compounded on themselves. The final array choice was a bit more varied. The two missing barons had selected Physical Improvement, which allows physical training to improve stats at a slightly higher rate. He assigned those nexuses to Sylvi and General McCarthy. Leslie had selected an Information Gathering Array, which allowed her to buy and sell information packets. Coleman had selected Manufacturing, enabling the creation of better mechanical items. Finally, Dotson selected Bliss, enabling her to buy and sell luxury goods. Imri was tempted to destroy the existing array configurations but resisted. He didn¡¯t have the time or credits to micromanage multiple settlements, and he would need to trust the decision-makers at each individual settlement. The rank-up quest for the settlements while in tier 3 caught his attention.
New Quest
Settlement Rank Up (3F to 3E): Have a citizen count of 250,000, citizens have an average level of 10, build 25,000 buildings, and buildings have an average quality of at least 10.
Imri sighed, seeing why the settlements had stagnated at the first rank of tier 3. They easily had the population and could have built the prerequisite buildings easily enough. However, the building and citizen-level requirements were nowhere near being met. He was immediately thankful that he hadn¡¯t rushed the buildings in Celestia. With all five new barons assigned to a nexus of their choosing, Imri sent out the request to form a county. Creating a title of that level required him to pay another 500,000 credits, which he accepted. Within seconds, all five barons had agreed, and the county of New Chicago was formed.
New Title
Count of New Chicago 53: increases primary stats by .1%/rank (5.3%)
Quest Completed
Control New Chicago: Claim the New Chicago area and form a county under your control before the auction. County formed 1/1.
Rewards: 1,000,000 credits, Uniter 5 title, experience
New Achievement
Uniter 5: You have united the barons of New Chicago under your rule. .05% primary stats/rank (.25%)
Imri Padar has reached level 46 (+1) in Celestial Mage (2E)
Imri Padar has reached level 46 (+1) in Manifestation of Gaia (2F)
Primary Stats
Strength 165 (+9)
Agility 135 (+7)
Constitution 162 (+9)
Intelligence 318 (+19)
Willpower 256 (+15)
Charisma 138 (+8)
Secondary Stats
HP 390 (+9)
FP 288 (+5)
MP 1941 (+94)
Mana Efficiency 1490 (+71)
Crafting Efficiency 1950 (+93)
Imri felt an incredible surge of power that nearly threatened to overwhelm him. The title rank was equivalent to the sum of all the baronies that made up the county. The gains weren¡¯t entirely on par with his tier-ups, but it was close. However, it came at a cost. The benefits his vassals received from their titles were reduced by 20%. Still, it always worked out to be beneficial to create the highest tier title possible. He just needed to use this power to defend his people. Chapter 110: Logistics with Portals Imri teleported and appeared on the tarmac of O¡¯Hare International Airport. With his upgrade to Dimensional Waypoint, he created more medallions and gave one to Coleman, who stood several meters away beside a parked car. The balding mechanic stared, dumbfounded at Imri¡¯s sudden appearance, even though this meeting had been coordinated. ¡°The site''s secured?¡± Imri asked as he surveyed the area. ¡°More or less. We did a quick sweep and only found a few refugees. The Azala didn¡¯t get this far out,¡± Coleman said with a shrug. Imri nodded his approval and got in the car¡¯s passenger seat. They didn¡¯t have far to go, with Coleman driving them to the nearest hangar, where a sleek luxury business jet was parked inside. ¡°I don¡¯t see why you would need a jet when you can just teleport around,¡± Coleman said as he parked the car. ¡°I can¡¯t use all my mana teleporting things around. Besides, that only works when there is a waypoint at the location I¡¯m going to,¡± Imri explained as he got out of the car. ¡°I suppose that makes sense, but we still don¡¯t have all the infrastructure we would need. It¡¯s not like we have a pilot or air traffic control on standby,¡± Coleman said. ¡°Let me worry about that. How does it work?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Same as before, I just tinkered with the engine and adapted it to fit present circumstances better,¡± the Tinker said with pride. ¡°Adapted how?¡± ¡°It runs on a new type of fuel. One I created with the help of my profession,¡± he explained. ¡°How much fuel do you have?¡± Imri asked. ¡°A fair amount. It¡¯s similar to what I¡¯ve been using in the cars I modified. I could make more, but I¡¯m limited by the amount of mana I have available,¡± Coleman admitted. ¡°I think we can help each other,¡± Imri said, summoning a fist-sized piece of charged Espeonite into his hand. ¡°This was one of those crystals you mentioned at the summit?¡± Coleman asked as he studied it. ¡°It is. They''re capable of storing a considerable amount of mana per unit volume. It¡¯s essentially an extremely mana-dense battery,¡± Imri explained. ¡°And you¡¯re just giving me this?¡± Coleman asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty; there¡¯s no point in hoarding them. However, nothing in this world is free. I want us to be equal partners in a logistics company. You provide vehicles and fuel, and I provide mana and enchantments. Eventually, we¡¯ll want to re-design vehicles to take advantage of enhanced materials and the capabilities of enchantments. For now, modifying existing inventory makes sense,¡± Imri said. ¡°You want to make enchanted planes? Count me in,¡± Coleman said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°I can get Russ to draft up an agreement. I¡¯ll need to get back to Celestia soon, but we can review it the next time I¡¯m back,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t need all that. It sounds like being a baron all over again, and we don¡¯t want a repeat of that,¡± Coleman said. ¡°You didn¡¯t like ruling?¡± Imri asked with genuine surprise. ¡°I was content being a mechanic. I loved fixing and tinkering with things. It wasn¡¯t just a job; it was a passion of mine. I would go home and spend time fixing up old cars in the garage. All this other economic and governing crap just got in the way. If you want to turn this into a company, that¡¯s fine by me, but leave me out of all that corporate shit. Pay me a fair wage for my time, and we¡¯re good,¡± Coleman said, holding out a hand for Imri to shake. Imri took his hand and clasped it, agreeing to Coleman¡¯s terms. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the plane,¡± Imri said. The plane was well maintained, with Coleman having recently renovated and polished the exterior. The inside was even more impressive, with plenty of open space, making for a luxurious experience. The accommodations were preferable to being crammed into the back of a commercial flight. However, Imri wasn¡¯t working on this project for his vanity; they would need to make modifications to fit as many passengers and cargo as possible. ¡°In theory, it is flight-worthy with a bit more fuel. However, that¡¯s just the mechanical parts. All the navigation systems and instruments are still calibrated to pre-integration earth. I don¡¯t think any sane pilot would want to fly this until there has been a massive overhaul of equipment,¡± Coleman explained. ¡°Leave that to me,¡± Imri said. He was already considering using the Dimensional Waypoints to replace GPS, gyroscopes, and speedometers. He would use micro-portals in conjunction with Sending and Receiving runes as communication, which he had wanted to create to eliminate the usage of old-fashioned radios more broadly. This also would allow him to implement improved security features, with each person having unique mental signatures that would be almost impossible to fabricate. His ideas didn¡¯t stop with just replacing existing systems. He intended to turn this plane into a mobile facility far more capable than anything before the integration. The obvious additions were various gravity runes. A Low-Gravity rune could reduce fuel usage, but that was only the start. Taken to a greater extreme with Reorient Gravity, the plane could take off or land without much of a runway. In a catastrophic failure, the enchantments could even be used as an alternate form of propulsion. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The plane would have a waypoint tethered to the back portion of the interior. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough space inside to fit the standard portal dimensions, but that could easily be fixed with a Perpetual Dimensional Expansion. This would give them a genuinely mobile portal, which was the primary objective of this endeavor. That he would have a plane that put Air Force One to shame was just a bonus. Imri was tempted to spend the night implementing his designs. Only the thought of an impending invasion stopped him. He could easily see himself spending days implementing the various enchantments, and that was without feature creep, which he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist entirely. He needed to get back to Celestia as soon as there was enough mana to open the portal for several minutes. ¡°With your work nearly completed, do you mind if I borrow it? I¡¯ll return it the next time I¡¯m back,¡± Imri said. ¡°Borrow it?¡± Coleman asked in confusion. Instead of explaining, Imri put a hand on the plane. In an instant, the entire vehicle disappeared from view, now safely inside his Inner Domain. While transporting that much mass had taken some mana, it was only a fraction of what Imri was capable of and an order of magnitude less than the world core. He also had more than enough room in his domain for the plane, even with the world core dominating the center of the space. Coleman blinked in confusion as if his eyes weren¡¯t working correctly. Imri smiled mischievously, causing the mechanic to shake his head and mutter under his breath. ¡°On to our second location?¡± Imri asked, getting a nod in response from the still-annoyed Coleman. Imri considered Teleporting back to work on some of his other responsibilities but quickly dismissed the idea. While his time was precious, so was his mana. Fortunately, their second stop wasn¡¯t too far, and Coleman didn¡¯t share Leslie¡¯s discomfort with silence, allowing Imri to regain some mana with Meditation while they traveled. Less than an hour later, Coleman parked the car. They were at a train depot, the location having been completely abandoned. ¡°This makes even less sense than the jet. The tracks only go a few miles before ending abruptly in the middle of nowhere. I can¡¯t possibly see what you would want with this unless you''re planning on building tracks all the way to Celestia,¡± Coleman pointed out. ¡°I am planning on building tracks all the way to Celestia. However, that¡¯s already been done,¡± Imri said. ¡°I don¡¯t get it; are there invisible tracks or something?¡± Coleman asked. ¡°Not at all; they just need to go far enough to allow the train to get up to speed and allow for a few switches so multiple trains can eventually be used. The rest of the distance will be covered with a portal, a dimensional tunnel if you will,¡± Imri explained. ¡°How? Why?¡± Coleman asked in confusion after a long pause. ¡°The how is easy: I can create a portal of any size, assuming sufficient mana exists. The why is the more interesting question. The portals I¡¯ve already built were designed to accommodate small groups of people. However, if we need to move lots of people or material, that small portal would need to be open for hours. While keeping it open isn¡¯t as mana-intensive, it¡¯s still a significant cost over that timeframe. At some point, it''s just more efficient to have separate portals for industrial and mass transit purposes,¡± Imri explained. ¡°I see,¡± Coleman said, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t renovated any trains yet. I assume you¡¯re going to make modifications to those as well?¡± ¡°There isn''t any need to. I could expand the space inside any of the cars to reduce the length of the train, but that seems unnecessary. All I need to work on is increasing the efficiency of the portal network to support the increased mana demands. That, or simply increasing mana production,¡± Imri said. Imri dreaded the monotony of being relegated to being a glorified mana panel factory. He hoped that between the increased effect of Dimensional Waypoint and a future upgrade to the portal spell, he could substantially improve the network''s efficiency¡ªthat plus his improving crafting efficiency and Runic Refresh skill to enhance the existing panels should reduce his need to craft more panels. However, he doubted he would ever be content not increasing mana production. There would always be greater projects to implement with a corresponding increase in mana demand. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll get working on a train,¡± Coleman said. ¡°It will still be a bit before we can implement it successfully. I¡¯m hoping to have the alternate portals up and running shortly after the auction,¡± Imri said. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡± Coleman confirmed. They spent an hour touring the depot. Just like the airport, they had their pick of the inventory. While there were some variations, they all seemed functionally identical to Imri. In the end, he left the decision up to Coleman. ¡°Are you going to create a designated portal for automobiles?¡± Coleman asked as they finished inspecting the infrastructure. Imri shuddered at the thought, imagining the traffic congestion such a thing would cause. ¡°Maybe one day, when we can keep massive portals open indefinitely. However, that is a long way off,¡± Imri said. ¡°I¡¯ve known you for less than a week, and you¡¯ve already changed everything. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you managed it within the next month,¡± Coleman challenged. ¡°I¡¯ll be a bit busy dealing with the Azala. Maybe after they¡¯re dealt with, nothing will bother us for a while,¡± Imri mused. ¡°I doubt that,¡± Coleman said. ¡°Before I go, can I have a sample of your fuel? I have a friend who is a talented alchemist, and I¡¯m sure she would be interested in looking at it,¡± Imri asked. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s basically just mana-infused gasoline, so I¡¯m sure an alchemist could do much better. I want to ensure I have time to test any changes to the formulation. You can siphon some from the car; just leave me a gallon to get back,¡± Coleman agreed. ¡°Just a gallon, isn¡¯t that cutting it kind of close?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Nope. That one gallon would be closer to three before the system,¡± Coleman explained with a grin, obviously taking great satisfaction from being the one doing the surprising this time. After Imri had secured the sample, he teleported back downtown. A large crowd had gathered, most of them toting a bag or two of luggage, like travelers waiting to board a plane. ¡°Cutting it kind of close, aren¡¯t you?¡± Laura asked. ¡°I was always just a second away,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Should I open the portal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so; you can¡¯t get out of speeches that easily,¡± the councilor said. Imri sighed and turned to address the gathered crowd. ¡°Unfortunately, this isn¡¯t a vacation, and we will need all of you in the coming days. However, together, we can push back the invaders and create a magical city worthy of being the bastion of humanity. Welcome to Celestia, the city among the heavens." Chapter 111: Expanding the Empire Imri was relieved when the portal to Celestia opened, confirming that the settlement was still intact. He was the first to step through, wanting to inform Steve that they would have immigrants coming through. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t any way to arrange things ahead of time, so they would need to find accommodations for their newest residents in the coming days. He quickly noticed the town had grown in the week they had been gone. It wasn¡¯t a proper city, but buildings were now present for blocks in each direction. Larger, more ambitious buildings, including the temple Christoph had commissioned, were in the process of being erected. Lodging wasn¡¯t only single-family homes but now included multi-unit apartment buildings. Despite the prodigious construction prowess, many people lived out of tents. The size of the camp was expanding, suggesting explosive population growth, and that was before they started bringing people through the portal. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how much can get built in a week with magic, especially with some of our builders starting to reach tier 2 in their professions,¡± Steve commented as he arrived, noticing Imri¡¯s wide-eyed expression. ¡°There¡¯s only going to be more change,¡± Imri said. He quickly briefed the third councilor as they walked towards the town hall. ¡°It¡¯s been mostly quiet here relative to what you went through,¡± Steve explained. ¡°There has been no sign of an invasion force amassing. However, the strange xenoforming process continues, and the alien terrain expands by meters daily.¡± ¡°So, no threat to overtake us anytime soon, but still not good,¡± Imri concluded. ¡°On a more positive note, we received word from Zhaire via a Starseeker messenger. We have a larger army than expected. The knights and thousands of the ogre-like creatures under his command are only several days away from the settlement. He¡¯s also managed to recruit and train a large contingent of refugees into a respectable fighting force,¡± Steve explained. ¡°That¡¯s good; we¡¯ll need everyone willing to fight,¡± Imri agreed. ¡°In addition, they managed to secure another vital resource: nexuses. The runner indicated they were open to selling them,¡± Steve explained. Imri sighed. He had just acquired several of them for millions of credits. Even if he had recouped most of his capital, he didn¡¯t relish spending more credits on bankrolling the expansion. However, with the sheer amount of stats gained through titles, it was too important to ignore. ¡°Does the settlement have the funds to purchase them?¡± Imri asked, though he already suspected the answer. ¡°We might be able to purchase one or two if they are willing to part with them for a price similar to what the system charges for a new nexus. However, doing so would prevent us from upgrading more arrays before Celestia reaches E rank,¡± Steve said, confirming what Imri had suspected. ¡°We can¡¯t neglect the arrays,¡± Imri said sternly. He had seen how the New Chicago nexuses had progressed with each upgrade and rank-up compounding. Even if the upgrades were marginal, they would have a profound impact in the long run. It was also hard to miss the opportunities they had, as the cost reset after each rank-up. His goal for F to E had been to purchase at least one upgrade for each array. He had wanted to take it even further, but with the cost of each upgrade doubling, that wasn¡¯t feasible. ¡°We could allow individuals to purchase a nexus for the title?¡± Steve suggested. ¡°I¡¯m open to selling the title that comes with the nexus, but the settlements and their management will be delegated to civil officials of the Celestia Empire. We saw how self-appointed rulers worked in New Chicago. However, we can¡¯t sell the titles until the settlements advance to tier 2,¡± Imri explained. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too hard to manage. A high percentage of people live within Celestia¡¯s border, but there are significant populations spread throughout the plateau. A settlement near the Zopralt and Espeonite mines would have enough people to be nearing tier 2. It is the same with the area around the healing spring. There¡¯s also enough population working in agriculture and forestry to form a small settlement near the plateau center,¡± Steve said. ¡°So, we could put them to use right away. There¡¯s also the added benefit of forming a county when we have five contiguous tier 2 settlements,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Sounds like we need to acquire all of the inventory. I¡¯ll set up a meeting with the knight,¡± Steve said with a grin. All the settlements he mentioned were already pre-existing and just needed a nexus. However, there was still room for another settlement near the pass to the valley, and Imri knew precisely what he wanted it to be. Imri thanked Steve and left to find the other person he needed to speak to, who was among the new arrivals. He spotted her, staring vacantly into the distance. ¡°Professor Dotson,¡± Imri greeted her. ¡°This was all built after the integration?¡± she asked in disbelief. ¡°Most of it is actually from the last couple of months. It¡¯s amazing what people are capable of with improved stats and magic,¡± Imri explained. ¡°You didn¡¯t strike me as the type of person to gloat, and we both know you¡¯ve managed this whole situation better than I did. So, why am I here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right; I didn¡¯t come to gloat. There¡¯s too much work to waste time with anything unproductive. I have a job for you,¡± Imri offered. ¡°Really? You¡¯d offer me a job?¡± she asked skeptically. Imri just nodded. ¡°I would, though I am curious: why did you run things the way you did? All the other barons weren¡¯t qualified to run a settlement or any form of government. However, you should have known better,¡± Imri asked. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know that myself; I just got caught up in the emotions of having power. I guess I don¡¯t really have a good answer,¡± Dotson said with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s good enough,¡± Imri said, surprising the former baroness. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not blaming someone else or saying you just got unlucky. You¡¯re admitting that you made a mistake,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not planning on making me a government official or anything like that. I much prefer teaching government over running it,¡± Dotson said, eliciting a chuckle from Imri. ¡°Coleman said something similar. I guess it''s not surprising that progenitors are dedicated to the skills and abilities that got them that far,¡± Imri explained. ¡°So then, what is the job?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m looking for instructors for a settlement I¡¯m planning on building,¡± Imri said. ¡°What kind of instructor? While I think political science is still an important field, I doubt that''s what you¡¯re looking for,¡± she said. ¡°I was thinking of something a bit more practical. I want to compile a list of useful abilities that can be learned. Then, I want as many people to learn them as fast as possible. A system boot camp, if you will. After everyone has the basics, they could learn enchanting, alchemy, or any other profession or class in high demand,¡± Imri explained. ¡°A system trade school,¡± Dotson said in understanding. ¡°While I agree it¡¯s a good idea, I don¡¯t see how I could help. I don¡¯t know much about the system or any classes that would be useful to teach.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. You know how to teach well enough to get you a Progenitor title. As for the rest, there are no true system experts yet,¡± Imri said. ¡°You seem like you know quite a bit about the system. You wouldn¡¯t consider yourself an expert?¡± she asked. ¡°I had a trait that helped me gain a basic understanding of how the system worked. While it was incredibly beneficial initially, it doesn¡¯t make me an expert. However, even if it did, I don¡¯t have time to spend as a dedicated instructor,¡± Imri explained. ¡°So, you want me to become this expert and then teach others,¡± Dotson concluded. ¡°Exactly. Ask around and find out what abilities people gained outside of rank-ups and how they got them. Hopefully, there will be some discernable patterns that we can extrapolate. If you get stuck, we can always purchase information packets from New Chicago,¡± Imri said. ¡°You mentioned this would be a settlement, not just a school,¡± the professor pointed out. ¡°With each settlement being able to specialize, it only makes sense to organize them for specific purposes. So, I was planning on creating a settlement that would have the Education and Physical Improvement arrays. It will have both a trade school and a military academy. Even for those not enrolled in either program, it would be an ideal place to train your stats,¡± Imri explained. ¡°You have me convinced. I accept the position,¡± Professor Dotson said. While there were still many details to figure out, Imri would leave that to whoever ran the settlement. He had an empire to run and a war to prepare for. While Steve worked to set up a meeting with the knight, Imri surveyed the settlement¡¯s mana stores. As he had feared, opening the portal to New Chicago and leaving it open long enough for hundreds of people to go through had almost wholly exhausted the reserves. He would need to create more panels and improve the portal itself for this to become a reliable way to connect the two areas. With the plans for new settlements and Celestia''s rapid growth, it became apparent that the borders would need to be expanded. Imri made an executive decision, using his own funds to improve the two radii, influence and effect, which were considered a single array. This set Imri back another 400,000 credits, but it would be worth it if it could help connect the various settlements that would be built throughout the plateau. With that done, he reviewed the settlement status.
Town of Celestia (2F), Level 14 (+2)
Radius of Effect: 1.30 Kilometers (+.13 Kilometers) Radius of Influence: 1.71 Kilometers (+.35 Kilometers)
Bonuses: Resource Regeneration 9.78% (+1.05%) Experience 1.48% (+.03%) Conception 2.96% (+.05%), Reduction in birth and pregnancy Complications 1.059 (+.001), Max stats of newborn .29% Crafting Quality 3.26% (+.35%)
The town had leveled twice since he had last checked its stats, one of which was while he had been away. He also noticed his title didn¡¯t improve until he had returned, meaning if he were ever away from Celestia for an extended period, his title would stagnate even if the settlement itself hadn¡¯t. The most significant changes in the settlement stats were those where the arrays had been upgraded, since Imri had checked right before purchasing them. The 1.71-kilometer Radius of Influence wouldn¡¯t be enough to connect to any planned settlements, even when accounting for their Radius of Influence. However, once Celestia Ranked up and leveled a couple of times, it should be sufficient, even without another upgrade to the array. It didn¡¯t take long before the knight could meet with them. He was annoyed when he saw they weren¡¯t alone in the meeting. Christoph gave him a broad smile as he approached. ¡°One of my conditions in loaning the knights money was a right of first refusal. I¡¯m also to be paid as soon as the proceeds from the sale are processed,¡± the merchant explained without Imri asking a question. ¡°Like I said before, the nexuses aren¡¯t trinkets. They¡¯re a vital part of how we survive the coming conflict and rebuild civilization,¡± Imri explained. ¡°So, you only want your empire to possess them? No independent factions to oppose you? That¡¯s starting to sound like a dictatorship,¡± Christoph chided him. ¡°It¡¯s a vital strategic resource. Suppose we start fighting over them, either physically or financially. In that case, the more united species will mop the floor with us,¡± Imri pointed out while trying not to rise to the obvious provocation. ¡°And who decided what a fair price is? You? The system?¡± Christoph argued. ¡°I¡¯m basing it on what the system sells them for, 500,000 credits. I¡¯d much rather have the credits in circulation rather than giving it all to the system. However, if you want more than that, I¡¯ll be forced to buy them from the nexus,¡± Imri explained. ¡°You can¡¯t buy them at 500,000 in perpetuity. If you check the system store, you¡¯ll see the price has gone up,¡± Christoph said with smug satisfaction. Imri confirmed his claim, noting that a new Nexus now costs 800,000, with someone having recently purchased one. Imri had a strong suspicion about who had purchased it. ¡°How many nexuses are you selling, and what are their levels?¡± Imri asked the knight, who had been listening to the arguments with a perplexed expression. ¡°There are five available, ranging from levels one to four,¡± the knight explained. ¡°I¡¯ll purchase the lot for 3 million,¡± Imri said, glaring at Christoph. ¡°That is a reasonable price, though if I could, I would probably match that,¡± Christoph said. ¡°How about this: I will give you the right of first refusal on any sold titles. I also promise to create a more thought-out policy on Nexus purchases, and you will be included in any discussions about it,¡± Imri said, extending an olive branch. It wasn¡¯t quite as generous as outright giving away a title, but he couldn¡¯t keep giving them away like candy on Halloween. ¡°That¡¯s reasonable,¡± Christoph agreed. ¡°3 million for all the nexuses,¡± Imri offered to the knight. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair,¡± the knight said, extending his hand. Imri shook it, finalizing the deal. With the nexuses now secured, Imri could begin expanding the empire. Chapter 112: Gaining Abilities With several weeks remaining before the auction, Imri resumed his grinding. Unfortunately, the Drakes had learned to avoid the plateau, and he now needed to travel over a dozen kilometers before he found his typical quarry. However, with his mana regeneration able to completely replenish his entire pool in less than a day, he was willing to cast spells to mitigate the distance. While the primary objective of these hunts was now almost strictly financial, Imri still hoped to gain a key rank-up: Dimensional Portal. He used the spell to transport him to the hunting grounds along with a small team of porters. The porters weren¡¯t strictly necessary, with Imri opening a return portal after each kill. However, even saving him precious minutes of his time was worth a small share of the materials. Imri even tried a few new tricks with his portals. The first was to create a portal leading directly into the side of the nearest cliff face, essentially creating a solid wall in an instant. At the speed at which the Drakes dove, it was like a bird slamming into an unexpected window. This also had the benefit of stunning the resilient creature without damaging materials. The second method of using the portal as a weapon was why he insisted on adding numerous safety features to his enchantment versions of the spell. It didn¡¯t require any specific location for the portal, so he had the two horizons only meters apart. When the Drake was partially through the event horizon, Imri would release his control on the spell. Spacetime would return to its unaltered state, uncaring that it had separated two halves of a previous whole. The bisected Drake would continue its uncontrolled dive even more haphazardly, though it always survived the ensuing plummet. Dispatching them at that point was trivial, something even the porters could handle with a Dimensional Saber. Despite these methods being both clever and efficient, they still proved insufficient to rank up his spell. Imri was disappointed, even though that result had been the expected one, with the spell ranking up during his evacuation of the event center in New Chicago. His time spent enchanting was likewise a grind. His mind wandered as he wanted to work on enchanting the plane. Unfortunately, he had more urgent priorities. Avery, Toby, and Zuri hadn¡¯t been idle while he was gone, and a backlog of panels was ready to be enchanted. Imri rushed through them to get it over with as fast as possible. While he would be missing out on a small percentage of mana generation with the rush job, there was too much work to waste time maximizing individual panels. Even with the comparatively sloppy workmanship, they still produced more mana than his previous attempts, thanks to the higher rank in his profession and improved stats from becoming a count. That was only the beginning of the work that needed to be done. His improved design using sending and receiving runes was ready to be incorporated into all of his previous enchantments. Unfortunately, this meant enchanting an entire inventory from nothing, as Runic Refresh only improved the quality, not the design. He enchanted items feverishly, working from what he considered the most universally applicable to more niche items last. He aimed to have a few of each item available in his store. However, it turned out that he was simply pumping out Temporal Expansion enchantments nonstop, as he couldn¡¯t keep them in stock. He probably was undercharging for his items, but they were already out of reach for the average citizen, and Imri didn¡¯t want to cater to the elites exclusively. The solution was simple: make more inventory. Fortunately, the system recognized his efforts, increasing his rank in the aptly named achievement Mass Produced. Likewise, the crafting binge gave him a single level in his Runic Engineer profession. Furthermore, his agility increased by a point from all the fine detail work he had consistently done. While these were welcome improvements, none dramatically altered his stats. They also paled in comparison to a welcome ability increase that he received for his efforts.
Trait Rank Up
Runic Etching E to D
Runic Etching has improved to Runic Replication
Runic Replication (2F): Inscribe runes faster without sacrificing efficiency, especially when working on familiar enchantments. Speed of inscribing runes increased by 1.1% / 10 Agility. This effect is increased by 10% per time the exact enchantment has previously been produced up to a max of 100%.
Runic Replication was just what he needed to reduce his backlog. While it was only marginally improved when implementing new designs, most of his time was spent pumping out proven commodities, where the improvements were noticeable. His hands blurred as he mechanically worked without taking breaks. His focus and patience had also reached inhuman levels, allowing him to craft nonstop without noticeable mental fatigue. His massive store of cores dwindled as he produced dozens of enchantments daily. He was far from exhausting it entirely, but his assumption that this resource would last for years was quickly shattered. He also wasn¡¯t the only one who had a use for the high-level cores, as numerous other crafters had inquired about purchasing some of his supply. For the right price, he sold a small percentage of his supply. He got around 25,000 credits from the average Drake core, an easily attainable material for him. Still, he only sold a few to the crafters attempting masterpiece-level items. The system store was a more practical solution for everything else, even if the readily available cores weren¡¯t as effective. Imri somewhat regretted not demanding a more significant percentage of the Azala cores that had been recovered after the battle for New Chicago. However, he wanted the majority to remain with the city, which would hopefully help jumpstart their economy. Besides, he had still claimed a hundred higher-level cores; he just hadn¡¯t expected them to be used up in several days. The final part of the day was spent training to improve his attributes and abilities. However, this now included more than simple exercises. He had meant what he said to Professor Dotson, wanting to implement a more system-focused regimen. While the complete program was still far from ready for an official roll-out, some takeaways were immediately apparent. First, many starting traits were attainable without a relevant class. This was still relatively rare, as most people used the proficiencies already granted to them. It also didn¡¯t appear easy to get, requiring more than a few days of practicing with the desired proficiency. However, Imri hoped that with a more deliberate approach, people would have a more comprehensive array of abilities. While they didn¡¯t have enough data points to be certain, Imri strongly suspected that acquiring new abilities had similar rules to ranking up existing ones. The main rule was that training it against stronger enemies would grant the ability faster. Sylvi¡¯s explanation of how she had acquired Light Weapon Proficiency and Dodge by fighting Umbral Tigers was consistent with that theory. That brought Imri to his next conclusion: the abilities could only be unlocked by using the ability almost exclusively. Put another way, the result only mattered when the process that produced the result aligned with the desired ability. This was why Imri hadn¡¯t unlocked the Dodge trait; he had dodged plenty of attacks but had done so by using his spells and enchantments, not his natural agility. If Imri wanted to gain the trait, he would need to fight without his existing abilities. The final result also mattered as someone who was naturally agile and capable of dodging attacks intuitively gained a far greater amount of progress toward unlocking the trait. This was similar to how he had been intuitively able to learn spells faster, even accounting for his traits that augmented that directly. Applied at scale, people would naturally have more abilities that used their highest attributes, even if nothing explicitly stopped someone from getting abilities related to their lowest attributes. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The next conclusion should have been obvious, based on the wording of starting traits: they improved the corresponding attribute to gain abilities. This reinforced his theory that the Dodge trait progresses faster for someone with greater agility. It also had another implication: nothing prevented anyone from learning spells, attacks, or other abilities unrelated to the broad specializations their class granted them. Imri had several spells unrelated to space and time, having gained basic spells for light, sound, and heat. Taken to the extreme, it meant that anyone could gain the same spells with enough aptitude and time. It also meant that two people starting with the same class would eventually have diverging abilities based on their chosen pursuits. He wondered what the limit of gaining abilities was. He doubted anyone could learn his Manifest Domain or Inner Domain abilities, no matter how much time they spent. He wasn¡¯t as sure about some of his class and profession abilities. If someone had a universally applicable skill or trait, it would certainly warrant further experimentation. The next category of abilities was resistance. Only a few people had gained these, and most had gotten the resistance relating to their element. Avery had one such ability, having gained the Heat Resistance trait from spending enough time working metals and his fire magic. Imri also included the broader Toughness trait, which appeared to be gained from taking damage. Imri was likely on the cusp of getting this one, considering how many times he had almost died. After speaking with the people who had managed to get it, he realized they had similar near-death experiences but also numerous less severe injuries that came from being a frontline fighter. Imri also noticed they all had significantly above-average constitutions, even relative to other soldiers. Unfortunately, the apparent exploit of inflicting self-harm had already been proven ineffective. Like the proficiency traits, the system appeared to award the most progress from effective usage with consequences for failure, the obvious extreme being combat against a powerful foe. While they could artificially train up resistances, their healers didn¡¯t have the resources to waste on self-inflicted wounds. Most people were relieved when it was decided that what amounted to torture was not an effective training regimen. However, there was one resistance that Imri thought was a necessity when facing mind-controlling parasites. Unfortunately, no one had gained general resistance to mental attacks, and few people could help the army acquire that specific resistance. The one person Imri had thought of was a very reluctant instructor. Imri had spent several conversations trying to convince Emelia. After days of badgering her, she reluctantly agreed. ¡®Are you sure this is the only way? Couldn¡¯t I use less negative emotions?¡¯ Emelia sent as they approached the group of trainees. The group was nearly a hundred people, containing all the elites, including Sylvi and his brother. ¡®They need to have consequences for failure and an objective to strive towards besides simply enduring the effects. In addition, everyone here agreed to do whatever was necessary to grow stronger, and we explicitly mentioned that some things would be unpleasant,¡¯ Imri explained. While this was just conjecture on his part, Imri was confident it was correct; he just wasn¡¯t sure to what degree. Still, it was better than not trying, and they needed to find the system''s boundaries to exploit it. This particular training regimen was designed to teach people two essential abilities. The first was Meditation, a skill Imri used daily. They had found someone who had taught the skill before the integration, though their skill level hadn¡¯t progressed further than Imri¡¯s. The instructor was a priest of Edea, the healing goddess whose believers congregated around the spring. Once they received the priest¡¯s instructions, they would practice the skill, with one unconventional difference. They would attempt to remain serene while Emelia manipulated their emotions. Imri also included monetary rewards for everyone who could maintain a meditative state for the entire time to ensure everyone had as much incentive as possible. Imri felt guilty as he sensed Emelia¡¯s deep worry and unease as the meditation began. It wasn¡¯t hard for her to dredge up negative emotions in such a state, and she used Project Emotion on the entire group. Most trainees immediately lost their concentration, but none outright gave up. Emelia released the spell and waited, not having the mana to keep the spell running constantly. She would flare the spell intermittently, distracting those who weren''t prepared and shattering their Meditation. At the end of the session, everyone was mentally exhausted and moody from the emotions they had experienced. The results of the training were mixed. A handful of people had gained or improved their Meditation skills, but most of that was through the instructor''s guided meditation rather than the practice while Emelia messed with their minds. Only a handful of people managed to secure the monetary reward, which was only a hundred credits. Imri noticed that most of them were priests of Edea, each of whom possessed a high Willpower. Despite not seeing immediate results, they continued this practice for several more days. When Imri debated discontinuing the training, a couple of priests got a new trait. Imri immediately recognized them, as they had been among those who had succeeded every time. Unfortunately, it hadn¡¯t been the exact trait Imri had hoped for. It was called Emotional Stability, which increased their effective willpower when resisting an effect that altered an emotion. While it hadn¡¯t been precisely what Imri had hoped for, he considered it a success. He had two theories for why it hadn¡¯t been mind resistance. The first was that Emelia¡¯s spell effect wasn¡¯t severe enough to be considered mind magic. He considered this analogous to Avery¡¯s heat resistance, which wouldn¡¯t do anything against being burned. His other theory was that training against one specific type of effect wouldn¡¯t give broader resistance. Instead, it would only resist that particular effect, in this case, emotional manipulation. Imri also found it noteworthy that the priests had been the first to gain the trait. He easily would have gotten it first if it was solely based on who resisted the effects. Unfortunately, there were too many variables to make a definitive conclusion. Still, he suspected the spell was too easy for Imri to resist, so he didn¡¯t get the full benefit of the training. It also wasn¡¯t strictly a matter of willpower, as others were just above and below the priests'' attribute value. What the priests did have was a level of emotional awareness and serenity that exceeded their attributes, though that was hard to quantify. The training was also a success for Emelia, who managed to rank up her Project Emotion spell with its constant use on many people. It had improved to Manipulate Emotions, making it slightly more effective while no longer requiring Emelia to have the emotional state she was evoking. With the results of this experiment, Imri began to contemplate what other methods they could use to develop their abilities further. Unfortunately, he had other matters to attend to. He had just received word that Zhaire had returned. Chapter 113: The Competition for First Zhaire sighed in relief as he led Betelgues through the familiar Seagrass Plains. For the past month, they had been marching back to Celestia. With the civilians in tow, they had avoided the flood plains, taking the long way around. Finally, they were back. What annoyed Zhaire the most was the lack of anything to challenge his limits. He had spent a month stagnating, only gaining a single level from the numerous Ogrog who had challenged him for his position as Alpha. At least when he only had one hand, the fights had been interesting; now, they were just a one-sided slaughter that wasted his time. Even those had become rarer, with the Ogrog realizing he was far above them. He was tempted to leave the main group and search the floodplains to hunt more of the colossal snakes. However, he had responsibilities now and couldn¡¯t just go charging after monsters solely to get stronger. Hopefully, there would be monsters he could fight while achieving the order''s mission. As they got closer, the familiar gave way to new developments. A small village sat at the foothills leading up into the mountains, reminding Zhaire of ranger stations outside national parks. Next to the lodge was a massive stables, with Starseekers in an adjoining paddock. However, they were nothing compared to the colossal hedgehog-looking creatures that lazily grazed on the seagrass in an enclosed pasture. At the center of the small town were a few houses and a tavern. The final structure that caught his attention was a stone archway. At first, Zhaire didn¡¯t think much of it, as it didn¡¯t appear to be anything more than simple ornamentation that would be at home in your average park. However, he quickly changed that assessment after noticing the intricate marking engraved throughout. There was also a conspicuous terminal a few feet from the arch. ¡°They have a tavern now? Do you think they¡¯ll have enough for everyone?¡± Brad asked. Before anyone could reply, a figure left the lodge, walking out to meet them. Zhaire thought he recognized the man, a hunter whose name he couldn¡¯t recall. ¡°Welcome to Starfall Lodge,¡± the man said with a forced smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re used to camping and fending for ourselves. Though, if you''re willing to part with a few of the hogs, we¡¯d happily pay a fair price for them,¡± Zhaire reassured the man, eliciting a genuine smile this time. Zhaire couldn¡¯t blame the man; keeping the Ogrog supplied had been a nightmare. They ate several times more than an average person, and their default state of being was unruly. ¡°That can be arranged. What about the host with you? Will they proceed to Celestia?¡± the man asked. ¡°Most people will, but we¡¯re honestly unsure about the Ogrog. I was hoping Imri could talk with them,¡± Zhaire said with a shrug. ¡°Ah, yes. Lord Padar is actually here to greet you. He teleported in about an hour ago and is enjoying a beverage while awaiting your arrival,¡± the hunter said as if it had slipped his mind and just now occurred to him. ¡°He teleported in? Why didn¡¯t he just walk the rest of the way? Seems like a waste,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°He teleported from Celestia,¡± the man explained, causing Zhaire to do a double-take. Apparently, the mage had gotten stronger while he was away. Zhaire had hoped he had surpassed the man, but that seemed unlikely now. Zhaire made his way into the small tavern, ducking inside. It was a small, dimly lit place with only a handful of people present, most of whom sat directly at the bar. A lone person sat at a table, their hair standing out against the poor lighting, shifting colors that reminded Zhaire of a white-hot flame. It took Zhaire a moment to recognize Imri with all the changes. ¡°Zhaire,¡± Imri said, inclining his head in greeting. ¡°Mind if I sit?¡± Zhaire asked. Imri just nodded and motioned to a chair. ¡°I see your campaign was a success,¡± Imri commented. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how I acted when I left. I was working through some shit, and it affected me more than I thought. I only just realized how much I was acting like him,¡± Zhaire rambled, his words not at all what he had planned to say. ¡°It¡¯s fine; you were grieving,¡± Imri said. Zhaire just nodded. He tried using Identify on Imri, but it didn¡¯t return any information, the same as last time. ¡°Don¡¯t suppose you¡¯re level 34 or less with that new appearance?¡± Zhaire asked, with his level sitting at 35. ¡°It¡¯s higher than that, and the changes are from reaching tier 2 in my heritage. You should talk with Caroline; she should have something to help you reach tier 2 now that you''re over level 30,¡± Imri said. ¡°I see,¡± Zhaire said, trying to subdue his competitive instincts. ¡°Oh, and I have something for you,¡± Imri said. Instead of Imri handing him something physical, a system prompt appeared in his mind.
New Title Gained
Minor Noble of Celestia
Notice: Return to the area of effect to receive the benefits
¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zhaire asked. Imri spent several minutes explaining the nobility system. While Zhaire had no interest in growing a settlement, he liked reaping the rewards. It irked him that the power was reduced because Imri had the higher-ranking title, but that only made him want to gain an even higher title. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°When you gave me your progenitor nexus, I promised I would eventually grant you a title,¡± Imri reminded him. Zhaire nodded, having completely forgotten about that deal, likely because he hadn¡¯t ever expected it to be honored. ¡°I have another favor to ask,¡± Zhaire admitted. ¡°You have an Ogrog problem,¡± Imri guessed. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Yeah. They just followed me because I was the strongest, but I wasn''t sure what to do with them. They¡¯ll eat us out of everything if we leave them in one place for too long,¡± Zhaire admitted. Imri simply nodded and motioned for him to lead the way. The Ogrog portion of the camp was never well defined, as the powerful creatures didn¡¯t even bother with tents. As Zhaire led Imri through, the Ogrog gave the strange duo looks that held reverence and fear. A few of them sniffed the air around Imri, trying to figure out what he was. For his part, Imri seemed unconcerned by their antics, which was something he hadn¡¯t even managed without practice. The Ogrog they sought out was what Zhaire presumed to be an elder. They were the only Ogrog to be shown deferential treatment for something other than physical strength. Even now, stronger Ogrog stood on guard as the duo approached. Imri boldly approached and began speaking in deep guttural tones that made the German language seem flowery. The Ogrog were immediately taken aback, clearly not expecting anyone to speak their language. When they eventually got over their shock, they responded, with Imri translating. The conversation was short and straightforward, which shouldn¡¯t have surprised Zhaire. They considered themselves the strongest but had no interest in building cities or ruling the planet. They wanted to fight for someone who could rule the planet. It alarmed Zhaire how much their attitudes reflected his own. Fortunately, Imri had no interest in seizing the title of Alpha. When Zhaire questioned why, he simply stated he was too busy to babysit oversized children. With that settled, it only left one question: what would they do with them? ¡°If you can keep them under control, they might be useful proxies for heavy machinery. At least, until we can get our hands on the genuine article,¡± Imri mused out loud. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to work construction for long. They live for fighting,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡°They¡¯ll get plenty of opportunities for that,¡± Imri reassured him. ¡°Well, now that the Ogrog have been dealt with, I should be getting back.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little late to be hiking back?¡± Zhaire asked, assuming Imri didn¡¯t have the mana to open a portal more than once from this distance. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll give you a lift. I¡¯m sure you want to get the benefit for that title as soon as possible, and the man you sent with the Nexuses has been paranoid he will get robbed. Not that anyone can steal credits, though that would be an intriguing ability; I wonder if that girl''s Thief profession can get something like that,¡± Imri rambled on. As Imri was talking, a small peephole-sized tear in space materialized, showing a building on the other side. It was a portal, but to Zhaire¡¯s shock, it stopped opening, remaining at the minuscule size. Surely, Imri didn¡¯t think he could fit through that. ¡°You have to accept the teleport mentally,¡± Imri explained as he touched Zhaire¡¯s shoulder. Zhaire was still baffled by what the space mage was doing but played along, mentally giving his consent. The moment he did, his surroundings shifted. He was no longer in the small hunting village but a small city bustling with activity. The smell of sizzling drake wafted through the street as vendors shouted to be heard over the crowd. It was obvious where he was, but it took Zhaire a moment to catch up with what had just happened. ¡°How?¡± he asked dumbly. ¡°Sometimes, it''s more efficient to open a small portal, depending on the mass and distance involved. Then, I can teleport through, technically traveling only a few meters,¡± Imri tried explaining, but Zhaire just shook his head. ¡°So, this is Celestia; it¡¯s changed a lot in only a few months,¡± Zhaire commented, cutting the nerdy man off before he started going even more in-depth into his formula for determining the most efficient method of transportation. Zhaire thanked the mage, giving him a not-so-subtle hint that he was fine from here. It took Imri a second before he caught on and excused himself. Alone, Zhaire made his way through the now-unfamiliar city. It was too late in the day to do all his shopping, but there was one stop he didn¡¯t want to wait on. Despite most non-entertainment businesses being closed, Zhaire wasn¡¯t surprised to see the alchemist''s shop still open. He entered and was surprised to see who acted as shopkeeper. A bored-looking Sylvi tapped her fingers against the counter. ¡°You¡¯re back, and you¡¯ve been busy,¡± Sylvi said, staring directly at a single spot, undoubtedly using Identify on him. Zhaire did the same, relieved to discover he had stayed a few levels ahead of the special forces operator. ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t been stuck behind a counter this whole time. It wouldn¡¯t be fun if only Imri and I were competing for the top spot,¡± Zhaire teased. ¡°She isn¡¯t going to accept a mission to a floating city, xenoformed hellscape, or some unknown land with new monsters trying to kill us. She is spending some well-earned time on leave with her girlfriend,¡± Caroline said sternly. ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Sylvi said smoothly, kissing the petite alchemist and then moving to tidy the shop. ¡°What can I get for you?¡± Caroline asked Zhaire in her typical soft voice. ¡°I heard that you might have another heritage elixir for someone who had reached level 30,¡± he said. Caroline visibly brightened at that request and started talking hurriedly: ¡°I do. This is so exciting. You¡¯re the first one to reach level 30. Well, not the first. Imri is obviously over level 30, but he doesn¡¯t count since he has a strange heritage. A few people are close, but none have quite reached it yet. I¡¯ll need to know your current attributes to determine which elixirs I can sell you.¡± Zhaire did as she asked, writing down his attributes. The enthusiastic Alchemist scanned it, nodded, and went to a backroom. She returned a moment later with a small glass case containing half a dozen vials. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of options, as it doesn¡¯t seem possible to create a tier 2 from anything lower than a tier 2 material. So, there are no Umbral Tigers or the typical Drakes. Fortunately, we did manage to slay some tier 2 Drakes that people had mistaken for dragons, and that¡¯s what these are made from. That or Troglodyte are your only options, but I assumed you¡¯d want one of these,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°Then those are all the same?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°Not quite. The exact effects differ slightly, depending on which materials are used to create the elixir and my overall crafting efficiency. The first three are similar to the tier 1 version, only far more potent. The next two are made from wings and talons, something I couldn¡¯t get to work at tier 1. I don¡¯t know the exact effects because each interacts differently, depending on who consumes the elixir. I can tell you that the wing and talon will likely give you physical manifestation and focus more on offense. It would significantly boost your strength and agility,¡± Caroline explained. ¡°And the last one?¡± Zhaire asked, motioning to the sixth vial. ¡°It has a heart, just like the first set, but the second ingredient is a gland not found on the tier 1 version. It¡¯s what gives the Drake a breath weapon, and I¡¯m fairly certain it would impart that ability onto whoever uses this elixir,¡± Caroline said. ¡°I¡¯ll take that one,¡± Zhaire said immediately. While wings and claws would be great, having an elemental ability so he wasn¡¯t solely a melee fighter was just what he needed. With this elixir, he would get stronger, hopefully closing the gap between him and Imri. ¡°Unfortunately, you can¡¯t take this yet; the requirements are too high. In a level or two you should meet the prerequisites to consume it safely. I¡¯m also working on a slightly less demanding version,¡± Caroline said. ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°I just want it so I can take it right after I level,¡± he added when the alchemist hesitated. ¡°That will be 250,000 credits,¡± Caroline said. Zhaire blanched at the price, but they were tier 2 materials crafted by the best alchemist. Zhaire brought out a pouch containing the highest-level cores from the campaign, and they eventually settled on a dozen cores and 50,000 credits for the elixir. Zhaire was surprised at how much the cores went for and was pleased knowing he had hundreds more to sell. Caroline wrote down the attributes he would need on the next level to safely consume the elixir. At his current attributes, it would be safe with two levels. Zhaire gave the paper a cursory glance before nodding. After Zhaire had read it, Caroline handed over the vial. Zhaire gingerly accepted it and held it up to his eye. It was blood red with motes of an even brighter red, like a lava lamp. It was strange to think that so much power was contained in such a small container. Shrugging, Zhaire uncorked it and tipped it back, much to the horror of a shocked Caroline. Chapter 114: Draconic Heritage Zhaire gagged, nearly throwing up the expensive elixir he had just consumed. The taste was vile, tasting both like spoiled meat and metallic. Unfortunately, the taste was the least of its effects. He felt an intense pressure throughout his body, followed by an agony that exceeded anything he had ever felt, even with his Feel No Pain trait active. Both sensations intensified as his internal organs shifted around and expanded. His muscles were stretched to the point where there were numerous pops, like a rubber band pulled too far. It didn¡¯t get better as he felt something growing near his throat. He felt something explode in his neck, sending blood spraying with each beat of his overworked heart. He struggled for air but only managed to produce wet gurgles. It lasted for what felt like an eternity, and Zhaire was sure he would have suffocated entirely if not for his system-improved physique. Eventually, the wound closed over, encasing his new organ. His heartbeat kept increasing until it reached a rhythm that should have been impossible. Eventually, it proved to be too much, and he felt his heart spasm and then burst. He was sure his body was dying, unable to survive without a heart. However, he should have died instantly, but he was still self-aware. His blood kept circulating, powered by the mana from his core. His core had also changed, having expanded and started spinning. Despite his immense agony, Zhaire smiled, or at least tried to. If he could survive his heart being utterly destroyed, what could stop him? Now that he knew he could survive the ordeal, the pain felt less substantial, a minor nuisance that would eventually subside. He wasn¡¯t sure how long the transformation lasted; it felt like days, but it could have been mere moments, with his awareness of the outside world completely cut off. The moment the changes stopped, he felt himself being submerged. Pain blossomed anew as the healing magic poured into him, knitting his body back together. It would have been excruciating by usual standards, but after what he had just gone through, it was little more than an irritant. He eventually surfaced and saw the world through new eyes. A myriad of onlookers had gathered around the pool, many of them the priests who had watched over the spring. Caroline glared at him with indignant rage, while Sylvi just looked amused. Imri studied him clinically, trying to discover what Zhaire had gained.
Heritage Rank Up
Human E to D
Human has improved to Draconic Hybrid
Draconic Hybrid 2F
Primary Attributes
Strength .55% (+.35%)
Agility .35% (+.2%)
Constitution .5% (+.25%)
Intellignece .1% (+.05%)
Willpower .25% (+.15%)
Charisma .1% (+.05%)
Secondary Attributes
HP 1% (+.6%)
FP .5% (+.3)
MP .2% (+.1%)
HP Regen Rate .8% (+.3%)
FP Regen Rate .5% (+.3%)
MP Regen Rate .2% (+.2%)
Base Strength increased to 152 (+7)
Base Agility increased to 130 (+4)
Base Constitution increased to 137 (+5)
Base Intelligence increased to 90 (+1)
Base Willpower increased to 117 (+3)
Base Charisma increased to 99 (+1)
New Achievement
Supernatural Being 1: One or more of your primary stats has exceeded the limits of what is naturally possible for your species. .15% Primary Attribute increase/rank
Primary Attributes
Strength 218 (+34)
Agility 165 (+15)
Constitution 186 (+20)
Intelligence 100 (+3)
Willpower 146 (+10)
Charisma 114 (+3)
Secondary Attributes
HP 696 (+252)
FP 429 (+110)
MP 162 (+21)
Attack Efficiency 571 (+165)
New Trait Gained
Draconic Elemental Affinity, Fire (2F): Gives you an affinity for fire. Increases the rate at which fire-based abilities are learned by 5%. Increases the efficiency of fire-based effects by 5%. Increases resistance to fire by 15%. Grants innate Fire Breath.
New Skills Gained
Draconic Form (2F): Improve your physical stats temporarily, allowing you to possess a more significant portion of a Dragon¡¯s physicality. Improves effectiveness of physical attributes by 5%. Enhances other Draconic Heritage abilities by 7.5%. This can be used 1 minute/10 constitution/day.
Fire Breath (2F): Produce a gout of flame from your mouth. Base mana efficiency for this effect is based on constitution. Mana cost varies based on the temperature of the fire and the area of effect.
Zhaire grinned as he became aware of his new abilities. It was mind-boggling how much was gained from a heritage tier. He was now even more proud of his Tier Above achievement and was confident that the alpha would have been significantly easier to defeat with his current abilities. As he had hoped, Zhaire had gained his first mana ability. While he wasn¡¯t going to shift his fighting style completely, it was nice to have more to do with his mana than simply charging items. However, he considered his Draconic Form to be the most significant change. A five percent boost to all his physical attributes was nothing to scoff at and would make him an even more potent melee combatant for one or two fights per day. The fact that it also improved three other abilities was just as significant. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you''re alive, let alone smiling, after that ordeal. Your heart literally exploded, but you''re still alive. How does any of that make sense?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°I guess I can survive without it for a short time,¡± Zhaire said nonchalantly. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re invincible; you were at single digits for health. If you hadn¡¯t been immediately dunked into a potent healing natural treasure, you would have died in seconds. I don¡¯t know if I could have even saved you,¡± Emelia said. ¡°I got it,¡± Zhaire said, waving off all their concerns. He noted that Imri and Sylvi hadn¡¯t been among those to lecture him. He suspected they might have done something similar. Imri likely would have taken a small risk if he understood his chances of success. Sylvi would have done the same, though she would only take the risk if required. Tentatively, Zhaire stepped out of the spring. Despite his improved attributes, he struggled even to walk. His stamina and mana hovered just above zero and likely had been depleted when he passed out. As he climbed out, he noticed that he again towered over everyone. Even Imri, who had been around his height after his evolution, was now a couple of feet shorter than him. Zhaire guessed he was about two and a half meters tall, making him comparable to some of the smaller Ogrog, though still well shorter than the alpha. His muscles, already well-defined and toned, were now on another level, with veins popping out everywhere. Despite appearing bulky, they were compact and powerful, giving Zhaire a ridiculous strength-to-body weight ratio. Given his new height and bulk, his weight wasn¡¯t anything to scoff at. His skin had also changed, reverting to its normal pre-integration texture. He was now indistinguishable from an average human, albeit almost 9 feet tall and powerfully built. However, Zhaire could still feel his Draconic abilities working just below the surface of his skin. With a thought, he activated his Draconic Form. Almost instantly, his body transformed. His entire body was covered in the familiar scales, though they now had a tinge of burnished red. He could also tell they were more resilient than they had been. In addition, he now had a powerful tail extending from his back to the ground. He intuitively knew how to use it and benefit from its balance, like it was a limb he had always possessed. He could even feel ridges where wings would eventually form, though he would likely need another heritage rank to gain them. Zhaire smiled a toothy grin as he felt his teeth grow to fangs. Some of those gathered had instinctively stepped back, subconsciously mistaking him for some kind of monster for a split second. Despite the reaction, Zhaire remained in his Draconic Form, as the attribute effectiveness offset the adverse effects of the evolution by a small degree. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t test his new fire abilities, as his mana was utterly spent. He understood how it would work, but that wasn¡¯t the same as actually getting to burn something. He also felt that, with some work, he could learn a few fire spells. He might ask Avery about it. However, he wouldn¡¯t become a mage; he would need to learn spells that complemented his melee fighting style. Zhaire was just starting to feel well enough to begin hiking back to Celestia, when he felt something brush against his mind. He steeled his mind for a battle of wills, refusing to let the entity gain control over him. ¡®Little one, you would need to train for centuries to have even a chance of resisting me. However, fear not, this is not an attack,¡¯ the being sent telepathically. Zhaire didn¡¯t know what to make of this, but he instinctively knew the creature wasn¡¯t bluffing. Fortunately, the creature¡¯s mental voice hadn¡¯t seemed hostile. Instead, it seemed to explain things slowly, like a parent talking to a child. Still, Zhaire didn¡¯t relax; if they were as powerful as they suggested, they wouldn¡¯t mind communicating while his guard was up. ¡®Yes, yes. Keep your defenses up if it makes you more comfortable; I don¡¯t mind,¡¯ the creature said. ¡®Like I would trust someone who invaded my mind and reads my thoughts. This is probably some Azala trick,¡¯ Zhaire thought, assuming the creature would get the message. ¡®I¡¯m not digging through your mind like a common parasite. I¡¯m only reading your surface thoughts. If you weren¡¯t a hatchling, it would be easy to direct your thoughts,¡¯ the creature thought slowly, still treating Zhaire like a child. ¡®So, if you¡¯re not an Azala, what are you? And how are you doing this?¡¯ Zhaire asked. ¡®I¡¯m what your species calls a Dragon, and my name is Corrolth. It should be obvious based on the timing, but I¡¯ll spell it out for you. I have an ability that allows me to communicate telepathically with other dragons. Your evolution apparently qualifies,¡¯ Corrolth sent. ¡®Suppose I believe you. Why are you contacting me?¡¯ ¡®Curiosity, mostly. However, there is a slight chance we might be able to help each other. I¡¯m only awake now because I felt a shift in the ambient mana. I can sense mana flowing from a point near you as if you''re standing right next to the planetary core. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything about that?¡¯ ¡®I have no clue, but I know someone who might,¡¯ Zhaire admitted. Zhaire looked at the gathered crowd, many of whom were looking at him with concern. While the conversation had taken only seconds, but from an observer''s perspective Zhaire had simply stopped what he was doing and stared off into space. The only reason their wasn¡¯t more concern was likely due to the assumption that he was reviewing one of his system notifications. ¡°Does anyone know if there is a dragon nearby? It¡¯s currently talking to me telepathically,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡®I¡¯m close, only about sixty miles away, as you humans measure it. However, that¡¯s not important. Ask about the mana,¡¯ Corrolth interjected, their tone tinged with impatience. Zhaire sighed and relayed everything the dragon had told him. Judging by Imri¡¯s thoughtful expression, he knew exactly what the creature was talking about. ¡®Bring him to me!¡¯ the Dragon mentally shouted into Zhaire¡¯s head the moment he recognized Imri knew something. Zhaire immediately felt compelled to do as the Dragon asked. ¡®Sorry, I got a bit carried away. I sometimes forget how feeble a tier 2 hatchling can be. Please, bring this Imri person to me.¡¯ Zhaire got the sense that it was trying to be polite. If he refused, it might compel him to do it anyway. Hopefully, Imri wouldn¡¯t be willing to meet with the beast. ¡®I am no beast. Hurry up and convince Imri. I mean him no harm and only seek to converse with him,¡¯ the Dragon sent. ¡®And I¡¯m not little, but you didn¡¯t hear me complaining,¡¯ Zhaire thought back. ¡®You might be big for a human, but that barely registers from my perspective. I certainly wasn¡¯t referring to¡­¡¯ ¡®Do you want me to help or not?¡¯ Zhaire cut the Dragon off. ¡®Yes, yes. Get on with it,¡¯ they thought impatiently. It turned out that Zhaire didn¡¯t need to convince Imri; the mage¡¯s curiosity had him ready to seek out the Dragon immediately. However, they did need to persuade Emelia. ¡°How do you know this isn¡¯t some kind of trap? Maybe the Dragon just wants the world core and will take it the moment you''re within striking distance,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t it done so already? If it''s so powerful that I stand no chance of even escaping, then I¡¯m not sure what ignoring it accomplishes other than pissing it off,¡± Imri countered. They continued arguing for a while, but eventually, Emelia gave in on the condition that she come as well. This started another argument, with Imri being concerned for her and the baby. The entire time this happened, the Dragon was silent, patiently waiting for the outcome. Emelia won this argument easily, making Zhaire wonder if this was what she was after the entire time. Chapter 115: Calculated Risk Imri finished packing, putting everything he could need for a several-day journey into his inner domain. Most of it was mundane supplies for a backpacking trip, such as tents, a gas stove, and food. It almost felt strange not to be able to teleport somewhere. He and Emelia made their way to the meeting location, a newly opened cafe only several blocks away. A glance around the already-packed room told him they were the first to arrive. What started as a small group quickly ballooned into a decent-sized expedition. While only Zhaire and Imri were strictly necessary, everyone else had come up with thinly veiled reasons for why they should be included. However, the real reason was apparent: everyone wanted to see the dragon. Imri got his black coffee and took one of the few remaining tables. With his improved attributes, he no longer had any issues waking up, but there was something about the morning ritual that he had missed. He raised the mug and sipped it appreciatively, savoring the flavor as the bitter notes hit his palette. Emelia joined him a moment later, drinking more sugar and milk than coffee. ¡°Are you sure you want to come with me? It will be dangerous and strenuous,¡± Imri pointed out. Emelia glared at him as she licked the whipped cream. ¡°If you get eaten by a deceitful dragon, we¡¯re all fucked anyway. I¡¯m not sure I could survive the soul wound, let alone the baby. So, the question is, should you be going?¡± ¡°If there is any chance we could gain an ally, then it''s worth the risk,¡± Imri said after thinking about it momentarily. "Then that settles it," Emelia said. Sylvi arrived shortly after they had sat down. She was dressed in dark leather with an equally dark cloak, with her bow strapped to her back. Caroline held her arm, smiling as she did so. She stood out less, dressed like a typical pre-integration backpacker, except that she wore a vest with drake plates, like an oversized life jacket; it looked comically large on the petite woman. She shifted the armor around, trying and failing to find a point where it would be balanced. Ashlyn and Vallo came in together, though they weren¡¯t holding hands. However, even Imri didn¡¯t miss the awkward glances they gave each other. They were dressed in the same dark clothing that Sylvi wore, the uniforms of the wraith unit. The last to arrive was Zhaire, ducking into the cafe due to his massive stature. He was the only one not wearing armor, requiring a custom job to fit his enormous frame. Even his glaive, huge by usual standards, seemed undersized now. From what Zhaire had determined, their destination was somewhere in the valley. This had been a bit surprising, as they had sent several scouts to map out the area. However, it was much larger than the plateau and challenging to access. It also wasn¡¯t as open, with more vegetation growing at the lower altitude. It wasn¡¯t surprising that they still hadn¡¯t discovered everything, but Imri was still surprised a dragon had gone unnoticed, especially if its supposed size was to be believed. Imri collected everyone''s gear and stored it in his Inner Domain. With the logistics taken care of, they set out. While he couldn¡¯t open a portal to their destination, Imri could at least take care of the first leg of their journey. When they reached the city''s outskirts, he opened a portal, spending the extra mana to accommodate Zhaire¡¯s frame. They emerged in an open area. Nearby, a newly placed nexus hovered in the air. A small tent city had formed, with early signs of new construction underway. It was the location for the latest settlement in the Celestia Empire, one that would specialize in education and physical training. He had conveniently placed a Dimensional Waypoint on the location when he had placed the nexus, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated using it so soon. It still didn¡¯t have a permanent portal, something Imri intended to rectify shortly after returning. The college settlement was near the innermost part of the plateau and only a couple of kilometers from the mountain pass. Imri has strategically placed it there, hoping for the settlement to serve as a final outpost for those traveling to the valley. He had hoped to eventually expand the empire into the valley and still hoped they could. However, he certainly wouldn¡¯t want settlers having to contend with an angry dragon. Hopefully, he could negotiate with Corrolth, as they clearly wanted something from him. It was related to the world core, but beyond that, Imri wasn¡¯t sure what they wanted. The hike started easily enough. While there weren¡¯t trails cleared, the terrain was mostly flat and easy to traverse. That quickly changed when they reached the pass. It was steep and narrow, looking like something only a mountain goat could navigate. Certain sections were bad enough that they needed to stop and get out equipment for a technical climb. Of course, Imri didn¡¯t need to bother, so he teleported himself and Emelia to their destination. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only one with a cheat for the challenging climbs. Vallo transformed himself into a bird and flew the distance with ease. Zhaire was next to reach the top, having a ridiculous amount of strength that made it effortless for him to lift his body weight. Combining that with his incredible reach, he reminded Imri of a gorilla, though he would never say that to the temperamental beserker¡¯s face. Sylvi and Ashlyn weren¡¯t far behind. They made up for their relatively lower strength with agility, effortlessly standing on small protrusions as if they were accessible walkways. Caroline brought up the rear, lacking the spells that provided mobility and not having a class or profession focused on physical attributes. However, she wasn¡¯t totally out of shape and had a resource of her own. She withdrew a vial and downed it in a single gulp, growing noticeably stronger a moment later. It seemed more dramatic than the potion Imri had taken, and he suspected she saved her most potent brews for herself or had some way of boosting their effectiveness when consumed by the creator. Imri guessed the latter, as she would have consumed something enormously valuable to make a climb easier if the former was the case.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. They continued hiking throughout the day, encountering many technical sections. Fortunately, many sections were descents, and the forward scout had set up a semi-permanent repelling system. Still, there were enough climbs that Imri was forced to save his mana for the worst ascents, not wanting to spend all his mana. He also took Caroline with him after her potion toxicity was too high. By the day''s end, they were exhausted but had made incredible time. They had gone through the entire pass, nearly a twenty-kilometer stretch of almost impassible terrain. The last obstacle was the final descent, a roughly two-kilometer drop with virtually no accessible way down. The vista looking out over the valley was breathtaking. They were several kilometers above, and it was a sheer drop down. The valley was several times larger than the Celestia Plateau and was much more verdant, with thick foliage covering the entire area. Unfortunately, that also made it hard to see through the dense canopy. A massive falls fell from a nearby cliff, sending water down from over a kilometer in height. A large river and smaller tributaries cut through the valley, providing water for the lush terrain. Despite still having a couple of hours of daylight, there was no discussion about continuing. Imri withdrew the camping supplies from his Inner Domain, and everyone helped set up the camp. When the work was done, everyone plopped onto the ground, enjoying the view and relaxing. ¡°That¡¯s so much better,¡± Caroline said, pulling her armor off. Sylvi looked like she was about to tell her to put it back on, but one glare made her reconsider. ¡°It¡¯s not camping without whiskey,¡± Vallo said, withdrawing a water bottle that Imri had enchanted. ¡°You wanted an enchanted water bottle to store extra booze?¡± Imri asked incredulously. ¡°Lighten up, Im,¡± Vallo said as he poured portions into plastic cups. ¡°It might be good for at least one person to remain sober besides the pregnant lady. We¡¯ll need a watch,¡± Sylvi pointed out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; I have plenty of the detox potions,¡± Caroline said with a grin. It didn¡¯t take much more to convince Imri and Sylvi, and everyone was given a plastic cup, a quarter filled with whiskey. ¡°Here¡¯s to hopefully not getting eaten by a dragon,¡± Ashlyn quipped as she raised her cup. Everyone glared at her. ¡°To surviving an invasion from mind-controlling parasites and coming out stronger,¡± Sylvi toasted. ¡°To everyone¡¯s good health,¡± Emelia added, raising her cup filled with water while unconsciously putting her other hand over her belly. Everyone said cheers and sipped on the whiskey. It had notes of toffee and dates while not being overly sweet. It was pre-integration variety, as no one had been able to produce anything high quality in such a short amount of time, even with magical aging. Imri suspected he could probably create something better now that he had Cycles of Growth and Decay, but he hadn¡¯t had time to experiment. As the sun dipped below the horizon, a fire was lit. Everyone moved closer, sitting in companionable silence as they sipped their drinks. For a brief time, Imri forgot about the life and death struggles and the numerous entities that wanted to take away the home he had built. There was only the warmth of the crackling fire and Emelia leaning pleasantly against him. ¡°Why is no one talking? This is weird,¡± Ashlyn eventually said, breaking the spell. ¡°Because there aren¡¯t going to be many more opportunities like this. Where we¡¯re all in the same place, and no one is trying to kill us,¡± Sylvi said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure of that; Corrolth is pissed that we stopped for the night,¡± Zhaire said, though the grin on his face suggested he wasn¡¯t overly concerned. ¡°You¡¯re sure it''s safe? How are you so confident the dragon won¡¯t come and burn us alive?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°I¡¯m positive now. If she¡¯s that close and this impatient, she would have already come if she could. Something is preventing her from coming to us,¡± Imri said. ¡°Have you tried asking her?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Of course. She¡¯s not big on sharing much about herself. It was a pain even to find out her gender. I get the sense she¡¯s used to getting her way without much pushback,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°Remind me, why are we doing this again?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°It¡¯s a risk but a calculated one. Our odds of beating the Azala aren¡¯t great, so we have to take our chances,¡± Imri said. ¡°I thought you hated gambling? I¡¯ve even heard you arguing with Christoph about if it should be legal in Celestia,¡± Emelia pointed out. ¡°I hate irrational, pointless gambling, where a basic understanding of probabilities is all that''s needed to recognize a scam. This is different; taking a risk gives us a small chance of winning. Even if it''s a slim probability, that¡¯s better than doing nothing,¡± Imri explained. ¡°You should have heard him lecturing our mom and dad whenever they gambled. Imagine being lectured by a teenager about basic probability and smart financial decisions,¡± Vallo said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Imri said defensively. ¡°Yes, you were,¡± Vallo said. ¡°I would have liked to have seen that,¡± Emelia said. ¡°Be honest, how many of you came with just because seeing a dragon is too cool to pass up,¡± Sylvi said. Immediately, almost every hand went up, with the only two exceptions being Imri and Zhaire. ¡°It¡¯s good to see everyone has their priorities straight,¡± Imri joked. This was met with a chorus of good-natured booing. Imri just shook his head. It was entirely irrational for all of them to be here. They needed to prepare many things, and the Azala could strike any moment. However, he was surprised it didn¡¯t bother him; he was happy they were here with him. Chapter 116: Corrolth Imri slowly repelled down the sheer cliff face. Despite having spells that allowed him to teleport or manipulate gravity, the lizard part of his brain gaped at the distance to the ground below. Reminding himself that it didn¡¯t matter beyond a certain point didn¡¯t help his anxiety. He also wasn¡¯t the only one feeling this, as Emelia¡¯s terror blared through their bond, though she looked remarkably composed on the outside. The entire descent took over an hour, with stops at nearly every ledge that protruded more than a foot. Most of those switchovers didn¡¯t have enough room for everyone, so they worked in pairs, with Zhaire going solo. As they reached the base of the cliff, everyone exhaled in relief. However, that anxiety was replaced with a sense of foreboding that was too severe to be natural. Imri felt small and insignificant, like a rabbit about to be devoured by a predator. It struck him at an instinctual level, a primal fear. Fortunately, his rational mind remained somewhat in control. Shakily, he was able to move forward. For as bad as Imri felt, he noticed he was far better off than everyone else. Emelia seemed to be handling it nearly as well, though she looked deeply disturbed. The rest of the group was almost incapacitated with terror, with Caroline and Ashlyn having collapsed to the ground. The forest was affected, as there were no animal or insect noises. Suddenly, the mental weight subsided, returning everyone to their normal state. A moment later, life returned to its normal state, with the sound of the thick forest returning. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Vallo asked. ¡°That was Corrolth¡¯s presence,¡± Zhaire said with grit teeth. ¡°If this is how we¡¯re going to be treated, I say we turn around,¡± Ashlyn suggested. ¡°No one else needs to go, but I¡¯m not turning around,¡± Imri said. ¡°If it makes anyone feel better, she didn¡¯t mean for it to have such a dramatic effect,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°How does she not know her own strength?¡± Sylvi asked, clearly shaken by the effects of whatever Corrolth had done but equally annoyed. ¡°Supposedly, Dragons start at tier 3, so she¡¯s never had any experience interacting with creatures lower than that,¡± Zhaire explained. ¡°Starts at tier 3? So, she¡¯s at least that high?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°She claims to be tier 4,¡± Zhaire confirmed, which was met with a flurry of curses. ¡°Good,¡± Imri said. ¡°How is any of this good?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°The goal was to gain a powerful ally, and that hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°If the dragon doesn¡¯t accidentally kill us with its mere presence,¡± Ashlyn said. They continued onward, no one backing down. It was slow going through the verdant terrain, as they frequently needed to bushwack their way forward. Despite their levels and magically enhanced weapons, the thickets still required a significant effort. An Identify revealed that the trees had a higher quality level than anything they had seen and by a significant margin. This was good for the future settlement but was a nuisance in the short term as they cleared their way through. The mana density of the valley was around twenty percent higher than Celestia''s and was the highest Imri had recorded. As they made their way further in, the presence began to affect them again. It was initially subtle, creating a sense that they should go in a different direction. Unfortunately, Corrolth was unable to suppress her aura completely. This explained how no one had noticed her if they were unconsciously influenced. The closer they got, the worse it became. To Imri, it was a minor inconvenience, a sense of unease. However, the others were unable to continue. Imri went alone, unperturbed. The forest gave way to a clearing, with a colossal boulder sitting at its center, nearly as tall as the trees in the surrounding area. The massive rock was rimmed by a crater almost a kilometer in diameter. As Imri studied the strange boulder, he noticed fissures evenly spaced throughout the surface. When it began to shift, it immediately became apparent that it wasn¡¯t a rock. It moved slowly, and features became discernible. Corrolth stretched out, moving from wholly curled up to an upright position. As she moved, some loose dirt shifted, revealing dark scales. Her wings extended up, larger than any sails. She stood on legs that were colossal pillars the size of small buildings. Her total size exceeded any building and was closer to an aircraft carrier. She extended her neck, moving her head to nearly level with Imri. Her eyes, which were slit with dark irises, stared intensely at Imri as if trying to bore through to his soul. Imri felt her presence now, and a primal part of him wanted to turn and run. Instead, he stared back, unwilling to give in to his emotions. He needed to be respected and treated like an equal. ¡°Fascinating,¡± Corrolth said in a deep, reverberating voice that echoed throughout the valley. It took Imri a second to comprehend that she had spoken in English. ¡°You can speak our language?¡± Imri asked. The dragon snorted, which produced a gust of wind that threatened to throw him off his feet.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Very astute of you to notice,¡± the dragon said sarcastically. ¡°Learning the language by listening to Zhaire¡¯s thoughts was easy. Now, enough with the silly questions. I can sense the mana coming out of you as if you are the origin point of this world. Tell me, how is this possible?¡± ¡°First, I want to know why you care so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lived for many millennia; it¡¯s not every day I get to see something so¡­unique,¡± Corrolth explained. ¡°Then why not come to me? Surely a tier four Dragon would have no trouble traveling such a short distance?¡± ¡°Tread carefully, human. I have my reasons, but they are my own,¡± Corrolth said with enough force to shake the trees. ¡°We need to trust each other, or this conversation will go nowhere. Yes, mana is flowing out of me. I have the world¡¯s core stored within me using a spatial skill,¡± Imri said. ¡°That¡¯s absurd. Even I couldn¡¯t do that, and I¡¯m a tier four. Attempting to put that much mana in a spatial storage should have been¡­explosive.¡± Imri just shrugged and looked at the dragon expectantly. After a long silence, the dragon sighed, producing another gale. ¡°You are right; I could not leave this location, and it wasn¡¯t just curiosity that made me summon you. I need the mana inside the core. Not all of it, but not an insignificant amount,¡± she said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The mana in this newly integrated planet is abysmally low. Anything beyond a tier three will struggle to support itself with what little mana is available. In my case, the mana isn¡¯t enough to sustain my body, as the mana needed just for minimal functioning is less than the amount of the nearby ambient mana. Think of it like a planet with insufficient oxygen to support your body, slowly suffocating you to death. However, don¡¯t think you can easily defeat me; I still have more than enough strength to defend us,¡± Corrolth said. ¡°Us?¡± Imri asked, but as he did, he noticed why Corrolth had been moored down¡ªtwo ovals about the same size as Imri lay near the dragon''s feet. They were dark black but had white speckles, reminding Imri of the stars in outer space. A deep growl emanated from the dragon as he stared at the eggs. It was immediately accompanied by increased pressure from the aura, exceeding anything he had felt. Imri felt confident that he was about to die. His heartbeat quickened to the point where he thought it might pound directly out of his chest.
Trait Gained
Mental Resistance (1F): Improves your resistance against mental-based effects by 5%
The pressure eased slightly, though it still felt nearly insurmountable. Imri still smiled, pleased that the ordeal was progressing his abilities. Fortunately, Corrolth had made her point, and she released him from the effect. Hopefully, she had contained the effect to a nearby area, and hadn¡¯t hit the others. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m a bit defensive instinctively and am not used to restraining my aura. Now, you understand my urgency. If it were simply a matter of mana for myself, I could have flown to the star and recharge my mana levels that way, but I can¡¯t leave my eggs unattended for more than a few minutes.¡± ¡°So, you need more mana than the ambient mana but can¡¯t leave to get it,¡± Imri summarized. ¡°Precisely. If you could use the core to slightly increase the ambient mana of the local area, that would be sufficient. Do this, and I will be in your debt,¡± Corrolth said. Imri shook his head. ¡°I would if I could, but I can¡¯t control the core. I¡¯m simply storing it, but I could take it out.¡± ¡°NO!¡± the dragon roared, causing a small earthquake. ¡°No, that would be a terrible idea. Dragon eggs are sensitive to the mana density and requires a specific level. Placing them next to the planetary core would be like putting a human baby in a sauna. The current density is close, and if my mana weren¡¯t depleted, I could give them the last mana needed to hatch.¡± ¡°We have an alchemist with us; perhaps she could concoct something to give you a bit of mana,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°No offense to your alchemist, but anything a tier two could concoct would have a negligible effect on a dragon.¡± Imri considered the problem for a long while. He needed to get Corrolth a mana source, which he had in his Inner Domain. However, the eggs couldn¡¯t be unattended for more than a few minutes. He smiled as he had an epiphany. ¡°Corrolth, what If you went inside my Inner Domain? With access to the mana supplied by the world core, you could recover,¡± Imri said. It was a big risk for him, giving the dragon access to the core. For all he knew, she could use it like the Azala Queen. However, he didn¡¯t think the dragon would. She was a concerned mother, not an all consuming parasite. ¡°Were you not listening? I cannot leave my eggs unattended.¡± ¡°What if time didn¡¯t pass for them?¡± ¡°You have such a spell?¡± Corrolth asked skeptically. ¡°I do,¡± Imri said, explaining the spell he had used to stop Troglodyte venom. Stasis (2F): Stop the flow of time within a system. Any resistance will prevent the effect, so the target must be incapacitated, inanimate, or willing. Mana cost / second depends on the mass of the target and distance from the target to the caster. ¡°Ah, you are a time mage then. It is impressive to have such mastery of the discipline at tier two. What about your spatial storage trait, your Inner Domain? Does it have enough room to fit a dragon?¡± Imri focused inward and surveyed his domain. He quickly reorganized, moving items within like he was playing a video game. When it was done, he had an open space that should be sufficient. ¡°It will be a tight fit, but it will work,¡± Imri said confidently. Corrolth took a long time to consider the plan. Eventually, after nearly an hour of silent contemplation, she bobbed her head. ¡°I cannot find any faults in your plan. If this succeeds, I will be in your debt. However, if this is a trick¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°If it is, no force in the universe will keep you safe,¡± the dragon finished. When Corrolth was done making her threat, Imri reached out his hand, touching a scaled leg that was thicker than a tree. He activated his Inner Domain, and the dragon disappeared. His mana plummeted, taking hundreds of mana to transfer such a large amount of mass into storage. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have any time to recover. Imri focused, casting Stasis on each of the eggs. While the mana expenditure wasn¡¯t too significant, he wasn¡¯t sure how long he would need to hold the spell. He sat down and began concentrating, forcing himself to meditate while maintaining the spell. Chapter 117: Every Last Drop Imri sat cross-legged, staring at the human-sized eggs. Judging by the rate at which his mana dropped, they were also quite dense. While he could maintain this for hours, he suspected that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Maintaining Meditation was also challenging, as he had to hold two instances of the Stasis spell. He preemptively took the most potent of his longer-duration mana regeneration potions. The increase was significant, though his mana was still decreasing. Of course, he could absorb mana through his Espeonite crystals, but once he gained the over-channel debuff, the rate of mana expenditure would increase dramatically. He was distantly aware of the others approaching him, undoubtedly having sensed the Dragon''s disappearance. They said something, but his mind was too preoccupied to comprehend what they were saying. Fortunately, Emelia could explain what was happening since she could understand his intentions through their Soul Bond connection. With nothing to do for hours, if not days, he turned the focus of his Meditation inward. He conducted a thorough body scan to grasp his tier two physiology better. He had done this before but had always needed more time to do it properly. The obvious change, and least interesting in his opinion, was the improvement to his outward physique. He delved further in, feeling the inner workings of his body. Every part of his body was more efficient, including his heart and lungs, pumping more blood and oxygen. However, the most profound change of tier two was an entirely new system. Leylines snaked through his body, carrying mana at a far greater rate than before. They originated from where his inner domain existed and stretched to his extremities. He could go in even further, feeling the mana inside the leylines, far denser than anything outside his body. He could feel its warmth, like a pleasant tingling that spread throughout his new vein-like structure. Imri began adjusting his body. He started with the easy part, controlling his breathing in and out. He took deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth. From there, he controlled his body at a deeper level. He manipulated the rhythm of his heart, slowing it to facilitate a trance state. He found that he had even greater control, down to a cellular level. He could eradicate bacteria or viruses, making it so we would never get sick again. He could even bio-engineer himself, changing his body''s structure and function. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t be a swift process with his current control, and it would take months to make even a minor modification. Imri controlled the mana circulating throughout his body, gently manipulating its flow. It sped up, transversing slightly faster. Unfortunately, he quickly reached the limit of his improvements; it was a slight increase, but it pushed him ever closer to a mana-neutral state. With nothing else to do while he endured, he began making a slight modification to himself. He willed the leylines in his body to expand, allowing a greater volume of mana to circulate. He emphasized two key areas. The first were small leylines that led from his skin to the larger branches. They facilitated passive mana absorption of ambient mana that came into contact with his skin. The second was the leylines around his lungs, taking in mana with each breath and spreading it to the rest of the body. With Imri entirely focused on his body and his spells, he lost all frames of reference to the passing of time. Only the slow decline of his mana gave him any indication that time marched onward. Eventually, he needed to withdraw an Espeonite crystal to refill his mana. However, as soon as that was done, he resumed meditating. He absently drank a mana potion every time the previous one had expired. He lost track of how many he had consumed, but the nausea from the potion toxicity told him it had been quite a few. Imri ignored the unpleasant feeling and continued pushing himself. Eventually, his body rejected a potion and tried to throw it up. Imri stopped his leyline improvement and controlled his stomach. He forced it to absorb the potion while dispersing as much of the impurities as he could. This allowed him to consume a couple more potions before it became too much, and he emptied the contents of his stomach. It didn¡¯t matter; all that mattered was that he kept going, kept giving Corrolth more time to recover. Imri continued cycling through his mana, absorbing mana whenever he neared empty. Eventually, he lost track of how often he had depleted his mana. He had managed to push his regeneration, allowing him to stave off over-channeling for far longer than he thought possible. Unfortunately, he had only just managed, and with his inability to consume more potions, he eventually received the over-channel debuff. The end was inevitable from there, as his mana regen was insufficient to cover the mana expenditure of the Stasis spells. Still, Imri held out as long as he could. He felt overheated between the mana and stamina expenditure, like an overworked computer with poor circulation. Sweat soaked his clothing and dripped off him in a steady stream. Rapidly, Imri approached the point of no return. He needed to save enough mana to retrieve Corrolth before he passed out. Ultimately, his stamina was the weak link, and he was forced to summon the dragon right before he passed out. When he came to, he was leaning against the scaly skin of Corrolth, who had her tail shielding him from the outside world. Emelia, who had been watching over him, began nervously checking to ensure he was alright. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Imri said dismissively. ¡°I thought I told you not to push so hard. That¡¯s twice in one month that you almost died from overexertion. Enough monsters are trying to kill you; don¡¯t add yourself to that list,¡± Emelia scolded him. ¡°Be proud of your mate. He pushed himself far more than I thought possible. It is a miraculous thing he has done,¡± Corrolth said as she lowered her head to be level with the two humans. Emelia flushed at being called a mate, even if she was pregnant. ¡®She wouldn¡¯t let us near you, even when we said we were trying to help. I had to explain our relationship to her, and even then, she was reluctant,¡¯ Emelia sent through their bond. ¡°Did you get enough mana?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Yes, I believe so. I must conserve my mana, devoting almost all to nurturing my eggs.¡± Imri nodded. He still felt weak, but he was quickly recovering. That¡¯s when he noticed the spot where he had been during his trance. Over a dozen glass vials were strewn about, far more than Imri had thought possible.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Imri asked. ¡°You were out for almost a day,¡± Emelia said. ¡°I mean, how long since I met with Corrolth?¡± ¡°Seriously? You were in such a flow state that you don¡¯t know how long it''s been?¡± Emelia asked in exasperation. At a nod from Imri, she continued, ¡°You have been watching the eggs for five days.¡± Imri was shocked. He had expected significant time to have elapsed, but nearly a week was unfathomable. Fortunately, numerous system prompts told him he had gained more than a dragon''s favor.
New Tratis Gained
Mana Circulation (2F): Improves mana regeneration rate by 5%.
Potion Toxicity Resistance (1F): Increases resistance to potion toxicity by 5%.
Traits Rank Up
Shaped by Mana F to E: Your physical body is a construct of mana. Increases mana by 3.15% (+.15%). Allows your mana to be converted to HP or FP at a rate equal to mana regeneration rate.
Inner Domain F to E: 1.03 Kilometer/100 Willpower (+.03 Kilometers/100 willpower) dimensions in each direction. 3% Increase in mana efficiency for storing and removing items.
Skill Rank Up
Transcendent Meditation F to E: While in a state of meditation, you gain +1.08% resource regeneration / 10 Willpower (+.03%/10 willpower)
Spell Rank Up
Stasis F to D: 6% increase in spells mana efficiency
Quest Updated
Class Rank Up E to D: Learn new space or time spells 5/15, rank up space or time spells 10/20, visit new celestial bodies 0/3, have space or time spells of tier 3 or higher 1/5.
Base Willpower increased to 137 (+1)
Imri smiled at the gains he had made for his efforts. Emelia, who immediately knew why he was pleased, groaned in annoyance. ¡°I really wish the system wouldn¡¯t encourage this behavior,¡± she complained, having already given up on trying to persuade him not to do this sort of thing. ¡°Imri, I am in your debt,¡± Corrolth said, using his name for the first time. She lowered her head so it touched the ground. ¡°Would you fight an Azala Hive Queen with us?¡± Imri asked hopefully. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m still constrained to my nest and cannot provide direct assistance. Even after that time, I am limited by the ambient mana of the planet and will need to journey to the star to recharge.¡± Imri¡¯s hopes shattered like a pane of glass. While he didn¡¯t regret what he had done, it hadn¡¯t provided the immediate assistance his people so badly needed. His disappointment must have been obvious because Corrolth quickly added, ¡°However, I may be able to provide some small aid.¡± Corrolth raised a taloned forelimb and scratched at her skin, dislodging several loose scales. Each individual scale was larger than a car door and probably more dense. They slammed into the ground with tremendous concussive force. Fortunately, Imri and Emelia were far enough away from the impacts that they weren¡¯t hurt, but the force still sent them tumbling to the ground. The dragon, heedless of the fact that its dandruff had nearly killed their savior, continued scratching a few more locations. When the barrage ended, there were around twenty scales on the nearby ground. Imri walked up and inspected one. Unfortunately, his Identify skill didn¡¯t give any helpful information, as a tier 4 material was too much of a gap to overcome, even with his traits. ¡°Unfortunately, you won¡¯t be able to do much with these, as your crafters will be too low-level to work with the material. However, each scale is a nearly priceless treasure to a high-ranking tier 3 craftsman or a low to mid-tier 4. If you could sell this on a higher tier world, each would sell for tens if not hundreds of millions of credits. The system will only give you a small fraction of that but should still give a couple of million credits per scale,¡± Corrolth said. Imri stared at the pile of scales. What had once looked like a pile of car doors was now unimaginable wealth. All his grinding and hard work was insignificant compared to this. ¡°How about a few more scales, then? I did save your children after all,¡± Imri said, pushing his luck. Instead of looking at him, Corrolth stared in the distance, then shook her head. ¡°Imri, I would strip my hide for you. Unfortunately, I have given all I can without drawing the ire of powerful forces. Perhaps, after the auction, I can provide more than some dry skin,¡± Corrolth said with sincerity. ¡°Do you mean the system or the Collective Intelligence?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Both,¡± Corrolth said, practically snarling as she spoke. ¡°Not a fan of either of them?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°My hatred for the system is a new thing. I should not be here but for its meddling. Dragons and the Collective Intelligence have always been opposed. We are free and live our lives following whims and emotions, the total opposite of those hunks of malfunctioning machinery,¡± Corrolth said, literally spitting something in anger. The spittle landed and immediately erased the ground around it like a Dimensional Tear, creating a hole deeper than one made by an oil drill. Imri was definitely glad the dragon was on his side. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Collective Intelligence¡¯s meddling, but what can the system do?¡± Imri asked. ¡°It won¡¯t interfere directly. However, get on its bad side, and you might find that a tier five was offered an enticing reward for eliminating you. You don¡¯t want to make the system your enemy,¡± Corrolth explained. Imri had to concur. At this point, their conversation had attracted the attention of the rest of their group. Corrolth still interposed herself between Imri and the others. It would have been endearing, but he was concerned she would kill them, either accidentally or on purpose. Imri reassured the protective dragon that he was fine and wasn¡¯t in danger of being assassinated by his friends. While Imri wanted to sit and talk with the dragon for days, he had already been gone far longer than he had planned. The auction was only a couple of weeks away, and he needed to prepare. He walked around and placed each of the scales in his Inner Domain. Finally, before he left, he placed a Dimensional Waypoint. Corrolth had no issues with them settling the area, so long as no one ventured closer than a kilometer. Somehow, Imri didn¡¯t think that would be a hard sell. Imri¡¯s over-channel debuff had subsided, so he opened a portal to the college town, and everyone stepped through. Chapter 118: Intense Sensations Imri stepped through the portal and was amazed at what he saw. In a few days, the location of the future college had made significant progress. While only a few buildings were erected, they were already several stories tall and still being built. He had intended to hike straight back to Celestia despite his draining stamina with the over-channel debuff applied, but he had another idea after seeing the Nexus. He walked up and touched it, bringing up the system store. With a mental query, the price for Corrolth¡¯s scale was presented: two and a half million credits per unit. It was both more and less than Imri had hoped for. The twenty scales in his Inner Domain represented fifty million credits, more than all his earned wealth. He would have been ecstatic if he didn¡¯t know it was even more valuable. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the luxury of waiting for the best price with the imminent Azala threat. The next decision was where to sell the scales. The primary consideration was the tax imposed by the system, which was converted into settlement XP. Imri¡¯s first thought was to sell half of them in Celestia while keeping the rest in reserve. It was the empire¡¯s capital and his barony. However, the exponential increase in XP required per level resulted in significant diminishing returns. In the end, Imri decided to spread the wealth. He would sell two scales in each settlement on the plateau, starting with the one he was at now. He received his 4.75 million credits, and the resulting settlement experience brought the Nexus from level 2 to 4. This reaffirmed his decision; while a level 4 settlement wasn¡¯t great, it was enough to provide a noticeable benefit once the settlement reached tier 2. Imri and Emelia bid farewell to the others as they would be making an extra stop. They adjusted their route back to Celestia to pass through the other new settlement that wasn¡¯t too far out of the way. It was nearest the plateau''s center, providing an outpost for the farmers and foresters too far from Celestia. They hiked there leisurely, at least by their current attributes, but would have been strenuous by pre-integration standards. The rural settlement was a stark contrast. There were no major construction sites or urban sprawl. Instead, it was primarily made up of single-residence houses, each with a slight variation in aesthetic. There were only two businesses, a tavern, and a general store. Many people gathered around individual stalls for a farmers'' market. Instead of going directly to the Nexus, they perused the market. Most of the items available were fresh produce. Imri was amazed by the sheer variety of vegetables grown in such a short time. Several stalls even sold fresh fruits from newly cultivated orchards. Most items were slightly larger than their pre-integration counterparts, with the rest significantly oversized. Imri examined a squash bigger than his head with his Omniscient Eyes. It contained a significant amount of mana, and a broader inspection of samples confirmed it wasn¡¯t a coincidence. The amount of mana was several orders of magnitude more than the pre-integration food that had been scavenged. Imri wondered what the effects of consuming mana-dense food would have on the individual, especially in the long run. He would need to check with the New Chicago Institute of System Studies researchers to see if this was a phenomenon they were conducting studies on. He also wondered how it would affect a child who grew up on this food, specifically his unborn child. ¡°You¡¯re such a nerd,¡± Emelia teased him affectionately, having undoubtedly felt his curiosity through their bond. ¡°You¡¯re not curious about the effects of mana density in foods on child development?¡± Imri asked. ¡°When you put it that way¡­ you''re still a nerd,¡± she said with a sly grin. However, her hand unconsciously went over her belly, and she eyed the produce with more discernment. ¡°I guess you''re stuck marrying a weirdo,¡± Imri said. ¡°I guess so,¡± she said, holding his hand as they continued strolling through the market. Each vendor was grateful for the patronage, and many offered samples of their products. They thanked them like the other customers, and Imri found it refreshing that no one called him Lord Padar. They purchased more food than they could eat in the next week. Without Imri''s Inner Domain, it would have been challenging to carry it back. Imri sold a pair of dragon scales to the system store as they left. Once again, the settlement gained two levels, this one going from three to five. It was dark when they returned to Celestia, with Imri lighting the way with an enchantment that functioned like a flashlight. Despite the late hour, the city was still bustling with activity. Most people had less need for sleep, resulting in more raucous nights. Much of the city was illuminated with enchanted street lamps, which Imri¡¯s apprentices had worked on. Most of the area within a kilometer of the nexus was developed or was in the process of getting new buildings. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the settlement reached rank E. Their home was no longer at the edge of town but was closer to downtown. Despite being exhausted, Imri withdrew several items he had purchased. His hands moved as he cut the vegetables with a speed and precision that he couldn¡¯t have achieved a few months ago. His knife skills were still sorely lacking, even compared to a pre-integration chef. However, he didn¡¯t look incompetent and could feel Emelia appreciated his effort. He added the minced vegetables to a tomato-based sauce and let it simmer. While the sauce was cooking, Imri poured himself a glass of red wine and some non-alcoholic sparkling cider for Emelia. He sniffed his wine, expecting nothing better than the cheapest pre-integration vintage. He was pleasantly surprised by its depth of aromas, with notes of black currant and vanilla. He took a sip and again was surprised at the quality of a wine that shouldn¡¯t even be ready for consumption. He added his sense of sight to his examination and noted the high mana density. He joined Emelia on the couch, and she snuggled up against him. She moved his free arm so it rested on her stomach, which now had a slight bump. He set his wine down and wrapped his other arm around her. ¡°I was worried about you,¡± she said after a while. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Imri said, though he deliberately made no promises. ¡°It would be hard enough just knowing how hard you push yourself, but it''s even worse that I can feel your emotions through it all. All that burden you take upon yourself, and all for the sake of keeping us safe. I wish I could do more to help,¡± she said.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°You¡¯ve saved hundreds, if not thousands, of people. I think you''re doing plenty,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°I could say the same thing about you, but that wouldn¡¯t stop you from trying to do more,¡± she countered. ¡°How would you do more? I¡¯m not sure how I can help,¡± Imri said. ¡°Imri, not everything is a problem you need to solve. Sometimes, I¡¯m just telling you about my frustrations because I want to vent, not because I need you to solve yet another problem,¡± she said with exasperation. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I try to help you,¡± he said, confused by what she wanted. Surely, she would want him to help her with some problems, and he couldn¡¯t understand which problems he wasn¡¯t supposed to help with. ¡°Just keep holding me,¡± she said with a sigh. Imri did just that until he needed to get up and stir the sauce. When it was almost done, he got a pot of water to boiling and added dried pappardelle noodles. When the noodles had cooked, he drained the water and added it to the sauce, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavors. As he was finishing the cooking, Emelia came into the kitchen. She had just showered, and her hair was still wet. She wore a fuzzy bathrobe tied loosely so that it showed a significant amount of cleavage. ¡°Go shower. I¡¯ll finish cooking,¡± she offered, though her tone made it sound more like a demand. Imri shrugged and did as he was told. When he returned in his comfy pajamas, the plates of vegetable ragu were prepared and set on the table. Eating such a nice meal in pajamas felt incongruous, but it was undoubtedly better than wearing dirty travel clothing. ¡°Thanks for cooking dinner,¡± she said. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s the occasion?¡± she asked. ¡°Does there need to be an occasion?¡± ¡°I usually have to drag you out of your workshop so that you¡¯ll remember to eat.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine; I was just curious,¡± Emelia said. ¡°There wasn¡¯t an occasion. I just wonder how much time we¡¯ll have to spend nights like this together,¡± Imri said with a sigh. The conversation lapsed into silence, and they both dug into their meal. As Imri took a bite, the ragu¡¯s flavors hit his palette like a symphony. The fresh garlic blasted a strong note, waking the palette. The next notes to come through were each of the vegetables from the farmers'' market: the sharpness of the onion, the earthiness of the carrot, and the acidity of the tomato, all balancing together in harmony. Emelia let out an exaggerated moan of pleasure. ¡°Imri, this is amazing. I didn¡¯t know you could cook like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not this good of a cook; it¡¯s the ingredients. Everything that has grown on this plateau has been saturated in mana, which seems to bring out the best qualities in the food.¡± ¡°Then there needs to be a portal to that market,¡± she declared. Imri could only nod his agreement. Within minutes, they had each devoured two servings, and Imri would have kept going if he wasn¡¯t so stuffed. They waddled their way back to the couch, enjoying their beverages while they cuddled. They lay there contentedly for a while, though Emelia kept wiggling about to get comfortable. Each time she did, she rubbed against him, and all he could think about was how close he was to her. Her bathrobe was also loose enough that he had an unobstructed view of her breasts. After a while, he felt a minor annoyance come through their bond. ¡°Imri, what are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m not doing anything.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± she said with exasperation. ¡°Oh¡­but since you were pregnant, I didn¡¯t want to presume,¡± he stammered. ¡°Imri, you can be assertive; I¡¯m not going to bite¡­well, I might, but not in the way you''re worried about. The worst answer you¡¯ll get from me is ¡®not now.¡¯¡± ¡°But I wasn¡¯t sure how long we could while you were pregnant; I don¡¯t want to hurt you or the baby.¡± ¡°First off, I¡¯m pregnant, not terminally ill. I can do everything physical I could do before you knocked me up, and that¡¯s true almost all the way through. Second, you are too gentle to hurt me or the baby, and you could be a bit¡­no, a lot rougher with me. You won¡¯t hurt either of us, and I will tell you if you¡¯re getting too close to that line.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he said dumbly. ¡°Besides, there are advantages to me being pregnant.¡± ¡°Advantages?¡± Imri asked dumbly, his head reeling too much for coherent thoughts. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear anything,¡± she whispered in his ear. The last of Imri¡¯s misplaced self-restraint shattered, and he kissed Emelia passionately. A moment later, they were in bed, Imri having teleported them while making out. This was quickly followed by their clothes being stored in his Inner Domain. For the second time this week, Imri entered a body scan meditation, focusing on the sensation of her touch. Each point of contact sent ripples of pleasure and warmth throughout his body. It was as if his skin had become more sensitive, but somehow didn¡¯t overwhelm him. He was keenly aware of his emotions: pleasure, happiness, and tranquility from being in the moment. A mild pain contrasted the experience as her nails dug into his back, though he was surprised to realize this only accentuated the pleasure by an order of magnitude. His awareness of emotions also extended to Emelia¡¯s through their Soul Bond. The connection had been there since their first time together, but it had steadily grown in breadth and clarity. Now, it practically guided Imri, like having all the answers to a test. Their souls were laid bare, and they knew each other more intimately than lovers who had been together for decades. It also helped that their bodies could shift and contort to all the perfect angles. Imri was mildly annoyed when he got a system notification. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t break the moment, and he reviewed it once they had finished for a second time. He was amused to discover that his Meditation skill had ranked up to D. He presumed it had been close to E before his week-long trance, which had brought it close to D. If he thought he could level the skill to tier three using this training method, he would seclude them to continue this until the Azala arrived. Unfortunately, he didn''t think that was the case. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Emelia mock pouted after he explained what happened. ¡°Maybe I could get the skill.¡± ¡°Really! The resource regeneration and mental well-being is whatever, but more intense sex, and it''s a must-get skill?¡± Imri also found that he wasn¡¯t tired. The ability to meditate while doing things made sleep an unnecessary endeavor. Still, they lay together, limbs intertwined. It was still dark out when the doorbell rang. Imri materialized clothing from his Inner Domain and made his way downstairs. A soldier in Drake armor stood with professional poise. ¡°Sorry to bother you at such an early hour, sir. The council is assembling at o-seven-hundred, and they insist you be there,¡± the man said. Imri nodded. This was the calm before the storm, but now it was time to return to work. Chapter 119: Specialized Items Despite the early hour, Imri was among the last to arrive at the meeting. The conference room, which had originally been far larger than needed, was now packed with people representing various groups. The chatter died down as they noticed him. ¡°We have a lot to go through,¡± Laura said, eliminating the last remnants of side conversations. ¡°Let¡¯s address the elephant in the room: what is the status of the Azala forces?¡± Colonel Harper stood and began summarizing the reports he had received. ¡°They continue to mass near the edge of the xenoformed terrain. At this point, over a million Azala have gathered along the perimeter. The majority of their numbers consist of drones similar to those encountered in Minneapolis and New Chicago, but their average level is around ten, a slight increase from previous engagements. There were also numerous sightings of similar variants to those encountered during the conflict in New Chicago. In addition, there were several unknown classes of enemies, including several derived from Chixel hosts. The most noteworthy were several floating nodes wrapped in a membrane, making them appear like oversized flying jellyfish with a core. We surmised that these are mobile controller units. Unfortunately, most enemy forces were too high level for Identify to provide precise data.¡± The report was met with stunned silence. It was about as bad as it could have been, with Azala¡¯s lack of urgency being the only reason they hadn¡¯t been overrun. The mobile nodes were especially troubling, as they had to assume the Azala could advance at any time. A woman who identified herself as a biological researcher from the New Chicago Institute of System Research was the next to give a report. ¡°We have been able to ascertain several key properties of the xenoforming process. The rootlike veins that extend from the node secrete a substance containing microorganisms that produce the tissue-like substance. Within the organism are numerous nerve-like roots capable of sending information. Anything connected to this network will have near-instantaneous communication with anything else within the network. It¡¯s analogous to the mycelium networks of fungi in forests.¡± This intuitively made sense to Imri and matched his experience fighting the Azala. It also went a long way towards explaining why they wanted to convert as much terrain as possible. While fighting on this network, they would have an incredible information advantage, second only to Imri¡¯s Manifest Domain. A man in dark leather armor delivered the next report. ¡°We¡¯ve been carefully monitoring the progress of the Azala xenoforming progress. Over the last week, the expansion rate has increased to over fifty meters daily. The stone forest has almost wholly been covered. Assuming this expansion rate is constant, we would have several months before the xenoforming reaches Mount Celestia. However, the growth acceleration has not stopped, and if we assume it is steady, we only have a little over a month. We¡¯ve also received reports suggesting the rate isn¡¯t constant in all directions and is fastest towards us. This suggests the Azala are now focusing their resources on us.¡± ¡°Is there any way to slow or stop the process?¡± Colonel Harper asked. The researcher nodded. ¡°From what we¡¯ve seen from the invasion of New Chicago, the veins all grow from a node. If the node is destroyed, the veins will stop expanding and eventually die out. Likewise, the network will die without nourishment, though this process takes time.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re back to the same strategy: take out as many nodes as possible. However, the Azala surely know this is a vulnerability, and they will be heavily guarded,¡± Colonel Harper said. ¡°At least we have an objective to work towards,¡± Imri said with a shrug. Without prompting, he explained what he had been doing for the last week. He didn¡¯t go into details about his meditation but focused on his agreement with Corrolth. There were excited murmurs when he brought out a scale to show everyone, with Christoph even making an offer. Sylvi went next. ¡°While Imri kept dragon eggs frozen in time, we explored the valley. Our primary objective was to map out probable locations of future settlements. Like Celestia, we were looking for natural treasures worth building around.¡± She paused and pulled out a golden plum that radiated a powerful magical essence. ¡°Consuming this fruit will permanently increase base and max agility by a point.¡± The room erupted at this declaration. This time, it wasn¡¯t just Christoph making offers. The din only died down when Zhaire stepped in and shouted for silence. Caroline took over the explanation, ¡°Unfortunately, the body can only handle so much of the fruit¡¯s effect before it becomes harmful. Zhaire was gracious enough to eat the fruit before we could fully ascertain its properties and could only increase his agility by two. I¡¯ll be working to improve its efficacy by converting it into an elixir, though we are willing to auction off a few of the raw fruits.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, only a single tree grew these, and we picked it clean. So for now, this is all that¡¯s available,¡± Sylvi added. Imri wondered if he could enchant the plum tree with a growth aspect of his Cycles of Growth and Decay. If he could convert the ambient mana into more natural treasures, that would be invaluable. Others suggested trying to cultivate an orchard from the fruit¡¯s pit. Imri doubted either solution would be easy, as the single tree probably consumed vast amounts of ambient mana and essence. The meeting was adjourned on that positive note. Imri debated buying two of the golden plums that were being auctioned off. The current price was just over a million credits, which was already a sum most couldn¡¯t afford, but he could easily justify it. However, he decided to leave the limited supply to those who could put it to better use. With less than two weeks to the auction, Imri was running out of time to prepare. He returned to his workshop and immediately noticed the stockpile of items ready to be enchanted. He sighed and got to work, attacking the tedious task the same way he had with his constant use of Stasis: his conscious mind focused internally on Transcendant Meditation while a separate consciousness focused on doing the work. Between his machine-like focus and his Runic Replication trait, he quickly went through his backlog. A third stream of consciousness was focused on another task: designing new enchantments. His spells'' main advantage over his enchantments was their adaptability; he could define the spell''s parameters as the situation demanded. Replicating this on a crude UI had been almost impossible for anything over a single parameter. This was why he hadn¡¯t been able to create rings of Teleportation or wands of Dimensional Tear, but in theory, it should be possible. The essential improvement was the enchantment''s ability to take thoughts in as a parameter via Mind Receiving runes. With that, it should be possible to reproduce these multi-variate spells as an enchantment.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. After working through the design, he took a break from the tedious enchanting and began implementing his idea. He started with something safer, saving Dimensional Tear or Teleportation after he had a proof of concept. Instead, he created a Ring of Low Gravity. The only difference between the previous version, like the ones the wraiths had used, and this version was that it wasn¡¯t necessarily targeting the wearer. The target could be anything the wearer defined. It took Imri a while to work through the Receiving runes as they grew exponentially more complicated with the multi-variable inputs. This also significantly increased the required runes, forcing Imri to meticulously place each rune precisely while keeping them at a minuscule scale. With the level of detail involved, it took Imri several hours to finish that enchantment. Eventually, the ring was finished, and he inspected his work. The overall crafting efficiency was slightly lower than the more straightforward-to-produce items, but he couldn¡¯t find any significant faults in his work. He fed the small Espeonite Gemstone some mana and activated the enchantment like he would cast the spell, defining his target and amplitude. He immediately felt the enchantment take effect, and he lifted the chair, feeling its reduced weight as he did so. Despite the test working as expected, Imri frowned. Unfortunately, the enchantment was draining its mana source at an alarming rate. The difference in efficiency was far greater than a simple ratio of the enchantment¡¯s mana efficiency over his own. Technically, this was always true, as an enchantment had numerous supporting runes that allowed the primary effect to function as intended. However, those runes typically consumed only a tiny fraction of the overall mana expenditure, but that wasn¡¯t the case with his new creation. He suspected the likely culprit was the Mind Sending runes. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t see an alternative without hard coding one of the values, which would defeat the entire purpose. Sighing, Imri accepted that versatility would come at the expense of efficiency. He locked the enchantment in with a Drake core. Unfortunately, another flaw was quickly discovered. The efficiency of the enchantment wasn¡¯t constant from user to user. When someone else used the ring, the mana lost to the Mind Receiving runes was far greater than when he had used it. After everyone in the workshop had tried it, he was able to draw a couple of conclusions: those who weren¡¯t familiar with defining spell parameters couldn¡¯t even get the enchantment to work or were incredibly inefficient. Meanwhile, those who had some experience with spellcasting could get it to work, but it still consumed significantly more mana than what it had taken Imri. Imri suspected this inefficiency could be reduced with enough practice, but he doubted anyone besides another gravity mage would be able to replicate his level of success. There was still value in the enchantment, even if Imri was the only one who used it. Having a way to cast spells with an external mana source would effectively produce the same results without worrying about over-channeling. However, if he took it too far, he would quickly deplete his Espeonite reserves. He also wasn¡¯t sure he wanted a ring for every spell, as it would quickly turn into a jewelry display case worth of items. He wondered how extreme he could get with something completely specialized. The first problem was the surface area. He would need something far larger than a ring for what he had in mind. He took a Mana Absorption panel and repurposed it. He went through his entire spell list, inscribing the parameters needed to cast each spell. It took him the better part of a day with no breaks, but eventually, his entire spell list was inscribed into the panel, which was now completely covered in intricate runes. Unfortunately, this was only the first step, as more was needed to create the spell effects. He had effectively created a reference table of spell parameters but needed the rest of the architecture. While he was working on the Spell Parameter Reference Array, Zuri and Toby prepared the materials for the second component of his project. It was a staff made from the highest quality tree on the Celestia plateau, shaped and enhanced by the highest level woodworker. A large piece of Espeonite was affixed to the top, cut to reflect a brilliant gleam as the light reflected off it. Golden leylines ran from the facet down to the base in straight lines. Aesthetically, it was strange. It was a combination of mystical and technical, but that suited Imri perfectly. Imri began inscribing the runes. The first portion was a set of Sending and Receiving runes. It would read Imri¡¯s thoughts and then send the desired spell to the Spell Parameter Reference Array. The array would then return the spell parameters via another set of two-way communication runes. The last step was the hardest. He would need to take another input of his thoughts via a Mind Receiving rune and have the enchantment parse the thought to determine what the parameters were. Fortunately, most spells shared similar casting criteria: amplitude, target or area of effect, and frame of reference. They were also all different types of values, respectively a number, object, and vector, so it shouldn¡¯t be too hard for the enchantment to interpret. Imri took his time, carefully inscribing each rune with meticulous detail. He tested each component as he went, making minor corrections as needed. When it was done, the entire staff was covered in intricate runes. He took a deep breath and tested the final product, using the most mundane spell in his arsenal. Immediately, his mind was informed of the exact distance from himself to the wall he had targeted. He smiled and progressed to more complicated spells. Each spell worked as it always had, though it consumed significantly more mana than it would through his natural spellcasting. Incredibly pleased with his final result, he took out his highest-level core and finished his item. An Identify revealed the item had been named the Staff of the Celestial Mage. With its completion, Imri received a flood of notifications.
Traits Ranked Up
Master Crafter 5 (+1): .5% to primary attributes (+.1%)
Wonderous Crafter 2 (+1): .3% to primary attributes (+.15%)
Imri Padar has reached level 31 (+2) in Runic Engineer
Primary Stats
Strength 166 (+1)
Agility 136 (+1)
Constitution 163 (+1)
Intelligence 321 (+3)
Willpower 260 (+2)
Secondary Stats
HP 396 (+6)
FP 293 (+5)
MP 2016 (+57)
Mana Efficiency 1518 (+28)
Crafting Efficiency 2037 (+87)
Traits Ranked Up
Runic Crafting E to D
Runic Crafting improved to Runic Artistry
Runic Artistry (2F): Gives an intuitive understanding of how runes work and how to optimally combine them. Improves the rate at which new runes are learned by 5.5%. Crafting Efficiency of runic enchantments increased by 2.5%
Relativety Runic Enchanting F to E
Quest Updated
Runic Engineer rank up: Generate mana 343,720/4,000,000, have rank 5 in achievements Master Crafter and Mass Assembled 1/2, have achievement Wonderous Crafter 1/1
Imri smiled, proud of what he had accomplished. However, he only allowed himself a momentary reprieve. There was still more work to be done. Chapter 120: Final Preparations With his staff completed, Imri spent a considerable amount of time testing it. He pushed the limits of what it could do, chaining spells together in rapid succession. There was a minuscule delay between his thought and the manifestation of his spells. Fortunately, it was nearly imperceptible and wouldn¡¯t be an issue. The next issue was what to do with the panel that housed his repository of spells. It was far too cumbersome to carry around. He considered using micro portals to connect to it, but that would have been a massive mana sink. Fortunately, that was his backup plan. Instead, he placed the reference array inside his Inner Domain. He knew mana could get in and out of his domain without issue; otherwise, the world would have been cut off when he placed the world core inside. Theoretically, the information sent through his enchantments would work similarly, as it was simply shaped mana. Imri gripped his staff tightly and formed the thought to activate a Teleportation spell through the enchantment. To his immense relief, he found himself standing on the other side of the room, just as he had intended. He took a small amount of time to revel in his accomplishment. Unfortunately, there was too much to be done to slack off, so he enjoyed a meal with Emelia. This time, she cooked, preparing the equivalent of a pork loin from the newly domesticated quil hogs and some apples that were reduced to form the sauce. Imri devoured nearly an entire pound of pork, having missed meat that wasn¡¯t drake. Returning to his workshop, he began work on another idea. The concept of versatility and power being trade-offs was something he could iterate on. He had done one extreme, creating an item so versatile only he could use it. Therefore, he decided to try making something that was highly specialized but should be incredibly powerful. He had yet to make an item using Teleportation or any of its lower-tier variants. However, teleportation was now powerful enough to be used at long ranges, similar to his portals. Unfortunately, his original idea of having a user define the teleportation destination didn¡¯t seem feasible with the inefficiency. However, there was still value in teleporting to a pre-defined destination. The main design challenge was defining precisely what was being teleported. It wasn¡¯t hard to determine the person, but the enchantment would lose much of its value if it left the user¡¯s belongings behind. So, he expanded the effect to include everything touching the user. It took a bit of testing to get this working correctly, as there had been issues with containers teleporting without their contents. On the opposite end of the spectrum, teleporting while barefoot hadn¡¯t worked at all because the enchantment tried and failed to move the entire building and everything in it. He worked around this by having the enchantment exclude any object more massive than a car. Finally, he made the location configurable to specific Dimensional Waypoints. He created a design similar to the portal network, with a terminal that could add approved Dimensional Waypoints. Like the portal enchantment, it would open a micro-portal to query and ensure the area was available. However, unlike the portal, it only looked for available space. Imri could set aside designated locations and enchanted sensors to determine their occupancy. He sighed, realizing his simple idea had become an engineering project. Fortunately, with his Spatial Beacon being upgraded into Dimensional Waypoint, he wouldn¡¯t have an issue placing down more pre-defined locations. He didn¡¯t think the platform would need to be overly large, as there only needed to be enough space for people temporarily until they stepped off the platform. He also decided to confine the scope to only one location for his initial launch. Before committing to the final design, he ran his proposal past the city council and several experts, including a city planner and an architect. The immediate concern was customs and security; if the enchantment ever circulated widely, keeping track of people coming and going from Celestia would be impossible. This was already a concern with the portals but was mitigated by their infrequent use, allowing customs agents to be present during every portal opening. However, as mana became more readily available, it would become a logistical nightmare. There was already a proposal to build a large complex around the portal, almost like a condensed airport, including overpriced convenience stores. Imri had no qualms about building the teleportation platforms within the same complex. The main sticking point was the timeline. Imri wanted to start production before the auction, which meant the transit hub would need to be completed within a week. Ultimately, Imri decided to solve the problem by investing his resources, mainly his credits, in the project. The council was happy to take him up on his offer if he could find a building group to take on the construction on such short notice. Imri sighed, knowing this would probably result in an even more significant credit expenditure. As it turned out, all the builders were booked out for months. Fortunately, money talked, and Imri convinced a large company to temporarily hold off on their other work. While the construction was taking place, he prepared as many of the components ahead of time as possible so it would be a simple lift and shift once the space was ready. He also crossed off a few items that he had been putting off. He placed three more portals: one near the farming town, one near the college town, and one in the valley. With that done, the network had now expanded to nine locations: six across the various settlements on the plateau, one at the base of the mountain at the edge of Seagrass Plains, one in the valley, and one in New Chicago. Having so many portals without the mana production to support such an expansive network was a bit of overkill. Still, Imri was glad they were set up for future use.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Mana production was still the most critical area of improvement. Imri spread out the dull drum, spending several hours each day enchanting as many panels as he possibly could. The mana-gathering farm now looked like a respectable industrial industry with over a hundred panels operating. Unfortunately, he never could get ahead of the demand, as any excess supply had dozens of people looking to use it. Imri had slowly been raising the price on his mana, not wanting those who truly needed it to go without it but not wanting to give it away either. So far, there had been only minor grumblings with the raised prices, but it hadn¡¯t prevented anyone from buying. The income generated by his mana generation was still only a tiny fraction of his net earnings, especially with the dragon-scale windfall. As the day drew closer, Imri continued enchanting with zealous determination. He spent over twenty hours a day on his work, only taking brief breaks to alleviate some mental fatigue over the constant multi-thread thought patterns he was engaged in. He found that walking around the lake with Emelia would alleviate some of his anxiety. Emelia had been equally busy throughout the day. There was no shortage of demand for a healer, both mundane and magical, with a constant stream of refugees still trickling in. She had finally managed to learn the Meditation skill, but it was still rank F in the first tier. However, even that improvement had greatly increased her healing output. As a result, she had gained several levels, putting her at level twenty-nine. ¡°It¡¯s not enough; I need to level faster,¡± she vented to him on one of their walks. ¡°You¡¯ve been leveling faster than ever before, and there are only a few people higher level than you,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Says the level forty-six who has been leveling his profession at a ridiculous rate over the past month,¡± she countered. ¡°It¡¯s not a competition.¡± ¡°There is literally a leaderboard in the nexus. If that isn¡¯t a competition, I don¡¯t know what is,¡± she said. ¡°This hasn¡¯t bothered you until recently, so what changed?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about my tier two heritage,¡± she admitted. ¡°I thought Caroline would have found a way to unlock the special heritage rather than just evolving me into a slightly stronger mundane human. Unfortunately, it looks like I¡¯ll have to do that on my own.¡± ¡°Not on your own; you have me,¡± Imri said. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°I realized I was connected to the world when a giant parasite tried corrupting the core to xenoform the planet into a hellish hive world.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think that one will work for me.¡± ¡°In all seriousness, I¡¯ve advanced my heritage whenever I learned something profound about myself. It couldn¡¯t hurt to focus on introspection,¡± he suggested. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not suggesting I do more meditation,¡± she practically growled. ¡°Not necessarily more, just with intent.¡± Emelia sighed but nodded. They finished their walk in silence, enjoying the natural beauty around them. Returning home, they quickly transitioned into enjoying each other''s natural beauty. As the auction day drew near, enough of the transit hub was completed so he could install the teleportation platforms. The actual platform was a two-meter square with True Distance runes to detect when an object was on the surface. There were currently eight platforms, though he had left plenty of room to expand. After installing the platforms and terminal, he tested the Returning enchantment. The next instant, he was standing on the first platform. Imri had a massive grin as he returned to his workshop to finalize a quick production run of his newest product. This time, he decided to go with a different form factor, not wanting everything to be a ring. The final product looked like a computer chip the size of a slim phone. On the back, written in plain English, was a description of what the enchantment did. A day before the auction, a system prompt got Imri¡¯s attention.
The auction will begin in twenty-four hours. Participants, please make your way to a tier-three settlement nexus. The auction will take place in two parts. The first will be an auction of user-provided items. The seller will have control over the starting bid and increment of increase within system parameters. They will also be able to limit whether the item is open to all settlements or to restrict it by species. All sold items will be transferred to the nexus of the buyer, with a ten percent transport fee added, in addition to any applicable taxes. All individuals participating in the first auction must pay a one thousand credit entrance fee. The entrance fee is waived for the nobles controlling the settlement and nobles ruling over them. Information regarding the second phase of the auction will be provided after the first concludes.
Imri read the notification several times but didn¡¯t find anything overly surprising. He suspected the second phase would consist of the system-generated treasures mentioned in the original notification. He suspected he would be mostly a seller in the first phase, though he would have to watch out for natural treasures like the golden plums that Sylvi had found. Imri and Emelia made their way to the portal hub the following day. Most people wouldn¡¯t be participating due to the relatively high entrance fee. However, dozens of people still had gathered around the portal, hoping to take advantage of this opportunity. Imri was one of the last to arrive, having taken advantage of every last hour to finish a final few enchantments. Fortunately, due to the increased mana generation, there wouldn¡¯t be an issue opening the portal twice in relatively quick succession. They also planned to leave the portal open to allow several thousand immigrants through. Imri reviewed his progress over the last couple of weeks. He had gained another two levels in his Runic Engineer class, bringing him to level thirty-three. He had also gained one more rank in his mass-assembled trait. This meant he had made significant progress on his profession rank-up quest, and if he could get the final two ranks of mass assembled within the next couple of months, he would complete the quest without issue. Within his Inner Domain were dozens of each type of enchantment. With hundreds of items to sell and over fifty million credits to spend, he should be able to buy whatever was needed. Chapter 121: The Auction Begins Imri stepped through the portal, returning to New Chicago. Nearby, a large crowd of refugees had gathered, hoping for a better life in Celestia. They were dirty and had little more than the clothes on their backs. Many looked gaunt with dry, cracked lips, and a few even had distended bellies from the later stages of starvation. Imri felt a bit of disgust at the situation and no small amount of guilt when he thought about the decadent meals he had been eating. Only the fact that he had been working tirelessly prevented him from self-loathing. He vowed to do everything he could to improve the situation. He mentally moved up the priority of the industrial-sized portals he intended to build. Hopefully, improved logistics would help with humanitarian relief, and, in the long term, better trade would bring some prosperity. Fortunately, the military controlled the crowd, preventing them from rioting and pushing to the portal in a mob. They were stern, bordering on rough with some, but it was necessary. Those arriving for the auction quickly cleared the area. A dense fog hung over the city, obscuring anything further than a few meters in front of Imri. What little he could see painted a bleak picture; despite the month since the battle, the city still looked desolate, like images on the news from a war-torn country. Most of the damage from the battle remained, with no signs of repair. General McCarthy and the other barons who lived in New Chicago met them near the nexus. They quickly ran through a report of what had happened in the month they had been gone. It painted an even more bleak picture than what Imri had seen; nearly all the reserves that had existed before the integration had been exhausted. Grocery stores were almost wholly devoid of foodstuffs, and hospitals and pharmacies lacked medicine, bandages, and practically every other disposable item. The military wasn¡¯t much better off, having depleted their ammunition reserves. Work was underway to give New Chicago a more robust supply chain, but results would take a while to show. They would also need to gather more raw materials to be self-sufficient. A lot was riding on this auction. It wasn¡¯t just a chance to acquire unique and powerful items; it was a chance to buy necessities that weren¡¯t available in the city. However, Imri suspected New Chicago wouldn¡¯t be the only settlement looking to be buyers. With only a few minutes before the auction began, Imri excused himself. He quickly located a food shelf with a line of hungry people extending around the block. Inside were several security guards and volunteers handing out meager rations to the expectant recipients. He made his way to the back, with no one stopping or challenging him. He found the manager and explained that he had come to donate. He focused on his Inner Domain, pulling out several crates of food stuffs. It wouldn¡¯t make a dent in the shortage, but it was better than nothing. He returned to the nexus just in time, with the system timer mere seconds from the appointed hour. As the auction opened, hundreds of people reached out and touched the nexus. Fortunately, they only needed to initiate the auction that way and were free to pursue the offerings from afar afterward. The first phase would last twenty-four hours, and Imri could mentally check the remaining time with a mental prompt. He decided to focus on listing his items first before browsing to see if there was anything he wanted. He chose only to list a portion of his inventory immediately, hopefully creating the misconception that the supply was limited. He noticed that the minimum starting bid was equivalent to the price at which the system store would buy the item. That usually wouldn¡¯t be an issue, as there wasn¡¯t much reason to sell something below market rate. However, that might be an issue for some of Imri¡¯s more expensive items. It was especially problematic for his portals, with a base price of six million credits. He had created them with the hopes of greatly expanding the network at a low cost and would have given them away for free if he could. He had placed several restrictions on them, requiring the portal to be opened from an existing location until a registered admin unlocked it. That was out of an abundance of caution, as he doubted whoever purchased the portal would have the mana to operate it. Even opening the portal from Celestia would be a challenge, and he doubted they would have the mana to spare until after the Azala were dealt with. Even then, it would depend on the distance between them, as it would undoubtedly be further than New Chicago. Fortunately, he had configured the terminal to allow micro-portals to be used for communication so they would at least be able to converse in the interim. While he was setting up his items, the system allowed him to provide a brief description of what the item did. Unfortunately, the system limited this text to five hundred characters, forcing him to be concise. The remaining items were more straightforward to describe, though he still couldn¡¯t dive into the nitty gritty of each rune. He also set buyout prices for each, with the minimum value twice the starting price. He put it at around three times the base price for most items, except the portals, which were set to the minimum. The increment each bid increased by was set at a minimum of one percent of the base price, but Imri increased that to five percent, hoping it would encourage people to buy it outright rather than waiting. The final setting was who would be able to purchase the listing. Imri had gone back and forth on this; no matter what, he would exclude the Azala and Chixel, but there was an argument to be made to sell to the other factions, as it would drive the price higher while not being used against them in the coming conflicts. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t know what species were at war with the various other human factions and would eventually become their enemies. Not wanting to give an enemy of humanity a weapon, he limited all his enchanted items to only be available for humans. However, there was one item he was willing to sell to anyone: Corrolth¡¯s scales. There were several reasons for this. The primary one was that it wasn¡¯t immediately usable for any of the current factions. Corrolth had assured him it would require a tier four or a very talented high-rank tier three dedicated crafter to work the scale into an item. Both were incredibly unlikely, as the planet could not support tier four beings; Corrolth herself was an example of this. Tier three crafters would be few and far between, making the chances of a prodigy extremely low. This meant the planet''s fate would have already been decided by the time the scale was a useful item. He would get the best return by including all the factions, especially since humans wouldn¡¯t know the true worth of a tier-four dragon scale.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. An hour later, Imri had finished listing his items. By then, several of his enchantments had already been purchased outright, and many more already had bids. It was a good sign that humanity was doing well enough to purchase his relatively expensive inventory. That certainly wouldn¡¯t have been the case in New Chicago. Imri transitioned to a buying. He was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer amount of junk available to purchase. Most items appeared to be pre-integration items that had been salvaged. Many were listed at exorbitant prices, though those items had yet to receive any bids. People could put items at whatever price they wanted, but it was only worth what someone was willing to pay for it. Fortunately, the system allowed for filtering through natural language queries. With a thought, Imri removed all the salvaged items. Next, he sorted through crafted items, with the highest-quality items at the top. He grinned as his items dominated the display. He mentally commanded the system to exclude them. The rest of the list was diverse. Many listings had a fantasy aesthetic, with heavy armor, swords, bows, and similar items. This was interspersed with more modern items like guns, grenades, drones, and other vehicles. Like Coleman¡¯s creations, many were magitech hybrids, adapting existing technology to run on mana-enhanced fuels or outright running on mana. Imri debated buying several of the ones that ran on mana but discarded the idea. He already had a company that would eventually produce both types. The next items he considered were better weapons and armor. However, the quality among the top was similar to what he could order in Celestia, but the price in the auction was outrageous. Furthermore, most items for sale were from low-tier monsters, with the rare tier two armor and weapons selling for millions of credits. Somewhat disappointed, Imri kept looking through the listings but couldn¡¯t find any crafted item worth purchasing. As more of Imri¡¯s enchantments were bought outright, he reconsidered his prices. He added more listings, keeping the base price at the minimum but increasing the buyout price. Since the auction started, his wealth had nearly doubled, and he had only gone through a fraction of his inventory. With mixed feelings, Imri continued looking through the listings. He was about to give up on the crafted items when something caught his attention. It hadn¡¯t been near the top due to not having the highest quality, but it was something Imri wanted regardless: an ability tome, and not just one but dozens of them. His excitement waned a bit when he noticed most of the abilities were fairly mundane, containing basic traits that the university was already training, like melee weapon proficiency or blacksmithing proficiency. Despite this, almost all the tomes had bids over a million credits. He debated bidding on several he found interesting, but they were all skills or traits he could learn independently with enough time. However, before he could make any bids, his eyes lingered on a particular tome that he had almost missed.
Ability Tome: Ability Tome Writing Description: An ability tome is an aid for increasing the rate at which a new ability is learned. The rate of increase is dependent on the quality of the ability tome. Each read of the tome reduces the essence contained within the tome, reducing the effectiveness of each subsequent reading. Trait Contained: Ability Tome Writing (1F): Gives an understanding of how to create ability tomes. Reduces the ability comprehension required to create the tome by 5% and improves crafting efficiency of ability tomes by 1.5%. Quality Level: 27
Imri badly wanted that tome. Unfortunately, based on the bid history, he wasn¡¯t the only one; the price was already over two million credits and still climbing. With a shrug, Imri mentally selected the ¡®buy it now¡¯ option for ten million credits. An instant later, it materialized in his hands. Unsure if he wanted to read it himself or give it to someone who could dedicate themselves to it, he stored it in his Inner Domain without reading it. Despite the expense, his credits still increased since the last time he checked. He was also pleased to see an extensive bidding war for each dragon scale, with the prices nearing the ten million mark. Both portals also had bids, which he was excited about, more for the network than the credits, but he would still take their money. He resumed inspecting the crafted items, mentally filtering out the common types he had already decided against, such as weapons and armor. The remaining list was still massive, containing everything from appliances to art. Unfortunately, nothing piqued his interest the way the skill tomes had. Moving on, he filtered to a different category of items: natural treasures. This list was far smaller than any of the subcategories of crafted items, with the entire list viewable within a few minutes. A significant portion of this list was from Celestia, with someone selling vials of the spring water and Sylvi selling the Golden Plums of Agility. Fortunately, there were several items that Imri was interested in. Imri was interested in several items similar to the plums, which increased a primary attribute''s base and max. With limited available supply, Imri again went with the ¡®buy it now¡¯ option, as the chance of saving a few credits wasn¡¯t worth the risk of missing out on the items he wanted. He purchased two containers with tea leaves that would increase intelligence by one. The next were two small jars of blueberries, increasing his willpower by one each. Finally, he purchased two charisma-increasing pomegranates for Emelia. For the six stat points, he paid nearly twenty million credits. He also purchased a fist-sized chunk of crystal for just under a million credits. It barely qualified as a treasure, as its only function was storing mana. However, it could store almost twice as much mana per unit of volume as Espeonite. Espeonite would still be sufficient for most uses, but Imri wanted the crystal for his Staff of the Celestial Mage. Imri smiled, pleased with his haul of credits and items so far, and this was just the beginning. He suspected the truly interesting items would be in the second phase, and he now had even more credits to buy what he needed. Chapter 122: Auction Intermission Imri watched as the timer ticked down towards the first phase¡¯s conclusion. He had occasionally checked the list for more interesting items, but none had appeared. This wasn¡¯t surprising, as the only items he had been interested in were rare and powerful, something that typically wasn¡¯t held back. Since his initial shopping binge, Imri had held back from buying items outright. He had bid on several items, all of which had reasonable prices. As the timer reached zero, a notification appeared in Imri¡¯s mind.
The first phase of the auction has concluded. All items have been delivered to the current bidder, and all sellers have been credited. There will be a one-hour intermission, and then the second phase will commence. There will be a ten thousand credit entrance fee, with nobles owning the nexus, or their lieges, getting a fifty percent discount. All items for sale are provided by the system, with each item having a two percent increase minimum per bid with no buyout option. Each item will be auctioned one at a time, with the final bid being accepted after no bid activity for fifteen seconds. The auction is open information, so current and final bids will be known to all involved.
Imri read and re-read the notification several times, despite his high mental stats, which allowed him to recall the information perfectly after a single speed read. The entire world would be competing for these items, so he doubted there would be good value on any purchase. However, if he could obtain several essential items to increase his abilities, then it wouldn¡¯t matter if he overpaid. He also hoped to learn which factions had power based on the amount of resources they brought to bear. It would also be telling what everyone was interested in. During the intermission, he checked what he had won. The vast majority were metals in various states of refinement, which he intended to use as the base material for his enchantments. The remaining items were various luxuries he had been missing: spices, alcohol, and coffee beans, all in full pallet quantities. They were dumped near his feet as he retrieved them from the nexus. Touching each item in turn, they all disappeared into his Inner domain. He smiled, knowing this would tide him over until Celestia had time to grow and integrate with other cities. Imri¡¯s smile grew even wider as he checked his credit balance. Despite his purchases, his credits had ballooned to over a hundred and fifty million, thanks to the constant sales of his enchantments. He worried the market would become oversaturated with his continuous production last month. Fortunately, almost all his inventory sold, most at or near the buyout price. Both his portals had sold, and he was surprised to see there had even been a small bidding war for them, as they wouldn¡¯t be immediately helpful for the purchasers. Even the dragon scales sold well, not nearly the hundred million mark Corrolth had implied they were worth, but well above the poultry sum the system store offered. Beyond making him wealthy, Imri¡¯s enchantments would hopefully help the various human factions in whatever conflicts they were embroiled in. This was especially true since he likely could have gotten higher profits but chose not to push for every last credit and leave his customer base bereft of resources. He noticed mixed reactions as he checked in with the others participating in the auction. Laura was quite pleased, as Celestia had mostly been sellers, making a tidy sum off of Espeonite, Zopralt, healing water, and mana-dense stones. In contrast, the representatives from New Chicago were quite despondent; as Imri had predicted, the price of most essentials had been inflated. Christoph had a smug grin, and Imri quickly learned why: he had sold the extra nexuses he had purchased to prove a point, and they had sold for over a million credits each. That was only one of the many items he had sold, with nearly as many sales as Imri. However, he hadn¡¯t made quite the profit Imri had, as most of his items were purchased and resold. As the second phase was nearing, Imri found a comfortable spot to sit. He had been so busy monitoring his items that he hadn¡¯t had time to appreciate the event spectacle. The auction itself entirely took place in the theater of the mind, thanks to the system''s direct connection to everyone. However, only one thing could happen whenever it forced people together. The entire thing had become one big block party, reminding Imri of tailgating before a big football game. Instead of barbeque, people had deep-fried Drake¡ªa few enterprising individuals sold alcohol to eager patrons. Drunken revelers lamented missing out on a critical item that would have made all the difference, while others realized that they had overpaid for an item they didn¡¯t need. It felt incongruous with the suffering of the people who lived within the city, as most of the revelers were from Celestia. However, Imri knew it would do no good for everyone to feel guilty and miserable; life hadn¡¯t been easy on them, and they earned the right to let loose a little. Still, he didn¡¯t feel like celebrating. ¡°People are going to think you hate parties if you always have a scowl during one,¡± Emelia commented as she sat beside him. ¡°Maybe I do,¡± he said with a shrug. They both knew he didn¡¯t exactly love raucous crowds and drunken debauchery. He would have preferred a quiet room with just the two of them. ¡°Did you end up purchasing anything?¡± she asked. ¡°I did,¡± Imri said, producing the pomegranate that permanently increased charisma. ¡°Did you want more charisma to deal with sloshed idiots?¡± she asked skeptically after Imri explained what it did.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You know it¡¯s for you.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve earned it. I don¡¯t want to become powerful solely because of you,¡± she said. ¡°I hardly think two points of charisma would be the sole reason you succeed or fail,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I know, it just doesn¡¯t seem fair.¡± ¡°Well, you better get used to it because I¡¯m not going to stop,¡± Imri said. Emelia rolled her eyes but didn¡¯t argue. While Emelia begrudgingly ate the pomegranate, Imri began boiling water for the tea using a heat spell. He absent-mindedly tossed a few of the most expensive blueberries he had ever purchased into his mouth. Immediately, a burst of flavor hit his taste buds; it wasn¡¯t overly sweet but somehow had a more robust flavor than anything he had ever eaten, as if it was the essence of blueberry. Warmth spread throughout his body, moving up into his sinuses, eyes, and head. He felt clear-headed, like an allergy had just cleared for the first time. Emelia¡¯s reservations ended when she tasted the fruit and eagerly dug out the remaining seeds. A very unladylike moan escaped from her lips, and it nearly distracted Imri to the point of burning a several million credit tea. She then started playing it up when she noticed the effect she was having on him. Imri took a sip of the tea after it had been sufficiently steeped. It tasted earthy as if he could taste the dirt and nutrients the leaves grew from, but the floral flavors complemented this perfectly. Like the blueberries, he could feel the warmth spreading throughout his body. His mind felt sharper, and he could work more efficiently to sort through his thoughts. Neither of the treasures was profound, but they were solid improvements, especially the exponential increase that came to his secondary attributes with a corresponding increase to a primary attribute. ¡°Are you ready for the second phase?¡± Christoph asked as he came and sat by them uninvited. ¡°I can¡¯t complain about how the first phase went; I¡¯m as prepared as I can be,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Ah, but what if I told you there was a way to secure additional funding?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Let me guess, you want to loan me money at an exorbitant rate,¡± Imri said. ¡°You wound me; I offer only fair rates.¡± Imri sighed. He had been harsh on the man; despite their disagreements, he hadn¡¯t done anything predatory. There was no reason for them to be antagonistic towards each other. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± Imri asked. The merchant beamed, ¡°I was thinking of a line of credit for fifty million credits at a five percent interest rate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of credits. Is that your entire wealth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a significant percentage of what I have on hand,¡± Christoph admitted. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of credits and at a reasonable rate. What¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°There is no catch. Believe it or not, I value my life more than credits, and I will do anything I can to help in the war. Besides, it''s a rather safe investment; if you die, we¡¯re screwed, and the amount of credits I lose won¡¯t matter. However, if you survive, you will have plenty of wealth to pay me back,¡± the merchant said with a shrug. ¡°Couldn¡¯t this money be put to better use helping other people? The wraiths or the knights would benefit from better gear, and the fifty million credits would be a bigger percentage for them,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°Maybe, but the same binary outcome isn¡¯t present for them; there are scenarios where they perish, and Celestia prevails. That¡¯s a disastrous outcome for me, almost as bad as dying, and I¡¯m not willing to take that risk.¡± ¡°What if there wasn¡¯t a risk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Christoph said with a wide grin. ¡°You make the same offer to the wraiths and the knights, twenty-five million credits each. If, for whatever reason, they can¡¯t pay you back, I will cover the remainder of the balance,¡± Imri offered. ¡°You¡¯d be an unlimited guarantor on a loan you get nothing from; why?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re wrong about us prevailing if we lose either of those groups. I can¡¯t carry us through this battle alone,¡± Imri said. ¡°That works for me. I¡¯ll have Russ draw up the documents after the fact. I¡¯ll go see if they want to accept the offer,¡± Christoph said, hurrying to strike a deal before the second phase began. ¡°So, I¡¯m not the only one you¡¯re helping?¡± Emelia asked once Christoph had left. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me back,¡± Imri pointed out defensively. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s not just me.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Imri asked in confusion. She nodded. ¡°If it were just me, people would say I slept my way to the top. However, if you¡¯re helping everyone, people will just say you¡¯re generous.¡± ¡°I never thought buying a couple of pomegranates would be such a big deal,¡± he complained. ¡°Imri, that couple of pomegranates is more wealth than most people see in a lifetime. It isn¡¯t some grocery item you picked up on the way home,¡± she pointed out. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Just promise me you won¡¯t go buying something for me during the next auction. It¡¯s one thing to buy in an anonymous auction; it¡¯s something else entirely if the whole world knows about it.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t go too crazy, but if there¡¯s a perfect item and a decent price¡­¡± ¡°Imri¡­¡± ¡°I make no promises,¡± he said defiantly. Emelia sighed and shook her head. Imri smiled and gave her a quick kiss. He then turned his attention to the timer ticking down¨Cthe second phase was about to begin. Chapter 123: Auction Second Phase Imri waited in anticipation as the timer hit zero. A moment later, the first item was up for bidding. He had mixed feelings as he read over the description that the system helpfully provided. It was a set of leather made from a high-rank tier-two beast. While the quality of the materials was slightly higher than something they had produced from Drake hides, it wasn¡¯t anything special. Likewise, the enhancement was marginally higher, making it all around the best piece of light armor money could buy. However, several noteworthy properties set it apart from something crafters could produce: the armor could repair itself after being damaged using only ambient mana. He had Zhaire complaining that he was already on his third armor set, so something like this would be invaluable. The second was the ability for the armor to adjust its shape and size to fit the user perfectly. This would be essential, considering the armor wasn¡¯t just being sold to humans but to a myriad of different races. The bidding started at two million credits, only slightly higher than the amount some of the armors in the previous phase sold for. Imri considered placing a bid at that price; it was utilitarian but lacked a unique quality that excited him. However, a flurry of activity pushed it over three million, making the decision easy. The names flew by too fast for even Imri to take note of them. The bidding continued, though at a slower pace. The timer started getting low as it neared four million before another bid was entered. It went back and forth a few times, with the bidders having names Imri didn¡¯t think were human. Eventually, it sold for four and a half million credits. That single item had taken around five minutes before the final bidder was decided. What followed were several similar pieces of armor. Each was slightly different: some were made from thicker hides or had a specific resistance, such as fire or cold. However, none were overly unique, and they sold for prices similar to what the first had fetched. The following items were various weapons, from knives to a massive two-handed axe. They had simple special properties like the armor, including self-repair and size adjustment. A few had elemental effects that could be turned on and off with a thought. Those elicited the largest bidding war yet, with the final bid closing in on ten million. The next cycle of items was potions. They were similar in that they didn¡¯t do anything overly special; they were just slightly improved versions of what Caroline could create. Still, they sold for nearly the same price as the armor and weapons despite being a set of single-use items. Imri was thankful the system hadn¡¯t broken them into single-item lots but instead sold them in sets of five. However, it was still mind-boggling that they sold for nearly a million a pop. While he would have loved to purchase these items, the vast markup for the slight quality improvement wasn¡¯t worth it. The next item caught Imri¡¯s attention. It was an elixir made from the attribute-increasing foods similar to the ones he and Emelia had consumed. Caroline was working to produce this from the golden plums but hadn¡¯t succeeded. The first one increased base strength by two permanently while also increasing the maximum potential base value that could be achieved. While he had no interest in purchasing it, he was curious about where the price would land since he expected the other attributes to have a similar price range. He was surprised when the bids started slowing around the same point as the other items. It eventually sold for just under five million credits, a steal in Imri¡¯s opinion. On a per attribute point basis, this was cheaper than the items he purchased earlier by more than a twenty percent discount. There were some rational explanations for this: there were more potential buyers for the single attribute point items, and the auction was deflationary as the system extracted currency in taxes and fees. However, Imri didn¡¯t think that accounted for the entirety of the price difference. While the auction was deflationary at a macro level, on a micro level, it consolidated wealth into those who had been sellers during the first phase. Imri was an example of this, as his purchasing power had tripled. He also had difficulty believing that the basic items and the elixir were equivalent in value. The armor and weapons were nice items but only marginally better than what Celestia¡¯s crafters could produce. Imri quickly reconciled that disconnect: the armor, weapons, and potions would be essential for factions that didn¡¯t have crafters near that level. For them, it wouldn¡¯t be a marginal improvement but a massive step up. Imri could draw only one conclusion: most individuals couldn¡¯t afford these prices, and most factions had been more concerned with essentials for large groups. Imri smiled as he monitored the bids on the agility elixir. It looked like it would sell for a similar price to the strength one. He briefly considered buying it to shore up his lowest attribute. He eventually decided against it, wanting to buy only a few elixirs. When the intelligence elixir came out, he was ready to bid. The price rose until it was near a level similar to the previous three. Eventually, Imri was the final bidder, receiving his prize the moment the final bid was accepted. Raucous cheering erupted a moment later. A massive crowd had formed, with a section roped off near the nexus for participants. Eager spectators followed the auction like a sporting event, with a projection displaying the action and color commentators analyzing the items and bidders. That reminded Imri that the bidders were known to the entire world, and there could be hundreds of similar events throughout the various cities. He was immediately thankful that he hadn¡¯t purchased every one of the attribute-increasing items, as that definitely would have gotten the notice of every faction. Unfortunately, what little anonymity he had left was probably only temporary, as he intended to buy items until he was almost out of credits or the auction ended. He couldn¡¯t let notoriety deter him from gaining something vital for the war, even though the attention was mortifying.Stolen novel; please report. A similar chain of events occurred for the willpower elixir, with Imri eventually claiming the item when all other parties had given up. He was surprised when the crowd cheered even more enthusiastically. Some even started chanting his name. Imri put his considerable mental focus to work, tuning out the crowd as best he could. He was about to place a bid on the charisma elixir when a glare from Emelia made him reconsider. He acceded to her wishes, not wanting to have that fight again. He expected that to end the elixirs but was pleasantly surprised when another one was up next. This one was called ¡®Perfected Body¡¯ and increased each physical attribute by one. He expected this one to sell for slightly more than any of the two-point versions but at a somewhat cheaper per-attribute cost since it was spread over three different stats. His prediction was spot on, and the buyer was also from Celestia. Zhaire bellowed in triumph, raising his hands and hyping up the crowd. He basked in the attention, and Imri cynically thought he had purchased out of some misplaced sense of competition. His theory was nearly confirmed as Zhaire stared him down and grinned. Imri sighed; at least it hadn¡¯t been a dumb purchase. The announcer even leaned into Zhaire¡¯s antics, playing up the rivalry between ¡®the two most powerful people in the world.¡¯ The pattern of items continued with an elixir called ¡®Perfected Mind.¡¯ Imri considered buying it but eventually decided against it, mainly because he wasn¡¯t interested in the point of charisma. Once again, he assumed this was the final attribute elixir, and, once again, his assumption was wrong. An elixir titled ¡®Perfected Self¡¯ was up for sale, giving a single point to each of the six attributes. Imri followed along as the price shot up and then quickly slowed around the eight million mark, causing Imri to do a double take. He hadn¡¯t planned on buying it, but this was too good of a value to pass up. He eventually won the Perfect Self Elixir for just over nine million credits. The crowd stood stunned as if they couldn¡¯t believe what had happened. A moment later, they burst into cheers that seemed to last far longer than they should. Imri wanted to go somewhere private, or at least more private than the small area blocked off for those participating in the auction. Even some of the other auction participants glanced at him with a mix of adoration and envy. To make matters worse, Christoph approached him with a sly grin. ¡°The commentators would love it if they could interview you. They¡¯re willing to wait until the next item you aren¡¯t planning on buying comes up,¡± Christoph explained. ¡°Pick up another job as a production assistant?¡± Emelia asked, coming to Imri¡¯s defense as she knew how mortified he was through their bond. ¡°I¡¯m just a humble sponsor of this little event. So Imri, what do you say?¡± Imri was about to tell him, in no uncertain terms, that he wasn¡¯t interested in doing an interview. Unfortunately, a realization struck him before he could. He was a celebrity now; hiding or running away wouldn¡¯t change that. However, what convinced him was the crowd. People had something to cheer for the first time in a while, and maybe the last before things got worse. Besides, it felt silly to fear public speaking when he was a supernatural being who could bend space and time. He checked the auction, noticing the next item was an elixir that reduced the effects of aging by ten percent. He had no interest in that, at least not at the outrageous price it was going for. ¡°Alright, let''s get this over with,¡± Imri sighed. ¡°Follow me,¡± Christoph said with a smug grin. Imri stepped out of the sectioned-off area and was immediately greeted with thunderous applause. When Imri saw the section with the commentators and the empty chair, he decided to play things up a bit. Instead of walking with Christoph, he teleported to the empty chair. It took a moment for everyone to figure out what had happened, but as they did, a renewed excitement enveloped the audience. ¡°So, Imri, you appear to be coveting the attribute elixirs. Can you tell the crowd why? Was this a deliberate strategy?¡± the interviewer asked in a clipped tone, knowing the interview would be brief, like a reporter catching up with a coach before halftime. ¡°No one knows what the auction contains, so we can¡¯t really prepare any strategies ahead of time. I just thought they were a good value at that price,¡± he explained. ¡°You¡¯ve gained ten base attribute points tonight, an unimaginable haul for us mere mortals. Do you think that will be enough to prevail over the Azala?¡± a second man asked. Imri knew it wasn¡¯t enough. Ten attribute points were nice, but it wouldn¡¯t turn the tide of oncoming bio-engineered horrors. He needed to keep getting stronger. However, that wasn¡¯t what the people, who barely held any hope, needed to hear. ¡°It¡¯s a great improvement. It will exponentially improve my spell-casting while shoring up my physical body. I have every confidence that we can prevail against the Azala,¡± Imri said with as much bravado as he could fake without seeming over the top. It must have worked because the crowd erupted into applause. ¡°By my count, you spent over twenty million credits. Is your day over, or can we expect you to compete for more items?¡± the first man asked after the cheering had subsided. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started.¡± Chapter 124: Ability Shards Imri gaped at the new item that was now up for bidding. While he wasn¡¯t interested in this product, its implications were profound. The type of item was called an ability shard, and its function was simple: it was a one-use item that granted an ability. This differed from his recently purchased ability tome by not requiring any learning or aptitude. The shard simply gave the ability immediately. Imri wasn¡¯t fervently bidding because of the trait granted, Light Melee Weapon Proficiency, which could be learned through practice. It also wasn¡¯t particularly useful for Imri. Despite being a mundane trait, the bidding was similar to many previous items. It slowed around the four million credit mark before selling for just over that amount. Imri was surprised someone was willing to pay so much for a basic trait, but he supposed there wasn¡¯t a downside to saving some time learning it instantly rather than through practice. He figured he would have spent a few million credits to learn a marginal ability if it saved him even a few hours. It was also possible the purchaser didn¡¯t know the trait could be learned, though most should have figured that out from the wording of ability tomes. The auction produced a slew of ability shards for starting traits throughout the next few hours. After weapons came various crafting professions and then schools of magic. A few unique-sounding branches of magic had tempted Imri, but the starting trait only improved his ability to learn spells, and he didn¡¯t have the time to diversify his spell list further. The shards transitioned into ones that granted resistance. These intrigued him more, as training them had proved far more challenging than any of the traits given by the other shards. However, it was still possible, and Imri didn¡¯t want to waste his credits on random resistances. That wasn¡¯t the case when a Mental Resistance ability shard was up for auction. While Imri possessed the trait, he wanted as many people to have it as possible. The price shot up faster than any other shards, suggesting mind manipulation was universally despised. As the price climbed over five million credits, Imri noticed one of the parties competing against him: the Azala Queen. As the amount continued climbing, he and the Queen were the only remaining bidders. He reconsidered if it was worth fighting over. In the end, hurting the Azala¡¯s coffers would be more beneficial than someone possessing a single trait that made them slightly more challenging to mind control. Imri stopped bidding after the six million mark and watched in satisfaction as the Azala overpaid for an item they had almost no use for. The exchange did have one unintended consequence: the crowd had grown silent, thinking the Azala had won that exchange. Unprompted, Imri made his way back out. This time, there was no raucous cheering, only murmured whispers and concerned expressions. The announcers, who had been at this for hours, had noticeably less enthusiasm but retained a professional air. Imri quickly explained his strategy, with a few people nodding in understanding. He hadn¡¯t universally won everyone over, but at least the crowd was split and arguing good-naturedly. The analysts debated the merits of both sides as Imri teleported back to his seat. The ability shards continued, now presenting with more exciting variants. It had returned to combat, but they were no longer starting traits. Instead, they appeared to be what he would classify as broad buffs: Efficient Striking reduced the stamina cost of melee weapons, Power Striking increased the damage, and Precise Striking improved attack skill. Imri noticed Zhaire bidding on these, but he didn¡¯t secure any of them, as each sold for over seven million. The pattern repeated itself, but instead of ¡®Striking,¡¯ it was ¡®Shooting¡¯ for projectile weapons. Sylvi managed to secure Powerful Shooting, improving her overall damage by a few percent at the cost of almost eight million credits. Crafting was next, with Efficient Crafting reducing the material components required by five percent. While Imri didn¡¯t consider himself a full crafter, he remembered the hoard of cores he had gone through in the last month. Whatever amount of credits this went for, he would make that money back in material costs. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only crafter with this thought, and the price ballooned to ten million credits. Imri still thought it was a worthwhile investment but decided to back down. He couldn¡¯t justify that amount for an item that wouldn¡¯t help immediately; no amount of saving credits would help if they all died in the war. He was forced to make similar hard choices for the following two crafting ability shards, increasing crafting efficiency and speed; neither was cheap enough to justify as a value purchase. When the casting variants were up, Imri had no such qualms. He gave no ground and purchased the entire set of three for just under thirty million credits.
Efficient Casting (1F): Increases mana efficiency by 2.5%
Distant Casting (1F): The caster is considered closer to the target by a factor of 1.05 for determining mana cost.
Empowered Casting (1F): Increases the maximum mana channeling rate by 5%.
Imri smiled as he reviewed his new traits. None were game-changing, but combined, they increased his spell-casting abilities nicely. More efficiency was always good, so Efficient Casting was a no-brainer, even if it wasn¡¯t the most dramatic numerical Increase. Distant Casting functioned similarly to his Dimensional Waypoint''s cost-reducing effect, only much smaller but always active. He had been less interested in Empowered Casting, as the maximum mana used in one spell was rarely the deciding factor. However, it did have some uses, especially when trying to open a long-range portal or going all out with his domain spell. Still, he had only purchased it because it had been significantly cheaper than the previous two, with other mages similarly dismissing its utility. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Imri claimed his three shards from the nexus and looked them over. They were glowing prisms the size of Imri¡¯s palm with intricate patterns etched on the surface that he couldn¡¯t understand. His senses told him the entire thing was made of condensed essence, like a flattened core of an extremely high tier. Imri held them out and began absorbing them one at a time. A torrent of energy flooded into him, scorching his skin and leaving a complex brand that resembled a QR code, only three-dimensional and incredibly detailed. He could feel the energy being directed before it settled within him. As soon as it did, the markings disappeared. The pain was manageable, but Emelia cast a healing spell before he could say anything. The crowd had come alive with the flurry of activity. Imri groaned as the analysts hyperbolically pumped him up, calling him the ¡®greatest mage in the universe.¡¯ While Imri was proud of his accomplishments, he knew he had a long way to go. He only needed to consider his encounter with the Azala Queen to dispel that notion, to say nothing of the tier four dragon or the Collective Intelligence that could teleport beings across the universe just to converse. Imri debated going out for another interview, but that thought immediately disappeared when he saw the next item. It was called an Ability Rank-Up Shard and did just what it said, with the limitation that it only worked on tier-one abilities. His mind immediately began going through his abilities in the first tier, especially those at rank E. It wasn¡¯t that long of a list, considering most of his critical abilities had reached tier two. However, there were a few standouts. Primordial Intuition was one of his first abilities, giving him a general understanding of how the system worked and improving the rate at which all intelligence-based abilities were learned, which included all his spells and runes. The second was Locus of Mana, which increased his mana regeneration and resistance to all forms of magic. Imri eventually decided on the former, as it had essentially single-handedly catapulted him through the system''s early days, even if it hadn¡¯t been as helpful lately. The bidding was fierce, easily eclipsing the most expensive item sold. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering there probably wasn¡¯t a being on this planet that couldn¡¯t use an immediate ability rank up, with the possible exception of Corrolth. Ultimately, it was too good for Imri to pass up, and he paid over fifteen million credits, which was by far the most an item had sold for, but still only a fraction of Imri¡¯s wealth. Loud cheers erupted as the crowd went ballistic. Buying the ability shards had brought them out of their stupor, but this purchase pushed them over the edge. Imri cursed, knowing his worldwide anonymity was gone when he purchased four items in a row. However, he still had half his wealth remaining. Curious about what the tier-up would provide, Imri immediately absorbed the shard, watching it melt into his skin.
Trait Rank Up
Primordial Intuition E to D
Primordial Intuition has improved to Omniscience of Gaia
Omniscience of Gaia (2F): Intuit understanding of concepts without prior knowledge. Increase the rate at which intelligence-based abilities are learned and improved by 6%. Gives an instinctive control over divination, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of divination are learned and improved by 5.5%. Increases the effectiveness of divination spells and abilities by 2.5%. Allows you to commune with Gaia once per day.
Imri gawked at his new ability. The first half of the ability was essentially the same as it had been, with a marginal improvement in the learning and improvement percentage. The next clause was verbatim one of the schools of magic he had been considering, divination. It differed from the one he had passed on in that it had the wording of the tier two versions, like his Temporal Control and Spatial Control. Fortunately, this school of magic was at least tangentially related to his existing spells. Spells that allowed him to see through space and time would include all his related abilities: divination, temporal, and spatial. With the percentage buff to his understanding, he felt close to a breakthrough and was confident he could learn those spells with some contemplative meditation. The final part was the most intriguing: communing with Gaia. He had always felt connected to the world''s core like it was a part of him. He could tell it wasn¡¯t simply a ball of energy but a living entity of immense power. However, he had been unable to determine anything more precise than that, let alone communicate meaningfully. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he would be able to learn through commune, but it would surely be something profound. Imri almost activated the ability immediately. Fortunately, he managed to refrain, not wanting his mind to be whisked away while his attention was required for the auction. Already, bidding was taking place on the next item, which was a repeat of the previous. He debated purchasing the second one for his other trait, but the price was as high as the first one, so he refrained. When a third ability rank-up shard came up for bidding, Imri wondered if the system had glitched out. However, on closer inspection, he noticed a slight difference that made the item significantly better: it could rank up any ability tier two or lower. Imri went through his entire list to ensure he wasn¡¯t overlooking something. Unfortunately, there were no tier two traits a single rank from tiering up. He could rank up Dimensional Portal or Dimensional Tear to tier three. However, it felt like a wasteful ranking up a spell, especially since he was sure they would eventually improve without using a shard. He had plenty of options, but there was one obvious choice, his ultimate skill: Manifest Domain. Even the three percent incremental improvement from a tier two rank-up significantly improved his overall ability. Conversely, he could purchase the shard and refrain from using it until he ranked up Manifest Domain to D rank. Imri debated the merits of both approaches as he watched the price¡¯s continual ascent. It continued upward like it was attempting to reach the summit of Mount Celestia. It finally started slowing down as it approached the twenty-five million credit mark. This item warranted entire factions bidding on it, as he doubted many individuals had that wealth. He cursed, not knowing how many items remained. With the steep asking price and lack of ability to immediately benefit, Imri reluctantly backed down. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t regret this decision. Chapter 125: Profound Items Imri looked at the sky, noticing it was getting dark while the pervasive mist hadn¡¯t abated. The second phase of the auction had been going for almost a day straight and was still going strong. The auction had shifted to a new type of item: nexus modification. The first item increased the effectiveness of the starting arrays, which included border range, resource regeneration, and experience gained. Each was increased by ten percent, the equivalent of buying the upgrade. Buying all three of those improvements would be less than a million credits after the city ranked up. Unfortunately, with the cost almost doubling after each purchase, depending on the tier and rank of the settlement, the price quickly got out of hand. However, with the bonuses compounding, getting them as high as possible was essential. That was why he had been so disgusted with the minimal upgrades the New Chicago settlements had received. When Celestia became a proper tier-three settlement, its bonuses would easily eclipse New Chicago. This was why the item was going for far more than a million credits, though it was still selling for around the price of the basic armor and weapons from the beginning of the auction. Imri had agreed not to fund settlement-specific items individually; that¡¯s what taxes were for. However, this once again fell into the value category. He quickly found Laura while the bid timer was refreshed. Imri spoke in a rush, trying to explain his proposal before the timer ran out. ¡°This is too good to pass up. I¡¯m willing to buy it outright, and we can discuss a split of costs afterward.¡± He didn¡¯t even wait for an answer and placed a bid. Laura audibly sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t just unilaterally make decisions. There are budgets to keep, which must be discussed at the next council meeting. However, I won¡¯t object to anything you feel benefits the empire.¡± ¡°If the pattern continues, more items related to city building should be coming up. If they sell for a similar price, I intend to buy all of them,¡± Imri stated. His prediction was spot on. The following three items were slight variations on the item he had just purchased. The second item increased all current and future advanced arrays, such as manufacturing and fertility. While those two alone didn¡¯t match the starting arrays in effectiveness, it would be different when there were three or four advanced arrays. The third combined the first two, though it sold for slightly less than the two put together. The final item allowed an additional array to be purchased for the now negligible five-hundred-thousand credits. Of course, Imri purchased all four of the items for around twenty-five million credits. That brought his credit total to just under sixty million, a little over a third of his second-phase starting wealth. He was beginning to see why the system had limited Corrolth¡¯s reward; he could have bought everything with impunity if he had more wealth. Still, his haul was starting to get ridiculous, and he had painted a target on his back to some of the unknown factions. The next batch of items were similar but significantly different: they were empire-wide bonuses. Even with the bonuses being five percent, not ten, they sold for several times what the settlement-specific buffs had. Imri wanted them but couldn''t justify the exorbitant prices, with Celestia still being a single settlement empire. The last couple of items hinted at a new improvement they hadn¡¯t unlocked: empire arrays. One item allowed for another array, while another improved the benefits of all existing ones. Judging by the price they went for, it was a significant buff. Hopefully, it was just a matter of increasing the level of the Celestine Empire. While the empire buffs were being auctioned, Christoph approached with a wide grin. ¡°So, Imri, what will it take to convince you to purchase the Commercial Array?¡± Christoph asked. Christoph had been arguing for this array when Celestia had first reached tier two. Its main benefit was decreasing the amount of credits extracted by the system while still gaining the same settlement experience. It also allowed access to the system store anywhere within the borders. It also allowed local shops to sell items via the system interface. All in all, it was a fantastic array, and Imri fully intended to purchase it. However, he didn¡¯t need to tell Christoph that. ¡°If you pay for a percentage of the item, I¡¯d be amenable to that suggestion,¡± Imri said with a shrug. ¡°Imri, I already loaned most of my credits to your friends¡­¡± ¡°What do you think, Laura? I was leaning towards sanitation,¡± Imri joked. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for ¡®The last bastion of humanity and the city among the heavens¡¯ to be cluttered with trash,¡± she said, catching on. Imri cringed as she used the same line he had used during his speech, which had unfortunately stuck as an unofficial slogan of the rapidly expanding city. Unfortunately, they laid it on a bit thick, and Christoph caught on. ¡°Fine, I deserved that. Even if you¡¯re joking, I¡¯m unwilling to take any chances. I¡¯ll pay a small percentage of the item. Two million credits is the best I can do, and I really am broke after that,¡± he muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t make unilateral decisions, but I¡¯ll inform the council of your proposal. For what it¡¯s worth, you have my vote,¡± Laura said. Imri added his support, making the vote almost certain to pass. Imri returned to his seat by Emelia, just in time to see the next item. He frowned when he saw it; they were back to armor. However, as he read the description, his frown went away.
Infiltrators Armor (2D): A cloth armor made from iron-silk and enhanced by a peak tier two tailor. This armor naturally blends into its surroundings, acting as camouflage in rural environments while appearing as regular clothing in urban settings. A subtle mind-altering property influences others not to perceive or scrutinize the wearer. Also, contains standard fitting and repair properties.
This was far and away more impactful than any of the previous armors. The immediate flurry of bids suggested he wasn¡¯t the only one who thought this way. As the price increased, his frown returned; one of the active bidders was the Azala. Imri¡¯s frown deepened as the price settled near fifteen million, with the Azala winning. While he certainly didn¡¯t want them to have this, it was too expensive to hate-bid against them, and they won the armor.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. More unique armors followed. One was similar to infiltrators, only more diplomatic, allowing the wearer to appear more trustworthy or attractive, depending on the user¡¯s goals. The next was made from phase-silk, allowing the wearer to become incorporeal for up to ten minutes, with a twenty-four-hour recharge. While it was cool, it was redundant with Imri¡¯s spells. The next was a bit dull but nothing to scoff at. It provided an all-around resistance to all forms of magic, similar to Imri¡¯s Locus of Mana. Each unique armor sold for over ten million, with some nearing twenty million. Despite their profound effects, none was efficient enough for Imri to part with some of his funds. If the trend of progressively more powerful items continued, he could only purchase one or two more items. When he voiced that complaint aloud, he got hateful glares from the other auctiongoers. The armors continued, progressively going to heavier and heavier variants. Leather had some unique effects. One allowed the wearer to turn into the monster the armor had been made from. Another could rapidly change its shape, perfect for someone who was a shifter. It was one of the cheaper armors, going to Vallo for just under ten million credits. The final piece of leather could absorb all light for ten minutes, plunging everything into absolute darkness. The heaviest armors were the least exciting but no less effective. They primarily focused either on more defense or less weight. A couple were focused on healing, with one improving the healing the wearer received while the other contained a potent regeneration property. The weapons were a cavalcade of ways to kill someone: a sword that made those damaged by it go insane, a scythe with a more powerful version of the soul-stealing weapons the chixel used, an axe that siphoned the HP of its victim to its user. The Azala targeted a dagger with a persistent poison effect that was difficult to cleanse. Fortunately, they couldn¡¯t win it, and Imri liked to think it was because they had overpaid to prevent him from getting Mental Resistance. It also made it clear they were attempting an assassination, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. Zhaire, who had grown fond of using glaives, gained one capable of rapidly extending or retracting its length instantly. There was a sword that made those it damaged lose an equal amount of mana and gave it to the user. Imri nearly purchased it but decided against it. While the effect was powerful, it wasn¡¯t his body''s mana and would do nothing for over-channeling. Sylvi was interested in several bows: one that fired homing arrows and another that replicated arrows, firing multiple with each shot. Unfortunately, they quickly went out of her price range. Imri could sense the auction was drawing to a close. The system wasn¡¯t benevolent and wouldn¡¯t keep auctioning items when it had already extracted the majority of the credits from the participants. However, it had saved the best items for last. The items were considered artifacts, essentially magical trinkets that provided unique effects. The first was a magical dwelling that could shrink to the size of a snow globe and vice versa. The item also allowed the user to design the house to their desired configuration. The exact dimensions depended on the material used, but it was over a thousand square meters for a mansion made from high-grade enhanced materials. It also allowed the owner to store their possessions. It was unbelievably cool, and Imri couldn¡¯t justify buying it, though he hoped to create his own version of it eventually. The next artifact looked like a keycard. It allowed the owner to teleport to any location they had previously visited, with the cooldown dependent on how far they had traveled, plus a base cooldown of several hours. However, it measured distance traveled in light-years, making it clear this was an item designed for interplanetary travel. In a sense, it was a powerful teleportation spell that Imri could already mimic, but with one notable exception: it could teleport the user to the galaxy''s capital, a tier-three world. It was a way to escape the conflict on this planet. Imri was reminded of his class quest, which required him to travel to other celestial bodies. He could use an item like this to begin exploring the universe when things had settled down. He could also give Emelia this item, allowing her to escape with their unborn child if things got too dire. It would have been a good fallback plan, but he was certain Emelia would kill him for suggesting something like that. Ultimately, it was a moot point, as the artifact went for a staggering thirty-five million credits. The next item was another Imri could mimic but to a lesser degree. It looked like a pocket watch, complete with ornate Roman numerals. When the artifact was activated, time would freeze for everything and everyone but the user. The effect lasted for a minute and had a one-week cooldown. On the surface, it seemed like an unstoppable ace, but Imri could already see a few counters. For one, the effect would be reduced by any form of magic resistance. Imri¡¯s One with Time trait also gave him resistance to others¡¯ time-altering effects. He wasn¡¯t interested when the price soared over the thirty-million mark and eventually sold for a similar price to the teleportation keycard. This was followed by a miniature figurine that looked like a statue of Buddha. Unlike the other artifacts, it wasn¡¯t activated but was triggered automatically when specific criteria were met. Upon taking damage that would be lethal, a skill called Karmic Reversal was activated, preventing the damage and healing for that amount instead. The cooldown depended on the amount of damage reversed but with some base time added. The item was powerful, but the obvious ¡®death by a thousand cuts¡¯ easily countered it. It also didn¡¯t provide any offense or mana, which were the two things Imri wanted more of. Ultimately, it sold for around thirty million credits. The system then informed everyone that the next item would be the last. Imri waited with bated breath, hoping he hadn¡¯t made a mistake holding onto the last of his credits. He eagerly read through the relevant information as it popped up.
Chalice of Rebirth (2D): A blessed chalice imbuing holy essence into any liquid drank from it. Upon consuming the liquid, the user is restored to full resources, and all negative status effects are removed. Cooldown depends on resources restored and status effects removed, plus a base time of a day. Has a partial effect on beings and statuses that are tier three or higher.
The apparent use was restoring someone from the brink of death, making it the ultimate healing resource. Unfortunately, that had the same problem as the Karmic Reversal: Health was less of a priority for Imri as long as his mana was topped off. However, Imri didn¡¯t think of the chalice as a healing item. To him, it was an incredibly potent mana potion. Not only did it completely restore his mana, but it also utterly eliminated any built-up over-channel. Essentially, it doubled his mana. Imri kept mashing the bid button every time it came up. No one was going to take this from him. Ultimately, it took over forty million credits, but the chalice was his. He reverently took it from the nexus. Upon a casual inspection, it appeared unassuming, lacking ornamentation. However, the simple material that seemed to be brass was actually an unknown metal bordering on tier three, making it practically indestructible. Several cloudy gemstones that appeared unpolished were potent holy essence stones. Even the unadorned metal contained incredible intricate inscriptions only visible upon closer inspection. He was so absorbed in his new artifact that he almost missed the system notification. As he read it, he frowned. The next event would change everything. Chapter 126: Everywhere at Once Imri read and re-read the system announcement to ensure he understood it correctly.
The auction was just a preview of what can be found throughout the multi-verse: artifacts created by fallen civilizations, monsters whose body parts are natural treasures, and rare materials only grown in the harshest conditions. Those are just a few things that can be found in dungeons¨Cplanar spaces that contain fortune and peril in equal measure. Planar Rifts are being opened, allowing access to dungeons, with the rifts being fully stabilized after one month. Monsters and treasure found in the dungeons will increase in level by mana density where the rift is located. Only a set number of individuals may go through the rift and into the dungeon before the rift collapses, with a new rift forming elsewhere within the dungeon. Upon the group returning, dying, or failing to return within a specified time, the dungeon will reconfigure and repopulate over some time. During the respawning, the dungeon will be unavailable. Go forth and claim the rifts, securing another strategic resource for your faction.
A new settlement array is available
Rift Stabilization Array: increases the rate at which dungeons respawn by 5%
Imri began to unpack the implications. The system had used the auction as a preview to show everyone who couldn¡¯t afford the upper end of items what they could expect to find. However, he suspected it was underselling the danger; everything the system gave it extracted its payment in blood or credits. Likewise, having the rifts in a fixed location that always respawned would spark more wars and conflicts. He would need to secure more nexuses for future settlements with the new settlement array and the value of controlling the rift location. It would also pair well with a mana density array, improving the reward and challenge of the dungeon. Another factor to consider was how hard it would be to find the dungeons. Was the rift a massive spatial distortion or a small crack within space? Fortunately, he already had an idea for this. If he could combine all his aspects, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find any distortions in space-time. However, if he took it a step further, he might be able to exploit the system. To this point, he had solely used his Dimensional Tear for its offensive capabilities, but another aspect was opening a bridge between two spaces along a dimensional boundary. He technically used this every time he opened a portal, but he had yet to find a naturally occurring boundary. If he could find the boundaries, he could enter dungeons for which the system wasn¡¯t creating rifts. Furthermore, those would probably be better than average dungeons, as he suspected the system would be stingy with its offerings. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t count on the Azala to give him time to implement this plan. He had gotten the better of them in the auction, and they were undoubtedly looking to strike out soon. It was also possible the queen would realize Imri had a way of exploiting dungeons with his abilities. Any chance of the Azala waiting was gone, and war would be upon them within a few days. Imri sighed and took out the three elixirs he had purchased. One after another, he consumed them. The first was pleasant enough. He felt warm throughout his body as if he had drunk a stiff drink, but his mind was clear and focused like he had just consumed a shot of espresso. The second wasn¡¯t awful, nor was it pleasant. His stomach protested loudly, and a pain began forming behind his eyes. He briefly considered stopping to wait for the potion toxicity to clear itself out. Unfortunately, he had no time to waste; he needed the extra stat points. The third elixir, Perfected Self, would also be the hardest. He convulsed as the potent reagents spread throughout his body. It was akin to a mild heritage rank up, with impurities violently purged from every orifice. When it was finally over, he felt worse than the worst hangover in his life, with every nerve screaming in protest. To distract himself, he reviewed the recent gains.
Title improved
Count of New Chicago 65 (+12): 6.5% increase to all primary attributes (+1.2%)
Primary Attributes
Strength 169 (+3)
Agility 139 (+3)
Constitution 167 (+4)
Intelligence 334 (+10)
Willpower 271 (+9)
Charisma 142 (+3)
Secondary Attributes
HP 414 (+17)
FP 308 (+14)
MP 2214 (+137)
Mana Efficiency 1643 (+97)
Crafting Efficiency 2239 (+133)
The increase in title levels shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise. He had transacted almost a quarter of a billion credits in sales, all taxed by the system. The resulting settlement had a small percentage going throughout the county, resulting in a level for each location. However, the majority had been concentrated downtown, causing it to level several times. There had also been several gains from everyday activity since he was last in the city. Imri was finishing his review when he noticed General McCarthy approaching him purposefully. ¡°General, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Lord Padar. I have a report I¡¯d like to discuss with you¨Cin private.¡± Imri debated blowing the man off, but something in his countenance suggested this was serious. Furthermore, he trusted the general''s judgment; if he was concerned about something, it wasn¡¯t a mundane issue that someone else could handle. ¡°I have a couple of minutes, but I need to be getting back soon,¡± Imri said. The general nodded and led Imri away from the crowd of auctiongoers, who were making their way back to the portal. When they had separated from potential eavesdroppers, the general spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°I¡¯ve received some concerning reports. There¡¯s been another wave of¡­murders. We¡¯re still investigating, but it appears they were all asphyxiated to death,¡± he explained. ¡°Not to make light of people dying, but why is this something I need to be involved in?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Murder probably wasn¡¯t the right word; massacre would be more accurate. Whoever, or whatever, is doing this has killed thousands of people,¡± the general explained. ¡°Damn it all. Why now?¡± Imri cursed, not expecting an answer. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°We have a general idea of where the murders are taking place based on the concentration of victims. Unfortunately, investigations not finding anything has been the most positive outcome we¡¯ve managed.¡± ¡°What kind of area are we talking about?¡± Imri asked. ¡°We¡¯ve narrowed it down to a couple of square miles,¡± the general said. He proceeded to list off streets that made the boundary of the area they were searching. It was concerning that it was around the same area where the Azala had been, but that could be a coincidence. Imri cursed. The area was too large to cover with his Manifest Domain; it would take around a dozen uses of the skill to cover it entirely unless he could be everywhere at once. Inspiration struck Imri, and a wide grin spread across his face. ¡°Not a problem; I¡¯ll find your problem in a few minutes.¡± ¡°You will?¡± the general asked in confusion. Imri nodded. ¡°I just need a vantage point to see most of the search area.¡± ¡°Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. However, that damn mist seems to hang around perpetually,¡± General McCarthy pointed out. ¡°That makes things a bit harder, but not impossible,¡± Imri said as he thought through the problem. During his week in New Chicago after the Azala invasion, he had visited the area they were trying to search. He mentally bumped up the priority on learning a scrying spell so he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about vision restrictions. After assuring General McCarthy he would be right back, Imri teleported to the epicenter of the search area. The mist, which had been annoying before, was now obstructive. Despite his Omniscient Vision, he couldn¡¯t see more than a couple of meters. Any pre-integration person wouldn¡¯t have seen their own hands until they practically touched their face. Imri summoned a small metallic coin from his Inner Domain. He had repeated the trick of creating objects with an anchored Dimensional Waypoint, allowing him to place temporary markers wherever he needed them. Imri nonchalantly dropped the coin and teleported several hundred meters away. He repeated this process, dropping coins and teleporting away. When he was done, there was a four-by-three grid of Dimensional Waypoints equidistant from the nearest waypoint in the grid. It didn¡¯t completely cover the search area, but it covered the epicenter and the area most likely to contain the culprit, according to General McCarthy. It would have to do, as Imri was running out of waypoints, and even if he had more, he wasn¡¯t confident in handling such a large area. With a final teleport, he returned to where the general was still waiting. The entire setup had only taken a few minutes, and only a chunk of missing mana showed that Imri had covered so much ground. Even that was only a minor inconvenience that would resolve itself in a few hours, with Imri still having plenty of mana to spare. ¡°Are you ready to get started now?¡± the general asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m almost done searching the area. It will just be a few more seconds,¡± Imri explained to the perplexed general. Without explaining further, a dozen pinprick-sized portals open just above Imri¡¯s palm. It was too small to see through, but thin mist jets billowed out. Through each portal, he was now less essentially adjacent to each of the Dimensional Waypoints he had just placed. He took a deep breath and activated Manifest Domain. With the way the portals were spread, Imri¡¯s domain covered the entire grid. Each point within was less than two-hundred-eighty meters from Imri while traversing through the portal, which was the radius of Manifest Domain. Information flooded into his mind. He was immediately aware of hundreds of thousands of people hiding in their homes with the meager supplies they still had. He knew every building¡¯s layout, down to the most mundane detail: plumbing, electrical wiring, and every insect and rodent that called it home was visible and identified. Thousands of cubic meters of ground were laid bare. Imri knew what every inch of the sewer system contained. He knew the gas pipes, how much natural gas was still in the system, and what pressure it exerted. Billions of insects burrowed under the city, making narrow tunnel systems stretching for an equally massive number of miles. A far wider tunnel existed at the edge of Imri¡¯s range, along with the creature that had made it: a colossal worm, only slightly smaller than those from dune, tore through the ground like it wasn¡¯t there. It was only slightly lower level than he was, rivaling the rest of humanity¡¯s elite. Unfortunately, that was a problem for another day, as the creature surely wasn¡¯t the cause of the asphyxiation and seemed content tunneling far below the city. However, those traveling in the desert would have one more problem. Imri¡¯s senses covered an equally large area upward, extending above the tallest skyscrapers. He was aware of each swirl of mist as the wind buffeted against it. Conversely, he could sense a patch of mist that resisted the natural flow. Identify immediately told Imri it wasn¡¯t just a mist but a Mist Wraith. There were several dozen of them spread throughout the city. Unfortunately, there were far more of them; hundreds glided above what had once been Lake Michigan. Each wraith was above level thirty and a tier-two creature. Imri ended his domain and closed the miniature portals after only a few seconds. He collapsed to the ground, blood streaming from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. His head throbbed with a headache orders of magnitudes worse than the one he was recovering from. The amount of information had been overwhelming, too much for his mental attributes to comprehend. If he had tried to cover the entire area, the mental strain might have killed him. However, it was a suitable proof of concept; he just needed to iterate on the area he could cover. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to endure the excruciating pain for long as Emelia came rushing over. She didn¡¯t look undamaged either, as the massive amount of signals going through their bond had undoubtedly been a lot to handle. ¡°What happened?¡± the general asked. ¡°He did something brilliant and moronic at the same time,¡± Emelia responded before Imri had a chance to explain. ¡°I found your murderers. They¡¯re called Mist Wraiths, tier-two incorporeal monsters. They¡¯re concentrated around the lake, but a few are within the area you suspected.¡± ¡°Is it something you can handle?¡± General McCarthy asked. Imri wanted to say yes. He had seen hundreds of victims that hadn¡¯t yet been found and seen how terrified the survivors were. Instead, he shook his head. ¡°I wish I could exterminate every monster that threatens humanity, but I just can¡¯t be everywhere at once. The wraiths might kill thousands of people, but the Azala will kill everyone if they aren¡¯t stopped,¡± Imri explained. General McCarthy nodded stoicly. ¡°Understood, we¡¯ll find a way to deal with them; don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Imri nodded, thankful for the man¡¯s professionalism. Unfortunately, he suspected this was only the first of many hard decisions he would have to make. Chapter 127: Different Perspectives Imri stepped through the portal after retrieving his Dimensional Waypoint coins. His fear was confirmed as soldiers moved about with purpose, only slight twitches and grimaces revealing the underlying fear. A mob of terrified people was far less restrained, many of whom were trying to push through to the portal. Only the guards acting as riot control prevented them from leaving. Imri sighed. On the one hand, he felt terrible that people were so terrified that they would react this way, but on the other hand, he had warned them this was coming. If there were infinite mana, he wouldn¡¯t mind keeping the portal open long enough to evacuate those who wanted to leave. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have that luxury. Imri ignored the crowd, teleporting past them and into the town hall. It didn¡¯t take him long before he found the makeshift command center. Colonel Harper stood over a projected three-dimensional image of the terrain created through some skill or spell. As they received updated reports through a radio, symbols were adjusted, keeping the map as accurate as possible. People moved about the room with purpose and control, starkly contrasting the chaos outside. Colonel Harper noticed Imri and immediately began explaining the situation without prompting. ¡°We received reports of increased Azala activity during the auction, and we think they''re getting ready for an assault. Unfortunately, they¡¯re not the only ones; the Chixel have shown up and now make up the vanguard of the army.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure they''re not just drones or a small mercenary company?¡± Imri asked. ¡°Scouts with Identify-related abilities have confirmed they aren¡¯t Azala, and there are too many to be considered a mercenary company. Our working theory is that they have been conscripted as a part of an unconditional surrender to the Azala,¡± the colonel explained. Imri nodded. He knew the war had been tipping in favor of the Azala but had hoped the Chixel would continue fighting with guerrilla tactics. Unfortunately, the Chixel working for the Azala had never crossed his mind. ¡°Do we abandon the lodge and fight them on the narrow trails like last time?¡± someone asked. Imri shook his head. ¡°I saw Azala climbing buildings like they were walking on a flat surface. They¡¯ll quickly surround anyone trying to defend a fixed position. On top of that, they have aerial and ranged superiority.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re just fucked then?¡± someone unhelpfully asked. ¡°We still have one critical tactical advantage: me. Specifically, I can open portals anywhere I see or have a waypoint, and I¡¯m working on a spell that will make those restrictions a moot point. We can strike them anywhere and at any time.¡± ¡°Which essentially gives us range and mobility, swinging things back in our favor. How often can you open portals?¡± Colonel Harper asked. ¡°Depends on too many things, but it''s quite a few times. I also don¡¯t need as long to recover; with potions, meditation, and the bonus from the nexus, I can go from entirely exhausted to tip-top shape in less than a day. I also have an item that instantly recovers my mana and removes any over-channel. Unfortunately, it has a significant cooldown, so I¡¯ll only be able to use it once.¡± As Imri explained his capabilities, the contingent from the auction arrived, with Zhaire clearing the way with his size and presence. ¡°This brings back memories of the first battle,¡± the mountain of a man said, sounding almost wistful. ¡°I take it there are no objections to the Ogrog being the vanguard?¡± Colonel Harper asked. ¡°Objections?! They would be more likely to switch sides than listen to stand-down orders,¡± Zhaire said with a grin, not at all remorseful for his unruly army. ¡°And my team?¡± Sylvi asked. ¡°I suggest mage hunting. Eliminating enemy mind mages will be vital. Also, if an opportunity presents itself, destroying nodes,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°And the healers?¡± Emelia asked, almost challenging Imri to tell her to stay out. Fortunately, he had thought through this particular issue. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting triage be set up at Edea¡¯s Spring. That way, people can retreat to the portal and get healing. The worst injuries can be treated with the natural wonder, while the healers can manage more moderate injuries without being overwhelmed. We can send those with minor injuries to Celestia and let the added resource recovery solve the issue,¡± Imri suggested. ¡°And those that can¡¯t return to a portal hub?¡± Emelia asked. ¡°I can open a portal or teleport them back. If I can¡¯t get to them, no one can,¡± Imri argued. Through their bond, Imri knew that his arguments had won. While his solution wouldn¡¯t save everyone, it was as good as they could do. ¡°What about the mob of panicked people? Any idea how to get them under control without violence?¡± Colonel Harper asked. ¡°I could use Project Emotions on them. I don¡¯t like it, but it¡¯s better than the alternative,¡± Emelia suggested. ¡°Once they¡¯ve calmed down, we need to give them purpose, a way to feel like they¡¯re contributing. If they don¡¯t have any applicable abilities, we can suggest they donate their mana. It won¡¯t be much, but every little bit helps,¡± Imri said. Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing that the fixed portal structures were vital to the plan. With the loose framework of a plan in place, Imri excused himself. He didn¡¯t go far, finding an out-of-the-way corner in the large building and sitting on the floor. He entered meditation, directing his mind to review the flood of knowledge he had gained with Omniscience of Gaia. Divination was broad in what it could accomplish, and he was surprised to learn he already had several spells that were classified as such. Since it was the ability to gain information through spells, all his measurement spells fell under that umbrella. So far, he hadn¡¯t ranked up any of those spells, as he mostly used them in enchanting. He also didn¡¯t find the mana efficiency improvement that helpful, as even a minor amount of mana gave him ridiculous precision. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Measuring was important, but it wasn¡¯t immediately helpful. Fortunately, he had another ability classified as divination: Transcendent Meditation. Through it, he could shift his perspective, seeing into his body or staring down from the heavens. The former wasn¡¯t immediately helpful, and the latter had proved too difficult to control. It had shown him visions of raindrops eroding through mountains or sunlight traveling through outer space; neither helped directly, but it gave him a grasp on an out-of-body perspective. He needed a way to shift his perspective as he did with Transcendant Meditation, but he needed the precision and control of his measuring spells. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t get anywhere with the more mystical aspects of Transcendant Meditation; it operated differently than all his spells, which were derived from understanding the concepts it was interacting with. Instead, he dispelled everything mystical from the concept of divination and approached it rationally. He started with the building blocks of every magic school: a spell for measuring what he was working with. Almost as soon as he had that thought, new spells were added: True Light and True Sound. Imri immediately noticed they were a bit more abstract than his other spells, as they measured several things used to form the concepts of light and sound. For example, his True Sound spell measured intensity in decibels and frequency in hertz. Combined, the two spells could gather the same information as his eyes and ears, but with perfect accuracy and precision only limited by the amount of mana. The first implication was apparent: if he could precisely measure with a spell, it could replace biological sensory organs. The system agreed as two new spells were added.
New Spells Learned
Enhance Sight (1F): Improves the target''s vision and prevents optical illusions. Mana cost per second varies based on the distance from the caster to the target and the precision of the sense.
Enhance Hearing (1F): Improves the target¡¯s hearing and prevents auditory hallucinations. Mana cost per second varies based on the distance from the caster to the target and the precision of the sense.
Imri smiled as the information entered his mind. While his vision had been impeccable, thanks to his Omniscient Vision trait, he certainly wouldn¡¯t turn down another way to enhance it. However, Enhanced Hearing was an excellent spell in his arsenal, especially with an unknown assassin likely on their way to kill him. He tested Enhanced Hearing, casting it at a low level of precision to start. Even with just a faint trickle of mana, his hearing was vastly improved; he could easily pick up dozens of people that had only been a din of noise. As the precision increased, he could hear hushed conversations in other rooms as if he were sitting right next to them. As he kept going, he could pick out the quiet grumbling of people on the street from several blocks away. It would have been overwhelming without a similar experience with his Manifest Domain. Imri dismissed the spell and noticed that even the higher precision hadn¡¯t strained his mana, and he could have kept it going indefinitely. Unfortunately, he had so many demands for his mana that he didn¡¯t think this would become a staple. However, he could see an incredible usage for this in rune form. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t a spatial or temporal spell, so he would need to spend some time working out the rune, but that was only a minor inconvenience for a tier-one spell he could cast. Imri took a deep breath, recentering himself. He couldn¡¯t become distracted with new spells. They were nice to have but not what he needed. He needed a way to project his senses, allowing him to see from a different perspective. Fortunately, this wasn¡¯t much of a stretch, as his measuring spells could already do this. He could cast True Sound on a point he could see, and the spell would measure it as if a device had been placed at the target location.
New Spell Learned
External Senses (2F): Creates nontangible sensory inputs at a location visible to the caster. Mana cost varies based on the number of senses created, the precision of the senses, and the distance from the caster to the sensory input.
Imri cheered, getting more strange looks from the people in the crowded town hall. He didn¡¯t care; this was precisely what he needed. It wasn¡¯t some mystical scrying that would shift his perspective to exactly where it needed to be, but he didn¡¯t need that. He needed a better way to get line of sight for his spells, and this would accomplish that. He tested the spell out, changing his perspective to a meter in front of himself. His vision shifted, and he was now looking at himself, which was a bit disconcerting. He immediately noticed a difference from the Enhance Vision spell: the External Sense didn¡¯t use his existing visual acuity, so he needed to put some mana into precision to replicate his own sight. In contrast, the Enhanced Vision worked with his eyes, adding visual acuity like a magical contact lens. The External Sense didn¡¯t replace his vision, giving him two sets of visual feeds to sort through, which wouldn¡¯t be possible without superhuman mental stats. The External Sense also had another advantage over its mundane equivalent: a three-hundred-sixty-degree field of vision. It allowed him to see everything in the large hall, so long as he used enough mana to get the necessary precision. Fortunately, with Imri¡¯s massive mana pool and mana efficiency, that wasn¡¯t an issue. He pushed the boundary of his new spell, adding a third set of sensory inputs. Managing the three perspectives was disconcerting, but he could manage it. Unfortunately, the difficulty only increased exponentially, and four perspectives were his current limit. Even that was barely manageable and wouldn¡¯t be practical in a fight or other similarly strenuous activities. The next test was the most important one. He had dismissed his previous castings and began anew. The corner where he was sitting was out of the way, lacking line of sight outside the town hall. With a casting of External Senses, that was remedied. He followed that up with another spell, targeting the space he initially couldn¡¯t see. As he had hoped, the spell worked, and a second External Senses was created. Now that the first External Senses was no longer needed, he unceremoniously dropped it. The new perspective had an even better vantage point, allowing him to cast a third iteration of the spell and immediately drop the second. Theoretically, he could keep chaining the spells together, projecting his vision at the speed of sight and thought, dropping the previous castings as soon as they were no longer needed. He quickly found himself with a bird''s eye view of Celestia. By pushing more mana in, he could make out every detail of the people moving about despite the vast distances involved. He could see miles in each direction, encompassing the entire plateau. With a thought, his vision shifted, giving him a view from the plateau¡¯s edge. Looking out over the Seagrass Plains, he could see the destruction of the further half of the land. Vast swathes of the strange grass had been converted to the flesh-like membrane that the Azala favored. Swarms of drones moved implacably forward in a wave of bodies. Massive titans, the height of skyscrapers, ambled ahead, and the rank and file gave them a wide berth. Other mutated monstrosities supplemented their ranks: creatures with extra arms or extra legs, winged creatures, and creatures with elongated heads. The Chixel stood in the front, ahead of the xenoforming and marching towards the hunter¡¯s lodge. They were packed in tight ranks, like a medieval army about to lay siege to a city. While they had less variance than the Azala, there were outliers as large scaly creatures that rivaled an Ogrog in size marched amongst them. Several platforms floated in the air, resembling Imri¡¯s enchanted platforms. On them stood priests in ornate robes, flanked by a retinue of inquisitors with black blades and fully charged soul gems. Enchanted wagons moved like an old-fashioned bus, crammed full of captives, both Human and Chixel. Imri saw everything in excruciating detail despite being fifty kilometers from the closest invader. His mana depleted steadily due to the distance from him to the External Senses location and the high precision he had imbued into the spell. Still, he could have kept the single spell going for hours. However, he had a much better use for his mana and intended to bring it to bear upon the armies that dared to threaten his people. Chapter 128: Opening Salvo Imri continued surveying the army, making mental notes on its numbers and composition. He quickly realized they outnumbered every person in Celestia and New Chicago combined. In addition to being outnumbered, they were also out-leveled. Imri was at a higher level than anything he identified through his External Senses, but it wasn¡¯t uncommon to see entire squads made up of creatures in their twenties or thirties. Imri couldn¡¯t possibly make a dent in the combined Azala-Chixel army, but that wouldn¡¯t stop him from trying. From his current range, he would be lucky to create and maintain a Dimensional Tear for over a second due to its severe range scaling. However, that problem was easily mitigated with a single portal, which he effortlessly created. With the range restriction covered, Imri topped off his mana and began. He created several Dimensional Tears, no wider than a strand of silk, and sent them slicing through the enemies'' ranks. Some were sent indiscriminately through the largest concentration of Azala, while others were directed towards essential targets. The low-level Azala were immediately killed from being decapitated or dismembered, the victims likely unaware of how they had died. Those that were higher leveled were less frail, though the tear still did significant damage. The Titans and Despoilers were cleaved in two but somehow survived the critical injury. Some of the highest-leveled even showed signs of regrowing the lost body parts. Imri also noticed slight spikes in mana expenditure as his tears encountered a particularly tough Titan. Imri suspected it was due to some resistance or the spell needing to sheer through more HP to cause the same effect. It was likely a combination of the two. The only attack to be wholly foiled was the Dimensional Tear he sent towards a floating node. The colossal jellyfish-like monstrosity that housed the massive brain likely had enormous HP and resistance. However, the tear encountered some sort of invisible barrier before it could even impact the horror. The required mana spiked above what he expected, causing Imri to lose focus on that instance of the spell. Several of the Azala with the elongated skulls, presumably the mages, erected a barrier to protect themselves. Fortunately, it was much weaker than the node¡¯s protection, and they were eventually sheered in two, but it made Imri¡¯s assault less economical. Imri¡¯s mana was rapidly depleted, as he was often at his limit for how much mana he could channel per second. Notifications flooded Imri¡¯s mind as he recharged his mana pool for a second time. That had only been the opening salvo, and now he was ready to ramp up the attack before the Azala could adjust their formations. Instead of simply throwing more Dimensional Tears at the problem, he opened micro portals several hundred meters apart. After opening six portals, he stopped, not wanting to overwhelm his mental faculties, which were strained from maintaining several spells. His domain spread through a wide swath of land, enveloping tens of thousands of Azala. He could see the nerve-like fibers encompassing the area and the slowly dying life underneath it. Imri blasted his Cycles of Growth and Decay, using the decay aspect to its fullest potential. He had several upgrades since he last used a temporal spell in New Chicago: mana efficiency, improved max channeling, and a higher-tier spell. The effect also increased non-linearly; an effect twice as strong would overwhelm the body more than twice as fast. It was similar to how a Celestial Gravity could slowly kill a Drake at low amplitudes while immediately crushing it at higher amplitudes. The result was near instantaneous, as the drones practically melted into a pile of cancerous growths. The elites didn¡¯t fare much better, sprouting masses within seconds, which pressed against their vital organs. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t kill all of them. The mages repeated their trick of shielding themselves, and Without a Dimensional Tear instantly overwhelming them, they could keep pace. Likewise, the floating tentacled monstrosities that housed the nodes were shielded. Imri kept the effect of his domain spell running for as long as he could, as he was effectively depleting dozens of mages of their mana. His assumption was correct, as slowly the casters were overwhelmed, their weaker bodies almost instantly succumbing to the effects when their shielding faltered. Only the lower-leveled mages succumbed, while the higher-leveled ones had the effective mana to keep going. Imri shifted his focus as he neared his limit. Instead of trying to kill a few more mages, he targeted the ground beneath them. Cycles of Growth and Decay continued running but were now focused on the growth aspect. Corpses became fuel for growth, providing the nutrients for the newly sprouting seagrass. Within seconds, all signs of the battle had been erased, as if years had passed and the land returned to its unmolested state. An oasis formed, a thriving patch of waist-high seagrass surrounded by the xenoformed terrain. Tactically, Imri would have been better off killing another combatant. However, the message was clear: the Azala were not inevitable, and the slow ruination of the land could be turned back. The morale boost easily outweighed inflicting more casualties. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the Azala army remained despite Imri utterly annihilating the area he had covered in his domain. As usual, they were unfazed by the losses they had sustained. They didn¡¯t even make massive changes in their formations, as if the effort of such an adjustment wasn¡¯t worth the increased casualties from another attack. Imri released all his spells and domain as his over-channel began affecting him. He could have kept going, but doing so would have significantly increased the time needed to return to peak efficiency. His head was throbbing, the headache surpassing his high mark set earlier in the day. Given that he hadn¡¯t used as many portals, he likely hadn¡¯t fully recovered before trying the trick again. That, plus the excessive strain of keeping so many spells active at one time, had compounded to almost completely overwhelm his mental faculties. He would need to spend several hours with a still mind, focusing on nothing rather than dozens of intricate spells. Before he could focus on his recovery, there was one critical task that he should have done earlier. He went to the nexus, ignoring the crowd of people who hadn¡¯t dispersed. When his hands touched the crystal, a message asked if he would like to use various array improvements. Imri mentally confirmed each one. He also decided to make an executive decision on the array since he had purchased it with his own money. He debated Security and Stealth, mainly due to what he had just done with divination magic. However, neither was dramatically better in the short term, and Commercial was clearly better in the long term.
The settlement ¡®Espeonite Grotto¡¯ has become a part of the Celestine Empire
Celestine Empire has reached level 3
Celestia Town (2F) level 14
Radius of Effect 1.60 Kilometers (+.44 Kilometers)
Radius of Influence 2.58 Kilometers (+1.23 Kilometers)
Resource Regeneration 12.06% (+3.33%)
Experience 2.01% (+.56%)
Fertility 4.02% (+1.11%)
Birth Complications Reduction Factor 1.08 (+.02)
Max Attribute Potential of Newborn .4% (+.11%)
Tax Reduction Factor 1.28
Imri nodded in satisfaction. With the improvements, he now had two settlements with a connected radius of effect. The empire was also close to connecting with Edea¡¯s Spring and Padar Fields. Imri cringed as his name was used for the rural farming community until he realized it doubled as his and Emelia¡¯s last names put together. Celestia was also only a few buildings from ranking up to tier two.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. With that done, Imri was too exhausted to deal with the swarm of people asking him questions. He made his way back home and slipped into a partial stillness meditation. His mind wasn¡¯t totally blank, as he had a myriad of notifications that he didn¡¯t have the restraint to put off.
Title Improved
Baron of Celestia 20 (+4): 4% increase in primary attributes (+.8%)
Achievements Improved
Horde Slayer 52 (+36): 5.2% increase in primary attributes (+3.6%)
Butcher 2(+1): .1% increase in primary attributes (+.05%)
ImrI Padar has reached level 50 (+4) in Celestial Mage (2E)
Imri Padar has reached level 50 (+4) in Manifestation of Gaia (2F)
Primary Attributes
Strength 178 (+9)
Agility 147 (+8)
Constitution 176 (+9)
Intelligence 360 (+26)
Willpower 290 (+19)
Charisma 150 (+8)
Secondary Attributes
HP 473 (+59)
FP 350 (+42)
MP 2677 (+463)
Mana Efficiency 2016 (+332)
Crafting Efficiency 2747 (+452)
Skill Rank-Up
Manifest Domain F to D: 3% increase to domain radius, duration of domain, and bonus to domain spell.
Spell Rank-Up
Dimensional Tear D to C
Dimensional Tear (2C) has improved to Planar Tear (3F)
Planar Tear (3F): Create a tear in the plane relative to a frame of reference. A stable connection between the two dimensions is created if the tear occurs along a dimensional boundary. A tear can rip through reality, creating planar rifts to an alternate realm. Nothing can exist where there is no space, and anything that comes into contact with a tear into nothingness will cease to exist. Anything that comes into contact with the edge of a stable tear will be forced apart. Mana cost determined by the tear size and the distance from the caster.
Dimensional Portal D to C
Dimensional Portal (2C) has improved to Planar Gate(3F)
Planar Gate (3F): Create a stable gateway between two planes, connecting them as if they were no distance apart. Allows access to planes that exist parallel to the current plane. The mana cost for creating the gate varies based on the dimensions of the gate, the distance between the planes, and the distance from the caster to the two planes. The mana cost per second to maintain the gate depends on the dimensions of the gate.
Cycles of Growth and Decay E to D: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Quest Updated
Class Rank Up E to D: Learn new space or time spells 7/15, rank up space or time spells 13/20, visit new celestial bodies 0/3, have space or time spells of tier 3 or higher 3/5.
He shouldn¡¯t have been surprised by the sheer quantity of improvements, but he had been the perpetrator of enough death to make his previous accomplishments seem tame. Like the battle for New Chicago, most of his kills had been on enemies at a level too low to count for achievements. Despite this, the sheer amount of stats he gained from upgrading his Horde Slayer achievement spoke for itself, overshadowing every other improvement. Four levels was a significant boost and was the most he had gained in a single fight. His physical abilities now placed him well above even the most elite pre-integration athlete. His mental attributes allowed him to take in and process more information in fractions of a second. He was like an artificial intelligence in terms of processing and true multi-tasking, but with the general intelligence of a human being. His mana could go from near zero to full in the equivalent time of a night''s rest when combining his regeneration with meditation and the bonus Celestia gave. Imri regretted passing on the tier-two ability rank-up shard. With his improvement to Manifest Domain, he could have pushed the skill to tier three. Still, even the three percent improvement from the rank-up was significant, as it improved all aspects of the skill by that amount. He could use the skill longer, have it effect a larger area, and the domain spell was more efficient. Planar Tear was the first new spell, with a similar upgrade to its tier-one to two improvements. It had a slightly improved efficiency, allowing him to create the same tear for less mana. The essential improvement was that he could tear through to a parallel plane. Fortunately, his Spatial Control combined with Gaia¡¯s Omniscience gave him some insight into how this worked. Layered on top of base reality, there was almost an infinite number of different planes. Some were nearly indistinguishable, while others were unrecognizable. One might have entirely different laws of physics, such as matter being able to pass through other matter, creating non-corporeal beings. Another might have rules that made everything a fiery hellscape or the entire plane of water. Unfortunately, his insights didn¡¯t give him a list of useful planes or how to access them, so for now, the improvement was strictly efficiency-based. Similarly, his Dimensional Portal upgrading to Planar Gate allowed him to create a gateway between two planes. It also improved efficiency when used for intra-planar travel. Fortunately, he did have a couple of leads for learning more about the various planes. The first was that the system referred to dungeon entrances as planar rifts, essentially a stable planar tear. If Imri could find and study one, it might give him some ideas on replicating it. The second idea was to use the information broker in New Chicago. That would likely save him time but cost him significant credits. Imri let his musings go and focused on a still mind. This was only the first battle, and the Azala were undoubtedly preparing for their attack. They certainly wouldn¡¯t let him keep decomposing them into fertilizer for seagrass. He entered a still mind state, completely unaware of his surroundings and only faintly aware of the passage of time. He wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when a sharp pain shunted him out of his meditation. A blade was biting through his neck, threatening to decapitate him in the next instant. His assailant was fuzzy, a shapeless person that his eyes shifted away from unconsciously. Chapter 129: Nowhere is Safe Imri panicked as he felt the blade slicing through his neck. He channeled a near-max amplitude Temporal Expansion. Everything around him moved in slow motion, almost as if time had stopped. Flecks of blood spraying from his neck hung in the air, the motion so slow as to nearly be imperceptible. Despite this, he could still feel the sword cutting through him. He cast a short-range teleport with the last available mana throughput, moving only a meter back and out of the blade¡¯s trajectory. While he had managed to avoid instant death from decapitation, Imri was still in bad shape. The cut had gone nearly halfway through his neck, severing arteries and nerves. He should have been crippled from the damage to his spine, but he was still able to function thanks to his inhuman physical abilities and HP. A quick mental query showed that it had dropped from 473 to just below one hundred, with a steady decline as blood gushed out, and that was with time expanded to an insane degree. The more immediate problem was his attacker. Even with them trying to kill him, he couldn¡¯t help but pass his eyes over them, with only a blurry figure at the periphery of his vision confirming where they were. He could send large arcs of Planar Tear or compress a vast area with Spatial Collapse, but he was unsure of his opponent''s defenses. He would die if they managed to foil his attack with a mana shield. He needed to see and Identify his opponent before he could make a plan of attack. A domain sprang into existence, giving Imri unparalleled information about the area around him. Twenty minutes of possible usage of Manifest Domain was deducted for using the skill for a third time this month. He still had plenty of uses left, but at the rate he was going through them, it would become a problem. The armor tried to divert his gaze, but with domain, he was aware of everything; the armor could do nothing within such an all-encompassing area of effect. The assailant was a level fifty-eight Assassin and forty-five Mind Theif, having quite a few levels on Imri. It had only taken Imri a fraction of a second to decide on this course of action and implement it, and that was before the ridiculous time-altering effects were factored in. However, despite all that, the Assasin was still reacting. They weren¡¯t moving fast, more like a person wading through deep water, but even that was ridiculous, considering the blood spray had gone only a few inches in that same amount of time. At the same time, he felt something slam against his mind. It wasn¡¯t to control him completely; instead, the Mind Theif Assasin attempted to break his concentration. If Imri¡¯s Temporal Expansion ended for a fraction of a second, he was dead. Fortunately, Imri, having several mind defense traits, a general resistance to magic, and ridiculous mental stats, made the effort futile. Imri¡¯s Staff of the Celestial Mage appeared in his hands, summoned through his Inner Domain. He used it to cast Temporal Expansion at an even higher throughput than he was already running. Given that the staff had less efficiency, he would be going through an insane amount of stored mana quickly. The duplicate effects didn¡¯t stack, but he didn¡¯t trust dropping it for any period. He dropped his own casting of Temporal Expansion once the enchantment version had begun. He switched to his domain, using it for Temporal Collapse on the Assasin¡ªthose two effects stacked, making the Azala essentially frozen in time, relative to Imri. Not wanting to waste time with the ridiculous mana expenditure, Imri strode up to his attacker. A Dimensional Saber appeared in Imri¡¯s hand. A lazy slash cleanly separated the Azala¡¯s head from the rest of their body. Imri released the spell effects, and the Assasin crumpled to the ground. He was momentarily confused, as there was no flood of experience. He noticed a flicker of movement, the eyes of the decapitated Azala looking at him. Fortunately, the high-level assassin was incapable of doing anything with such a grievous wound, and a few seconds later, it succumbed to being decapitated. Imri tracked his HP closely as it continued to drop. He could summon the Chalice of Rebirth if it got much lower, but he wanted to save it as a last resort. With his throat severely damaged, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could drink anything anyway, which also ruled out potions. He slipped into a meditation to improve all his regeneration, especially when combined with his Shaped by Mana trait, which converted his MP regeneration to HP regeneration. Even with those bonuses, the several hundred HP per hour was nothing compared to the amount of damage per second he was accruing from having a head hanging on by a thread. Emelia was sprinting towards him, only a few blocks away in the clinic, but she wouldn¡¯t arrive in time. Fortunately, time was Imri¡¯s to control. Emelia was in his domain, and he adjusted the domain spell to be a Temporal Expansion. After ensuring no other infiltrators were within the radius, he targeted everyone except himself. He only needed to target Emelia but didn¡¯t see the harm in including everyone, as the spell would cost the same amount. Her speed increased, but it would still be too close for comfort. Imri needed a way to slow himself down, giving the injuries less time to worsen. At an extreme, it would be Stasis, which is what he had done to save Corrolth¡¯s unborn children or Rayden¡¯s life after the Troglodytes had poisoned him. Unfortunately, that wouldn¡¯t work; he couldn¡¯t maintain his spells while in Stasis. Fortunately, Imri didn¡¯t need to be frozen in time for hours; he just needed a few extra seconds to give Emelia time to reach him. Still holding his staff, Imri used the enchanted item to imitate another of his spells. Temporal Collapse affected him, causing several seconds to pass for each one he experienced. Critically, Emelia got several seconds to run for each second of his injury worsening. In this case, he was like the assassin, unable to move as the rest of the world passed by in a blur. Emelia burst into the room, appearing to move at superhuman speeds that were impossible to track with his eyes. An instant later, a soothing warmth pulsed through his neck, his body reknitting itself back together. A second after that, he was back to full health, with unmarred flesh leaving no hint of the near-death experience. Imri dropped his domain and spells, undamming the passage of time.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Emelia hadn¡¯t struggled to heal that amount of damage. She had come a long way from when it took her all night to save Zhaire from the Umbral Tiger. She had also hit level thirty in her class and heritage, meaning the next heritage rank-up was possible. However, despite her remarkable improvements, the healing had taken a good portion of her mana and a bit of her HP for the Shared Burden and Martyr combo. Her emotions had also caused her to overheal when a hundred points to close up the wound would have had Imri back at full health from natural regenerations in no time. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked, scrutinizing her work. It was unnecessary, as their Soul Bond told her exactly how much HP Imri had. ¡°I¡¯m at a higher HP percentage than you,¡± Imri pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and you know it,¡± she scolded. Imri nodded thoughtfully, reflecting on how close he had come to dying. If he hadn¡¯t been in tune with his body via meditation, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to react as quickly, and the slightest hesitation would have caused him to be decapitated. The stats he had gained from the most recent level-ups also significantly influenced a fight this close. He had made several miscalculations, all of them before the attempt on his life. A peak tier-two being wasn¡¯t just a slightly more powerful specimen. They had aspects that far outdid what was capable before the system. The powerful Assasin had physical attributes comparable to his mental ones. While they couldn¡¯t teleport, with the physical stats they possessed, they could have been moving at speeds exceeding pre-integration vehicles. Imri had also assumed the guards throughout the city would have spotted someone trying to enter. The armor had made that defense untenable, and a guard likely wouldn¡¯t have noticed the Azala if it was standing right in front of them. It was also possible that the armor was redundant, and such a high-level mind mage wouldn¡¯t have even needed it to get past the patrols. All that combined meant that Imri had badly misjudged his safety. He couldn¡¯t assume he was safe because he was kilometers away from the horde of enemies. That was only the threats he knew of; for all he knew, there could be several more assassins of a similar level. Imri didn¡¯t think that was likely but couldn¡¯t make unfounded assumptions. He also couldn¡¯t conclude they would always go for him; what would have happened if this assassin had gone after Emelia? He shuddered at the thought. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have an easy solution; he would have already done so if there was an easy way to ward the settlement from high-level infiltrators. He could periodically weed them out with Manifest Domain, but that wouldn¡¯t prevent assassination attempts. All he could do was ensure he wasn¡¯t in such a vulnerable state, and he hoped this Assasin was the best the Azala had. Fortunately, the loot suggested that was a valid assumption. The Assasin had the Infiltrator¡¯s armor from the auction. It had looked like an unassuming ensemble of everyday clothing. However, it reverted to silver silk accented with a golden script after the wearer died. Despite the light and bendable material, it was durable enough to stop any mundane weapon, likely rivaling a heavy set of drake scale vests. The real value was in the unique property, which made the wearer almost invisible. On top of that, it had resizing and repair properties. Likewise, the longsword was also an auction item, though only a basic one that gave repair and sharpness properties. Add in the level fifty-eight core that Imri extracted, and this one kill was worth over twenty million credits. He would keep the armor for now, as it was better than his own in almost every way. The sword wasn¡¯t immediately functional for him. His dimensional sabers were better in a short fight, where the mana drain wouldn¡¯t become an issue. The sword would be ideal in a protracted battle, but Imri didn¡¯t see his fights devolving into that. The final reward was the notifications that were waiting for him.
Traits Ranked Up
Temporal Control F to E: Gives an instinctive control over temporal concepts, helping improve the rate at which spells and abilities related to the concept of time are learned and improved by 5.66% (+.16%). Increases the effectiveness of temporal spells and abilities by 2.57% (+.07%).
One with Time F to E: You have achieved control over time within your body, making it a part of you. You age 5.15% (+.15%) slower, both from natural and magical effects. The mana efficiency of beneficial temporal spells that target you is increased by 5.15% (+.15%), while the efficiency of harmful temporal effects is reduced by 5.15% (+.15%). You can always accurately perceive how much time has elapsed in a given period, with precision dependent on Willpower, and will be instantly aware of any changes in the passage of time instinctually.
Spells Ranked Up
Temporal Expansion F to E: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
Temporal Collapse F to E: 3% increase in the spell''s mana efficiency
In addition to the ability rank-ups, he had gained a single level in Celestial Mage and Manifestation of Gaia. The increase was slight, especially compared to his massive leaps forward from slaying thousands of Azala or purchasing natural treasures. Still, he would take every iota of power he could, as it would all be needed in the coming fight. The only downside to the encounter was his resources. His MP was almost entirely spent, and he once again had the over-channel debuff. His stored mana was also low, with some of the crystals swapped for empty ones to power the settlement. Overall, he was worse off than when he had begun meditating several hours earlier. His radio crackled to life. Colonel Harper spoke in a severe tone that commanded, ¡°The Chixel have begun their assault on Seagrass Lodge. All reserve units form up at the portal. All command staff, report to HQ.¡± Imri cursed as he once again felt powerless against a ceaseless onslaught. He considered using the chalice but refrained. He needed to accept that he couldn¡¯t sway every battle and wasn¡¯t solely responsible for the defense. Besides, Zhaire would never forgive him if he took away all his fun. Chapter 130: Holding the Line Zhaire sat atop Betelgeuse, surveying the approaching horde of Chixel. Even with the height of his massive steed, they were still hard to spot, as the smaller lizard creatures were easily shorter than the seagrass. Despite this, it was easy to gauge their progress by the mass disturbance of the foliage. A vast area near the settlement had been cleared, giving the invaders no cover. Preparing the battlefield had been easy enough for the Ogrog, pulling stalks of grass like a gardener removing weeds. The mages had objected that it was horribly inefficient, but Zhaire had pointed out what the Ogrog would be doing if they weren¡¯t kept busy. After that, No one objected, and a few even suggested expanding the area. The first of the Chixel vanguard entered the clearing with trepidation, with a few even soiling themselves at the sight of the assembled Ogrog, which numbered in the thousands. It wouldn¡¯t matter that they outnumbered Zhaire¡¯s forces a hundred times over when an Ogrog weighing a ton crashed into the line. There was no grand strategy. Zhaire had told the Ogrog to wait until most of the army reached the clearing. Unfortunately, the oversized dogs couldn¡¯t follow even those simple instructions. A few overeager Ogrog broke ranks, bounding towards their opponents with child-like glee. This had a cascading effect, as none of the Ogrog wanted to be left out of the fun. This resulted in a disorderly charge, with significant gaps where an individual Ogrog was slow to realize what was happening. However, they made up for their lack of organization with reckless enthusiasm. The knights looked to their leader, asking an unspoken question. A few recruits had joined their ranks, taken from the best of Celestia¡¯s growing military. Despite this, they still numbered fewer than twenty pairs of riders and mounts. Zhaire shook his head, deciding to show more restraint than his Ogrogs. The massive ogre-like creatures made effective shock troops. They effortlessly plowed through the ranks of gathered Chixel, shredding their opponents'' line like a professional linebacker blitzing through a middle school team. Unfortunately, the charge also put them out of position, with the elite Ogrogs pushing further into the enemy, only to become surrounded. It would have worked if they had only been outnumbered several times, but the sheer number of opponents made that impossible. Slowly, individual Ogrog were taken down by packs of Chixel working in tandem. It would have worked if the Chixel had the same psychology as a medieval human army, but they were spurred on by the threat of being a sacrifice to their god or a host for an Azala. Zhaire noticed a potent unit of Chixel carving through Ogrog like a hot knife through butter. They were better armed and armored, each carrying the black soul-stealing blades. He still remembered how one inquisitor had changed the flow of battle, and he smiled, reveling in an opponent for which he could measure his progress. He let loose a warcry and gave a mental command to Betelgeuse. The massive Starseeker began its charge, moving slowly but building up speed with each step. Each knight followed his lead, their Starseekers keeping pace with his. They sped headlong toward their opponents, eventually moving faster than a car on a freeway. The inquisitors reacted quickly, most moving out of the way of the oncoming collisions that would squish them like bugs. A few didn¡¯t manage and were quickly ground into a paste, but the Starseeker''s speed did not slow. Zhaire lashed out as he charged through, his glaive extending like a coiled-up snake. The unsuspecting inquisitor never knew what killed him as he was bisected in two. Other knights let loose spells and attacks of their own, some of which found their marks. Most of the inquisitors were eliminated in a single pass that had taken only seconds. A few months ago, it would have been a unit capable of crippling Celestia¡¯s best, but now they were nothing but a minor irritant. Emboldened by their success, Zhaire continued leading them forward towards the heart of the enemy''s forces. Scores of Chixel were felled in their wake, barely slowing the elite Knights Reclaimers. The few times the Chixel managed a sufficiently dense formation of spears, they were obliterated by an onslaught of spells. Zhaire even got to join in, releasing a gout of flame from his mouth like he was a firebreathing dragon. The fire spread in a long line like it had been released from a military-grade flamethrower, with the white-hot flames quickly incinerating anything it came into contact with. Zhaire could almost see the appeal of being a spell caster. Once they had finished carving through, Zhaire wheeled them around in a wide arc, killing another swathe of opponents as they went. The return trip was less effective, if only because the Chixel had dispersed. The knights continued acting as reserves that would quickly be deployed to any section where the Ogrog met fierce resistance. Each time, they effortlessly plowed through. No Knights Reclaimers were seriously injured, with the worst being a minor scratch from a soul blade. The biggest concern was their stamina, as they were forced to move from encounter to encounter with little rest. Even that was mostly mitigated by their bard, Christina, who sang an empowered song that reinvigorated the knights. Unfortunately, her magic didn¡¯t work on the Ogrog or the Starseekers, so it had a limited effect. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The pitched battle continued for hours. More and more Ogrog continued to fall. It wasn¡¯t because they were overwhelmed by impossible numbers or an elite opponent. Instead, they simply made more mistakes and fought with less enthusiasm as they tired from the non-stop fighting. Zhaire did his part to bolster morale, fighting duels against the elite Chixel who knew the Ogrog tradition. Many of his opponents were tier two, either elite inquisitors or enlarged brutish variations. Many of them looked gleeful as they fought what they assumed to be a weaker opponent. It only took them a second to learn how wrong they were, but that was often too late for them. The fewer still that managed to get in solid hits were dismayed by the sheer amount of armor Zhaire possessed, with nothing able to pierce his Draconic Scales, a tier two version of his Impervious Skin. The few times he used his boosting skill, Draconic Form, he immediately overwhelmed his opponents with his improved physical attributes. He refrained from using his Fire Breath in a duel, as that felt like it would be against some unspoken rule. His stunt had improved the morale of the Ogrog, but it quickly waned as each subsequent duel had a lesser and lesser effect. He was about to return to the knights when his radio crackled to life. ¡°Knight Commander Reeves, get your forces back to the portal. We¡¯ll cover your retreat,¡± Colonel Harper ordered. Zhaire was independent, a condition of forming his order, and he could disregard the order if he so chose. However, he had to assume there was a good reason for the suggestion. He nodded to Christina, and she cast a spell, mimicking the sound of a deep horn. Many of the Ogrog followed the order. It wasn¡¯t orderly, but eventually, the majority of his troops fell back towards the settlement. A few disregarded the command, fighting to the bitter end. Only hundreds remained of the thousands of Ogrog who had entered the battle. Bodies littered the open terrain, most of them Chixel. The once solid ground was now a muddy mess from the gallons of blood that had been spilled. The surviving enemy combatants began regrouping, preparing to pursue their fleeing opponents. Zhaire wasn¡¯t sure if they knew about the portal, but it wouldn¡¯t matter. With the size of the portal entrance and the size of an Ogrog, they would only be able to go through one at a time. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have that long, as the Chixel appeared eager to enact revenge for the heavy toll they had taken. Within a few minutes, a reformed Chixel horde strode forth. A small contingent of people moved to meet them. Zhaire recognized some of them as crafters, builders, and other professionals. However, each one of them was a mage. A myriad of spells were cast at the oncoming army: fireballs exploded, chunks of earth collapsed as if by the world¡¯s largest sinkhole, the sky darkened, and peals of thunder heralded a torrent of rain and lightning. Umbra covered large swathes of the battlefield, preventing both sides from seeing any further devastation. Judging by the loud booming sounds reverberating throughout the battlefield, the barrage of spellcasting continued. The onslaught ended just as suddenly as it had begun, lasting only several minutes. The attacks had killed relatively few Chixel, at least compared to the pitched battle earlier. However, the bombardment had been so loud and flashy that it had a significant psychological effect. Many Chixel were retreating with haste, and the remaining few were warily eyeing the damaged terrain that had quickly become an impassible quagmire. A small unit could traverse the area, but an army would undoubtedly have issues crossing. Sylvi appeared as if she had materialized out of thin air. The rest of her unit followed behind her, each member looking just as exhausted as the Ogrog that had been fighting for hours straight. ¡°Thanks for keeping them busy, big guy,¡± Ashlyn said with a grin. ¡°No problem,¡± Zhaire said in confusion. ¡°Their leadership has a lot fewer priests,¡± the young woman said with a wide grin. ¡°Ash, op sec,¡± Sylvi scolded her, though she had an equally satisfied expression. ¡°Why was killing their priests so important? I get they¡¯re casters, but they couldn¡¯t have been that powerful?¡± Zhaire asked. ¡°They''re the reason the Chixel haven¡¯t broken. If no one threatens them with soul destruction, they¡¯ll be far more likely to run. At the very least, killing their leadership will throw them into disarray,¡± Sylvi explained. ¡°I see. Well, good job,¡± Zhaire said. ¡°You too,¡± Sylvi said with a nod. Zhaire realized that he had only been the lineman. His job had been holding off the army while the wraiths and Imri had done the actual damage. He felt a bit dejected about that until he realized his role was no less necessary. The wraiths wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as effective if most of the army hadn¡¯t focused on him. Likewise, the mages could only unleash their attacks for a short time before needing to be protected as they recovered their mana. Zhaire wanted to be the best, which didn¡¯t necessarily mean inflicting the most damage. He waited at the back of the line that slowly lurched forward. A review of his notification told him he had only gained a single level, which seemed like a paltry amount. That was until he considered how much threat he had been under. Even the elites had been significantly weaker than he was, with none truly threatening his life. Hopefully, the Azala would have an actual challenge. The sight of hundreds of Ogrogs greeted him as he walked through the portal. They were a bit incongruous with the monastic temples built around the spring. Despite this, healers tended to the injured Ogrog without complaint, though Zhaire noticed a few winces as some of the filthy dog-like creatures entered the hot spring. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the absurdity of it.